Editing Distinguished Service Order

{{Short description|UK military decoration}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox order
| title            = Distinguished Service Order
| image            = [[File:Distinguished Service Order badge (United Kingdom) - Tallinn Museum of Orders.jpg|131px]] [[File:Distinguished Service Order, King George V reverse.jpg|122px]]
| caption          = [[Obverse and reverse]] (reign of [[George V]])
| awarded_by       = [[United Kingdom]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]
| type             = [[Order (distinction)|Order]]
| established      = 6 September 1886
| motto            =
| day              =
| eligibility      = Members of the Armed Forces
| for              = "Distinguished services during active operations against the enemy."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.operations.mod.uk/honours/honours.htm |title=Defence Internet {{!}} Fact Sheets {{!}} Guide to Honours |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210734/http://www.operations.mod.uk/honours/honours.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref>
| status           = Currently awarded
| head_title       = Sovereign
| head             = [[Charles III]]
| chancellor       =
| commander        =
| grades           = Companion
| former_grades    =
| date             = 6 September 1886
| first_induction  =
| last_induction   =
| total            = {{unbulleted list
  | [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]]: 1,646{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=124–125|ps=. Confirms 1,732 prior to World War I: 1,646 to 1902, 78 to 1910 and 8 to 1914.}}
  | [[Edward VII]]: 78
  | [[George V]]: 9,900
  | [[George VI]]: 4,943<ref name=Yearbook>{{cite book |title=Medal Yearbook 2015 |year=2015 |publisher=Token Publishing |location=Honiton, Devon |isbn=978-1-908-828-16-3 |page=83}}</ref>
  }}
| recipients       =
| individual       =
| higher           = [[Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire]] (CBE)<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=56878 |supp=y |page=3351 |date=17 March 2003}}</ref>
| lower            = [[Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order]] (LVO)
| image2           = [[File:Dso-ribbon.svg|100px]]
| caption2         = [[Medal ribbon|DSO ribbon]] 
}}
The '''Distinguished Service Order''' ('''DSO''') is a [[Military awards and decorations|military award]] of the [[United Kingdom]], as well as formerly throughout the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]], awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful command and leadership during active operations, typically in actual combat. 

Equal in [[Awards and decorations of the British Armed Forces|British precedence of military decorations]] to the [[Conspicuous Gallantry Cross]] and [[Royal Red Cross]], since 1993 the DSO is eligible to all [[Military rank|ranks]] awarded specifically for "highly successful command and leadership during active operations".<ref name="dsomod" /> 

== History ==
[[File:Distinguished Service Order, ribbon bar.png|left|thumb|190px|[[Medal bar|Bar]] for additional DSO award]]
[[File:DSO1.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Major Paul Garneau, of the [[Royal 22e Regiment|Royal 22<sup>e</sup> Régiment]], with the DSO he received for "gallant and distinguished services in the combined [[Dieppe Raid|attack on Dieppe]]" after his investiture at [[Buckingham Palace]] in October 1942<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35729 |supp=y |page=4328 |date=2 October 1942 }}</ref>]]
Instituted on 6 September 1886 by [[Queen Victoria]] by [[Warrant (law)|Royal Warrant]] published in ''[[The London Gazette]]'' on 9 November,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25641|pages=5385–5386| date=9 November 1886}}</ref> the first DSOs awarded were dated 25 November 1886.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25650|pages=5975–5976|date=9 November 1886}}</ref>

The [[Order (distinction)|order]] was established to recognise individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war. It is a military order, and was, until recently, typically awarded to [[Commanding officer|officers in command]] above the rank of [[Major (rank)|major]] (or equivalent), with awards to lower ranks usually being for a high degree of gallantry, just short of deserving the [[Victoria Cross]].<ref name=veteran/>

Whilst normally given for service under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy, a number of awards made between 1914 and 1916 were under circumstances not under fire, often to [[staff officer]]s, causing resentment among front-line officers. After 1 January 1917, commanders in the field were instructed to recommend this award only for those serving under fire.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=119–121}}

From 1916, [[Medal bar|bars]] could be authorised for subsequent award of the DSO, worn on the ribbon of the original award.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=119–121}}

In 1942, the award was extended to officers of the [[Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)|Merchant Navy]] who had performed acts of gallantry whilst under enemy attack.<ref name=NZ>{{cite web |access-date=17 February 2010 |publisher=New Zealand defence force |title=British Commonwealth Gallantry, Meritorious and Distinguished Service Awards – Companion of the Distinguished Service Order |url=http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/category/i/i3.html}}</ref> 

Prior to 1943, the DSO could be awarded to only commissioned officers of the [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] rank and above, for 'meritorious or distinguished service in wartime' under conditions of actual combat. If awarded to an officer ranking below Lieutenant-Colonel, it had to be a case of 'a high degree of gallantry just short of deserving the [[Victoria Cross]]'. In either case, being '[[Mentioned in Despatches]]' was a pre-condition for appointment to the Distinguished Service Order.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - TracesOfWar.com |url=https://www.tracesofwar.com/awards/9/Distinguished-Service-Order-DSO.htm#:~:text=The%20Order%20is%20generally%20given,Gazette%20on%20November%209th%201886. |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=www.tracesofwar.com}}</ref>

The stipulation that only those [[mentioned in despatches]] could be appointed to the Order was removed in 1943.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=119–121}}

== Modern era ==
Since 1993, reflecting [[1993 reviews of the British honours system|the review of the British honours system]] which recommended removing distinctions of rank in respect of operational awards, the DSO has been open to all ranks, with the award criteria redefined as "highly successful command and leadership during active operations".<ref name=dsomod>{{cite web |access-date=17 February 2010 |title=Distinguished Service Order |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/Veterans/Medals/DistinguishedServiceOrder.htm}}</ref> At the same time, the [[Conspicuous Gallantry Cross]] was introduced as the second-highest award for gallantry.<ref name="Duckers">{{cite book |last1=Duckers |first1=Peter |title=British gallantry awards: 1855-2000 |date=2001 |publisher=Shire Publications |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-7478-0516-8 |pages=18–23}}</ref> Despite some very fierce campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, the DSO has yet to be awarded to a non-commissioned rank.<ref>[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a802607ed915d74e33f8bb2/JSP761_Part1.pdf
www.gov.uk]</ref>

The DSO was previously awarded throughout the Commonwealth but by the 1990s most, including [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|Canada]], [[Australian Honours System|Australia]] and [[New Zealand Royal Honours System|New Zealand]], were had established their own honours systems no longer recommending British honours.<ref>{{cite book |title=Medal Yearbook 2015 |year=2015 |publisher=Token Publishing |location=Honiton, Devon |isbn=978-1-908-828-16-3 |pages=90, 429, 459}}</ref>

== Nomenclature ==
Recipients of the Order, formally styled Companions of the Distinguished Service Order, are entitled to use {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DSO}} as [[post-nominal letters]]. All awards are announced in ''The London Gazette''.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=122–124}}

== Description ==
* The [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] signifying the award of the DSO is a [[silver-gilt]] (gold until 1889) cross with curved ends, {{convert|1.6|in|cm|abbr=on}} wide, [[Vitreous enamel|enamelled]] white and edged in gilt.<ref name=Yearbook/> It is manufactured by Messrs [[Garrard & Co]], the [[Crown Jeweller]]s.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=122–124}}
* In the centre of the obverse, within a green enamelled [[laurel wreath]], is the [[Imperial Crown]] in gold upon a red enamelled background. The reverse has the [[Royal Cypher]] of the reigning monarch in gold within a similar wreath and background.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=122–124}}
* A ring at the top of the decoration attaches to a ring at the bottom of a gilt suspension bar, ornamented with laurel. Since 1938 the year of award engraved on the back of the suspension bar.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=122–124}} At the top of the ribbon is a second gilt bar ornamented with laurel.<ref name=veteran/>
* The decorations are issued unnamed but some recipients have had their names engraved on the reverse of the suspension bar.<ref name=veteran/>
* The red ribbon is {{convert|1.125|in|cm|abbr=on}} wide with narrow blue edges.<ref name=Duckers/>
* The [[medal bar|Bar]] for an additional award is plain gold with an Imperial Crown in the centre. Since about 1938, the year of the award has been engraved on the back of the Bar.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=122–124}} A [[Rosette (decoration)|rosette]] is worn on the [[Medal ribbon|ribbon]] in undress uniform to signify the award of each Bar.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=17 February 2010 |title=The British (Imperial) Distinguished Service Order |publisher=Vietnam veterans association of Australia |url=http://www.vvaa.org.au/ord-ds.htm}}</ref>

==Recipients==

===Numbers awarded===
From 1918 to 2017, the Distinguished Service Order was awarded approximately 16,935 times, in addition to 1,910 bars. The figures to 1979 are laid out in the table below,{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=124–129}} the dates reflecting the relevant entries in the ''London Gazette'':
{| class="wikitable"
! Period ||  ||align=center| Crosses|| 1st bar || 2nd bar || 3rd bar
|-
|align=center| Pre-First World War ||align=center| 1886–1913 ||align=center| 1,732 ||align=center| – ||align=center| – ||align=center| – 
|-
|align=center| First World War ||align=center| 1914–1919 ||align=center| 9,881 ||align=center| 768 ||align=center| 76 ||align=center| 7  
|-
|align=center| Inter-war || align=center| 1919–1939 ||align=center| 148 ||align=center| 16 ||align=center| – ||align=center| – 
|-
|align=center| Second World War ||align=center| 1939–1946 ||align=center| 4,880 ||align=center| 947 ||align=center| 59 ||align=center| 8 
|-
|align=center| Post-1945 ||align=center| 1947–1979||align=center| 204 ||align=center| 20 ||align=center| 5 ||align=center| 1 
|-
|align=center| '''Total''' ||align=center| '''1886–1979''' ||align=center| '''16,845''' ||align=center| '''1,751''' ||align=center| '''140''' ||align=center| '''16''' 
|}

In addition, approximately 90 DSOs were awarded between 1980 and 2017, including awards for the [[Falklands War|Falklands]], [[Gulf War|Gulf]], [[Iraq War|Iraq]] and [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|Afghanistan]] [[War]]s, in addition to three Bars.<ref>Post 1979 DSOs include 19 for the [[Falklands War|Falklands]] ([https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49134/supplement/12831 London Gazette Supplement, 8 October 1982]); 1 for [[British military intervention in the Sierra Leone Civil War|Sierra Leone]] ([https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57070/supplement/12066  London Gazette Supplement, 30 September 2003]); 8 for [[Gulf War]] ([https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/52588/supplement/1 London Gazette Supplement, 29 June 1991] [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/53855/supplement/16325 Late award: 21 November 1994]); 18 bars for [[List of British gallantry awards for the Iraq War#Distinguished Service Order|Iraq]] and 43+3 second award bar for [[List of British gallantry awards for the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)#Distinguished Service Order|Afghanistan]], plus awards for smaller conflicts.</ref> The above figures include awards to the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. 

* In all, 1,220 DSOs were awarded to Canadians, plus 119 first bars and 20 second Bars.<ref name="veteran">[http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/details/40 Veterans Affairs Canada – Distinguished Service Order] (Retrieved 8 December 2018)</ref> 
* From 1901 to 1972, when the last Australian to receive the DSO was announced, 1,018 awards were made to Australians, plus 70 first Bars and one second Bar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/imperial.cfm#dso |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623051652/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/imperial.cfm#dso |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 June 2006 |title=Imperial Awards |work=It's an Honour |publisher=[[Australian Government]] |access-date=8 December 2018}}</ref> 
* The DSO was awarded to over 300 New Zealanders during the two World Wars.<ref name="NZ" /> 
* At least 14 Indian officers of the [[British Indian Army]] (i.e., until 1947) were awarded the DSO, with one in the First World War and 13 in the Second World War. The higher number awarded during the latter was due to the gradual [[Indianisation (British India)|Indianization]] of the British Indian Army from 1923 (see: [[:Category:South Asian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order|South Asian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]).
* Honorary awards to members of allied foreign forces include at least 1,329 for the First World War.{{sfn|Abbott|Tamplin|1981|p=124–129}}

=== Quadruple recipients ===
{{See also|Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order}}
The following received the DSO with three [[Medal bar|Bars]] (''i.e.,'' awarded the DSO four times):
* [[Archibald Walter Buckle]], rose from [[naval rating]] in the [[Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]] to [[Commander (Royal Navy)|command]] the Anson Battalion of the [[Royal Naval Division]] during the First World War<ref name=LG1919/>
* [[William Denman Croft]],<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31183|date=14 February 1919|page=2363|supp=y}}</ref> First World War army officer
* [[William Robert Aufrere Dawson]], [[Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment]] during the First World War, wounded nine times and mentioned in despatches at least five times<ref name=LG1919/>
* Sir [[Basil Embry]], Second World War [[Royal Air Force]] officer
* Sir [[Bernard Freyberg]], also awarded the Victoria Cross, was decorated DSO three times during the First World War, and a fourth during the Second World War
* [[Edward Albert Gibbs]], Second World War [[destroyer]] [[Captain (Royal Navy)|captain]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36081|page=3056|date=2 July 1943}}</ref>
* [[Arnold Jackson (athlete)|Arnold Jackson]], First World War British Army officer and 1500 metre Olympic gold medal winner in 1912
* Sir [[Douglas Kendrew]], brigade commander in Italy, Greece and the Middle East between 1944 and 1946. Subsequently, appointed Governor of Western Australia
* [[Robert Sinclair Knox]], First World War British Army officer<ref name=LG1919>{{London Gazette|issue=31583| date=3 October 1919|page=12213| supp=y}}</ref>
* [[Frederick William Lumsden]], British First World War [[Royal Marines]] officer, also awarded the Victoria Cross
* [[Paddy Mayne]], [[Special Air Service]] commander in the Second World War and Irish [[Rugby football|rugby]] player
* Sir [[Richard Onslow (Royal Navy officer)|Richard George Onslow]], Second World War destroyer captain and later admiral<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36771 |supp=y|page=4977|date=27 October 1944}}</ref>
* [[Alastair Pearson]], a British Army officer appointed DSO four times within the space of two years during the Second World War
* [[James Brian Tait]], RAF pilot also awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|DFC]] with Bar, completed 101 bombing missions in the Second World War
* [[Frederic John Walker]], Second World War Royal Navy captain and [[U-boat]] hunter
* [[Edward Allan Wood]],<ref>{{cite web |first=John |last=Bourne |work=Centre for First World War Studies |title=Edward Allan Wood |url=http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/warstudies/research/projects/lionsdonkeys/t.aspx |publisher=University of Birmingham |location=Birmingham, UK |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref> First World War army officer

== See also ==
* [[Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Orders, decorations, and medals of the Commonwealth realms]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite book |last1=Abbott |first1=P. E. |last2=Tamplin |first2=J. M. A. |title=British Gallantry Awards |date=1981 |publisher=Nimrod Dix |location=London |isbn=0-902633-74-0}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Distinguished Service Order}}
* [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/awards-and-accreditation/content/100073 Distinguished Service Order] – ''The Gazette''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070819024713/http://www.honours.gov.uk/honours/chivalry.aspx UK Cabinet Office, Honours System: Orders of Chivalry]
<!---Dead link - * [http://www.britishmedals.info/ British Medals website]--->
* [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wo373.asp Search recommendations for the DSO] on the UK National Archives' website

{{Decorations of the United Kingdom}}
{{Former Australian Honours}}
{{South African military decorations and medals}}

[[Category:Awards established in 1886]]
[[Category:1886 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Courage awards]]
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom]]