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The Queen’s Gallantry Medal

Since 1974—when it replaced awards in the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry—the Queen’s Gallantry Medal has been the United Kingdom’s third level award for bravery, after the George Cross and the George Medal. By December 2014, it had been awarded on 1,044 occasions—including 19 second awards and 38 posthumous awards—to men and women from the United Kingdom, from across the Commonwealth and to foreign citizens.

For Exemplary Bravery begins by providing a short history of United Kingdom gallantry awards, primarily those awarded for gallantry by civilians or by military personnel ‘not in the face of the enemy’. It explains in detail, for the first time, why the Queen’s Gallantry Medal was instituted and why the Royal Warrant was amended in 1977 to allow for posthumous awards. It explores the relationship between the Queen’s Gallantry Medal and other awards for gallantry in the Honours Systems of the United Kingdom, Crown dependencies, British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth realms.

Based on research at the Royal Mint, the design of the medal, the artists involved and details of the medal’s production are also examined. The original artwork for the reverse design is revealed, as are alternative designs proposed for the ribbon.

At the heart of this book are the stories of extraordinary bravery that earned the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. Each recipient is detailed and all of the published citations are included, with explanatory notes, personal recollections from many of the recipients, and the details of their other awards and medals. Also included are citations never before published. Thirteen appendices provide first-hand accounts of the events behind some of the acts of bravery—bomb disposal, rescuing others from the sea and from fire, and even repelling pirates in the Indian Ocean.

For Exemplary Bravery is lavishly illustrated with pictures of the recipients, images from the scenes of the incidents where they reacted so gallantly, and full colour photographs of many of their medals groups.

This is the most comprehensive study of the Queen’s Gallantry Medal to be published and has become the standard reference about the medal. It is a fitting tribute to the men and women to whom it has been awarded.

I consider this fine book to be a deserved tribute to all recipients of the QGM. I commend it to all.
From the Foreword by Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE, QPM

…a “must have” for the medal enthusiast and student of the better aspects of human nature.
Professor Bernard de Neumann – expert in the history and awards of the Sea Gallantry Medal.

For Exemplary Bravery – Update

Since For Exemplary Bravery was published in 2014, 58 additional awards have been made and I have received more information about some of those who feature in the book. This free-to-view and download Addendum is in the same format as the book.

The final awards of the Queen’s Gallantry Medal were made in March 2023 (civilian) and in March 2026 (military), and after the accession of King Charles III, the the Queen’s Gallantry Medal was renamed the King’s Gallantry Medal. This effectively brings this project to a close, although I will continue to amend the Addendum if new information is presented. The first awards of the King’s Gallantry Medal were published in the London Gazette of 14 May 2024. Some details about the KGM, which differs from the QGM in some aspects, and a list of recipients, may be found here.