View source for King's Commendation for Bravery

{{Short description|Award of the United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Distinguish|Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct|King's Commendation for Valuable Service}}
{{Infobox military award
|name= King's Commendation for Bravery<br>King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air
|image= [[File:Queen's Commendation for Bravery.png|145px]]<br>King's Commendation for Bravery<br>[[File:Queen’s Commendation for Bravery in the Air.png|160px]]
|image_size=
|caption= King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air
|presenter= [[United Kingdom]]
|type= Bravery award
|eligibility= Both service personnel and civilians
|awarded_for=Bravery not in action against an enemy
|campaign= 
|status= Currently awarded
|description= Ribbon device in silver
|clasps=
|established= 1994
|total_awarded= 
|image2=
|image2_size=
|caption2=
}}
The '''King's Commendation for Bravery''' and the '''King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air''' are [[United Kingdom]] awards,<ref name=MOD>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210734/http://www.operations.mod.uk/honours/honours.htm Military Honours and Awards], Ministry of Defence.</ref> open to both military personnel and civilians. They were established in 1994, when the award of the [[Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct]] and the [[Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air]] were discontinued.<ref name=LG94>{{cite web|title=London Gazette: 12 August 1994 Issue:53760 Page:11527. |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/53760/page/11527}}</ref>

== Criteria ==
The two awards are granted for [[bravery]] entailing risk to life and meriting national recognition, but not to the standard required of the [[King's Gallantry Medal]]. Classed as 'level 4' awards by the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]], they are the lowest level of bravery award, alongside a [[mention in dispatches]]. The awards do not give rise to [[post-nominal letters]].<ref name=JSB1>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/honours-and-awards-in-the-armed-forces-jsp-761|title=Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces (JSP 761) (V5.0 Oct 16). Appendix 1 to Annex A, page 1A1-2|work=MoD Joint Services Publication|date=4 October 2016 | access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref> 

The '''King's Commendation for Bravery''' is open to both to civilians in peacetime conditions and to all ranks of the [[British Armed Forces]] for actions not in the presence of an enemy. It is denoted by a silver spray of [[Bay laurel|laurel]] leaves.<ref name=gov.uk/>

The '''King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air''' is awarded on the same basis, but for acts of bravery in the air. It is denoted by a flying eagle in silver.<ref name=gov.uk/>

King’s Commendations can be awarded posthumously,<ref name=gov.uk>{{cite web|title=Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility|url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medals-campaigns-descriptions-and-eligibility|website=gov.uk|access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref> and are not restricted to [[United Kingdom|British]] subjects.

== Manner of wear ==
The holder is entitled to wear the appropriate device in a similar manner to a [[Mentioned in dispatches|mention in despatches]]. If awarded for bravery in a [[Theater (warfare)|theatre]] for which a [[campaign medal]] has been granted, it is worn on the ribbon of the appropriate medal. When awarded in peacetime conditions and when no medal is issued, the emblem is worn on the uniform or coat after any medal ribbons. Recipients with no medals wear the device in the position that a single medal would be worn.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=56878 |supp=y |page=3355|date=17 March 2003}}</ref>

From 2003, in addition to British campaign medals, commendation and mention in despatches devices can be worn on United Nations, NATO and EU medals.<ref name=Mussell>{{Cite book|author=John Mussell (ed).|title=Medal Yearbook 2015.|page=108. Published by Token Publishing Ltd. Honiton, Devon}}</ref> Originally only one commendation or mention in dispatches emblem of each category could be worn on any one medal ribbon.<ref>{{cite book |last1= |first1= |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/185990/response/459552/attach/4/ADR%20Part%2013%20Wearing%20of%20Decorations%20etc.pdf |title=Army Dress Regulations (All Ranks) Part 13 |date=Jan 2012 |publisher=MOD |access-date=21 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603195816/https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/185990/response/459552/attach/4/ADR%20Part%2013%20Wearing%20of%20Decorations%20etc.pdf |archive-date=2019-06-03}}</ref> In a change introduced in 2014, those with multiple awards may wear up to three of each commendation and mention in dispatch devices on a single campaign medal and ribbon bar.<ref name=JSB>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/honours-and-awards-in-the-armed-forces-jsp-761|title=Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces (JSP 761) (V5.0 Oct 16). Paras 12.02 and 12.19|work=MoD Joint Services Publication|date=4 October 2016 |access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref>

==Recipients==
{{see also|Category:Recipients of the Queen's Commendation for Bravery}}

==King's and Queen's Commendation awards==
This table summarises the various King's and Queen's Commendations awarded by the United Kingdom:
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
! Period ||For Bravery|| For Bravery (Air) || For valuable service || For valuable service (Air)
|-
|align=center| 1939 - 1952<ref>{{cite web|title=London Gazette: 24 July 1951 Supplement: 39294 Page:4035.|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39294/supplement/4035}}</ref> ||align=center|[[King's Commendation for Brave Conduct (1916-1952)|King's Commendation for<br>Brave Conduct]] ||align=center| – ||align=center| – ||align=center| [[King’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air|King’s Commendation for<br>Valuable Service in the Air]]
|-
|align=center| 1952 - 1994<ref>{{cite web|title=London Gazette: 14 January 1958 Supplement: 41285 Page:365.|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41285/supplement/365}}</ref> ||align=center|[[Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct|Queen's Commendation for<br>Brave Conduct]] ||align=center| – ||align=center| – ||align=center| [[Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air|Queen’s Commendation for<br>Valuable Service in the Air]]
|-
|align=center| 1994 - 2022<ref name=LG94/> ||align=center|Queen's Commendation for<br>Bravery ||align=center| Queen's Commendation for<br>Bravery in the Air||align=center| [[Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service|Queen's Commendation for<br>Valuable Service]] ||align=center| –
|-
|align=center| 2022 - present ||align=center|King's Commendation for<br>Bravery ||align=center| King's Commendation for<br>Bravery in the Air||align=center| [[King's Commendation for Valuable Service|King's Commendation for<br>Valuable Service]] ||align=center| –
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Decorations of the United Kingdom}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Queen's Commendation For Bravery}}
[[Category:Civil awards and decorations of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Decorations of the Merchant Navy]]
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom]]