Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)
Queen Victoria version
Awarded by the Monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Empress of India
Country	Colony of Natal
Type	Military long service medal
Eligibility	Permanent Force Other Ranks
Awarded for	18 years service and good conduct
Status	Discontinued in 1910
Statistics
Established	1897 (Victoria) 1901 (Edward VII)
Order of wear
Next (higher)	Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
Equivalent	Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal
Next (lower)	Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830)
Ribbon Bar

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, instituted the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal).

The United Kingdom's Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was instituted by King William IV in 1830. The original version had the Royal Coat of Arms with the badge of Hanover on the obverse, while on the Queen Victoria version, introduced upon her succession to the throne in 1837, the Hanover emblem was replaced by a Trophy of Arms which incorporated a central shield bearing the Royal Coat of Arms. Upon the succession of King Edward VII to the throne in 1901, his effigy was placed on the medal's obverse. The medal's ribbon was plain crimson from 1830 until 1917, when white bands were added to the edges.

The medal was originally awarded to soldiers of good conduct who had completed 21 years of service in the infantry or 24 years in the cavalry. From 1870, the qualifying period was reduced and the medal was awarded to soldiers of good conduct who had completed 18 years of service.

In the late 19th century, the military forces of the Colony of Natal consisted of the para-military Natal Police and a Volunteer Force, which was reorganised as the Natal Militia in 1904. The Natal Police and Natal Militia were amalgamated to form the Natal Colonial Forces in 1908.

On 31 May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Dominion and Colonial governments to adopt various military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895. In 1897, one of three known medals which were instituted by Natal in terms of this authority was the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal). The Natal medal ranks on par with its British counterpart in the order of wear.

Other territories which took advantage of the authorisation include Canada, Cape of Good Hope, India, New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and, from 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia.

A second version of the medal, with the effigy of King Edward VII on the obverse, was awarded from 1901. The reverse of the medal remained the same, while the obverse of both versions is the same as that of their respective British counterparts.