Distinguished Flying Medal

Distinguished Flying Medal
Obverse (left) and reverse (right) of the medal
Awarded by UK and Commonwealth
Type	Military decoration.
Eligibility	British and (formerly) Commonwealth forces
Awarded for	exceptional valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy
Status	Discontinued in 1993
Statistics
Established	3 June 1918
First awarded	1918
Last awarded	1993
Order of Wear
Next (higher)	Military Medal
Next (lower)	Air Force Medal
Related	Distinguished Flying Cross

Until 1993, the Distinguished Flying Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force (United Kingdom) and the other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy".

The medal was established on 3 June 1918. It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers, although the latter could also be awarded the DFM. The decoration ranked below the DFC in order of precedence, between the Military Medal and the Air Force Medal. Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "DFM".

It was announced in the London Gazette on 3 June 1918, but the actual Royal Warrants were not published in the London Gazette until 5 December 1919.

In 1993, the DFM was discontinued and, since then, the Distinguished Flying Cross can be awarded to personnel of all ranks.

There were two categories of award, either "Immediate" or "Non-Immediate".

An "Immediate" award was one which was recommended by a senior officer, usually in respect of an act or acts of bravery or devotion to duty deemed to command immediate recognition. In such circumstances, the recommendation for the award was passed as quickly as possible through the laid down channels to obtain approval by the AOC-in-C of the appropriate Command to whom, from 1939, the power to grant immediate awards was designated by King George VI.

An example of an "Immediate" award is that to Leslie Marsh, which was published in the London Gazette on 15 February 1944.

"Non-Immediate" awards were made by the Monarch on the recommendation of the Air Ministry and were to reward devotion to duty sustained over a period of time. This category of award could be made at any time during an operational tour but, in a large number of instances, the award was given to recognise the successful completion of a full tour of operational flying.