Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)

Meritorious Service Medal
First King George V version
Awarded by the United Kingdom
Type	Military medal
Eligibility	Warrant officers and non-commissioned officers above the rank of corporal, or equivalent, who have served in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Regular Army or Royal Air Force.
Awarded for	Meritorious service by those military members who are of irreproachable character with at least 20 years of service and already hold the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal of their service
Status	Currently awarded
Post-nominals	MSM (only if awarded for gallantry or meritorious service during the First World War)
Statistics
Established	Army 1845 Marines 1849 Air Force 1918 Navy 1919
Precedence
Next (higher)	Queen Elizabeth II's Long and Faithful Service Medal
Next (lower)	Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
Ribbon bar of the Army, Navy, Marine and RAF (current) medal Ribbon bar of the Air Force medal (1918–1928)

The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a silver medal for distinguished service, or for gallantry, principally by non-commissioned officers of all of the British armed forces and of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service.

The Meritorious Service Medal was instituted on 19 December 1845 for the British Army, to recognise meritorious service by non-commissioned officers. Recipients were also granted an annuity, the amount of which was based on rank.

During 1916–1919, army NCOs could be awarded the medal immediately for meritorious service in the field. They could also be awarded the medal for acts of non-combat gallantry. Awards for gallantry ceased after 7 September 1928, as they were honoured by the Empire Gallantry Medal.

The medal for Royal Marines was instituted in 1849, for gallantry or for distinguished service. As a gallantry medal, it was superseded by the Naval Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. As with the Army, during 1916–1919 NCOs of the Royal Marines could be awarded the medal in the field. Since 1977, the Royal Marines' medal is only awarded for long service and is identical to the Royal Navy's.

The Royal Air Force version of the medal was instituted in 1918, for meritorious service not involving flight. It was superseded in 1928 by the Empire Gallantry Medal. Awards of the medal began again in 1977 using the same criteria as the Army.

The Royal Navy's medal was instituted in 1919, for gallantry not in the face of the enemy and for meritorious service by petty officers and senior naval ratings. As a gallantry award, it was superseded by the Empire Gallantry Medal in 1928, but resumed in 1977. It is now awarded to senior NCOs in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Women's Royal Naval Service and Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service.

The first woman to be awarded the medal was Warrant Officer Marion Dickson Mackay in 1966.