Territorial Decoration

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Territorial Decoration
Awarded by The United Kingdom
Type	Medal (Decoration)
Eligibility	Territorial Force, and later the Territorial Army - Commissioned Officers
Awarded for	Granted for a minimum of 20 years commissioned service, with service in the ranks counting half and war service counting double.
Status	This award: Superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration in the United Kingdom.
Description	as follows: Ribbon = 38mm plain dark green with a central yellow stripe. Members of the Honourable Artillery Company wore a half blue, half scarlet ribbon, with yellow edges. Metal = Silver and silver-gilt Size = Height 46mm; max.width 35mm Shape = Skeletal with crowned monogram of sovereign, surrounded by oak wreath with a ring suspension.
Statistics
Established	1908 (29 September)
Distinct recipients	4,783

The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the Territorial Force was formed in 1908 following the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, (7 Edw.7, c.9) which was a huge re-organisation of the old Volunteer Army and the remaining units of militia and Yeomanry. The TF was formed on April 1, 1908. It should be noted that the Militia were transferred to the Special Reserve rather than becoming part of the Territorial Force.

The criteria were for a minimum of 20 years service in the Territorial Force and Territorial Army with war service counting double (and service in the ranks counting half). In 1930 the new Efficiency Decoration was introduced to be awarded to all three services, but when the ED was awarded to a Territorial Army officer it continued to be known as the Territorial Decoration and the recipient still used the letters TD after their name.^[1]

Image:MedRibb.jpg

HAC TD ribbon

For members of the Honourable Artillery Company the ribbon differed, being a half blue, half scarlet ribbon, with yellow edges. This distinction was bestowed by King Edward VII for the Volunteer Long Service And Good Conduct Medal and the honour extended to the same medals under the Territorial designations. The HAC ribbon colours were the household colours of King Edward VII. ^[2]

Note that this medal is separate from the Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge.

The equivalent award for the ranks was the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal (from 1908 to 1921) and the Territorial Efficiency Medal (from 1921 to 1930).

Recipients of this award were entitled to the post-nominal letters 'TD' after their name.

The most famous recipient was Winston Churchill, who received it in 1924. Other recipients include Horace Lambart, 11th Earl of Cavan. Major General, The Duke of Westminster was a recipient of the successor to this medal, the Efficiency Decoration.