AUSTRALIAN AWARDS
Australian Medal of Merit
The Australian Medal of Merit is awarded for rendering valuable assistance to the Legion in Australia. It can also be awarded to people outside the Legion but deemed worthy.
This medal is the oldest medal within Australia and appears to have been introduced in the 1930's. Early issues of this medal are known to have had a blue ribbon with a thin central yellow stripe. The medal was manufactured in copper 38 mm in diameter, on the obverse is the central motif of the “Legion Badge” on the reverse are the words “For Merit” surrounded by a laurel wreath. By 1974 the medal had been redesigned and restruck and issued in three grades, gold, silver and bronze. The ribbon was changed to a green ribbon 32 mm wide with two central yellow stripes 3 mm wide placed 3 mm apart. The ribbon for the gold medal is 32 mm wide, maroon and has two central stripes of green and gold each 3 mm wide placed side by side. A small number of silver medals were awarded in the early 1980’s and issued with the same ribbon as the bronze medal. During this time, when service ribbons were worn, a gold or silver rosette was to denote the grade of medal with no denotion for bronze.
The Gold AMM was especially sanctioned in 1974 for award to dignitaries and persons with outstanding service. Thus only a few Gold AMM's were awarded, the recipients include:
His Majesty the King Tafu VI of Tonga;
Countess Mountbatten of Burma;
Commandant General Thurston;
Major General Sir Denzl MacArthur Onslow;
Brigadier (LF) Edward Rigby;
Brigadier (LF) H Sydney Plummer;
Colonel (LF) Greenhill (Canadian Division); and
Chief Commissioner Reginald Jackson, Victoria Police.
A small number of non Legion members were also awarded the AMM, these include:
Bob Hope
Trevor McIvor, BEM
In 1991 a small number of Frontiersmen Officers decided that due to the unavailability of miniature ribbon for the bronze and silver grade, these grades of the award were to be withdrawn. Members were advised that the bronze and silver medal was no longer to be worn and were to be upgraded to the gold medal by having their original medal gold plated. If a member held a bronze or silver medal and a gold it could be worn beside the gold medal as issued. Only a few members plated their medal or ordered a new gold medal. Most reverted back to the original bronze or silver medal after 1995 when the Australian Division rescinded the decision as impracticable and not in the spirit of the intention of the award. It is known that a "Bar" to denote a second award was discussed by the Australian Executive in the early 1980's but there is no record of this being introduced to the regulations until 1999 when the Australian Division introduced the regulation allowing for the awarding of the medal more than once. The bronze and silver grade medal may also be seen with the ribbon for the gold grade due to a shortage of the correct ribbon.
The silver grade was replaced by the Australian Cross of Merit in 1988. The gold grade was replaced by the Dartnell Cross in 1978.
One version of the medal was die struck by Amor Sanders in Sydney.
In 1999 the medal and miniature was restruck on order by Tasmedals, Australia in the bronze grade only.
Toye, Kenning & Spencer in the United Kingdom manufacture the ribbon.
A round gold, silver or bronze medal 38 mm in diameter. On the obverse is the central motif of the Legion Badge and the word “Australia”. On the reverse are the words “For Merit” surrounded by a laurel wreath. The name, number and rank of the recipient are impressed on the rim of the medal.
The ribbon is 32 mm wide, maroon, with two central stripes of green and gold each 3 mm wide. The green stripe worn towards the senior position (ie. to the left when facing the ribbon).
The post nominal AMM is used in conjunction with this medal. The post nominal AMM# is used for recipients of the Gold AMM during 1974 – 1978. A bar to the medal in denoted by AMM*.
