Military medals are a prestigious award given to servicemen in the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force to acknowledge acts of gallantry and in recognition of service.
For this reason, there are strict rules surrounding the wearing of military medals, as well as guidelines for the correct display of commemorative medals.
Guidelines for official military medals and active servicemen
Official military medals are awarded by The Ministry of Defence Medal Office and have been approved by the sovereign at the time of issue.
Military personnel are only entitled to wear official orders, decorations and medals that have been awarded to them and are endorsed by the Medal Office.
Can relatives wear military medals?
Next of kin relatives are permitted to wear the medals of deceased servicemen to honour and remember them. Although a next of kin does not have to seek official approval to wear the medals, there are specific rules on how they can be worn.
The original recipient of the medal is required to wear the award on their left breast, but relatives must wear the medal on the right.
If the next of kin is currently serving in the armed forces, they should not wear medals belonging to a relative when in uniform. It is only acceptable to wear a relative’s medal in civilian clothing.
Can I buy replicas of my relative’s medals?
If you have a family member who was once in the military, but their medals have been misplaced over time, it is possible to find out which official medals they were awarded during service.
For example, online resources such as the National Archives will hold information on military campaigns and service medals that have been awarded throughout recent history.
Once you have discovered your relative's honourable achievements, you can order replacements for full-size service medals from a recognised manufacturer, like Award Medals. We stock an extensive range of replicas, including campaign medals, gallant and distinguished conduct medals, general service medals, and many more.
We also offer a medal mounting service so you can honour your loved one and display the medals with pride.
Can I wear commemorative medals?
Commemorative medals are made in honour of specific events where official recognition has not been given by the sovereign. Examples of these are the King’s Coronation Medal and the Veterans Star Medal. Click the link to view our full range of commemorative medals.
Current servicemen are able to wear commemorative medals, but others are also eligible depending on the medal in question. For example, the King’s Coronation Medal was given to veterans, emergency service personnel, members of the royal household, next of kin and direct descendants.
As these medals are unofficial, they have different rules for wear compared to military medals. Commemorative medals cannot be worn or mounted with official military medals. Instead, they should be mounted on a separate bar and worn with pride, separately and distinctively.
Did you know that purchasing commemorative medals is a way of giving back to the UK’s veteran community? Many of the medals we have produced have been made at the request of, or in conjunction with, a veteran group of charity, and we are proud to have donated over £1,000,000 to date from the sale of medals and other products.
