Territorial Force Efficiency Medal
History
The Territorial Force Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1908. The medal was presented for long service and was awarded to non-commissioned officer and men who had completed a minimum of 12 years’ service in the Territorial Force - war service counting double for the purpose of determining eligibility for the medal.
This medal superseded the Volunteer Long Service & Good Conduct Medal when the Territorial Force was formed in 1908 following the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, which was a huge re-organisation of the old Volunteer Army and the remaining units of Militia and the Yeomanry.
Bars were awarded to recognise further periods of 12 years qualifying service.
This medal was superseded by the Territorial Efficiency Medal in 1921 when the Territorial Force was elevated to become the Territorial Army.
The equivalent award for commissioned officers was the Territorial Decoration.
Description
The medal is oval, 31mm wide and 38mm in height and was struck in silver. The obverse of this medal bears either the effigy of King Edward VII in uniform facing left, with the inscription; ‘EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR’, or the effigy of King George V in Coronation robes, also facing left, with the inscription; ‘GEORGIVS.V.D GBRITT. OMN. REX. ET. INDIAE. IMP.’.
The reverse is plain with the inscription; ‘TERRITORIAL FORCE EFFICIENCY MEDAL’ in large letters.
The ribbon suspender is a ring attached to a fastening that is riveted to the medal.
The recipient's details can be found impressed on the medal's rim.
Ribbon
Regular Issue
Honourable Artillery Company Issue
The ribbon is 32mm wide and green in colour with a central yellow stripe. Ribbons issued to members of the Honourable Artillery Company were half blue, half scarlet, with a thin yellow stripe along either edge.
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 Honourable Artillery Company ribbon colours were the household colours of King Edward VII.
Bars/Clasps
Bars bearing a Royal crown are awarded in recognition of periods of further qualifying lengths of service.
In undress uniform or on occasions when the medal ribbon alone is worn, a silver rosette is worn on the ribbon to indicate each bar.
Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.
Dealer Retail Value */**
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Edward VII issue ***
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£150.00
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Edward VII issue with bar
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£225.00
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Edward VII issue with two bars
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£275.00
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George V issue
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£95.00
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George V issue with bar
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£150.00
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* It should be noted that the values quoted above reflect the average price that a medal dealer may expect to sell this medal for - please see the ‘things you should know’ web page for more details about valuing medals.
** The individual medal value will vary considerably based on the recipient’s details.
*** Those named to Yeomanry units command additional premium.
Further Historical Context
This section contains information on the following:-
- The British Militia.
- The Special Reserve.
- The Volunteer Force.
- The Yeomanry.
- The Territorial Force.
The British Militia - In 1707, the Acts of Union united the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. The English and Welsh Militia and the Scottish Militia became part of the framework of the new British armed services. The Royal Scots Navy was incorporated into the Royal Navy, and the Scottish military (as opposed to naval) forces merged with the English, with the regular Scottish regiments maintaining their identities, although the command of the new British Army was from England.
The Militia Act 1757 had effect only in England and Wales and aimed to create a professional national military reserve. Records were kept, and the men were selected by ballot to serve for longer periods. Uniforms and weapons were provided, and the force was 'embodied' from time to time for training.
The threat of Ireland's belligerent all-Protestant militia to copy the American colonists and seek to free their country from British control if Ireland's demands for free trade were not met, and the inability of the British, after years of war overseas, to police Ireland easily, would later lead to the Union of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.
The militia was embodied at various times during the French and Napoleonic Wars. It served at several strategic locations and was particularly stationed on the South Coast and in Ireland. A number of camps were held at Brighton, where the militia regiments were reviewed by the Prince Regent, the origin of the song 'Brighton Camp'.
The militia could not be compelled to serve overseas, but it was seen as a training reserve for the army, as bounties were offered to men who opted to 'exchange' from the militia to the regular army. Unlike many British Volunteer Corps formations, the uniforms of the militia resembled standing army uniforms trimmed with silver lace instead of gold.
Militia regiments were infantry regiments; there were no militia artillery units until 1854.
Originally highly autonomous, the units of the Militia were integrated into the Special Reserve after the Childers Reforms in 1881.
This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.
The Special Reserve - The militia was transformed into the Special Reserve by the military reforms of Haldane in the reforming post 1906 Liberal government. In 1908 the militia infantry battalions were re-designated as 'reserve' and a number were amalgamated or disbanded.
Numbered Territorial Force battalions, ranking after the Special Reserve, were formed from the volunteer units at the same time. Altogether, 101 infantry battalions, 33 artillery regiments and two engineer regiments of special reservists were formed.
Upon mobilisation, the special reserve units would be formed at the depot and continue training while guarding vulnerable points in Britain. The special reserve units remained in Britain throughout the First World War, but their rank and file did not, since the object of the special reserve was to supply drafts of replacements for the overseas units of the regiment. The original militiamen soon disappeared, and the battalions became training units pure and simple.
The Special Reserve reverted to its militia designation in 1921, then to Supplementary Reserve in 1924, though the units were effectively placed in 'suspended animation' until disbanded in 1953.
This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.
The Volunteer Force - The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
Most of the regiments of the present Territorial Army Infantry, Artillery, Engineers and Signals units are directly descended from Volunteer Force units.
This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.
The Yeomanry - Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.
Originally highly autonomous, the units of the Yeomanary became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.
The Territorial Force - The Territorial Force (TF) was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army (now the Army Reserve). The Territorial Force was formed by the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane, following the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, which combined and re-organised the old Volunteer Army with the Yeomanry.
The TF was formed on 1 April 1908. As part of the same process, remaining units of militia were renamed Special Reserve.
The TF was envisaged as a home defence force for service during wartime; units were liable to serve anywhere within the United Kingdom when the force was embodied, but could not be compelled to serve outside the country.
However, any member or unit of the force could volunteer to be liable for overseas service - in 1910, when asked to nominate for Imperial Service overseas in the event of mobilisation, less than 10 percent of the Force chose to do so.
Individual members could also choose to be liable to be called up for service within the United Kingdom even in situations when the force as a whole was not embodied. The TF became the Army Reserve in 2013.
This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.
End of database.