Distinguished Conduct Medal
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The Distinguished Conduct Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army, and formerly also to personnel of the armies of other Commonwealth countries, below the rank of Warrant Officer, for conspicuous bravery in the battlefield.
The medal was instituted on December 4, 1854 during the Crimean War. The medal was usually accompanied by a small pension. During World War I it was also awarded to men of the Royal Naval Division serving under Army Command. The Medal was equivalent to the Distinguished Service Order when awarded for bravery to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers. Recipients of the medal were entitled to use the post-nominal letters "DCM". In 1993 the DCM was discontinued, replaced by the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
The ribbon was red-dark blue-red.
In Australia there have been 2080 awards of the DCM in all conflicts since the Boer War.