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 other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for conspicuous bravery in battle on land.
The medal was instituted on December 4, 1854 during the Crimean War. The medal was usually accompanied by a small pension. The Medal was the other ranks' equivalent to the Distinguished Service Order when awarded for bravery to commissioned officers, although it ranked well below that order in precedence, between the Air Force Cross and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. 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 for all ranks.
The ribbon was red-dark blue-red.
In Australia there have been 2080 awards of the DCM in all conflicts since the Second Boer War.