History

The Service Medal of the Order of St. John was instituted in 1951 and is conferred upon members of the St. John Ambulance organization upon completion of 12 years of voluntary service.

Recipients are required to complete a mandatory 60 hours of service per year.

The obverse features the effigy of Queen Victoria inscribed with [VICTORIA D BRITT REG F D IND IMP]. The reverse features the Royal Arms and Garter inscribed with [HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE] and [MAGNUS PRIORATUS HOSPITALIS SANCTI JOHANNIS JERUSALEM IN ANGLIA].

Recipients are entitled to silver, laurelled bars for additional 5 year service periods, After 3 silver bars are presented, gilt bars are conferred. Once a gilt bar is awarded, only gilt bars are worn. A miniature is worn in undress for each bar (up to three). At four bars, a cross of rolled gold is worn.

Prior to 1970, the rim of the medal was engraved with the recipient's name; current practice leaves the medals unnamed.

The medal was first issued in Great Britain in 1898.