In every year since the formation of The Royal Corps of Signals in 1920, its officers and soldiers have been formally recognised for their gallantry and distinguished services on operations across the globe and their vital contribution to the wider tasks undertaken by the British Army. Published by the Royal Signals Institution in celebration of the 2020 centennial this volume records all honours, decorations, and medals awarded since 1920. It includes a wealth of long-forgotten and rarely-seen material and it also records many hundreds of awards that acknowledge the complexity of Royal Signals in its early years-its inextricable link to the Indian Signal Corps; the interweaving of units and personnel from across the Commonwealth during the Second World War and in Korea, Malaya, and Borneo; the role played by Queen's Gurkha Signals and by locally recruited personnel from Palestine, Malaya, Hong Kong, and Malta; and the crucial contribution made by women from the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War and the Women's Royal Army Corps in the post-Second World War period. The volume comprises three parts. To put the operational awards in context, Section One takes a chronological tour through the history of Royal Signals in three eras-the campaigns of the inter-war years, the Second World War, and global conflict and insurgency since 1945. Other chapters deal with non-combatant gallantry and exploration. With many awards no longer available and unfamiliar to many readers in the present-day, Section Two describes the various honours, decorations, and medals in three sub-sections-awards for bravery, awards for distinguished service, and the Mention in Despatches and the various King's and Queen's commendations for bravery and valuable service. The origin and use of each award are explained briefly, and detail is given about the number conferred; many of these chapters contain biographical details of the recipients. Section Three comprises the Register of Awards. It includes 682 honours, decorations, and medals for gallantry (the recommendations or citations for which are replicated in full), and 2,582 appointments to the various orders of chivalry and awards of the British Empire Medal, the Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal, and the Polar Medal. It also records the recipients of a little under 6,200 mentions in despatches, 36 King's and Queen's Commendations for Bravery or Brave Conduct, 109 Queen's Commendations for Valuable Service, and a multitude of foreign awards. The Register is supported by ten appendices. Six record recipients from the various Empire and Commonwealth signal units linked to Royal Signals in time of conflict or war. The others document awards to personnel of the various women's services; to Queen's Gurkha Signals and to locally enlisted personnel from Malaya, Hong Kong and Malta; to military and civilian personnel attached to Royal Signals; and those recognised by the Royal Signals Institution.

In 1974 the Queen's Gallantry Medal was instituted to replace awards for gallantry in the Order of the British Empire for actions not quite meriting the award of the George Medal. Since then it has been awarded on 1,044 occasions, which includes 38 posthumous awards and 19 second awards. 'For Exemplary Bravery' explains in detail, for the first time, why the Queen's Gallantry Medal was instituted. It explores the relationship between the Queen's Gallantry Medal and other awards for bravery and, also for the first time, explains why the Royal Warrant was amended in 1977 to allow for posthumous awards. Details of the medal's production are examined - the evolution of its design, the artists involved and how it is manufactured - and the original artwork for the reverse design is revealed. Although intended 'primarily for civilians', the author reveals that the medal has, in fact, been awarded to more military recipients than civilian. The majority of this unique book comprises the register of recipients and their stories of extraordinary bravery. It lists every award; all of the published citations are included, with explanatory notes, the personal recollections of many of the recipients, and the details of their other awards and medals. Also included are citations never before published in the London Gazette. A series of thirteen appendices provides first-hand accounts of events that prompted actions to rescue others, repel pirates, tackle armed and violent robbers or deal with unexploded bombs. 'For Exemplary Bravery' is lavishly illustrated with pictures of the recipients, images from the scenes of the incidents where they reacted so gallantly, and full colour photographs of many of their medals groups.

Blacker's Boys tells the First World War history of the 9th (Service) Battalion, Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) (County Armagh), one of thirteen infantry battalions raised in Ireland for 36th (Ulster) Division. It begins with the political context of the long-running Home Rule crisis and the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1912. It describes the raising of the Battalion in September 1914 from the men of the Ulster Volunteers of Counties Armagh, Cavan and Monaghan, their training, their move to France and early experiences in the trenches. There are detailed accounts of the actions of the Battalion in the Battles of the Somme, Third Ypres and Cambrai, during the German offensive in 1918 and in the Advance to Victory. The main text is supported by detailed appendices that commemorate those who served and include a Roll of Honour of those who died; the awards and decorations earned; biographical summaries of more than 250 officers and details of over 3,400 men who served in its ranks, and an examination of its excellent discipline record. They explain how this Battalion transitioned from comprising only Protestant volunteers from Ulster to one that was a mix of Protestant and Roman Catholic Irishmen, Englishmen from Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and London, regular soldiers, war-time volunteers and conscripts. The text is supported by full colour maps and many unique photographs.