Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal

Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal
Ribbon of the medal
Type	Long service medal
Awarded for	20 years service
Country	the United Kingdom
Eligibility	Officers, petty officers, and rates of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Status	Currently awarded
Order of Wear
Next (higher)	Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal^[1]
Next (lower)	Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal^[1]

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal is a long service medal presented to the officers, petty officers, and rates of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) who complete 20 years of service. While the RFA services the fleet of the Royal Navy around the world, RFA crews are civilians and thus not eligible for Royal Navy long service awards and decorations. In 2001, a Royal Warrant was promulgated establishing the medal to recognize the long and efficient service the RFA personnel.^[2] The first awards were presented in 2003 with some 400 RFA personnel eligible for award.^[3]

Appearance[edit]

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal is a silver coloured circular medal made of cupro-nickel. The obverse bears the right facing portrait head of Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown. Surrounding the portrait is the legend ELIZABETH.II.DEI .GRATIA.REGINA.FID.DEF. The reverse depicts the badge of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary: at its centre is a large fouled anchor supported on either side by the two Tritons each bearing a trident. Around the reverse edge is the legend ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY and FOR LONG SERVICE separated by a small oak branch with three leaves and an acorn. Designed by Timothy Noad, his initials (TN) are located at the base of the anchor.^[4]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b "No. 62529". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 2019. p. 327.
^ The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal: Royal Warrant. London: The Stationery Office. 2001. ISBN 9780101526425.
^ "Golden Year for RFA men". Navy News. August 2003. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
^ "Royal Fleet Auxiliary Long Service Medal". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 26 July 2021.

v t e Long and Meritorious Service Medals of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations
Regular military meritorious and long service medals	Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (Australia) Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Meritorious Service Medal (Natal) Meritorious Service Medal (New Zealand) Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) Accumulated Campaign Service Medal Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal) Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa) Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1830) Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848) Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Ulster Defence Regiment) Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Indian Army) Royal West African Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal King's African Rifles Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal‎ Trans-Jordan Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army)
Civilian long service medals	Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal African Police Medal for Meritorious Service Royal Canadian Mounted Police Long Service Medal Ceylon Police Long Service Medal Ceylon Fire Services Long Service Medal Sierra Leone Police Long Service Medal Colonial Police Long Service Medal Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Long Service Medal Mauritius Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Mauritius Fire Services Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Mauritius Prisons Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Colonial Fire Brigades Long Service Medal Colonial Prison Service Medal Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service Medal Prison Services (Operational Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Ulster Constabulary Service Medal Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal National Crime Agency Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Police Service of Northern Ireland Service Medal
Volunteer and part-time long service decorations and medals	Emergency Reserve Decoration Volunteer Officers' Decoration Volunteer Long Service Medal Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal Militia Long Service Medal Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Territorial Decoration Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal Efficiency Decoration Territorial Force Efficiency Medal Territorial Efficiency Medal Efficiency Medal Army Emergency Reserve Efficiency Medal Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Wireless Auxiliary Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Long Service Medal Air Efficiency Award Volunteer Reserves Service Medal Ulster Defence Regiment Medal Northern Ireland Home Service Medal Cadet Forces Medal H.M. Coastguard Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Special Constabulary Long Service Medal Royal Observer Corps Medal Civil Defence Long Service Medal Jersey Honorary Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Service Medal of the Order of St John Voluntary Medical Service Medal Women's Royal Voluntary Service Medal South African Medal for War Services Colonial Special Constabulary Medal