How To Court Mount Medals - The Professional Way

by mark watson

Court mounting medals is a traditional method of mounting medals on a stiff backing board, which is covered with fabric and folded to fit into a medal frame.

The British Army follows a specific procedure for court mounting medals.

  1. First, the medals are cleaned and polished to remove any dirt or tarnish.

  2. The medals are then mounted on a ribbon bar, which is a strip of ribbon with a pin on the back.

  3. A backing board is cut to size (use buckram) 70mm high full size or 45mm high miniature.

  4. The backing board is covered with a piece of fabric, usually black or dark blue, (red for guards) which is stitched to the board. The excess fabric is trimmed.  A brooch can now ben secured to the board.

  5. , Ribbons are placed  in order, stitched and edges are folded over and stitched to the back of the board. the medals are then stitched in place around the neck of  the medal securing to the board. 

  6. The completed court-mounted medals are then ready to be placed in a medal frame for display.

  7. Key points,
  • no glue or staples should be used,
  • bottom of the medals should be level
  • medal should be in correct order of precedence

The British Army follows strict guidelines for the positioning of medals on the ribbon bar, which is based on the order of precedence. The highest ranking medal is placed first, nearest to the left shoulder, with subsequent medals placed in descending order of importance.

But, what is the medal precedence?

The official medal mounting rules precedence in the UK is set by the government and is based on the order of importance and seniority of the awards. The order of precedence is as follows:

1. Victoria Cross and George Cross
2. Order of Merit
3. Distinguished Service Order and Bar
4. Military Cross and Bar
5. Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar
6. Air Force Cross and Bar
7. Royal Red Cross and Bar (1st Class)
8. Distinguished Conduct Medal
9. Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
10. Queen's Gallantry Medal
11. Queen's Commendation for Bravery
12. Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air
13. Mention in Despatches
14. British Empire Medal (Military Division)
15. Royal Red Cross and Bar (2nd Class)
16. Efficiency Decoration and Bar
17. Royal Victorian Medal and Bar (Military Division)
18. Territorial Decoration and Bar
19. Territorial Efficiency Medal
20. Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
21. Royal Naval Reserve Decoration and Bar
22. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration and Bar
23. Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
24. Mercantile Marine Medal

The order of precedence is important in determining the order in which medals are displayed on a uniform or in a medal frame. The highest-ranking medal is displayed first, closest to the left shoulder, with subsequent medals placed in descending order of importance and seniority.

It is important to note that these rules apply only to official awards issued by the UK government and do not include foreign awards or commemorative medals.

References:
- "Order of Wear: United Kingdom." The London Gazette. Accessed on April 29, 2023. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/awards-and-accreditation/content/102

 

There are so many rules, and we can list them all here but i hope this gets you started.

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