MEMENTOES OF HONOUR FOR SAILORS & SOLDIERS.

KING’S CERTIFICATES.

It is for those who have been “broke in our wars,” and must surely in days to come be cherished with a great pride, this brave, pathetic, and beautiful record of the man who, in the days we live in now, risked all and lost much, but gained his King’s Certificate of Honour. Very many will be the walls on which it will be framed and treasured, and turned to in gratitude and for inspiration; very many the cabinets from which, in a later day, it will gently, even reverently, be taken out for the stranger within the gates, and as gently and reverently restored. Gradually the record may fade, but at the thought of the constancy and courage it commemorates the hearts of those who look must always burn.

ELIGIBLE IN THE NAVY.

The naval certificate will be awarded to (a) Warrant officers of the Royal Navy, Royal Marine gunners, warrant officers of the Royal Marines, petty officers, noncommissioned officers, and men of the Naval and Marine Forces, who have served at sea or abroad since Aug 4, 1914, and have been discharged for wounds or sickness attributable to or aggravated by Naval Service, provided their disablement or ill-health was net due to misconduct.

(b) Warrant officers of the Royal Navy, Royal Marine gunners, warrant officers of the Royal Marines, petty officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Royal Naval and Marine Forces, who .not being included under the provisions of paragraph (a) above, have been discharged on account of disablement directly attributable to the action of the enemy, e.g., Zeppelin, aeroplane, naval or military raids.

(c) Warrant officers, petty officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, who, not being included under the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) above, were discharged prior to the transfer of the Royal Naval Air Service to the Royal Air Force, in consequence of wounds or sickness attributable to or aggravated by service as pilots or trained observers on aerial coast patrol work since Aug. 4, 1914, or on account of disablement directly caused or aggravated by service on flying duty in connection with operations against the enemy.

SOLDIERS WHO SHOULD CLAIM.

The military certificate will be granted to all warrant officers, N.C.O.’S, and men of the Imperial Forces who have served since Aug. 4, 1914, and have been discharged through wounds or on account of disabilities contracted in the following circumstances:

(a) After service overseas in a theatre of operations with an Expeditionary Force in the present war, on account of disablement, certified under the authority of the Army Council, to have been caused or aggravated by military service.

(b) On account of disablement certified under the authority of the. Army Council, to be directly attributable to the action of the enemy, e.g., air or naval raids.

(c) Previous to the transfer of the Royal Flying Corps to the Royal Air Force, on account of disablement certified, under the authority of the Army Council, to have been caused or aggravated by military service while engaged on flying duty in connection with operations against the enemy, other than in a theatre of operations.

A SECOND CERTIFICATE.

Despite the fact that they have earned this Certificate of Honour, there will be those undeterred from fighting still. To those who, having been mended, are once more broken in either of the Services, a second and rarer certificate yet will be given of his devotion and courage. This will be called the “King’s Second Certificate on Discharge,” and the conditions governing its award will be the same as those laid down for the award of the other. Even more than the other, it will symbolise the steadfastness of her children to England in the hour of her need, and the generations that come after will guard it as the heirloom of the undaunted.