NEW ORDERS FOR MEN AND WOMEN.

KNIGHTS AND DAMES. COMPANIONS OF HONOUR.

The war has mobilised the whole British Empire and drawn to it Allies; it has offered to all sections of the British and Allied peoples new avenues of service, and women have rendered conspicuous aid in many new fields of activity. His Majesty has, therefore, decided to institute two new Orders, both of which may be conferred on women as on men. The first is to be known as the Order of the British Empire; it will consist of five classes, the first two carrying the honour of knighthood in the case of men, and the right to prefix the title “Dame” to the names of women recipients – as is at present the case with the wives or widows of baronets and knights in official documents. The Order of the Companions of Honour will carry no title or precedence, and will have only one class. These two Orders have been instituted in connection with the war, although they will probably survive it, and they are to be conferred in recognition of services, whether rendered by voluntary and unpaid workers or officials, in this and Allied countries.

The official announcement is in the following terms:

In recognition of the manifold services, voluntary and otherwise, that have been rendered both by British subjects and their Allies in connection with the war, his Majesty the King has been pleased to institute two Orders, the first lists of which are now in course of preparation, and will shortly be issued to the Press. The first of these is an Order of Knighthood, to be styled “the Order of the British Empire,” and to be conferred, as the title indicates, for services rendered to the Empire, whether at home or abroad. This Order will follow, in most respects, the precedents of other Orders of Knighthood; but it will consist of five classes, and will be given to women as well as men. The first two classes will, in the case of men, carry the honour of Knighthood, and, in the case of women, the privilege of prefixing the title “Dame” to their names. The second Order, which will be closely restricted in numbers, will be entitled the “Order of the Companions of Honour,” and will consist of one class only, to which women will be eligible equally with men. The Order will carry with it no title or precedence, and will be conferred upon a limited number of persons for whom this special distinction seems to be the most appropriate form of recognition, constituting, as it will, an honour dissociated either from the acceptance of title or the classification of merit. Both Orders, though created in connection with the war, will doubtless survive it, inasmuch as they will be found to fill an important gap in the hierarchy of awards of honour for public services at the hands of the Sovereign.

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

The five classes of the Order are as follows: Men. 1. Knights Grand Cross (G.B.E.).

2. Knights Commanders (K.B.E.).

3. Commanders (C.B.E.).

4. Officers (O.B.E.).

5. Members (M.B.E.).

Women.

1. Dames Grand Cross (G.B.E.).

2. Dames Commanders (D.B.E.).

3. Commanders (C.B.E.).

4. Officers (O.B.E.).

5. Members (M.B.E.).

The Badge of the Order, worn by the members of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Classes, takes the shape of a silver gilt cross, enamelled pearl grey, in the centre of which, in a circle enamelled crimson, is a representation of Britannia seated. The circle contains the motto of the Order, “For God and the Empire.” The Star, worn by members of the first two Classes, is an eight-pointed silver star. The treatment of the Badge for the 4th Class is similar to that for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Classes, except that it is smaller, and is not enamelled. In the case of the 5th Class, the badge is of silver instead of silver gilt. A Silver Medal of the Order has been struck, and will be awarded to those persons, not being members of the Order, whose services to the Empire warrant such recognition. As in the case of other Orders, the members will have the privilege of placing the initials (above indicated) after their names. The King has appointed his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to be Grand Master of the Order, and a King of Arms, Registrar, and Secretary, and Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod will be appointed to attend to the service of the Order. The Chancery of the Order will be at the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, St. James’s Palace.