Queen's Fire Service Medal (QFSM)

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The Queen’s Fire Service Medal (QFSM) honoured members of British and Commonwealth fire services for exceptional courage or distinguished devotion to duty.

Queen's Fire Service Medal

Summary

  • The Queen’s Fire Service Medal (QFSM) recognised gallantry and distinguished service in British and Commonwealth fire services.
  • Instituted in 1954, it replaced the King’s Police and Fire Service Medal.
  • The medal features Queen Elizabeth II and a distinct ribbon design.
  • This medal was replaced in Australia by the Australian Fire Service Medal in 1989.

Description

The Queen's Fire Service medal (QFSM) consisted of two awards:

  • The Queen's Fire Service medal for Gallantry (awarded posthumously) was awarded for acts of exceptional courage and skill at the cost of their lives.
  • The Queen's Fires Service medal for distinguished Service was awarded for the exhibition of conspicuous devotion to duty.

Criteria

The Queen's Fire Service medal was instituted on 19 May 1954 by Queen Elizabeth II to be issued to members of recognised fire services in Britain and Commonwealth countries. Awarded for 'acts of exceptional courage and skill at the cost of their lives' or for the 'exhibition of conspicuous devotion to duty'.

Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal QFSM after their name.

Awards for gallantry are essentially on a posthumous basis.

This medal replaced the King's Police and Fire Service Medal and was in turn was replaced in Australian honours with the Australian Fire Service Medal in 1989. The last award of the QFSM to an Australian was in 1989. Between 1954 and 1989, 98 QFSMs were awarded.

Design

  • The medal is silver and 36 millimetres in diameter, with the obverse having the profile of Queen Elizabeth II.
  • The medal's reverse is a standing figure with a sword and shield, with an inscription of "For Gallantry" or "For Distinguished Fire Service" around the face's side.
  • The ribbon is of red with three yellow stripes. The Queen's Fire Service Medal for Gallantry has a single thin blue stripe running through the centre of each yellow stripe.

Queen's Fire Service Medal

Nominations

This medal is no longer available as it was replaced by Australian Fire Service Medal.

Recipients

Date granted Given name/s Surname Position Location Awarded for
14/06/1969 Percy Allan (Peter) Gray D.C.O. - Distinguished Service
16/06/1979 Clarence Herbert Howe D.C.O. - Distinguished Service
16/06/1979 Ronald Alexander Orchard C.O. - Distinguished Service
31/12/1979 Ernest Joseph Bromley S.O. Ballarat UFB Distinguished Service
31/12/1979 Stanley Maxwell (Max) Taylor D.C.O. - Distinguished Service
14/06/1980 Derrik Albert Austin Group Officer Mortlake FBG Distinguished Service
14/06/1980 Maurice Eric Johnson Ex Captain Maryvale F/B Distinguished Service
14/06/1980 Peter Lang S.O. Norlane UFB Distinguished Service
14/06/1980 Patrick George Mullins - Maryborough UFB Distinguished Service
31/12/1980 Donald Eric Fleming Captain Monbulk RFB Distinguished Service
31/12/1980 Ian Keith Johnson D.C.O. - Distinguished Service
31/12/1980 Graham John Stork A.C.O. - Distinguished Service
31/12/1980 Norman Noel Webster Ex Captain Pakenham UFB Distinguished Service
13/06/1981 Lawrence Gordon Lavelle Shoreham RFB - Distinguished Service
13/06/1981 Brian Vincent Potter D.C.O. - Distinguished Service
13/06/1981 Thomas Francis Henry Williamson - - Distinguished Service
31/12/1981 Harold William Baptist Captain Noble Park UFB Distinguished Service
31/12/1981 Ernest Charles Caddy Ex Captain Drouin UFB Distinguished Service
31/12/1981 Roderick George Coutts Group Officer Kanna District FBG Distinguished Service
31/12/1981 Douglas Henry Lade Group Officer Highlands Caveat RFB Distinguished Service
12/06/1982 Geoffrey Thomas Evans Captain Echuca Distinguished Service
 

Page last updated: Thursday, 10 September 2026 11:46:36 AM