Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) is a military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service. The award is relatively common, does not confer a medal and is relatively low in the order of precedence. A Medal can mean three things: a wearable medal awarded by a government for services to a country (such as Armed force service); strictly speaking this only refers to a medal of coin-like appearance, but informally the word also refers to an Order (decoration); a table medal awarded by...

A dispatch is an official report from a senior commander, usually of an army, to his superiors, detailing the conduct of military operations. In the British military, this report is published in the London Gazette. If a subordinate officer or soldier performs a noteworthy action included in the report, he/she is said to have been "mentioned in dispatches". A dispatch can be: A report sent to a newspaper by a correspondent. ... Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ... The London Gazette , front page from Monday 3 - 10 September 1666, reporting on the Great Fire of London. ...

In the nations of the British Commonwealth, soldiers who are mentioned in dispatches receive a certificate and are entitled to wear a bronze oak leaf on the ribbon of the service medal issued to soldiers who served in a conflict. If no campaign medal is awarded, the oak leaf is worn on the collar of dress uniform. The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... Assorted ancient bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... Bronze and Silver oak leaf clusters An Oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on military awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. ...

Soldiers can be mentioned multiple times but, other than receiving a certificate for each mention, they wear no visible sign. The Australian general H.G. Bennett was mentioned in dispatches a total of eight times during the First World War. The British World War I Victoria Cross winner John Vereker, later to become Field Marshall Gort, was mentioned in dispatches nine times. Henry Gordon Bennett (April 16, 1887 – August 1, 1962) was an Australian soldier who served in both World War I and World War II. Despite highly decorated achievements during World War I, including at Gallipoli, Bennett is best remembered for his role in the Fall of Singapore in the Pacific... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead:5 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:8 million Military dead:4 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:7 million The First World... Victoria Cross medal, ribbon, and bar. ... John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort (VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & 2 Bars, MVO, MC) (July 10, 1886 - March 1946) was a British soldier who served in both World War I and II, rising to the rank of Field Marshal and receiving the Victoria Cross. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ...

During the American Civil War, the Confederate Army offered no awards or medals. However, General Lee would sometimes mention individual soldiers and units in his dispatches, and this was considered to be the highest honor among Confederate soldiers. Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Abraham Lincoln† Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis Robert E. Lee Strength 2,213,363 1,064,200 Casualties KIA: 110,100 Total dead: 359,500 Wounded: 275,200 KIA: 94,000 Total dead: 258,000 Wounded: 137,000+  The American... Some Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was formed in February, 1861, to defend the Confederate States of America, which had itself been formed that same year when seven southern states seceded from the United States (with four more to follow). ... Robert E. Lee, 1863 Portrait by Julian Vannerson Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a career army officer and the most successful general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. ...

In the French military, mentions in Dispatches - or more precisely, mention in Orders (citation dans les ordres) - are made by senior commanders, from the position of regimental CO to General-in-Chief, in the Orders they give to their unit, recognizing the gallantry of an action performed some time before. The mentions are awarded for gallantry to any member of the french military or its allies and are, depending on the degree, roughly the equivalent for US Bronze Star Medal and Silver Star Medal or UK Military Cross and Military Medal. The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ... The Silver Star is also a passenger rail line run by Amtrak as part of their Silver Service and Palmetto service. ... Military Cross The Military Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army, and formerly also to officers of the armies of other Commonwealth countries, for distinguished and meritorious services in battle. ... The Military Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army, and formerly also to personnel of the armies of other Commonwealth countries, below the rank of Warrant Officer, for bravery in the battlefield. ...

Mentions made during World War I, World War II or colonial were accompanied with awards of a Croix de guerre or a Croix de la valeur militaire, with attachments on the ribbon depending on the mention's degree : a bronze star for a mention in Brigade dispatches, a silver one for Division, a gilt one for Army Corps and a bronze palm for Army. Nowadays, a mention with award of the Croix de la valeur militaire (Croix de guerre is no longer awarded) is rare, and most mentions are awarded with a gold Médaille de la Défense nationale and the same attachments as the Croix de guerre. Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead:5 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:8 million Military dead:4 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:7 million The First World... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead:17 million Civilian dead:33 million Total dead:50 million Military dead:8 million Civilian dead:4 million Total dead:12 million World War II... The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of both Belgium and France which was first created in 1915. ...

A unit can be mentioned in Dispatches. Its flag is then decorated with the corresponding Croix. After two mentions, the men of the unit are entitled to wear a fourragère. The Fourragère is a French military award, distinguishing military units as a whole. ...

External link

• History of the MID