St John of Jerusalem Long Service - 3 Bar

The obverse of the medal features a veiled effigy of Queen Victoria facing right in a circular field bordered by a beaded edge. Between the beaded edge and the edge of the medal itself appears the legend VICTORIA + D + BRITT + REG + F + D + IND + IMP.

The reverse, the Royal Arms within the Garter bearing the legend HONI - SOIT - QUI - MAL - Y - PENSE. Above this is the Imperial Crown and below it, the Prince of Wales feathers. On either side is the badge of the Order, each bearing a shield, the one on the left charged with the arms of the Order and that on the right, the arms of the Prince of Wales. The whole rests upon a sprig of St. John Wort. The central motif is surrounded by a border bearing the words MAGNUS - PRIORATUS - HOSPITALIS - SANCTI - JOHANNIS - JERUSALEM - IN - ANGLIA.

A claw at the top of the medal is attached to a straight, slotted bar.

The ribbon is 38mm wide and consists of 5 equal stripes of black, white, black, white and black.

The bars are laurelled with a Maltese cross in the centre and exist in gilt or silver colour.

The "only British medal to retain the head of Queen Victoria on a current issue".

Each additional 5 years of service is recognised by the award of a silver bar to be worn on the ribbon and, for a long period, it was possible to achieve a large number of these bars, which made them difficult to fit on the ribbon. This problem was solved by the introduction of gilt bars. When 20 years additional service has been performed the three silver bars are removed and a single gilt bar substituted. Additional periods of 5 years service are recognised by further gilt bars.