The Wearing of Medals and Decorations of the Order in Australia ORDER OF SAINT JOHN OF JERUSALEM (KNIGHTS HOSPITALLER) Updated March 2016 This document has been prepared with the grateful assistance of: CMDR the Chevalier Derek Robson AM KCSJ LTCOL the Chevalier Schon Condon GCSJ RFD Chevalier Dino De Marchi RFD KCSJ HE Conventual Bailiff Shane Hough GCSJ CMSJ HE Conventual Bailiff Fred Maestrelli GCSJ OMSJ MSSJ The material in this document in part is specific to Australian law, custom and tradition. Page 2 of 13 March 2016 Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller WEARING MEDALS IN CIVILIAN ATTIRE IN AUSTRALIA 1. A GUIDE TO THE WEARING OF INSIGNIA The Australian system of honours and awards was established in 1975. At this time, the Queen approved the institution of the Order of Australia: 'an Australian society of honour for according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or meritorious service'. Prior to 1975 Australians were recognised under the British honours system, also known as Imperial awards. The Official website which sets out how to wear these awards, when to wear the awards, and the order of wearing the awards and medals, is managed by the Governor General and the Honours Secretariat at www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards. The Defence website also contains information on the wearing of medals and the wearing of foreign awards. This information can be found at www.defence.gov.au/medals. More information can be found on the RSL (Returned and Services League of Australia) National website at www.rsl.org.au, and there are other sources of advice for non-serving Australians on websites such as ASAC (Armed Services Assistance Centre Inc) at www.asacaustralia.com. The above websites all offer a number of accepted protocols, and these are: War medals may only be worn on the left breast by the persons upon whom they were conferred; These honours remain with the individual and do not pass to a widow, parent, son, or relative when the recipient is dead; Family members may wear their forebears medals on their right breast, which indicates they are not their own. There is no set policy as to when these can be worn by family, but it is expected that a measure of decorum would be used as to the appropriateness of each occasion ; Uniformed personnel would wear their own medals in accordance with their Service dress code, except that on occasions such as ANZAC and Remembrance Day, they would wear their own medals on their left breast , accompanied (if they wish) by their ancestors medals on their right breast; Page 3 of 13 March 2016 It is recognised that there are a number of non-official and commemorative awards, which have been created and distributed by Ex-Service and other like-minded organisations, over the years. There is no law against this practice, where a private individual, not wearing a service uniform, chooses to wear a non-official or commemorative award, but these medals have no official status; The RSL actively discourages the wearing of non-official medals at RSL or ceremonial or commemorative functions. If Commemorative Medals are worn, they should be positioned on the right breast and not mixed with Service Medals or Decorations; Only those medals, decorations and honours, which have been created under the prerogative of the Crown, have official status; and No person shall ever wear an award to which they are not entitled, neither should they ever masquerade as a Serving or Ex-Service person, at any time. These circumstances are covered by appropriate Federal Law. 2. A GUIDE TO THE WEARING OF OSJ INSIGNIA The Order of St John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller, has its own badges of rank, insignia of office and merit medals which are appropriately worn at all meetings and functions of the Order. These badges, insignia and medals should always be worn apart from any official awards given by the Nation. They should not be worn with Service Uniform, or at any function or commemorative event where Serving or Uniformed persons are present, or when any Australian Defence Force assets are involved. For example: A civilian with military awards – essentially, there are no rules governing how a civilian can wear his various awards, save that the combining of service and unofficial awards may offend other wearers of medals; A serving ADF member in civilian attire – would keep his service medals in accordance with the established precedents and have his OSJ awards mounted separately; An ADF member in uniform – no OSJ insignia would be worn; and A former ADF member in uniform – no OSJ insignia would be worn. On occasions when it has been deemed appropriate to wear badges, insignia and medals of the Order, it is dependent upon the type of dress ordered as to how they may be worn. Page 4 of 13 March 2016 An invitation will usually list the minimum standard of dress expected by the host, and the facility in which the event is being held, and will usually fit into one of the following categories: Full Evening Dress - “Evening Dress - Decorations”; Dinner Jacket - “Dinner Jacket - Decorations”; Lounge Suit – “with or without decorations); or optional Morning Suit (Morning Suit – Decorations). This table can be used as a quick view guide for those who are unsure as to the correct method of wearing their medals and decorations in particular circumstances as they may present. Neck Badge Breast Dress Medals or Bow Star Day Dress Lounge Suit Full Size Yes None Day Dress - Ladies Full Size * Yes None Morning Suit Full Size Yes Up to four stars Formal Day Dress - Ladies Full Size * Yes Up to four stars Evening Dress Lounge Suit Miniature Yes None Evening Wear Short Dress Miniature Yes None Dinner Suit (Black Tie) Miniature Yes One Only Short / Long Dress Miniature Yes One Only Evening Dress (White Tie) Miniature Yes Up to four Stars Long Dress Miniature Yes Up to four Stars * Ladies may wear miniature if the material or style of dress makes the wearing of full size medals inappropriate. Page 5 of 13 March 2016 3. DRESS a. FULL EVENING DRESS - “Evening Dress (White Tie) Decorations” Knights and Dames, Commanders : Up to four Stars may be worn on the left side of the coat or dress1. When there is more than one star the following position should be adopted. (Looking at the wearer) Two Three Stars Four Stars Star1 1 1 s 2 2 3 2 3 4 One neck Badge suspended from a ribbon of the Order (or if another Order, from a miniature width ribbon if the Grand Cross Sash is used) is worn under the collar and hanging about 25mm below the tie. The Ladies’ Badge is worn on a bow below the miniatures on the left side. Miniature Badges of all Orders and Medals are worn on a medal bar. Knights and Dames: One neck Badge suspended on a ribbon of the Order is worn under the collar and hanging about 25mm below the tie. The Ladies’ Badge is worn on a bow above the miniatures on the left side. Miniature Badges of all Orders and Medals are worn on a medal bar. When “Evening Dress - Decorations” is described as the dress standard all persons who are not in possession of full evening dress may wear “Dinner Jacket” order. Please note: the wearing of the Grand Cross Sash is set out in the section “WEARING OF INSIGNIA RELATIVE TO RANK”. 1 References to Left and Right are to the garment as worn, rather than as facing the wearer. Page 6 of 13 March 2016 b. DINNER JACKET - “Dinner Jacket (Black Tie) - Decorations” Knights and Dames, Commanders: One Star is worn on the left breast. One neck Badge suspended on a ribbon of the Order is worn under the collar and hanging about 25mm below the tie. Miniature Badges of all Orders and Medals are worn on a medal bar. The Ladies Badge is worn on a bow above the miniatures on the left side. Knights and Dames; Serving Sisters and Brothers: One neck Badge suspended on a ribbon of the Order is worn under the collar and hanging about 25mm below the tie. Miniature Badges of all Orders and Medals are worn on a medal bar. Page 7 of 13 March 2016 c. LOUNGE SUIT There are occasions where the attendees of a function are requested to wear medals with Lounge Suit. A “lounge suit” is another name for business suit and, usually indicates a semi-formal function. A darker suit with a white shirt and tie are appropriate. For women, a “lounge suit” normally indicates a shorter length dress or outfit as opposed to a formal floor length gown. Broad Ribbons and Badges, Stars or Victorian Chains are NOT worn. One neck Badge suspended on a ribbon of the Order is worn under the collar. The badge should hang about 25mm below the end of the tie knot in front of the tie. Full-sized medals are worn singly or mounted on a medal bar. 4. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE FOR OSJ MEDALS The precedence is as follows (working from left to right as you face the wearer): OSJ (Medal of the Order of Saint John) CMSJ (Cross of Merit with Crown) OMSJ (Cross of Merit) MSSJ (Meritorious Service Medal) MMSJ (Medal of Merit) Jubilee (50th Anniversary Medal) Page 8 of 13 March 2016 5. WEARING OF INSIGNIA RELATIVE TO OSJ RANK Note: cloaks are edged vertically (65mm) collared (110mm) and lined in white. The Maltese Cross (in white) is placed on the left breast (350mm in diameter).