Distinguished Service Order

The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful command and leadership during active operations, typically in actual combat.
Equal in British precedence of military decorations to the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and Royal Red Cross, since 1993 the DSO is eligible to all ranks awarded specifically for "highly successful command and leadership during active operations".
Instituted on 6 September 1886 by Queen Victoria by Royal Warrant published in The London Gazette on 9 November, the first DSOs awarded were dated 25 November 1886.
The order was established to recognise individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war. It is a military order, and was, until recently, typically awarded to officers in command above the rank of major (or equivalent), with awards to lower ranks usually being for a high degree of gallantry, just short of deserving the Victoria Cross.
Whilst normally given for service under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy, a number of awards made between 1914 and 1916 were under circumstances not under fire, often to staff officers, causing resentment among front-line officers. After 1 January 1917, commanders in the field were instructed to recommend this award only for those serving under fire.
From 1916, bars could be authorised for subsequent award of the DSO, worn on the ribbon of the original award.
In 1942, the award was extended to officers of the Merchant Navy who had performed acts of gallantry whilst under enemy attack.
Prior to 1943, the DSO could be awarded to only commissioned officers of the Lieutenant-Colonel rank and above, for 'meritorious or distinguished service in wartime' under conditions of actual combat. If awarded to an officer ranking below Lieutenant-Colonel, it had to be a case of 'a high degree of gallantry just short of deserving the Victoria Cross'. In either case, being 'Mentioned in Despatches' was a pre-condition for appointment to the Distinguished Service Order.
The stipulation that only those mentioned in despatches could be appointed to the Order was removed in 1943.
Since 1993, reflecting the review of the British honours system which recommended removing distinctions of rank in respect of operational awards, the DSO has been open to all ranks, with the award criteria redefined as "highly successful command and leadership during active operations". At the same time, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross was introduced as the second-highest award for gallantry. Despite some very fierce campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, the DSO has yet to be awarded to a non-commissioned rank.
The DSO was previously awarded throughout the Commonwealth but by the 1990s most, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, were had established their own honours systems no longer recommending British honours.
Recipients of the Order, formally styled Companions of the Distinguished Service Order, are entitled to use DSO as post-nominal letters. All awards are announced in The London Gazette.
From 1918 to 2017, the Distinguished Service Order was awarded approximately 16,935 times, in addition to 1,910 bars. The figures to 1979 are laid out in the table below, the dates reflecting the relevant entries in the London Gazette:
In addition, approximately 90 DSOs were awarded between 1980 and 2017, including awards for the Falklands, Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, in addition to three Bars. The above figures include awards to the Commonwealth.
The following received the DSO with three Bars (i.e., awarded the DSO four times):