Concept

This award has been created by the staff of the Crown Forces North America, (CFNA) as a way of recognizing the many contributions to the CFNA and to the hobby in general that individuals frequently make. The award is meant to not only to mark a person’s contributions but also serve as an inspiration to others.

Background

Historically, while the British Army and Government did not, as a rule, create awards for soldiers for going above and beyond in the course of their duties, there are a few exceptions such as the Waterloo Medal.

Individual Regiments did occasionally create their own. Some examples are for marksmanship, Forlorn Hope, Merit, Service, and individual acts.

Frequency, Volume and Nomination Process

The CFNA award for Meritorious Service can be awarded at a rate of one award per CFNA unit per year.

Nominations for the award can be made by submitting the required form by the unit and submitted to the Aide De Camp to the Brigadier General.

You may use the PDF form and send it in via email once completed (click here for the PDF) or via our online form (click here to be taken to the online form).

Required will be two nominators from the unit (not including the intended recipient).

Please note that the nominating unit will be required to pay for the award.

The Staff, in consultation with the nominating unit will adjudicate the request. Applications should be made by November for consideration for the following season.

Requirements for Nomination

The candidate must be a veteran of the CFNA for at least ten years and have made major contributions to the unit, the CFNA, or the hobby in general.

The contributions should be clearly outlined in the nominating letter to the Staff. It should include a contact from the unit to represent the request, particularly if you hope to have the award be a surprise for the recipient.

It is possible to offer posthumous recognition of an individual.

Be sure to include the site that the unit wishes to use for the presentation ceremony.

Wearing the Award

The award will be presented by the staff officer commanding the requested event at the first morning parade of the event with all troops present.

The recipient may wear the award for the duration of the event and that event only. As it is not an actual historical item of uniform, thereafter it may only be worn at special occasions and events such as mess dinners etc.

The CFNA Award of Merit should be worn on the left breast of the uniform coat with precedence (the right most position) over any other medal (i.e. the Waterloo Medal).

The Award

The Crown Forces North America Award for Meritorious Service is in the form of an oval medal with a suspension bar. The medal will be suspended on a “Waterloo” ribbon.

On one side it is adorned with the crown, the Royal Cypher within the Garter and the words,

“Crown Forces North America”.

The Obverse has a laurel design with the Latin, “NAM MERITUM ET SERVITIUM” (For Merit and Service).

Note: the letter “U”s are represented as “V” as was the custom in Roman writing

Again, you may use the PDF form and send it in via email once completed (click here for the PDF) or via our online form (click here to be taken to the online form).

To have a copy of this article in PDF to send on in explanation to anyone who may need it, please click here.