Instituted on 6 September 1886 by Queen Victoria in a Royal Warrant published in the London Gazette on 09 November 1886. The order was established for rewarding individual instances of commendable or distinguished service in war. This is a military order for officers only, and while normally given for service under fire or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy, it was awarded between 1914 and 1916 under circumstances which could not be regarded as under fire. After 01 January 1917, commanders in the field were instructed to recommend this award only for those serving under fire.
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LCol Bent transferred from the 17th Bn (Nova Scotia) in 1915 and became Commanding Officer of the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) in May 1916 following the death of LCol W. R. Marshall, DSO. He served as CO through the battles of The Somme, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele and Amiens, where he was wounded severely. […]