Special Service Commissions Medal

Medalha Comemorativa de Comissões de Serviço Especiais

Initially, this decoration was integrated in the PORTUGUESE ARMED FORCES CAMPAIGNS COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL of 1946, only differing in the ribbon (white with red edges), and awarded “in such cases as simple expeditions or action of any action in which the circumstances didn’t demand the realization of operations of war” (Art. 43, Regulations 1946).

Although, from the 1971 regulations on, there is an effective distinction between the SPECIAL SERVICE COMMISSIONS MEDAL and the CAMPAIGNS MEDAL, they have the same design, only differing in the ribbon.

The SPECIAL SERVICE COMMISSIONS COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL awards “military who, integrating or not organized forces, national or multinational, have accomplished service missions abroad” (Art. 47, Regulation 2002).

DESIGN

Reverse (1971)

OBVERSE: National emblem, encircled with the legend «CAMPANHAS E COMISSÕES ESPECIAIS DAS FORÇAS ARMADAS PORTUGUESAS» (Campaigns and Special Commissions of the Portuguese Armed Forces), in uppercase elzevir font, encircled in turn by a laurel wreath; on top, a mural crown with 5 towers;

REVERSE: disc with, on the upper part, a National Banner; imposed on it, the figures of a soldier of the Army, to the right, a soldier of the Air Force, in the middle, and a sailor of the Navy, to the left, standing on a pedestal; encircling, the legend «ESTE REINO É OBRA DE SOLDADOS» (This Kingdom is the Work of Soldiers”), in uppercase elzevir font; on top, the same crown mural, as on the obverse.

NOTES

CLASPS APPROVED FOR THIS MEDAL

DATE/DECREE/LEGEND

19/4/1958

16669

INDIA (civil years since 1/7/1954)

12/8/1958

-

TIMOR 1945-1946

7/5/1964

20563

CABO VERDE (civil years since 15/5/1961)

7/5/1964

20565

GUINÉ (civil years since 1/9/1959)

7/5/1964

20566

S. TOMÉ E PRINCIPE (civil years since 1/7/1961)

7/5/1964

20567

ANGOLA (civil years since 1/7/1960)

7/5/1964

20568

MOÇAMBIQUE (civil years since 15/8/1960)

7/5/1964

20569

MACAU (civil years since 1/8/1962)

7/5/1964

20570

TIMOR (civil years since 1/8/1961)

20/1/1966

21813

ULTRAMAR

SOURCES

- Decreto-Lei n.º 316/2002 de 27 de Dezembro - Regulamento da Medalha Militar e das Medalhas Comemorativas das Forças Armadas.

- Wikicommons