Background:
The Bravery Medal (BM) was created in February 1975 as a bravery decoration awarded to Australian citizens for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances. The decoration is ranked third of the bravery decorations in the Australian Honours System. Recipients of the Bravery Medal are entitled to use the post nominal letters BM. The medal has been awarded over 1,200 times since its inception.
Design:
The Bravery Medal is a circular bronze medal, 38 millimetres in diameter, ensigned with the Crown of Saint Edward in bronze. The medal is surmounted by a bronze suspender bar of fixed configuration, with the raised words ‘For Bravery’ running the width of the bar on the obverse. On the obverse, the medal bears a central device of the shield and crest of the Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia on a background of wattle blossom, contained by a zigzag border. The reverse of the medal is a background of wattle blossom, contained by a zigzag border and the suspender bar is clear to allow for engraving of the recipient’s name.The medal is suspended from a 32mm wide ribbon which has 15 alternating vertical stripes of blood-red and magenta. When the ribbon bar is worn, a representation of the medal, 5 millimetres in diameter, is attached at the centre of the ribbon.
Bars:
Second and subsequent awards of the Bravery Medal are recognised by the presentation of a bronze bar 35 millimetres wide and 6 millimetres high. The bar has a central replica of the medal 5 millimetres in diameter. The bar is worn attached to the ribbon of the original medal.
