THE CONCEPT of creating a Decoration to recognise the services of Officers in the Volunteer Force was instituted on 25 July 1892 and entitled The Volunteer Officer’s Decoration (VD). The qualification was 20 years of commissioned service in the Volunteer Force, with non commissioned service counting for half. It was superseded by the Territorial Decoration (TD) on the 29 September 1908, on the formation of the Territorial Force with war service counting as double. On 17 October 1930, the Efficiency Decoration was created on the formation of the Territorial Army and recipients were allowed to continue using the post-nominal TD. In 1949 the qualification was reduced to 12 years with clasps for each additional 6 years being added.

The ribbon was dark green with a central yellow stripe. In 1969, on the introduction of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, the ribbon was altered to half blue, half green with the central yellow stripe. The Decoration was superseded by the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal (VRSM) in 1999. The VRSM does not carry the rights to the use of post-nominal letters. Listed opposite is the roll of Officers of the London Irish Rifles awarded the VD and/or TD from 1892 to 2000.
(all information below courtesy of Alex Shooter and the ‘Emerald.’)

VOLUNTEER OFFICERS’ DECORATION.
1892 Lt Gen Hon Col HRH, The Duke of Connaught & Strathearn KG KT KP GCSI GCMG GCIE KGB ADC. Lt Col Comdt Hon Col J Ward CB. Lt Col Hon Col H Roberts. Maj Hon Lt Col E G K P Lloyd. Hon & Rev’d Hon Chaplain G C Talbot. Lt Col (Ret’d) Hon Col W G Furnivall. Lt Col (Ret’d) Hon Col E Vaughan-Jones. Maj (Ret’d) Hon Lt Col R W Inglis. Hon Maj and Adjt (Ret’d) F S Daubeney.
1896 Capt Hon Maj C W Carrell.
1898 Capt T G H Glynn.
1902 Maj (Ret’d) Hon Lt Col J E Stephenson.
1905 Maj Hon Lt Col P W D’Alton.
1907 Capt Hon Maj T Moore.

TERRITORIAL DECORATION.
1909 Capt Hon Maj W J Mathews. Capt Hon Maj H M Healy.
1912 Maj (QM) H Thorpe.
1913 Maj E G Concanon DSO.
1915 Maj J S Allen.
1919 Lt Col W H Murphy DSO. Maj C Beresford.
1934 FM Hon Col HRH The Duke of Connaught & Strathearn KG KT KP GCB GCSI GCMG GCIE GCVO CBE VD ADC.

TERRITORIAL EFFICIENCY DECORATION.
1945 Maj W A Bint.
1946 Maj Gen H R Hone CBE MC. Hon Maj F Parkes. Capt G F H Wegg-Prossor. Lt Col J J D Reidy. Hon Lt Col J McCann.
1947 Capt J G Adams. Hon Capt P P Giles.
1948 Maj (QM) W L Clarke.
1949 Maj P J Toal MBE. Lt Col Viscount Stopford MBE. Capt B W S Irwin MC.
1950 Maj J Morris. Hon Maj J McCarthy. Col J R J Macnamara (KIA). Capt P J Albery. Hon Maj D W Conroy. Maj A J Dyball MC. Hon Maj R A O’Brien. Hon Lt Col J G Adams. Hon Capt Sir J H Henry MC Bart. Maj T L Laister. Maj M H Hennessy. Hon Maj R S Davis MBE. Maj W S Craig. Maj J D Lofting MC. Maj J K Cantopher GM.
1951 Hon Maj A Cowdy. Hon Capt W R S Marley.
1952 Capt J A St Maur Sheil. Hon Lt Col B G Smith.
1953 Maj M N Gentleman. Maj T W H Wilson MC.
1954 Capt N W Dorrity.Hon Maj P M Mahon. Lt Col H G McClellan RA.
1956 Maj C C Rand. Hon Capt (Ret’d) Count E R A De LaPoer.
1958 Hon Capt R N Cunningham TARO.
1960 Maj G C Coppen. Capt R E Taylor.
1961 Capt R McAvoy MC. Maj M O Price.
1962 Maj J Fincham.
1964 Maj H B Holt. Maj P G B Wills.
1965 Capt N B Wilkinson.
1967 Maj (Ret’d) W H Fox.
1969 Maj M J Van Brugen.
1970 Maj C J W Hickey.
1976 Capt F W Price.
1977 Maj A P La Roche.
1978 Maj R J Scott Kerr.
1985 Maj J E Fallis. Maj V J A Lillie-Costello OBE MC (Dec’d).
1992 Maj J P Mooney.
1994 Capt J Scott.
1997 Capt D K Mogg.
2000 Maj P Lough.

FIRST CLASP TO TERRITORIAL EFFICIENCY DECORATION.
1949 Maj P J Toal MBE TD. Capt L M Yearsley TD.
1950 Maj J Morris TD. Maj J McCarthy TD. Maj R S Davis MBE TD. Capt J D Lofting MC TD. Maj J K Cantopher GM TD.
1951 Lt Col Viscount Stopford OBE TD. Maj B W S Irwin MC TD. Maj P D H Stock MC TD.
1960 Lt Col N W Dorrity TD.
1990 Maj A Aitchison-Tait TD.
1992 Maj J E Fallis TD.
SECOND CLASP TO TERRITORIAL EFFICIENCY DECORATION.
1956 Maj P D H Stock MC TD. Lt Col B W S Irwin MC TD.
1998 Maj J E Fallis TD (2003: clasp exchanged for VRSM).