The picture on the left is of the front of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded by the British government. The picture on the right is the reverse side of the same medal. These images were taken from a web site and their medal ribbons are in better shape than ours. However, the medals are definitely the same as what were handed down to us.

The first issue of this medal was made in 1830 with the obverse depicting the royal arms and small shield of the House of Hanover surrounded by a trophy of arms. The reverse has the inscription FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT in large letters. The suspender was originally a steel clip with a ring but was later replaced by a rectangular steel clip with a U-shape on the lower bar to pass through the clip that attached it to the medal. This medal was designed by B. Pistrucci who also designed the famous St George and Dragon.

In 1837 with the coronation of Queen Victoria, the House of Hanover Shield was removed but it was not until 1839 that the new dies were available so the old ones were used. The reverse remained the same (smaller letters were used later on during the Victorian period) and the rectangular steel suspender continued until it was replaced by the often used scroll suspender. It is unknown when this scroll suspender was introduced but it would have been sometime during the 1850's.

After the death of Queen Victoria the obverse of this medal was changed to the ruling monarch's head. The first issue of this type was during King Edward VII's reign and then King George V. Both versions kept the original reverse but with smaller letters of the later Victorian issues. In about 1920 the scroll suspender was altered to a non-swivelling type. By 1930 the medal was discontinued and replaced by the Military Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Ribbon: Dark crimson and 1" wide for earlier issues and dark crimson with white edges and 1.25" wide for awards made from 1916 onwards.

Sources

Pictures and information were found at a site for collectors of British military medals: http://www.britishmilitarymedals.co.uk/armylongservicemedal.htm