Outstanding service in scientific research or exploration, or in support of such work, in the course of, or in connection with, an Australian Antarctic expedition[2]
Description
32 mm nickel-silver octagonal medal, ensigned with a hexagonal ice-crystal device, surmounted by a plain suspender bar, and suspended on a 32 mm snow-white moire ribbon, edged with three shades of blue.[3]
Presented by
Australia
Eligibility
Australian Antarctic expedition members and support staff[2]
The Australian Antarctic Medal (stylised AAM as post-nominal), originally designated the Antarctic Medal until 18 December 1997, is a meritorious service award of the Australian honours and awards system, instituted by Letters Patent[note 1] on 2 June 1987 (amended 18 December 1997 and 13 December 2011).[10]
Unique among the Australian meritorious service awards, the Australian Antarctic Medal may be awarded to the same person more than once.[11] The medal may be awarded to anyone who has given outstanding service in connection with an Antarctic expedition, in scientific research, exploration, or in support of such work.[12] Except in exceptional circumstances however, the medal will only be awarded if the nominee has also worked at least 12 months (cumulative) in Antarctic climates south of latitude 60° South, or in similar climate and terrain conditions elsewhere in the Antarctic region.[13]
The Australian Antarctic Medal is also unique in that (other than the first time when it was awarded, which occurred on 22 June 1987) awardees are announced in their own Midwinter's Day (21 June) awards list.[14]
The Australian Antarctic Medal has only in one instance been awarded to the same person twice - to Graham Robertson - and only four times posthumously (to Howard Burton, Neil Adams, John Oakes, and Patrick QuiltyAM).[15]
Design
The Australian Antarctic Medal is a nickel-silveroctagonal medal, 32 mm in diameter, ensigned with a hexagonal ice-crystal device, surmounted by a plain suspender bar.[3] The obverse (front of the medal) bears a depiction of the Southern Hemisphere showing Australia and the Antarctic enclosed by the inscription "FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE IN THE ANTARCTIC".[3]
Reverse of Australian Antarctic Medal
The reverse (back) of the Australian Antarctic Medal has an Antarctic expeditioner outside Mawson's hut, leaning into a blizzard as they use an ice-axe.[16]
The Australian Antarctic Medal is suspended on a 32 mm snow-white moire ribbon,[note 2] with 3 mm edging of three shades of blue that merge into the white of the ribbon (representing the transition of water to ice as one approaches Antarctica).[3] A date bar, being a nickel-silver clasp of 30 mm wide and 6 mm high, inscribed with the year the eligible service was rendered, is attached to the ribbon of the medal.[3]
Second and subsequent awards of the Australian Antarctic Medal are recognised by the awarding of another nickel-silver date bar clasp, worn on the ribbon above the medal (and positioned above any earlier date bar clasps), and by the use of 9 mm replicas of the ice-crystal device for each subsequent award on the ribbon bar (worn on uniforms when not wearing the medal).[3]
The miniature of the Australian Antarctic Medal is a half-sized replica of the medal, suspended from a miniature of the ribbon that is 16 mm wide.[3] Half-sized replicas of date bar clasps are worn on the ribbon of the miniature medal.[3]
A lapel badge, being a 10 mm wide replica of the hexagonal ice-crystal device used on the medal, is also provided to awardees.[3]
When Australian Prime MinisterBob Hawke came to power in 1983, he declared his government would no longer be making any recommendations for Imperial honours and awards.[20] The Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee, which had been set up by Ministerial appointment, declared at its meeting of 3 December 1984 that an Australian award should be created to honour outstanding achievement in the Australian Antarctic Territory, including for scientific achievement and exploration, and outlined some design specifications for the proposed medal.[21] On 26 January 1986, Hawke announced the intention to seek Letters Patent for a new meritorious service award to recognise extraordinary service in the Antarctic region by Australian polar expeditioners, to be called the Australian Antarctic Medal.[22]
Initial designs of the medal were drafted by Michael Tracey, but the Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee expressed some dissatisfaction with some of his design elements, and Stuart DevlinAOCMG replaced him as designer (although Tracey's map on the obverse of the medal was retained).[23] Stuart Devlin's final design was approved by the government on 21 January 1987.[24]
Although 16 inaugural awardees of the Antarctic Medal were announced on 22 June 1987, covering meritorious service as far back as 1981, extended production delays with the Antarctic Medal and its ribbon resulted in it taking two years before these medals were presented to them.[26]
Renaming and post-nominals
In 1993, the then Keating federal government established a Review of Australian Honours and Awards Committee, to make recommendations about the Australian honours and awards system.[27] The committee delivered its report in 1995, and one of its recommendations was that the Antarctic Medal be renamed the Australian Antarctic Medal, and be granted the post-nominal AAM (the preceding Imperial Polar Medal and the Antarctic Medal had no entitlement to use of a post-nominal).[28]
On 18 December 1997, the Queen of Australia, Elizabeth II, issued Letters Patent authorising the amendment of the original Letters Patent to change the designation of the Antarctic Medal to the Australian Antarctic Medal and authorised the use of the AAM post-nominal to those who had been awarded this medal.[29]
Expansion of eligibility
Prior to 13 December 2011, the conditions for the award of the Australian Antarctic Medal were that, except in exceptional circumstances, only those who had accumulated 12 months or more in Antarctic climate and terrain conditions, and who had given outstanding service in (either directly, or in support of) scientific research or exploration, in the course of, or in connection with, an Australian Antarctic expedition were eligible to be considered for this meritorious award.[30]
On 13 December 2011, the Queen of Australia, Elizabeth II, issued Letters Patent authorising the amendment of the original Letters Patent (and its regulations) to allow eligibility for the Australian Antarctic Medal to be expanded so that persons representing an Australian agency or institution on foreign Antarctic expeditions could also be considered for this medal.[31]
List of recipients
As at Midwinter's Day (21 June) 2020, the Australian Antarctic Medal (also known as the Antarctic Medal prior to 1998) has been awarded 104 times to 103 individuals (one person has received the medal twice).[32] In four cases the medal was awarded posthumously.[33] Apart from its inaugural award, which occurred on 22 June 1987, it has always been awarded on Midwinter's Day, although in some years no awards have been made (2003, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019).[34]
From 1987 to 1991, no short citation was given when the medal was awarded.[35] From 1992 to 1997, the short citation For outstanding service in connection with Australian Antarctic expeditions was used.[36] In 1998, the short citation For outstanding service in support of Australia's Antarctic Program was used.[37] From 1999 to 2011 the short citation For outstanding service in support of Australian Antarctic expeditions was used.[38] Generic short citations were replaced with individual short citations from 2012 until 2016, when short citations were no longer given.[39]
The only awardee to have received the Australian Antarctic Medal twice (where an additional clasp is given to the recipient, to place on the ribbon of the medal, and the ice crystal device is worn on the ribbon bar, when the medal is not worn) is Graham Robertson (who received his medal in 1989, and his additional clasp in 2012).[40]
The four posthumous awards made to date are to Howard Burton (d. 5 November 1993) in 1994, Neil Adams (d. 23 March 2012) in 2012, John Oakes (d. 23 July 2016) in 2018, and Patrick Quilty (d. 26 August 2018) in 2020.[41]
Date awarded
Name
Post-nominals
Details
Notes
22 June 1987
Ricky Besso
AAM
For outstanding service as Senior Carpenter (Davis 1985) in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service (Heard Island 1986) in Antarctic scientific research (medicine) and in support of general expedition duties as Medical Officer.
For his outstanding contribution to the Australian Antarctic Program, particularly his leadership in Antarctic and Southern Ocean scientific research by developing a marine mammal program in the Southern Ocean.
For his outstanding contribution to the Australian Antarctic Program, particularly in his capacity as a trade supervisor, station leader and expeditioner, ensuring the effective operation of Antarctic Research Station infrastructure and communities.
For her outstanding contribution to the Australian Antarctic Program, particularly in her efforts in mentoring and teaching the next generation of Antarctic ecologists.
For her outstanding contribution to the Australian Antarctic Program, particularly in her capacity as Chef and Deputy Station Leader, especially during the 2015-2016 transition of expeditioners following the grounding of the Aurora Australis.
For his outstanding contribution to the Australian Antarctic Program, particularly through the establishment and leadership of the Wilkins Ice Runway Aerodrome in East Antarctica.
^In Australia, Letters Patent are an official prerogative instrument of law making, made under the royal prerogative (which is that power of the Crown still existing and not superseded by parliamentary legislation), enabled by section 61 of the Australian Constitution. As the Sovereign has remained the font of "all honour and dignity" in Australia, the practice of instituting Australian honours and awards via Letters Patent continues, although in practice the role of the Sovereign is very limited, as Letters Patent are drafted by the government of the day and by convention the Sovereign is guided by the advice of that government to sign them, making the role taken by the Sovereign overwhelmingly symbolic.[9]
^The last award of the Polar Medal under the Imperial honours system in Australia was on 5 May 1982. Before 1968, the Polar Medal was not a meritorious service medal but recognised those who had wintered in the Arctic and Antarctic while on expedition.[18]
^Ulrich Schmitter was previously awarded the Imperial Polar Medal on 23 December 1980, and is whom Schmitter Peak, a small mountain peak in the Prince Charles Mountains region of Antarctic, is named after.[55]
^Dr Ian Allison received the Phillip Law Medal in 2013 for outstanding service to Antarctic science.[60]
^Denise Allen participated in the Australian Antarctic culture oral history project, which can be accessed via the reference.[67]
^Willem Barnaart was the first person to have been station leader at all four permanent Australian Antarctic stations (Mawson, Davis, Casey and Macquarie Island).[69]
^Dave McCormack was previously awarded the Imperial Polar Medal on 23 December 1980. David McCormack also received the Phillip Law Medal in 2017 for outstanding service in the recovery and preservation of Antarctic heritage artefacts.[71]
^Dudley Twigg was previously awarded the Imperial Polar Medal on 21 July 1961 (Polar Medals before 1968 were not a meritorious service medal but recognised those who had wintered in the Arctic and Antarctic while on expedition).[80]
^Dr Patricia Selkirk received the Phillip Law Medal in 2018 for outstanding contributions to Antarctic science.[126]
^Professor Patrick Quilty received the Phillip Law Medal in 2016 for outstanding service to Antarctic science.[154]
References
^Meritorious Service Awards(PDF) (2nd ed.). Canberra, Australia: Government House. 2014. p. 7. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
^ abMeritorious Service Awards(PDF) (2nd ed.). Canberra, Australia: Government House. 2014. p. 42. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
^Meritorious Service Awards(PDF) (2nd ed.). Canberra, Australia: Government House. 2014. p. 43. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
^Meritorious Service Awards(PDF) (2nd ed.). Canberra, Australia: Government House. 2014. p. 39. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
^"Australian Antarctic Medal". Australian Antarctic Division. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 15 June 2020. the first recipients of the Australian Antarctic Medal were announced on 22 June 1987.
"Australian Antarctic Medal celebrates 25 years". Australian Antarctic Division. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 25 June 2020. Unique among the Meritorious Service Awards, the Australian Antarctic Medal can be awarded to the same person for a second and subsequent occasion, and there is no quota imposed on the number of awards per year. The medal can be awarded posthumously and it may also be withdrawn.
For RFD"General Notice Gazette". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. GN 20. Canberra, Australia. 31 May 1989. p. 1200. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
For (Australian) ED"Australia Government Gazette". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. G 24. Canberra, Australia. 15 June 1976. p. 22. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
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