With WWI lasting longer than expected and no suitable way to reward services to the war effort by civilians at home and servicemen in support positions, King George V created this order with five levels.
The first two levels confer knighthood the other three levels are Commander, Officer and Member.
The order could be given generously for services to the Empire at home, in India and in the Dominions and colonies.
The order was created mainly to award non-combatant services to the war and was to include women, whom most existing orders excluded. When the order was created in 1917 it had only one division, but was divided into Civil and Military divisions in 1918. The order at any level can be awarded for gallantry as well as for service.

Company Commander A. W. RICHARDS, M.M.

2nd BATTALION 'K' ZONE, LONDON
[later 13th CITY OF LONDON (WEST HAM) BATTALION]
"During a phase of intensive air attack, Company Commander Richards, commanding a Home Guard company in Barking, displayed consistent devotion to duty and complete disregard of his own safety, by rendering assistance on several occasions to victims of enemy bombs.
"On one occasion he organised a party of volunteers from his company to render succour to patients of a hospital that had suffered direct hits. By skilful direction of the operations and his own participation in the work of clearing debris, though the whole district was under intense bombardment from the air, he was instrumental in saving a number of lives. He worked continuously throughout the night and only gave up when he was on the point of collapse from physical exhaustion.
"On another occasion when large numbers of high explosive bombs and incendiaries were dropped in the area covered by his company, he formed a patrol to help extinguish fires. At great personal risk he climbed to the top of one house - as there were no ladders available he had to scale up the pipes of the house with high explosive bombs and shrapnel falling all round him - and gaining the roof, managed to extinguish the incendiaries. Afterwards he helped to extinguish several more fires, going from one to another, helping in rescue work, and organising the best possible assistance.
"His ability, leadership, and total disregard of peril, cannot be too highly commended."
L.G. 22.vii.1941
Source: The Times 24.vii.1941
Investiture: 10.ii.1942
 

11th June 1942

The KING has been graciously pleased,
on the occasion of the Celebration of His Majesty's Birthday,
to give orders for the following promotions in, and appointments to,
the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire:
 

To be Officers of the Military Division
of the said Most Excellent Order:
 
  Lieutenant-Colonel D. R. Allen, M.C., London Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. Chamberlin, Somerset Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. K. Cleary, London Home Guard.
Colonel E. B. Cuthbertson, C.M.G., M.V.O., Hampshire Home Guard.
     (Appointment to be dated the 12th May, 1942, since deceased.)
Lieutenant-Colonel F. L. F. Deneys, Cheshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. Scott-Evans, Buckinghamshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. V. Fitton, M.C., North Riding Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel E. Harrison, Kent Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. Moncrieff, M.C., A.M.Inst.C.E., West Riding Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. H. Nock, Fifeshire Home Guard.
 

1st January 1943

The KING has been graciously pleased to give orders
for the following promotions in, and appointments to,
the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire:
 

To be Officers of the Military Division
of the said Most Excellent Order:
 
  Lieutenant-Colonel S. Bell, Lancashire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Burman, Sussex Home Guard.
Major H. C. Falconer, Scottish Border Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel F. R. B. Haward, Norfolk Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. MacCallum, M.M., Flintshire Home, Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. E. Millner, D.S.O., M.C., Hampshire Home Guard.
Major H. R. Spence, Aberdeerishire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel, H. Sprot, Durham Home Guard.
Major J. L. Stone, London Home Guard.
Major G. H. Williams, London Home Guard.
 
 

15th December 1944

The KING has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following promotions in,
and appointments to, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
in recognition of Meritorious Service in the Home Guard:
 

To be Officers of the Military Division
of the said Most Excellent Order:
 
  Lieutenant-Colonel C. N. Allen, 86th Bn. Lancashire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. L. Allsopp, T.D., 7th Bn. Northamptonshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. Amos, 1st Scottish Home Guard Transport Column.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. Anelay, 11th Bn. Warwickshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. N. Baker, M.C., 11th Bn. Kent Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. Barclay, T.D., 1st Bn. Norfolk Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Otter-Barry, Claverley District Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. L. Baxter, 2nd Bn. Angus Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. E. Beswick, 5th Bn. Wiltshire Home Guard.
Colonel G. S. Brighten, D.S.O., K Sector, London District Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. R. G. Bye, D.S.O., M.C., 22nd Bn. Kent Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. Cary, 6th Bn. City of London Home Guard.
Colonel H. H. Chandor, Halesworth Sector, Suffolk Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Chislett, 1st Bn. Lancashire Home Guard.
Colonel C. W. Clark, D.S.O., M.C., B. South Coventry Sector Home Guard.
Colonel R. E. Cole, 25th Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. Cooke, M.C., 2nd Holland Bn. Lincolnshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel I. C. Cowan, D.S.O., M.C., 2nd Bn. Glasgow Home Guard.
Colonel R. E. Crichton, Meon Valley Sector, Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. A. Cuthbertson, 5th Bn. Glasgow Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel T. L. Dallas, Bradford Sector School, Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Davenport, D.S.O., M.C., 5th Bn. Gloster Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel M. H. Davies, 12th Bn. Glamorgan Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel S. E. Davis, M.C., 19th Bn. Durham Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. B. Dawson, M.C., West Riding District Tactical School, Home Guard.
Major G. S. Deakin, 194th Rocket Anti-Aircraft Battery, 101st Buckinghamshire Home Guard.
Major H. A. Densham, 141st Rocket Anti-Aircraft Battery, 101st Gloucestershire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. D. Drew, D.S.O., 2nd Bn. Dorset Home Guard.
Colonel E. F. Dusautoy, D.L., K Sector, Brierley Hill Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. Edwards, 11th Bn. Sussex Home.Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Ellis, D.S.O., 22nd Bn. Sussex Home Guard.
Major Sir G. Fell, K.C.S.I., C.I.E., 2nd Bn. Inverness Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. S. Field, T.D., 7th Bn. Berkshire Home Guard.
Colonel M. Firth, 12th Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Major F. G. Fleury, 142nd Rocket Anti-Aircraft Battery, 102nd Devon Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel D. A. Fowlis, D.S.O., 1st Bn. City of Edinburgh Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. E. Furniss, 9th Bn. Nottinghamshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel E. Gillespie, 21st Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. Green, M.C., 1st Bn. North Riding Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. Grimshaw, J.P., 30th Bn. West Riding Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. E. Hagley, 2nd Bn. Buckinghamshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. S. Hardie, 2nd Bn. Argyll Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel S. B. Haslam, 11th Bn. Glamorgan Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Hastings, D.C.M., Manchester Sub-District Sector, Home Guard.
Colonel P. C. Henderson, Romford Sector, Essex Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Heys, M.C., T.D., 4th Bn. Renfrewshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. E. Higham, 30th Bn. Lancashire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. T. Holman, 11th Bn. Cornwall Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel F. R. Holmstrom, 65th Bn. West Riding Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel E. Holtby, M.C., 3rd Bn. East Riding Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. J. J. Hope-Vere, A.F.C., 1st Bn. Dumfriesshire Home Guard.
Colonel B. S. Horner, H Sector, London District Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. F. Hunt, D.S.O., 2nd Bn. Surrey Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Jay, 10th Bn. Lindsey Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. A. Johnston, M.C., V Sector, London District Home Guard.
Colonel A. E. Jones, M.C., 2nd Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. de P. Kingsmill, D.S.O., M.C., 2nd Bn. Hampshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Knott, M.C., 10th Bn. Cheshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. G. Lane, 23rd Bn. Staffordshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. E. W. Lane, 7th Bn. Surrey Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. M. Ledingham, T.D., 7th Bn. Aberdeen Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. T. Lefeaux, M.C., 1st Bn. Oxfordshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. N. Letts, 1st London Transport Column Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. C. Lings, D.S.O., 2nd Bn. Derbyshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel D. D. Logan, D.S.O., Lanarkshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. E. Lowe, 61st Bn. West Riding Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. MacDonald, 12th Bn. Northumberland Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel F. P. Marshall, 3rd Bn. Surrey Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. Martin, 10th Bn. Leicestershire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. M. Martin, 12th Bn. Gloster Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. Mason, 9th Bn. Devonshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. E. Maw, 17th Bn. Hampshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. Nairn, M.C., 1st Bn. Ayrshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir A. J. R. Nicolson, Bt., 1st Bn. Zetland Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. North, D.C.M., 19th Bn. City of London Home Guard.
Colonel R. C. O. Parker, T.D., Crouch Sector, Essex Home Guard.
Colonel P. C. C. Parry, 9th Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. S. Picking, 13th Bn. Kent Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. K. Potter, 5th Bn. Lancashire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. T. Powell, 9th Bn. Monmouthshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel N. H. H. Ralston, 51st Bn. Surrey Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. Roberts, 17th Bn. Cheshire Home Guard.
Colonel G. H. Rogers, North Somerset Sector Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Simpson, 22nd Bn. Durham Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. Smith, X Sector, London District Home Guard.
Lfeutenant-Colonel A. Stein, M.C., T.D., 2nd Bn. Stirling Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. R. Taylor, 6th Bn. Norfolk Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. J. Taylor, 2nd Bn. Cambridgeshire and Suffolk Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. E. A. Thomas, 28th Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. C. Trench, D.S.O., 3rd Bn. Scottish Border Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. Tucker, .T.D., 12th Bn. Wiltshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. H. Ward, 60th Bn. Surrey Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. B. Watkins, 1st Bn. Radnor Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. J. C. Welch, M.C., 3rd Home Guard Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Colonel F. E. Wenger, M.C., T.D., D.L., 12 Sector, Mid West District Home Guard.
Colonel R. W. West, Central Sector, Hertfordshire Home Guard.
Colonel J. P. White, M.C., Northern Sector, Bedfordshire Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. Whittall, 5th Bn. County of London Home Guard.
Colonel W. D. Williams, D.L., Carmarthen Sector Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. J. Williams, 2nd Bn. Cornwall Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. W. R. Wilson, 8th Bn. Salop Home Guard.
Major R. G. H. Wilson, D.S.O., M.C., 203rd (G.H.Q. Reserve) Bn. Home Guard.
 Lieutenant-Colonel H. J. Wiltsher, 1st Bn. Devon Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. S. F. Witts, T.D., 6th Bn. Kent Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel A. S. Wood, 15th Bn.County of London Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Wood, D.S.O., 26th Bn. Sussex Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. B. Woodward, 60th County of London Bn. Home Guard.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. V. Wynn, 6th Corwen Sector, Home Guard.

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