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Order of the Companions of
Honour |

Ribband and badge of the "Companions of Honour" |
Awarded by the sovereign of
the Commonwealth realms |
Type |
Order |
Motto |
IN ACTION FAITHFUL AND IN HONOUR CLEAR |
Awarded for |
nationally important service |
Status |
Currently constituted |
Sovereign |
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
II |
Grades (w/ post-nominals) |
Companion |
Established |
1917 |

Ribbon bar of the order |
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of
the Commonwealth realms. It was founded
by King George V in June
1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion.
The order consists of the sovereign, plus no more than 65
Companions of Honour with, originally, a quota of 45
members for the United Kingdom, 7 for Australia, 2 for New Zealand and 11 for
other countries. Additionally, foreigners may be added as "honorary
members". The order confers no knighthood or other status, but recipients of
this one-class order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "CH".
The insignia of the Order consists of an oval medallion with an
oak tree, a shield with the royal arms hanging from one branch, and on
the left a mounted knight in
armour. The badge's clear blue border bears the motto IN ACTION
FAITHFUL AND IN HONOUR CLEAR (Alexander Pope's description (in iambic
pentameter) in his Epistle to Mr Addison of James Craggs, later used on
Craggs' monument in Westminster Abbey) in gold letters,
and the oval is surmounted by an imperial crown. Men
wear the badge on a ribbon (red with golden border threads) around
their necks, and women on a bow at the left shoulder.
Current
members
See also
External
links
References