| Order of the Companions of Honour | |
|---|---|
 Badge and ribbon of the order | |
| Awarded by Charles III | |
| Type | Order |
| Established | 4 June 1917 |
| Motto | In Action Faithful and in Honour Clear |
| Eligibility | All living citizens of the Commonwealth realms |
| Criteria | Nationally important service |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Founder | George V |
| Sovereign | Charles III |
| Grades | Member (CH) |
 Ribbon bar of the order | |
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded on 4 June 1917 by King George V as a reward for outstanding achievements. It was founded on the same date as the Order of the British Empire.[1][2]
The order was originally intended to be conferred upon a limited number of persons for whom this special distinction seemed to be the most appropriate form of recognition, constituting an honour dissociated from either the acceptance of title or the classification of merit.[1] It is now described as being "awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time".[3] The first recipients of the order were all decorated for "services in connection with the war" and were listed in The London Gazette.[4]
- ^ a b "A New Order". The Times. 25 August 1917. p. 7.
- ^ "The Monarch of the Today > Queen Ann arbor to the new one w public > Honours > Companions of Honour". Royal.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
- ^ "The honours system: Types of honours and awards". UK Government. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- ^ "No. 30250". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 August 1917. p. 8799.