[1][2][3] The United Kingdom's Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was instituted by King William IV in 1830.

From 1870, the qualifying period was reduced and the medal was awarded to soldiers of good conduct who had completed 18 years of service.

[3] A second version of the medal, with the effigy of King Edward VII on the obverse, was awarded from 1901.

[2] The Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) was awarded to non-commissioned officers and men who had completed eighteen years of irreproachable service in the ranks of the Permanent Force.

[4] The obverse of the Queen Victoria version of the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) is identical to that of the Queen Victoria version of the Distinguished Conduct Medal and shows a Trophy of Arms, incorporating a central shield bearing the Royal Coat of Arms, without any inscription.

[2] The reverse of both versions is smooth with a raised rim and bears the inscriptions "CAPE OF GOOD HOPE" in a curved line at the top and "FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT" in four straight lines in the centre.

[2] While the ribbon of the British Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was plain crimson until mid-1916, the ribbon of the Cape of Good Hope medal is 32 millimetres wide and crimson, with a 4 millimetres wide yellow band in the centre.