It was awarded to privates and non-commissioned officers for 15 years efficient and irreproachable service in the Special Reserve and attending 15 annual trainings, although members of the two Irish Yeomanry regiments qualified with 10 years service and 10 annual trainings.

[4] Awards were published in Army Orders, with a total of 1,078 medals awarded: 428 bearing the effigy of King Edward VII and 650 with that of George V. In terms of unit, the following were conferred: Royal Artillery: 164; Royal Engineers: 9; Anglesey Royal Engineers: 3; Monmouthshire Regiment: 5; RAMC: 4; Labour Corps: 4; Machine Gun Corps: 1; North Irish Horse: 16; South Irish Horse: 30; King Edward's Horse: 14; Infantry: 823; Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey): 5.

[8][9] The Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a silver 32 millimetres (1.3 in) wide oval shaped medal of the following design:[9]The obverse depicts the bust of the reigning King in Field Marshal's uniform facing left.

In 1911 the image was changed to that of George V, the legend reading GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:.The reverse bears the words SPECIAL RESERVE arched above FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT on four lines.A claw suspension and ring suspender attaches the medal from a 32 mm wide dark blue ribbon with a centre stripe of light blue.

[10]The recipient's service number, rank, name, and unit were impressed on the edge of the medal.