The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is specifically issued to those who serve in the Navy and since its arrival in June of 1901 has expanded quite a few times to now allow all navy officers to be eligible for the special distinction since 1993.
In 1901 only those who served as Warrant and Subordinate officers in the Royal Navy could receive the DSC if they showed exemplary levels of service to the Navy. In 1914 it was opened to other ranks to allow all officers to receive the DSC, 1931 added Merchant Navy officers to the eligibility list, and as noted, since 1993 all Royal Navy ranks can obtain the medal.
It is estimated that about 1700 WWI navy officers received the special distinction without about 90 receiving first bars and ten officers receiving ten bars. WWII brought honour to 4500 navy officers out of which 430 were given first bars and 44 received second bars and one solider received three bars. (One bar is approximately equivalent to be honoured twice, two bars is equivalent to three honours, and three bars is equivalent to be honoured four times.)
Those who received the Distinguished Service Cross post 1940 had the year of their medal engraved on the bottom portion of the metal cross that is hung from a white ribbon with blue edging.
