Mention in Dispatches
Preserved but no longer current.
British term given to a reference by name in official dispatches to an officer who has done well in battle. An officer so mentioned is entitled to wear a small bronze oak leaf on the left breast or upon the medal ribbon for that particular campaign.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Mention in Dispatches” mean?
British term given to a reference by name in official dispatches to an officer who has done well in battle. An officer so mentioned is entitled to wear a small bronze oak leaf on the left breast or upon the medal ribbon for that particular campaign.
Is “Mention in Dispatches” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.