Why Do Some Soldiers Wear Medals on the Right, Not the Left?

It's the kind of detail that jumps out if you know to look for it: almost every photo of medals shows them on the left breast — then occasionally you'll see a right-side photo and wonder if it's a mistake. It isn't. There's a specific, meaningful reason.

Genuine mess kit insignia — the same formal dress occasions where medal-wearing etiquette matters most.

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The left side is for the person who earned them

Since the First World War, the rule in the UK has been that medals are worn on the left breast by the person who actually earned them, whether in uniform or civilian dress. The position isn't arbitrary — it sits near the heart, a deliberate symbolic nod to honour and sacrifice, and it keeps the right hand and arm completely free for saluting.

The right side means something specific

Medals worn on the right breast are reserved for a genuinely poignant purpose: they're worn by a near relative, representing the medals of a deceased service or ex-service person. It's not a style choice or an error — it's a specific, respected way of carrying someone else's earned honour on their behalf, on Remembrance Sunday and similar occasions.

The mounting order matters just as much as the side

Which side aside, multiple medals aren't arranged randomly either. They're mounted in a fixed, genuine order of precedence — gallantry and bravery decorations sit closest to the left shoulder, with campaign and long-service medals working outward from there, oldest award nearest the centre and more recent awards further out. Getting the sequence wrong is a second, separate mistake from wearing them on the wrong side altogether, and it's one that anyone familiar with medal etiquette will spot just as quickly.

Swing mounting vs court mounting

How the medals are physically fixed together also varies. "Swing mounting" is the traditional style, where each medal hangs and moves independently on its own ribbon — genuine original issue medals are usually swing mounted. "Court mounting" fixes the medals rigidly in a row on a single backing bar so they sit flat and don't move or rattle, which is why it's the more common choice for parade wear and for miniatures worn with mess dress. Both are correct and traditional; which one's appropriate depends on the occasion and the specific service's convention.

Medals vs miniatures vs ribbons

The same left/right rule applies whether it's full-size medals (worn for the most formal daytime occasions), miniature medals (a smaller version worn with mess dress and black tie events — see our dress numbering guide for where mess dress fits), or simple ribbon bars (worn on ordinary duty uniform, a compact everyday version of the same information).

Why it matters to get right

If you're wearing medals for re-enactment, a family member's memory, or any formal occasion, which side you wear them on — and how they're mounted and ordered — actually communicates something real to anyone who knows the convention. Getting it right is a small but genuine mark of respect.

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Not sure how to correctly mount or wear a specific set of medals? Email us at sales@jungleuk.com and we're happy to help.