Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire GBE

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Established by King George V in June 1917 for
services to the British Empire.

The award has five Classes and a medal.

GBE, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order
of the British Empire

KBE/DBE, Knight/Dame Commander of the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire

CBE, Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire

OBE, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British
Empire

and MBE, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire

the medal is BEM. British Empire Medal

The award was split into two divisions in December 1918,
a civil division for civilian recipients, and a
military division to be awarded to commissioned and
warranted officers for “distinctive service in action”.

The military division has a different coloured ribbon
to the civilian division, the insignia is identical.

The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross.
845 Knights and Dames Commander and
8,960 Commanders, there are no limits to the total numbers
of the Third and Fourth Classes.

While the OBE has by far the greatest number of members of
The British Orders of Chivalry with over 100,000 living
members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to
Knighthood than other Orders.

Although men can be Knighted separately from an Order of
Chivalry, women cannot, so the Rank of Knight/Dame Commander
is the lowest rank of Damehood,
and the second lowest Knighthood, above Knights Bachelor.

Military Ribbon

Civil Ribbon

GBE

The Right Honourable Sir [Johann] Thomas EICHELBAUM
GBE. PC, QC,

Born 17th May 1931 in Konigsberg, Germany, his family emigrated
in 1938 to escape the persecution of the Jews.

Educated at Hutt Valley High School and gaining an LL.B from
Victoria University in 1954.

In 1978 he was appointed a Queen’s Council and during
1980 to 82 was the President of the NZ Law Society.

Appointed a judge of the High Court of NZ in 1982, and
appointed the 11th Chief Judge of NZ in 1989.

He oversaw the introduction of computers,
the case management system and the Criminal Appeals Division.

He also pushed for the separation of the Department of Courts
from the Ministry of Justice to better bolster Judicial independence.

He retired in 1999.

He is a non-permanent Judge of the Hong Kong SAR Court
of Final Appeal and a part-time member of the Fiji Court of Appeal.

Appointed a GBE on 6th February 1989
Appointed to the Privy Council in 1989

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