Defence Medal 1939–1945

The Defence Medal 1939–1945 miniature is the reduced-size version of the British decoration instituted in recognition of certain forms of military and civilian service during the Second World War.

The Defence Medal was awarded for qualifying periods of non-operational military service, for service in territories directly threatened by or exposed to enemy attacks, and to members of certain civil defence organisations. Recipients included military personnel serving in the United Kingdom or in threatened overseas territories, as well as members of the Home Guard, Civil Defence and other services involved in protecting the population and the country.

The obverse of the medal features the portrait of King George VI, surrounded by his royal titles. The reverse of the full-size medal depicts an oak tree beneath the Royal Crown, flanked by two lions, together with the dates 1939 and 1945 and the inscription The Defence Medal.

Its distinctive ribbon features a broad orange centre stripe, flanked by green sections with narrow black stripes. The colours symbolise the wartime circumstances: green represents the British countryside, black the wartime blackout and orange the enemy attacks.

This miniature is intended for formal occasions when decorations are worn in reduced size.