Defence Medal 1939–1945

Catalog description

The Defence Medal 1939–1945 was instituted in May 1945 for qualifying non-operational military service and certain approved civilian service during the Second World War. It was awarded for three years of qualifying service in the United Kingdom, one year of non-operational service overseas, or six months in overseas territories considered closely threatened or subject to air attack. The ribbon is green with a central orange stripe and narrow black stripes, symbolising Britain’s landscape, wartime fire attacks and the blackout.