This was a Campaign Medal/British Decoration awarded to those who served as British and commonwealth forces( Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945) in World War II , 1939-45. It also sometimes referred as Victory Medal, though its not correct name. The medal was issued unnamed, except those awarded to personnel of the Canadian Merchant Navy and RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), and the Australian and South-African issues, which were named on the rim. A total of 700,000 awards were issued, including 4,450 to the Canadian Merchant Navy.
Description
- A circular silver (.800 fine) medal, 36mm in diameter. The British issue medals were made of cupro-nickel.
- The obverse shows the crowned coinage effigy of King George VI, facing left, and the legend GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX ET INDIAE:IMP.
- The reverse shows a lion standing on the body of a double-headed dragon. The dragons heads are those of an eagle and a dragon to signify the principal occidental and oriental enemies. At the top, just right of centre are the dates 1939/1945 in two lines.
- The medal was designed by Edward Carter Preston.
Below are the pics of the Cupro-Nickle issue minted at Pobjoy Mint .
See the mint mark "PM" at the right end of the neck of George King potrait.
The engravings ECRP on left center of the observe tells about the designer of the medal, i.e. Edward Carter Preston.
Reverse
Observe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Medal_1939%E2%80%931945