circular medal, 36mm in diameter, in cupro-nickel. The obverse design bears the uncrowned, coinage effigy of King George VI, with the inscription 'GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.' The reverse design bears the Royal crown surmounting a stylised oak tree and supported on either side by an heraldic lion, with the dates '1939' and '1945' and the legend 'THE DEFENCE MEDAL'. The medal is suspended from a ribbon 32mm in width with a central vertical stripe of flame-orange and edge stripes of green and black. T H Paget designed the obverse and H Parker Wilson the reverse. The colours of the ribbon are highly symbolic, the black is said to represent the 'Blackout'; the flame stripe the 'fires of the Blitz' and the green 'the green and pleasant land' of Britain.

Service to qualify for the award of this medal counted from 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945 in Great Britain; and to forces overseas until the end of active hostilities in the Pacific, 15 August 1945. Civil Defence Services in military operational areas subjected to enemy air attack were included, as were Civil Defence Services in areas of the British Commonwealth or Colonial Empire subjected to air attack or closely threatened. Service in Civil Defence Services in West Africa or the West Indies did not qualify. In general terms the Defence Medal was granted for three years' service at home, or six months' overseas in territories subjected to air attacks or closely threatened. In the case of Mine and Bomb Disposal Units of the Forces the time qualification was three months only. The medal could be awarded in addition to the campaign stars. The list of qualifying organisations is too long to include here. However the best known organisations whose members could qualify for the medal include the Home Guard; ARP and Civil Defence ( Wardens, Ambulance Service etc) the Fire Service, Police, Coast Guard WVS, CNR, Royal Observer Corps and so on.