GREAT BRITAIN. George VI, 1936–1952. War Medal 1939–1945. Cupro-Nickel. Unnamed. No Ribbon.

This is a British issue War Medal 1939–1945, struck in cupro-nickel and awarded under the authority of King George VI to full-time personnel of the British Armed Forces and Merchant Navy who served for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945 — the full duration of the Second World War. Instituted on 16 August 1945, the War Medal 1939–1945 was one of the most widely distributed British campaign medals of the 20th century, awarded to eligible personnel regardless of where they served during the qualifying period.

The obverse bears the crowned effigy of King George VI facing left, designed by Percy Metcalfe, whose initials "PM" appear below the truncated neck. The surrounding legend reads "GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX ET INDIAE IMP:" — George VI, by the Grace of God, King of all Britain, and Emperor of India. The reverse, designed by Edward Carter Preston — who also designed the bronze Memorial Plaque issued to the next-of-kin of British servicemen who fell in the First World War — depicts a lion standing triumphant on the body of a double-headed dragon. The dragon's two heads, those of an eagle and a serpentine dragon, symbolize the principal occidental and oriental enemies of the Allied powers during the Second World War: Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. The dates "1939" and "1945" appear at the top of the reverse, and Carter Preston's initials "ECRP" are visible near the rim at the nine o'clock position. The medal is 36mm in diameter and attached to a non-swivelling straight bar suspender via a single-toe claw mount.

This example is the standard British issue struck in cupro-nickel, as opposed to the approximately 700,000 examples struck in silver for Canadian recipients. The British Honours Committee decided that Second World War campaign medals awarded to British forces would be issued unnamed, and this example is consistent with that practice — the rim is blank with no impressed naming. Named examples were issued only to recipients from India, South Africa, and Australia, where the recipient's force number, rank, initials, surname and service arm were impressed in block capitals on the rim.

This example is presented without its original ribbon. The ribbon, devised by King George VI himself, is 32mm wide and composed of red, blue, and white bands in the colors of the Union Jack. The suspender bar and all fittings are intact and unbroken. For collectors of British campaign medals, Second World War militaria, or royal numismatic items of the George VI era, this is a well-preserved and properly attributed example of one of the defining medals of the 20th century.