The Dunkirk Medal
Medaille de Dunkerque
Created by the town of Dunkirk to commemorate the defence of the
area during the retreat of the British Expeditionary Force, with the
applications and distribution being
administered by the French Dunkirk Veterans Association.
Initially awarded only to the French defenders of the Dunkirk
pocket, numbering about 30,000. In 1970 the qualification for the
award was expanded to include most of the British who served in the
Dunkirk sector and their rescue forces; including the Royal Navy,
Royal Air Force, Merchant Navy, and the civilian 'little ship'
volunteers.*
Description: In patinated bronze, about 44mm vertically at
the centre. The design is a circular wreath of laurel with an anchor
on the obverse mounted with the arms of Dunkirk. The reverse depicts
a burning ancient oil lamp over a tablet inscribed 'Dunkerque 1940'.
Two crossed Gallic swords sit under the suspension on both sides.
Suspension is by a fixed ring on the medal, intersected by free
ribbon rings.
Ribbon: Yellow-orange with two wide and two narrow red
stripes, overlain by a pair of thin black tramlines.
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