Medal
The obverse of the medal (shown here) shows the uncrowned head of King George VI. The reverse bears the Royal Crown resting on an oak tree, flanked by two lions above the words 'The Defence Medal', with the date 1939 top left and 1945 top right.
Ribbon
Flame coloured in the centre flanked by stripes of green to symbolise enemy attacks on Britain's green and pleasant land, with narrow black stripes to represent the black-out.
Criteria
The Defence Medal was awarded for non-operational service. This type of service in the UK included those service personnel working in headquarters, on training bases and airfields and members of the Home Guard. Home Guard service counts between the dates of 14 May 1940 and 31 December 1944. The Defence Medal was also awarded for non-operational service overseas, for example in India or South Africa.
The table below shows the qualifying time required depending on the area served.
| Area | Time required |
| UK | 1080 days |
| Overseas non-operational | 360 days |
| Overseas non-operational in an area deemed to be closely threatened or subject to air attack | 180 days |