Empire Gallantry Medal (Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry) (Military Division) & EGM

MODEL. Obverse design: Britannia, robed and helmeted sitting facing right upon a rock, which is partly obscured by drapery, holding in her right hand a trident and steadying a Union Shield with her left. In the upper right of the design the sun shines and at the base waves lap around Britannia's feet obverse text. Obverse text : "FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE" : "FOR GALLANTRY" (beneath this motto a single horizontally placed sprig of laurel - see Notes). Reverse design: GRIV cypher, the G and R overlaid, surmounted by a crown, in the centre of the piece, surrounded by a decorative border composed of six heraldic lions. Suspender: straight bar, swivel with laurelled supports. Ribbon colours: purple & red. Ribbon pattern: PURPLE/red/PURPLE (central red stripe 2.5 mm wide). (This medal possesses an exergue upon its obverse design - see Clause 39 of the Instituting Royal Warrant, 29 December 1922. The "FOR" of "FOR GALLANTRY" is situated immediately above and to the left of the exergue line). This example has a later example of the ribbon: Rose pink with grey edges and thin grey stripe in the centre. This ribbon was used from 1937.

Specimen (?) King George V issue example of an EGM possessing a first pattern ribbon. The Empire Gallantry Medal was superseded by the George Cross in September 1940; in theory, Empire Gallantry Medals were returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood and at a subsequent investiture the holder was decorated with the George Cross.

Reference : Abbott, P E & Tamplin, J M A : 1971 : British Gallantry Awards : Guinness Superlatives, Enfield pp 242-246