The Empire Gallantry Medal

• Time Period: Interwar Period
• Year of Institution: 29 December 1922
• Country: Great Britain

The Medal of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, or Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM), was a British medal awarded for acts of the gallantry introduced it on 29 December 1922, when the original Medal of the Order of the British Empire was split into two.

The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry (EGM) awarded for acts of gallantry. Shortly after the commencement of the Blitz, King George VI created the George Cross to recognize gallantry by men and women in all walks of civilian life. It was to rank immediately after the Victoria Cross.

Recipients were entitled to use the post-nominal letters “EGM” and were divided into military and civil divisions. The Empire Gallantry Medal was revoked by Royal Warrant on 24 September 1940.

The Empire Gallantry Medal Design

The phrase “For God and the Empire” was inscribed around the upper side of the obverse. The first type of reverse had six lions, with the Royal Cypher centered. The 2nd type of reverse had four lions, two on either side of the Royal Cypher.

The original ribbon was plain purple, with the addition of a thin vertical red stripe for military awards. A silver laurel branch was added diagonally to the ribbon for both types of the award in 1933. The ribbon changed to rose pink with pearl-grey edges in July 1937, with an additional pearl grey vertical stripe for military awards, and stayed in this version until its revocation.

The medal and ribbon were designed first by Langford Jones.