Awarded to Captain Archibald Frederick Cooper (1885-1975). Obverse: Head of King George VI. Legend: 'GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX : F:D : IND : IMP'. Reverse: An oak tree and Royal crown supported by lions rampant, their heads turned away. Inscription: '1939', '1945'. Exergue: 'THE DEFENCE MEDAL' Fitted with a bar and orange ribbon with pale green edges divided by a narrow black stripe. Mounted on a bar with nine others.

Captain Archibald Frederick Cooper CBE, RN was born at Woolwich, the third son of Major Thomas Francis Cooper, Royal Artillery. He joined the civil branch of the Navy on 3 July 1885. During 1927-9 he was Secretary to the Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief West Indies during 1929-32 and to the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, 1932-5. He was appointed Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet 1935-46 and was on special service in Germany October to May 1937. He retired in 1946. He was a Trustee of the Society for Nautical Research for the last two decades of his life and supervised the finances of the society in exemplary fashion.