Awarded to Admiral Sir Max Kennedy Horton (1883-1951). Obverse: head of King George VI. Legend: 'GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX : F : D : IND :I MP'. 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. Emblem: Silver laurel leaves. (King's commendation for brave conduct. Civil.) [Emblem is missing]. Replacement.

Horton entered the training ship ‘Britannia’ in 1898. A pioneer submariner, he was given command of the submarine ‘A1’ at the age of 22. In 1914 while in command of the submarine ‘E.9’ he sank the German light cruiser ‘Hecla’ and the destroyer ‘S116’ having penetrated the fortified harbour of Heligoland. For this action Horton was awarded the DSO. He was awarded a bar to his DSO in 1917 for services in the Baltic during 1914-15. In 1920 he commanded a submarine flotilla in the Baltic against the Bolsheviks and was awarded a second bar. In 1922 he was put in command of a flotilla of ‘K’ class boats. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1932 and to Vice-Admiral in 1936. Admiral Horton was in command of the Reserve Fleet 1937-9, which he brought to a state of preparedness by the time the war began. He also contributed to the defeat of the U boats as Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches, a post he held until the end of the war. He was promoted to Admiral in 1941 and created GCB in 1945.