War Medal 1939-45

Obverse: head of King George VI. Legend: 'GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX : F : D : INDIAE : IMP'. Reverse: A lion standing (left) on a prostrate dragon, its right paw resting on the latter's head. Inscription above: '1939 1945'. Fitted with a bar and blue ribbon with wide red borders and a narrow central red stripe with white borders. Uninscribed. Awarded to Cdr. J L Younghusband DSC. Mounted on a bar with seven other medals. Fitted with a bar and blue ribbon with wide red borders and a narrow central red stripe with white borders. Emblem: an oak leaf for mentioned in despatches.

John Leslie Younghusband was born in 1899 in India, the son of Captain Leslie Napier Younghusband, Bengal Lancers. Entering the Royal Navy in 1912, he gained experience in destroyers during World War I. Between 31 July 1939 and 22 August 1940, he saw active service in command of HMS 'Wild Swan', landing a demolition party to destroy oil reserves in the Netherlands and France. 'Wild Swan' also assisted in the evacuation of British troops from Northern France. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and was mentioned in despatches. He spent the remainder of the war in shore commands, retiring with the rank of commander in on 8 September 1944. He had married Catherine Beatrice Hamilton Fisher in 1927. He died in Winchester on 4 September 1966.

Object Details

ID: MED1235
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: War medal
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Metcalfe, Percy; Carter-Preston, Edward
Events: World War II, 1939-1945
Date made: ca.1945
People: King George VI; Younghusband, John Leslie
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 36 mm