King George V Coronation Medal 1911, awarded to General Sir Cecil Macready

Circular, silver medal designed by Sir Edgar Bertram MacKennal (1863-1931), with the profile crowned heads of King George V and Queen Mary in coronation robes on the obverse. On the reverse is a crowned royal cypher and the date, '22 June 1911', commemorating the date of the Coronation of George V.

General Sir Cecil Frederick Nevill 'Make-Ready' Macready was born on 7 May 1862. The son of an actor, he was commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders in 1881. He served in the Egyptian War of 1882, staying on with the military police in Alexandria until 1889. Macready was promoted to major in 1899 and served with the 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in South Africa during the Boer War (1899-1902). A series of staff posts followed and Macready was involved in the formation of the Territorial Force and military aid to the civil power operations including the employment of soldiers during labour disputes and the deployment of troops to Ireland during World War One (194-1918). From 1920, through the closing stages of the Irish War of Independence and the subsequent Irish Civil War, Macready held the post of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in Ireland.

The Coronation of King George V and his wife Queen Mary took place on 22 June 1911 at Westminster Abbey in London.

From a group of orders and medals awarded to General Sir C F N Macready (1862-1946), Gordon Highlanders, Adjutant General to the British Forces and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Ireland, 1920-1922.