Defence Medal awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Arthur O'Brien Ffrench Blake, 10th Battalion (Yeomanry), The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)

Circular campaign medal with, on the obverse (designed by Thomas Humphrey Paget), the head of King George VI and the inscription, 'Georgivs VI D:G:Br:Omn: Rex F:D:Ind:Imp.'. On the reverse (designed by Harold Parker), the Royal Crown on an oak sapling, with lion and lioness supporters flanked by the dates, '1939' and '1945', above stylised waves and the medal name, 'The Defence Medal', within the exergue. The green ribbon has a central band of orange and two thin black stripes.

Struck in cupro-nickel or silver, the Defence Medal 1939-45 was instituted in May 1945 and was more widely distributed than the 1939-45 Star. Its recipients included personnel who had served for at least three years in Britain during World War Two (1939-1945). The medal was awarded to non-operational service personnel and for certain civilian services, such as Civil Defence. Commonwealth and Colonial personnel in some services, deployed away from their homes, were also eligible. The ribbon colours are symbolic: the green refers to the green and pleasant land of England, the black stripes represent the blackout and the orange stripe represents the fire bombing of the Blitz.

During World War One (1914-1918) Ffrench Blake served as a Squadron Commander with the Royal East Kent Yeomanry at Gallipoli in 1915. He went on to serve in Egypt and Palestine. He was transferred to command 2nd/5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment in April 1918 and in August 1918, commanded 1st/4th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment.

From a medal group awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Arthur O'Brien Ffrench Blake (1879-1973), 10th Battalion (Yeomanry), The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).

From the collection of the former Buffs Regimental Museum.