King George VI Coronation Medal 1937 awarded to Corporal F J Edwards VC, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)

Circular, silver medal designed by Percy Metcalfe, with, on the obverse, portraits of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. On the reverse, the royal cypher, 'GRI', surmounted by a crown, with the inscriptions, 'Crowned 12 May 1937', and 'George VI Queen Elizabeth'. The medal is suspended on a blue ribbon with white and red vertical stripes at the edges.

Private Frederick Jeremiah Edwards (1894-1964) from Queenstown (now Cobh) in County Cork, won the Victoria Cross on 26 September 1916 for knocking out a German machine gun at Thiepval Ridge on the Somme with grenades. He was awarded his VC by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 5 February 1917. Edwards was later promoted to corporal and after leaving the Army he was forced to sell his VC to make ends meet. He died in Surrey on 9 March 1964.

This medal was issued in May 1937 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI. Over 90,000 medals were awarded to people from across the British Empire, including many in the armed services.

From a medal group awarded to Corporal F J Edwards VC, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment).