POST WW2 BRITISH ARMY GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL MALAYA HUTCHINSON COLDSTREAM GUARDS

36mm wide circular silver medal with ornate scrolled ribbon suspension bar; the face with the crowned head of King George VI facing left, circumscribed ‘GEORGIVS VI DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX FID: DEF; + ’ (George VI by the Grace of God King of Great Britain Defender of the Faith); the reverse with a standing winged Victory with Greek helmet, an upright trident in her left hand, a laurel wreath in her right hand crowning an upright winged sword, signed ‘E.C.R.P.’; attributed on the edge to 2670423 GDSM. M. HUTCHINSON. COLD M. GDS; on correct ribbon with original ‘MALAYA’ clasp.

The 2nd battalion Coldstream Guards served in the Malayan Emergency 1948-51.

The medal was instituted on 19 January 1923 to be awarded to Army and Air Force personnel involved in small conflicts outside Africa and India where a separate campaign medal was not issued. This example dates from the period after the independence of India and before the death of King George VI in 1952; the Malaya clasp was awarded for active service in Malaya after 16 June 1948 against Communist insurgents.