The George Medal was instituted, together with the George Cross, on 24 September 1940. As the George Cross should stand supreme as the 'civilian Victoria Cross' the George Medal, or GM, was introduced as a 'junior' to the George Cross.

The George Medal is a circular silver medal. The obverse depicts the effigy of the sovereign and the reverse show St. George slaying the dragon on the coast of England. The ribbon is red with five narrow stripes, the blue stripe colour being 'borrowed' from the George Cross ribbon.

Lionel (Ken) 'Buster' Crabb GM OBE RNVR (1922-24)

A Royal Navy frogman, he disappeared in mysterious circumstances whilst diving in Portsmouth harbour near the USSR warship Ordzhonkidz. The book 'Commander Crabb is alive' by J Bernard Hutton proposed that he was captured and was taken to Russia where he became Capt Lev Lvovich Korablov in the Soviet Navy. The truth may be less controversial: http://www.divernet.com/history/crabb696.htm