The Defence Medal is a campaign medal that was instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 to be awarded to subjects of the British Commonwealth for both non-operational military and certain types of civilian service during the Second World War. The War Medal 1939–1945 is a campaign medal that was instituted by the United Kingdom on 16 August 1945 for award to subjects of the British Commonwealth who had served full-time in the Armed Forces or the Merchant Navy for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.