King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom

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{{Infobox award

|name= King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom

|image=144px154px

|image_size=

|caption= King's Medal, obverse and reverse

|presenter= United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

|type= Civil decoration.

|eligibility=Foreign nationals, mostly civilians

|awarded_for= Meritorious service in furtherance of the interests of the British Commonwealth in the allied cause

|campaign=World War II

|status=

|description= Silver disk, 36mm diameter.

|clasps=

|post-nominals=

|established= 23 August 1945

|firstawarded=

|lastawarded=

|total_awarded= 2,539

|total_awarded_posthumously=

|total_recipients=

|individual=

|higher= King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom

|related= Allied Subjects' Medal

|same=

|lower=

|image2=100px

|caption2=Ribbon bar of the medal

}}

The King's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom is a British medal instituted by King George VI on 23 August 1945. It was awarded to civilian foreign nationals, mainly of allied countries, who had given meritorious service to further the interests of the British Commonwealth or the Allied cause during World War II. Activities recognised included fund raising for British war relief,US fund raisers for British war relief included Winthrop W. Aldrich and Grace Macurdy. scientific research that aided the war effortUS scientists awardees included: Hoyt C. Hottel, Frederick L. Hovde, Clark B. Millikan, Isidor Isaac Rabi and John G. Trump, uncle of President Donald Trump. and organising ambulance services. The medal was awarded 2,539 times.[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=59807&CATLN=3&FullDetails=True Treasury: Ceremonial Branch: King's Medal for Service (KMS Series) Records], The National Archives, date accessed 2011-04-04.

The medal is silver and {{convert|36|mm|in}} in diameter. The obverse bears the left facing crowned effigy of King George VI with the inscription 'GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX ET INDIAE IMP'. The reverse shows a medieval warrior in armour carrying a broken lance, being offered sustenance by a woman. The upper circumference is inscribed 'FOR SERVICE IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM', with 'THE KINGS MEDAL' below. The medal was awarded unnamed.{{Cite book|author=Captain H. Taprell Dorling.|title=Ribbons and Medals.|page=130. Published A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956}}

The medal has a ring suspension. The {{convert|32|mm|in}} wide ribbon is white with a central red stripe, flanked by blue stripes.{{cite book |editor=John Mussell |title=Medal Yearbook 2015 |year=2015 |publisher=Token Publishing |location=Honiton, Devon |isbn=978-1908828002 |page=103}}

Those who helped British military personnel to escape the enemy, return from occupied areas or for other dangerous work for the British or Allied cause during the war were eligible for the King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom.[http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/imperial.cfm#kmccf King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623051652/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/imperial.cfm |date=2006-06-23 }}, It's an Honour, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Government of Australia, 22 January 2009, date accessed 2011-04-04