British Military Medals traces the history of medals and gallantry awards from Elizabethan times to the modern day and it features an expert account of their design and production. Campaign and gallantry medals are a key to understanding - and exploring - British and Imperial military history, and to uncovering the careers and exploits of individual soldiers. For over 200 years these awards have marked the wars, campaigns and battles fought by British and Imperial forces across the world.In this accessible and wide-ranging account, Peter Duckers provides a fascinating insight into the origins and long tradition of these awards. His work is a guide for collectors and for local and family historians who want to learn how to use medals to discover the history of military units and the experiences of individuals who served in them. Medals are a link with the men and women who were actually present in some of the famous - and not so famous - actions in British military history. They convey the excitement of a direct connection with the past.In a series of succinct and well-organized chapters the author explains how medals originated, to whom they were awarded and how the practice of giving medals has developed over the centuries. From the earliest medals of Elizabethan times up to those awarded in the present day, medals have much to tell us about the life histories of their recipients and the armed forces in which they served.