1939-1945 Star
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| 1939-45 Star | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 1945 | |||||||
| Branch of Service | British and Commonwealth forces | |||||||
| Campaign | Second World War 1939-45 | |||||||
| Ribbon |  Equal stripes of dark blue, red and light blue. |
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| Metal | Bronze | |||||||
| Size | Height - 44mm; max. width - 38mm | |||||||
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The 1939/45 Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. The medal was awarded for six months operational service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.
Army personnel had to complete 6 months service in an operational command. Airborne troops qualified if they had participated in any airborne operations and had completed 2 months service in a fully operational unit.
RAF personnel had to participate in operations against the enemy providing that 2 months service had been completed in an operational unit. Non-aircrew personnel had to complete 6 months service in an area of operational army command.
Merchant Navy qualified if they completed 6 months service, and at least 1 voyage was made through an operational area.
The star was immediately awarded if the service period was terminated by death, disability or wounding. The award of a gallantry medal or a Mention in Despatches also led to an immediate award.[1]
The ribbon for this medal, along with those of the other Second World War campaign stars, is reputed to have been designed by King George VI. The three equal bands of dark blue, red, and light blue are thought to represent the equal contributions towards victory of the Royal Navy, Army, and the Royal Air Force respectively.
[edit] Clasps
- Battle of Britain
- 10 July - 31 October 1940. Members of fighter aircraft crews who took part in the Battle of Britain were awarded this bar. In undress uniform, a silver-gilt rosette was worn on the medal ribbon to denote the award of this clasp.
[edit] Notes
- ^ British Battles and Medals, p248
[edit] Bibliography
- Mackay, J and Mussel, J (eds) - Medals Yearbook - 2006, (2005), Token Publishing.
- Joslin, Litherland, and Simpkin (eds), British Battles and Medals, (1988), Spink
