Atlantic Star
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| Atlantic Star | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 1945 | |||||||
| Branch of Service | British and Commonwealth forces | |||||||
| Campaign | Atlantic 1939-45 | |||||||
| Ribbon |  Watered silk blue, white, and green |
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| Metal | Bronze | |||||||
| Size | Height 44mm; max. width - 38mm | |||||||
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The Atlantic Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.
The star was awarded for six months service afloat, in the Atlantic or in home waters, within the period 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945. The 1939-1945 Star must have been earned before commencing qualifying service for the Atlantic Star.
Merchant seaman also qualified for the medal. They were required to have served in the Atlantic home waters, North Russia Convoys or South Atlantic waters.
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.
British uniform regulations stipulated that neither the Air Crew Europe Star nor the France and Germany Star would be awarded to a recipient of the Atlantic Star. Subsequent entitlement to the Air Crew Europe Star or the France and Germany Star was denoted by the award of the appropriate clasp to the Atlantic Star. However, regulations stipulated that only the first clasp earned could be worn with the medal. In undress uniform, a silver rosette was worn on the medal ribbon to denote the award of a clasp.
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 watered blue, white, and green are thought to represent the colours of the sea.
[edit] Clasps
- Air Crew Europe
- Awarded to those who subsequently became entitled to the Air Crew Europe Star.
- France and Germany
- Awarded to those who subsequently became entitled to the France and Germany Star.
[edit] Notes
[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
