General Service Medal (1918)
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| General Service Medal (1918) | |
|---|---|
Image:GSM1918Obv.png Obverse (top left) and reverse (top right) of the medal. Ribbon: 32mm, purple with a central green stripe. |
|
| Awarded by United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | |
| Type | Campaign medal |
| Eligibility | British army and Royal Air Force. |
| Awarded for | Campaign service. |
| Campaign | Minor campaigns 1918-62. |
| Description | Silver disk, 36mm diameter. |
| Clasps |
|
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1923 |
This was the first GSM awarded, as an army/RAF equivalent to the NGSM.
The GSM is silver and circular in shape.
Obverse shows the crowned effigy of the reigning monarch.
Reverse bears the standing winged figure of Victory in a Greek helmet and carrying a trident, bestowing a wreath on the emblems of the Army (the sword) and the RAF (the wings). There have been 17 clasps awarded on the GSM (1918-1962), the clasps are small metal bars with the area of operations moulded into it which is then sewen on to the ribbon. The medal cannot be awarded without a clasp.
The clasp is always on the obverse of the medal
[edit] Clasps
- South Persia
- Kurdistan
- This clasp was awarded for the following:
- At Kirburk or north of a line east and west through Kirburk between 23 May and 31 July 1919.
- At Dohok or north of a line east and west through Dohok between 14 July and 7 October 1919.
- North of the advanced bases near Akra and Amadia between 7 November and 6 December 1919
- The 1924 Army Order No. 387 and Army Instruction (India) No. 132 of 1925 extended this clasps eligibility requirements to cover operations in Kurdistan. These additional qualify periods are
- Operations under Air Marshal Sir J.M. Salmond or Colonel Commandant B. Vincent between 19 March to 18 June 1923.
- Operations under Commandant H.T. Dobbin between 27 March and 28 April 1923.
- Iraq
- This clasp was presented to those who satisfied one of the following conditions:
- Served at Ramadi or north of a line east and west through Ramadi between 10 December 1919 and 13 June 1920.
- Part of an establishment within Iraq between 1 July and 17 November 1920.
- N.W. Persia
- Southern Desert Iraq
- Awarded to the RAF for its services against the Akhwan in the Southern Desert, under the command Air Commodore T.C.R. Higgins between 8 and 22 January 1928, or under the command of Wing Commander E.R.C. Nanson between 22 January and 3 June 1928.
- North Kurdistan
- Palestine
- After World War One the League of Nations granted the British a mandate to govern Palestine. The League of Nations supported the Balfour Declaration of November 1917, to establish a 'National Home for the Jews' in Palestine. This suggestion caused the Arabs in Palestine to revolt in 1936. British personnel who served in this phase of the conflict received the "Palestine" bar to either their NGS or GSM.
- S.E. Asia 1945-46
- Awarded to British personnel involved in South-East Asia after the Japanese surrender of 15 August 1945, for various activities such as guarding Japanese POWs and maintaining law and order. British troops landed in Java in September 1945 and freed 20,000 Dutch POWs. They had re-occupied Malaya, Burma, Singapore and the southern half of the former French Indo-China by 12 September 1945.
- Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-49
- Awarded for a total of 180 days active service in the removal of mines and bombs in the UK between May 1945 and September 1949. Queen Elizabeth II approved the eligibility to run to 1956.
Those who qualified for the original period, 1945-1949, were awarded this clasp
- Bomb and Mine Clearance 1949-56
- Those who qualified in the period 1949-1956 were awarded this clasp
- Palestine 1945-48
- Part of the resolution of the 1936-9 revolt was the imposition of an immigration quota for Jews wishing to enter Palestine. This led to the Jews that a guerrilla war against the British forces began in 1940. While service in this conflict prior to 1945 is counted as World War Two service, service between 27 September 1945 and 30 June 1948 is acknowledged by this clasp to the GSM.
- Malaya
- From 1948, the Malayan People's Anti-British Army sought to force the British from Malaya and to introduce a communist government. It toke a total of 12 years to finally defeat the communist guerrilla forces.
- The qualifying dates for service were between 16 June 1948 and 31 July 1960. For the Colony of Singapore, the date period was between 16 June 1948 to 31 January 1959.
- Cyprus
- In 1956 the Cypriot movement for union with Greece (called "Enosis") started under the leadership of Archbishop Makarios and General George Grivas. The General led the guerrilla organisation EOKA against the British troops stationed on the island. The conflict was often a bloody affair, involving 40,000 British troops over 4 years.
- Near East
- This clasp was awarded for service in the Middle east in the period 31 October to 22 December 1956. This is the conflict often referred to as the Suez Crisis, or by its codename of Operation Musketeer.
- The service entitlement for this clasp should not be confused with service during the Suez Canal Emergency 1951-54, for which no General Service Medal was awarded.
- Arabian Peninsula
- Due to a disagreement about land and associated oil rights, the Iman of Oman rebelled against the Sultan of Muscat. After initial setbacks, in 1955 the Sultan called for assistance from UK forces. It was not until British special forces were deployed that the rebels were dislodged from their territory in the Jebel Akhbar mountains.
- The qualifying period for this clasp is 30 days' service between 1 January 1957 and 30 June 1960, in the Aden Colony or protectorate and the Sultanates of Muscat and Oman, or any of the adjacent Gulf states.
- Brunei
- For a minimum 1 days' service in at least one of the operational areas located in the State of Brunei, North Borneo or Sarawak between 8 December 1962 and 23 December 1962.
- Canal Zone
- 1951-1954
- Awarded for 30 days continuous service during the above-mentioned dates within certain specified geographical boundaries in Egypt.
[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
