Campaign Medal

France and Germany Star

Context

The France and Germany Star is a Second World War medal.

Eligibility and Criteria

The star was awarded for one day or more of service in France, Belgium, Holland or Germany between 06 June 1944 (D-Day) and 08 May 1945.

Description

The six–pointed star is yellow copper zinc alloy. The obverse has a central design of the Royal and Imperial cypher, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The France and Germany Star’.

Italy Star

Context

The Italy Star is a Second World War medal.

Eligibility and Criteria

The star was awarded for one day operational service in Sicily or Italy between 11 June 1943 and 08 May 1945.

Description

The six–pointed star is yellow copper zinc alloy. The obverse has a central design of the Royal and Imperial cypher, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The Italy Star’.

The ribbon consists of equal stripes of red, white, green, white, and red. The colours represent the colours of the Italian flag.

Burma Star

Context

The Burma Star is a Second World War medal which was awarded for one day or more of operational service during the Burma campaign.

Eligibility and Criteria

The Burma Star was issued between 11 December 1941 and 02 September 1945. In addition for:

Pacific Star

Context

The Pacific Star is a Second World War medal.

Eligibility and Criteria

The star was awarded for one day or more of operational service in the Pacific between 08 December 1941 and 02 September 1945.

Navy and Merchant Navy personnel are eligible if the 1939-45 Star is earned by six months service or if they entered the Pacific Theatre between 2 March 1945 and 2 September 1945.

Africa Star

Context

The African Star is a Second World War medal.

Eligibility and Criteria

The star was awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943.

Description

The six–pointed star is yellow copper zinc alloy.

The obverse has a central design of the Royal and Imperial cypher, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The Africa Star’.

Arctic Star

Context

The Arctic Star is a Second World War medal. This medal to commemorate the Arctic convoys and is designed primarily for ships and their escorts for convoys to northern Russia.

Eligibility and Criteria

The Arctic Star is granted for operational service of any length, from September, 3, 1939, to May 8, 1945 inclusive, north of the Arctic Circle (66 degrees, 32’N) on the Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea.

Eligibility is defined as follows:

Air Crew Europe Star

Context

The Air Crew Europe Star was awarded for two months of operational flying from the UK over Europe.

Eligibility and Criteria

This medal was issued between 03 September 1939 and 05 June 1944. It was not awarded after D-Day. The Air Crew Europe Star may not be awarded until the 1939-1945 Star has been qualified for by 2 months service in an air operational unit. The total requirement to earn both stars is four months.

Description

The six–pointed star is yellow copper zinc alloy.

Atlantic Star

Context

The Atlantic Star is a Second World War medal was issued between 03 September 1939 and 08 May 1945 (Europe) or 02 September 1945 (Pacific).

Eligibility and Criteria

The Atlantic Star was awarded for six months of service afloat or two months for air-crew service and was not awarded unless the recipient was qualified for the 1939-1945 Star by six months of operational service afloat or by two months of airborne service. Therefore, the total requirement was twelve months of service afloat or four months of airborne service.

1939-1945 Star

Context

The 1939-1945 Star is a Second World War medal that was issued between 02 September 1939 and 08 May 1945 (Europe) or 02 September 1945 (Pacific).

Eligibility and Criteria

The medal was awarded for six months service on active operations for Army and Navy, and two months for active air-crew.

Description

The six–pointed star is yellow copper zinc alloy. Stars issued to Australian personnel have recipient names engraved on the plain reverse.

Victory Medal (Inter-Allied War Medal)

Context

This First World War medal was agreed to by all allies in March 1919. All medals were to be almost identical to obviate the need to exchange allied medals and each was patterned after a French medal of 1870. The medal was authorized in Britain (and for Canadians) on 01 September 1919.