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3rd September, 1939-2nd September, 1945 As shown by the sub-title the 1939-45 Star was awarded for service in the Second World War between the 3rd September 1939 and 2nd September 1945. The colours of the ribbon to this star symbolised the service of the Royal and Merchant Navies. the Army and the Royal Air Force. The colours, in equal proportions from the left, are dark blue, red and light blue. For a soldier to qualify for this award he was required to serve for six months in an operational command. This qualification applied with the exception of service in Dunkirk Norway and specified commando raids; in these cases the qualification period was one day. Airborne troops were required to participate in any airborne operation and complete two months service in an operational unit.
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3rd September, 1939-8th May, 1945 The Atlantic Star was awarded to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic, the watered shading of the dark blue, white and sea green ribbon symbolizing the Atlantic Ocean. Though this award was normally granted to the Royal and Merchant Navies, many Army and Royal Airforce personnel could qualify as recipients. For example, soldiers were frequently used to man the guns of armed merchant ships. To qualify a soldier must go to sea for the same time and in the same areas as the service with which he served. To be precise, the award was granted to the Royal Navy for six months service afloat in the Atlantic, Home waters, Russian convoys and specified areas of the South Altantic. Men of the Royal Navy must first hold the 1939-45 Star for six months service in an operational area. With a few minor differences similar conditions of qualification were required of men of the Merchant Navy.
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The Africa Star was awarded to soldiers for one or more day's service in North Africa between 1Oth June 1940, and 12th May 1943, both dates being inclusive. The ribbon for this star is a pale buff colour with a wide red central stripe; equi-distant from the middle stripe and the pale buff edges are a thin dark blue stripe on the left and a thin pale blue stripe on the right. These colours represent the three services and the sand of the desert. To qualify, a soldier must have entered North Africa as part of an operational unit and seen service in Abyssinia. Italian Somaliland. Sudan, Eritrea and Malta. However, service in West Africa was not accepted. Three different bars were awarded, to be sewn onto the ribbon of the Africa Star. Only one bar can be worn by each individual even though the recipient could possibly qualify for all three bars. The first bar to which tile recipient was entitled was the one awarded. The bars issued consisted of firstly, 8th ARMY for service with the Eighth Army between 23rd October 1942, the date of the battle of El Alamein and the 12th May 1943; secondly, 1 st ARMY for service in the First Army, or any unit under the command of First Army from 31st December 1942 to 12th May 1943: and thirdly. NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 to Naval, Royal Air Force, and Merchant Navy personnel operating in specified areas from 23rd October 1942 to 12th May 1943. In addition to the bars awarded to the Africa Star, three small emblems were designed to be worn on the ribbon when the star was not worn. The emblems consisted of (1)the arabic numeral '8' awarded for service for the same conditions of service as the bar 8th ARMY. (2) an arabic numeral '1' for the same conditions of service as the bar 1 st ARMY and finally (3) a silver rose emblem was awarded to members of the Headquarters of 18th Army Group who did not qualify for either numerals.
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8th December, 1941-2nd September, 1945 The Pacific Star was awarded to soldiers who served in the Pacific theatres of operations between 8th December 1941 and the 2nd September 1945, both dates being inclusive The ribbon worn with this star is of dark green, edged in red with a central yellow stripe and two further thin stripes of dark and light blue Green and yellow symbolise the forests and the beaches and the three services are symbolized by dark blue for the Royal and Merchant Navies, red for the Army and light blue for the Royal Air Force. It was not necessary for soldiers to have any prior time qualifications to receive the Pacific Star, but the qualifying territory was restricted to areas subjected to allied or enemy invasions. Service in China and Malaya between 8th December 1941 and the 15th February was included as qualification territory but service in Burma was not acceptable. Any individual who became eligible for both the Pacific and Burma Stars, was awarded a rose emblem to be worn on the ribbon of the star that was earned first. Similarly a bar,'BURMA' was sewn onto the ribbon of the Pacific Star.
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11th December, 1941-2nd September, 1945 The Burma Star was awarded to soldiers for service in the Burma campaign between 11th December 1941 and the 2nd September 1945. both dates being inclusive. The ribbon has a broad red central stripe flanked on either side by a blue stripe of similar width; in the centre of the blue edges is a narrow orange stripe. The British Commonwealth Forces are symbolized by the red, and the orange is symbolic of the sun. To qualify for the Burma Star a soldier could have served in any part of Burma between 11th December 1941 and the 2nd September 1945. Other qualifying territories and times were The Provinces between Ist January 1944 and the 2nd September 1945. Service in China and Malaya between 16th February 1942 and 2nd September 1945 was also included. Like the Pacific Star, individuals eligible for Burma and Pacific were awarded a silver rose emblem to be worn on the ribbon of the first star worn. When the Burma Star itself is being worn the recipient may wear the bar 'PACIFIC' sewn onto the ribbon.
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11th June, 1943-8th May, 1945 The Italy Star was awarded for operational service in Sicily or Italy from 11 th June 1943 to 8th May 1945. The colours of the ribbon represent the Italian colours which are red, white and green. On the medal ribbon the colours are arranged in red white. green white, red in equal stripes. There was no required prior time qualification for the Italy Star, and as the star was awarded in addition to other stars it was awarded without bars or emblems. Soldiers on operational service in the Aegean, Dodecanese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia, Yugoslavia and Elba between the 11th June 1943 and the 8th May 1945 were eligible for this award but soldiers on service in Sicily after 17th August 1943, in Sardinia after 19th September 1943, and in Corsica after 4th October 1943 were excluded. It is interesting to note that entry into Austrian territory in the last days of the war was a qualification for the Italy Star.
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6th June, 1944-8th May, 1945
The France and Germany Star was awarded to soldiers who served in France, Belgium. Holland or Germany between 6th June 1944 (D-Day) and the 8th May 1945 (the German surrender). The ribbon is composed of blue, white, red, white and blue in stripes of equal widths. The colours symbolize the Union Flag. France and the Netherlands Belgium is not represented in these colours. Recipients of the France and Germany Star required no other qualification other than service in any of the above mentioned countries between the specified dates.
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3rd September, 1939-4th June, 1944 Awarded for operational flying from UK bases over Europe, for a period of two months between 3 September 1939 and 4 June 1944. Entitlement to either the Atlantic or France and Germany Stars was denoted by the appropriate bar. 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 60 days service in an air operational unit. The total requirement to earn both stars is four months (120 days). If later entitled to a second or third star, its bar would be worn: ATLANTIC or FRANCE AND GERMANY
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3rd September, 1939-2th September, 1945 This medal was awarded to all full-time personnel of the Armed Forces wherever they were serving, provided that the duration was at least 28 days irrespective of whether they were operational or non-operational.
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This purely South African medal was awarded to all full-time personnel of the Union Defence Forces wherever they were serving.
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