The 1939 – 1945 Star is a Campaign Medal Issued to British Commonwealth Forces in WW2 Unnamed as issued.
Medals may differ from the Photo but the quality is as shown. Some are Brass while others are Bronze or Copper.
Description
The Royal Mint engravers designed the set of nine campaign stars. The stars all have a ring suspender which passes through an eyelet formed above the uppermost point of the star. They are six–pointed stars, struck in yellow copper zinc alloy to fit into a 44-millimeters diameter circle, with a maximum width of 38 millimeters and 50 millimeters high from the bottom point of the star to the top of the eyelet.
Obverse
The obverse has a central design of the Royal Cypher “GRI VI”, surmounted by a crown. A circlet, the top of which is covered by the crown, surrounds the cipher and is inscribed “THE 1939–1945 STAR”.
Reverse
The reverse is plain and, as with the other Second World War campaign medals, a no-engraving policy was applied by all but three British Commonwealth countries. The recipient’s name was impressed on the reverse for Australians, Indians, and South Africans, in the case of South Africans the recipient’s force number, initials, and surname were in block capitals, as illustrated by the main picture.
History
The 1939–1945 Star was awarded for specified periods of operational service overseas between 3 September 1939 and either 8 May 1945 in Europe or 2 September 1945 in the Far East theatre. The broad criteria were 180 days of service between these dates, with more specific criteria depending on the service arm.
Naval personnel qualified after 180 days afloat between certain specified dates in areas of operations as laid out in the regulations.
Army personnel had to complete 180 days of service in an operational command.
Airborne troops qualified if they had participated in any airborne operations and had completed 60 days of service in a fully operational unit.
Air Force aircrew qualified after 60 days of service in an operational unit, including at least one operational sortie. The 1939–1945 Star was also awarded to crews of transport aircraft who flew over certain routes. Aircrew of fighter aircraft engaged in the Battle of Britain were also awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp. In contrast, the aircrew of bomber aircraft who participated in at least one operational sortie in an Bomber Command operational unit was awarded the Bomber Command Clasp in 2013.
Ground crew and other Air Force personnel qualified upon completing 180 days of service in an area of operational army command.
Merchant Navy personnel qualified upon completing 180 days of service with at least one voyage made through an operational area.
