medal, campaign

Spink: 154 THE 1939-45 STAR 3rd September 1939-2nd September 1945

Documentation: Spink’s British Battles & Medals, p247

Name/title: medal, campaign

Other name: The 1949-45 Star / medal name

period: 1939-1945

General: six-pointed star

Obverse: In the centre the Royal cypher ‘GRI’ with ‘VI’ below. The cypher is surmounted by a crown superimposed on a circlet which bears the title of the star ‘THE 1939-1945 STAR’

Reverse: plain

Size: 43mm diameter

Metal: bronze

Ribbon: 32mm wide. Designed by His Majesty King George VI.

The colours of the ribbon are, reading from the left when facing the wearer, equal bands of dark blue, red and light blue. They symbolise the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force.

Suspension: The ribbon passes through a ring attached to the uppermost point of the star.

Designer: The stars were designed by the Royal Mint engravers. The ribbon was designed by His Majesty King George VI

Naming: All issued unnamed by the British Government. [Stars may be found privately engraved]

Bars issued: One: Battle of Britain

Issue: Issued to members of Navy, Army, Air Force and Merchant Navy with appropriate service see p247. Battle of Britain bar to members of crew of fighter aircraft who took part in the Battle of Britain between 10th July and 31st October 1940. Bar worn affixed to ribbon when the 1939-45 Star was worn; when the ribbon was worn alone a silver-gilt rose emblem was fixed upon it to denote the bar. See Spink p248 for list of squadrons that qualified.