1939–1945 Star facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The 1939–1945 Star
Awarded to a South African, C276539 J.P. Lemmetjies
Country	United Kingdom
Type	Military campaign medal
Eligibility	All Ranks
Awarded for	180 days of operational service or 60 days of operational flying
Campaign(s)	Second World War
Clasps	BATTLE OF BRITAIN BOMBER COMMAND
Statistics
Established	8 July 1943
Order of wear
Next (higher)	India General Service Medal (1936)
Next (lower)	Atlantic Star
Ribbon bar (left) and rosettes for the Battle of Britain (centre) and Bomber Command (right) clasps

The 1939–1945 Star is a special military medal. It was created by the United Kingdom on July 8, 1943. This medal was given to soldiers, sailors, and air force members from Britain and other Commonwealth countries. They received it for their service during the Second World War.

This medal also has two special additions called "clasps." These clasps are small metal bars worn on the medal's ribbon. They are for the Battle of Britain and Bomber Command.

What is the 1939–1945 Star?

The 1939–1945 Star was one of the first campaign medals created during World War II. It was designed to honor those who served in important military actions. The medal covers the entire period of the Second World War, from September 3, 1939, to September 2, 1945.

Special Clasps

Two special clasps could be added to the medal's ribbon:

• The Battle of Britain Clasp was for air crew members who flew fighter planes during the Battle of Britain. This famous air battle took place from July to October 1940. About 2,936 airmen earned this clasp. A small silver-gold flower shape, called a rosette, was worn on the ribbon bar to show this award.
• The Bomber Command Clasp was added much later, in 2013. It was for air crew members who flew in Royal Air Force Bomber Command missions. They had to complete at least one mission between September 1939 and May 1945. A silver rosette on the ribbon bar shows this clasp.

How to Earn the Medal

To get the 1939–1945 Star, people usually needed to serve for a certain amount of time in a combat zone.

General Rules

Most service members needed to complete 180 days (about six months) of active duty in an operational area.

• Navy members needed 180 days at sea in specific war zones.
• Army soldiers also needed 180 days in a combat command.
• Air Force air crew members qualified after 60 days of service. This included at least one combat flight.
• Airborne troops (paratroopers) qualified if they took part in any airborne operation and served 60 days in a combat unit.
• Merchant Navy sailors needed 180 days of service. They also had to make at least one trip through a war zone.

Special Cases

Sometimes, people could get the medal even if they didn't meet the full time requirement.

• If someone earned a bravery medal or was mentioned for their courage, they received the Star.
• If a person died or was seriously injured during their service, they also received the medal.
• For some very important battles, just one day of service was enough to qualify. Some examples include:
  • The Battle of France in 1940.
  • The St Nazaire Raid in 1942.
  • The Dieppe Raid in 1942.
  • The Anglo-Iraqi War in 1941.
  • The Japanese conquest of Burma in 1942.
  • The Battle of Madagascar in 1942.

What the Medal Looks Like

The 1939–1945 Star is a six-pointed star made from a yellow copper-zinc metal. It is about 44 millimeters (1.7 inches) wide.

Front and Back

• Front: The front of the medal shows the royal symbol "GRI VI" with a crown on top. This stands for King George VI. Around the symbol, it says "THE 1939–1945 STAR".
• Back: The back of the medal is plain.

Naming the Medals

For British forces, these medals were usually given out without the recipient's name on them. However, medals given to soldiers from India, South Africa, and Australia often had the recipient's name and service number stamped on the back.

Clasps and Ribbons

Battle of Britain Clasp

Bomber Command Clasp

The clasps are small bronze bars that say "BATTLE OF BRITAIN" or "BOMBER COMMAND." They were sewn onto the medal's ribbon. When the full medal wasn't worn, small rosettes (flower shapes) were worn on the ribbon bar instead.

The ribbon for the 1939–1945 Star is 32 millimeters (1.25 inches) wide. It has three equal stripes: dark blue, red, and light blue.

• The dark blue represents the Navy and Merchant Navy.
• The red represents the Army.
• The light blue represents the Air Force.

These equal stripes show that all three parts of the military contributed equally to the victory. King George VI himself helped design the ribbons for many of the World War II medals.

How Medals Are Worn

When someone earned several medals, there was a specific order to wear them. This order was based on when the campaigns (military actions) started. The 1939–1945 Star is worn first because it covers the entire war.

Here is the general order for the main World War II medals:

• The 1939–1945 Star
• The Atlantic Star
• The Arctic Star
• The Air Crew Europe Star
• The Africa Star
• The Pacific Star
• The Burma Star
• The Italy Star
• The France and Germany Star
• The Defence Medal
• The War Medal

The 1939–1945 Star is worn as shown:

ORDER OF WEAR
1939–1945 Star	Africa Star	Burma Star	Italy Star	Defence Medal	War Medal

1939–1945 Star

Atlantic Star

• Succeeded by the Atlantic Star.