War Medal 1939–1945

Infobox Military Award
name= War Medal 1939-45


caption= Obverse (top left) and reverse (top right) of the medal. Ribbon: 32mm, narrow red stripe in centre, with a narrow white stripe on either side, broad red stripes at either edge and two intervening stripes of blue.
awarded_by= UK and Commonwealth
type= Campaign medal
eligibility= British and Commonwealth forces.
for= Campaign service.
campaign= Second World War 1939-45.
status=
description= Cupro-nickel or silver disk, 36mm diameter.
clasps= Single oak leaf emblem for MID
established= 16 August1945
first_award=
last_award=
total=
posthumous=
recipients=
individual=
higher=
same=
lower=
related=Defence Medal


caption2=__NOTOC__The War Medal 1939-1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September1939 and 2 September1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea.

Description

* A circular silver (.800 fine) medal, 36mm in diameter. The British issue medals were made of cupro-nickel.
* The obverse shows the crowned coinage effigy of King George VI, facing left, and the legend GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX F:D:IND:IMP.
* The reverse shows a lion standing on the body of a double-headed dragon. The dragons heads are those of an eagle and a dragon to signify the principal occidental and oriental enemies. At the top, just right of centre are the dates 1939/1945 in two lines.
* The ribbon is 1.25 inches wide and consists of 7 coloured stripes: red, dark blue, white, narrow red (centre), white, dark blue, and red, representing the colours of the Union Flag
* The medals were issued unnamed; except those awarded to personnel of the Canadian Merchant Marine, RCMP, South African and Australian forces, which were named on the rim.

Clasps

*A single bronze oak leaf emblem is worn to signify a 'Mentioned in Despatches' and a silver oak leaf is worn to signify an award of a King's Commendation for Brave Conduct. There is no bar other than these emblems.

ee also

*British campaign medals
*Australian campaign medals

References

* [http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/Veterans/Medals/WarMedal.htm UK DoD site]
* [http://www.defence.gov.au/medals/Content/+040%20Campaign%20Medals/+100%20World%20War%20II/+100%20War%20Medal%201939-1945/default.htm ADF Honours and Awards]
* [http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/wwii_medals.htm Stephen Stratford Medals site]
* [http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group04/wm45 Veterans Affairs Canada site]
* [http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/category/h/h18.html NZDF Medals site]
* [http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/warrants/h18-reg.html Defence Medal Regulations from NZDF site]