France and Germany Star

Qualification:
Awarded for service in Belgium, France, Germany and Holland between 6th June 1944 and 8th May 1945.

For the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy, there was no prior time qualification. To qualify, personnel must have been "afloat in direct support of operations in the named countries above "... in the North Sea south of a line from the Firth of Forth to Kristiansand, in the English Channel or the Bay of Biscay east of longitude 6 degrees west." Personnel serving onshore in support of land operations also qualified but those serving off the south coast of France qualified for the Italy Star instead.

For the Army, participation in any operation on land in Belgium, France, Holland or Germany.

For the RAF, any service over Europe between 6th June 1944 and 8th May 1945 except those which started from the Mediterranean and qualified for the Italy Star. Non aircrew qualified under the same conditions as the army.

The France and Germany Star was not awarded in addition to the Atlantic or Air Crew Europe Star. Those who qualified for the Atlantic Star, Air Crew Europe Star or France and Germany Star were only awarded the star for which they qualified first, and a clasp for the second. A second clasp was not awarded to those who qualified for all three stars.

Description:
Bronze, 43mm diameter six-pointed star. The Royal cypher GRI with the roman numerals VI below. The cypher is surmounted by a crown and within a circlet which reads, THE FRANCE AND GERMANY STAR. All the Second World War Stars were designed by The Royal Mint.

Ribbon:
32mm wide in equal strips of blue, white, red, white, blue; these colours representing the flags of the United Kingdom, France and Holland. This ribbon, in common with all WW2 Star ribbons, was designed by His Majesty the King, King George VI.

Suspension:
A ring attached to the uppermost point of the star.

Naming:
Issued unnamed although some stars may have been privately engraved.

Clasps:
One: Atlantic. This was awarded to men who qualified for the France and Germany Star followed by the Atlantic. When the ribbon alone was worn, a silver rose emblem fixed to it noted the award of a clasp.

No Air Crew Europe clasp was awarded with this medal.

Acknowledgements:
Photo courtesy of The Cameronians. Text assistance from British Battles & Medals.