The Italy Star

Qualification:
For the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy, the 1939-45 Star must have been earned by six months' service in operations before the qualifying period for the Italy Star could commence. Service in the following areas would qualify: Mediterranean and Aegean seas; operations in and around the Dodecanese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Yugoslavia after 11th June 1943.

For the Army, no prior time qualification. The following operational areas of service qualified: Aegean, Dodacenese, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia, Yugoslavia and Elba between 11th June 1943 and 8th May 1945.

For the RAF, no prior time qualification. Operational qualification consisted of participation in aircrew service within the Mediterranean theatre including sorties from the Mediterranean area over Europe.

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 ITALY STAR. All the Second World War Stars were designed by The Royal Mint.

Ribbon:
32mm wide, a central yellow stripe (symbolising the desert) and two dark green stripes either side (symbolising forests). From the left, equal stripes of red, white, green, white and red (the colours of the Italian flag). 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:
None

Acknowledgements
Photo courtesy of Sarah Jane Framing and Medals.  Text assistance from British Battles & Medals.

The Burma Star

Qualification:
Awarded for service in the Burma campaign between 11th December 1941 and 2nd September 1945 inclusive.

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 BURMA STAR. All the Second World War Stars were designed by The Royal Mint.

Ribbon:
32mm wide, dark blue with a wide red stripe (denoting the Commonwealth) down the centre and two orange stripes (denoting the sun) on either side. 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: PACIFIC. Personnel qualifying for both the Burma Star and the Pacific Star were awarded the Star to which they first became entitled and a clasp denoting the second. When only ribbons were worn, a silver rose emblem signified the award of the clasp.

Qualification by service is listed below. Official visits did not qualify for this star unless these amounted to thirty days or more.

ROYAL NAVY & MERCHANT NAVY
Service at sea in the Bay of Bengal "... enclosed by a line running from the southernmost part of Ceylon for a disatnce of 300 miles south, thence to a point 300 miles west of the southernmost point of Sumatra, and continuing east to the western side of the Sundra Strait. The Malaca straits are included." (British Battles and Medals).

The 1939-1945 Star must have been earned by six months' service in operations before elegibility for the Burma Star could begin. (BBM)

Persons entering operationl service during the last six months of the war qualified for the star if they did not subsequently serve in another operational area. In this case the prior time qualification of six months did not apply. Naval personnel serving ashore qualified under the same rules as army personnel.

ARMY
Qualifying service in any part of Burma, the provinces of Bengal and Assam between 1st May 1942 and 2nd September 1945, China and Malaya between 16th February 1942 and 2nd September 1945.

RAF
Awarded to RAF personnel who had completed at least one operational sortie. Non-aircrew qualified under army rules.

Acknowledgements
Photo courtesy of medal auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb.  The group, awarded to Sergeant Thomas Henry Harris of the Royal Artillery comprises a G.VI.R. Military Medal, 1939-45 Star, Burma Star; and Defence and War Medals. It was sold at auction in September 2011 for £1450 (hammer price).Text assistance from British Battles & Medals.

The Air Crew Europe Star

Qualification:
Awarded for operational flying from United Kingdom air bases over Europe between 3rd September 1939 and 5th June 1944.

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 AIR CREW EUROPE STAR. All the Second World War Stars were designed by The Royal Mint.

Ribbon:
32mm wide, light blue with black edges and two yellow stripes (symoblising continuous service by day and night). 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:
Two: ATLANTIC and FRANCE AND GERMANY. Note that only one or the other, not both, could be awarded to the Atlantic Star.

Those personnel who qualified for the Atlantic Star and/or the France and Germany Star were entitled to wear the clasp for which the second star would have been awarded. When just ribbons were worn, a silver rose on the Atlantic Star denoted the award of a clasp.

Acknowledgements:
The photograph is courtesy of Dix Noonan Webb and shows the group awarded to 1056077 Sergeant E. R. Mitchell of the Royal Air Force.  His medal group comprises the Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star (with ATLANTIC clasp) and the War Medal 1939-45.  The group, together with the sweetheart brooch illustrated, was offered for auction in September 2010 but was unsold on the day.

British Battles & Medals for chapter and verse on this medal.

The Atlantic Star

Qualification:
Awarded to commemorate the Battle of The Atlantic between 3rd September 1939 and 8th May 1945.

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 ATLANTIC STAR. All the Second World War Stars were designed by The Royal Mint.

Ribbon:
32mm wide, equal bands of (from left) watered blue, white and sea-green (symoblising the waters of the Atlantic). 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:
Two: AIR CREW EUROPE and FRANCE AND GERMANY. Note that only one or the other, not both, could be awarded to the Atlantic Star.

Those personnel who qualified for the Atlantic Star AND the Air Crew Europe Star and/or the France and Germany Star were entitled to wear the clasp for which the second star would have been awarded. When just ribbons were worn, a silver rose on the Atlantic Star denoted the award of a clasp.

Acknowledgements:
The photograph is courtesy of Dix Noonan Webb and shows the group awarded to 530644 Flight Sergeant Andrew Brown of the Royal Air Force who completed 40 operational sorties including 18 sorties to Berlin, the famed “Big City”, as a Mosquito Navigator

Flight Sergeant Brown's medal group comprises the Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star (with copy clasp AIR CREW EUROPE); Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, and Mentioned in Dispatches oak leaf; The group, sold at auction in September 2011 for £1700 (hammer price).

British Battles & Medals for chapter and verse on this medal.

The 1939-45 Star

Qualification:
Awarded for service in the Second World War between 3rd September 1939 and 2nd September 1945.

Description:
Bronze, 43mm diameter six-pointed star.  The Royal cypher GRI with the roman numerals VI below this.  The cypher is surmounted by a crown and within a circlet which reads, THE 1939-1945 STAR. All the Second World War Stars were designed by The Royal Mint.

Ribbon:
32mm wide, equal bands of dark blue (symoblising the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy), red (symbolising the Army) and light blue (symbolising the Royal Air Force).  This ribbon, and 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: Battle of Britain.

Acknowledgements:
The photograph is courtesy of Dix Noonan Webb and shows the group awarded to Squadron leader N J Wheeler of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who flew Hurricanes in No 615 Squadron during the Battle of Britain.  The group, sold at auction in December 2011 for £2900 (hammer price) comprises the Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., 1939-45 Star (with copy clasp Battle of Britain); Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue. 
 
British Battles & Medals for assistance with the text.