MEDAL INFORMATION
The Africa Star
10th June 1940 to 12th May 1943
Face
A star with six
bevelled points. In the centre the initials ‘GRI’ with a crown above and
‘VI’ below, partly circled by a band bearing the words ‘THE AFRICA STAR’.
Reverse
Flat and plain.
Size
Approx. 38mm across.
Medal and bars bronze.
Ribbon
Approx. 31 mm wide.
Pale buff with a central red stripe (approx. 10mm), with two narrow
stripes (each approx. 2mm), central on the buff stripes, one of navy blue
seen on left when facing the wearer, and one of light blue seen on right
when facing the wearer. The colours are symbolic of the desert, the Army,
the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.
Suspension
The ribbon passes
through a bronze ring (approx. 12mm diameter) which is fixed through a
loop at the top of the star.
Naming
All issued unnamed,
but some have been engraved privately.
Bars
Three: ‘8th ARMY’;
‘1st ARMY’; ‘NORTH AFRICA 1942-43’
Awarded
For service in North
Africa between 10th June 1940 and 12th May 1943 inclusive. The following
qualifications apply to the Army only. One day's service on the
establishment of an operational unit or formation in North Africa,
Abyssinia, Somaliland, Sudan, Eritrea and Malta between the above dates.
Bar ‘8th ARMY’: was awarded
for service in the 8th Army between 23rd Oct. 1942 (the opening of the
Battle of El Alamein) and 12th May, 1943.
Bar ‘1st ARMY’: was awarded
to those on the establishment of a unit or formation of the 1st Army in
Tunis or Algeria between 8th Nov. and 31st Dec. 1942 or in any unit or
formation under the command of the 1st Army between 1st Jan. and 12th May
1943.
Bar ‘North Africa 1942-43’,
was awarded to personnel of headquarters of 18th Army Group who failed to
qualify for the 8th Army or 1st Army Bars.
The Africa Star was not
issued automatically, those who qualified had to claim it.
The King’s Own
2nd Battalion.
The 2nd Battalion
moved from Palestine to Helwan, Egypt, in June 1940 where it was employed
in guarding the airfield. From September to December it was based in the
defensive positions around Mersa Matruh in the Western Desert and provided
coastal patrols and detachments for various purposes, including covering
the withdrawal from Sidi Barrani and forming part of Selby force.
After being engaged in Syria
in two major actions against the Vichy French in June/July 1941 it
returned by sea to North Africa to the besieged Tobruk, where it remained
until December 1941 before departing for Ceylon, India and Burma (2nd
Chindit expedition).
1st Battalion.
The 1st Battalion
moved to the Western Desert in May 1942 from Iraq and in early June was in
the defensive position on the Libyan border at Solum. Following the fall
of Tobruk it withdrew to Mersa Matruh and on 29th June received orders to
break out towards Fuka airfield and El Alamein. Many of the Battalion
were killed, wounded or captured in the withdrawal. The survivors left
Port Said for Cyprus on 17th August on the ‘Princess Marguerite’ which was
torpedoed and sunk by a submarine. Twenty four men of the battalion were
lost.
8th Battalion.
The 8th Battalion left
Scotland for Malta in July 1941. Most of the Battalion were on the
cruiser HMS Manchester which was torpedoed in the Mediterranean and had to
limp back to Gibraltar. The Battalion finally reached Malta on other
ships on 2nd August. It remained on the island until November 1943, its
main role during the siege being the defence of airfields which were
subject to fierce attack from the air. The 8th Battalion subsequently
absorbed the few survivors of the 1st Battalion which had been decimated
on the Greek Island of Leros. The 8th became the new 1st Battalion and
took part in the Italian Campaign of 1944-1945.
Certain
King’s Own men received the ‘8th ARMY’ bar for service in North Africa
after 23rd October 1942 attached to other units or formations.
Some of the Anti-Tank Gunners also qualified for the Africa Star
with either the ‘8th ARMY’ or ‘1st ARMY’ bar.
Africa Stars in the museum's collection
The Africa Star