| Africa Star |
Article Index for Africa |
Website Links For Africa |
Information AboutAfrica Star |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT AFRICA STAR | |
| british campaign medals | |
| australian campaign medals | |
|
The Africa Star was a decoration of the British Empire that was issued between 1939 and 1945 for service in the North African Campaign of the World War II . The Africa Star was one of eight campaign star medals issued; British uniform regulations permitted the wearing of only five campaign star medals simultaneously. The Pacific equivalent of the decoration was known as the Pacific Star . As with other British campaign medals, the ribbon colours are symbolic: the pale buff (sand) ribbon has a central red stripe and two narrow stripes, dark blue at left and light blue at right. The colours represent the desert, army, navy, and air force. The star was awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. Recipients may also have been eligible for a bar (a small metal bar affixed to the ribbon) First Army : Awarded for service with that army between 08 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. A '1' is worn on the ribbon in undress to denote this bar; Eighth Army : Awarded for service with that army between 23 October 1942 and 12 May 1943. An '8' is worn on the ribbon in undress to denote this bar; North Africa 1942-1943: Awarded for service with the navy, air force or headquarters of the 18th Army Group between 23 October 1942 and 12 May 1943. In undress, a rosette on the ribbon denotes this bar. The decoration was mainly issued by the United Kingdom but also by other countries of the British Commonwealth which had provided troops to the North African theater. The Africa Star was also bestowed upon members of foreign militaries, but on a more limited basis. In the United States Military , the Africa Star was primarily bestowed to the senior military leadership which had planned and executed Operation Torch . General Of The Army Dwight Eisenhower was one such senior American general who was presented the Africa Star by the British. SEE ALSO |
|
|