1939-43 STAR

Evening Star, Issue 25069, 10 January 1944, Page 2

1939-43 STAR

ISSUE OF RIBBON OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 10 Provisional instructions for the issue of the ribbon of the 1939-43 star are issued by the War Office. The star will rank after the Africa Star, and no one may receive both. No person entitled to the Africa Star will be awarded the 1939-43 star. The ribbon is dark blue-red-light blue, in three equal vertical stripes. The star will be granted to all officers and other ranks in the United Kingdom and cdlonial forces, also nursing officers and officers and other ranks of the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service and Voluntary Aid Detachment.

Recipients must have aggregated six months' service in any of the following operational commands :—France, Norway, Belgium. Holland, the North-west Frontier, and India before ■ 1942; Greece, Crete, and Iraq. April and May, 1941; Syria. June and July, 1941; Persia, August, 1941; Hongkong, December, 1941; Malaya, December, 1941 to February. 1942; China and Burma, December, '1941, to the end of 1943; New Guinea,-from March, 1942; Madagascar, May to November. 1942: Siciß July and August, 1943; Italy, September, 1943. to the end of 1943. Time as a prisoner of war in anv of above commands also counts. There are exceptions to the six months' qualifying rule. The star is also awarded to those who' have done six months' sea-going duty in dangerous waters in the maritime artiller- with the A.A. defence" of merchant shipping or A.A. light machine-gun troops for the defence of ships in Government service. Service in certain operations and commando raids also qualifies.