AFRICA STAR

Grey River Argus, 14 December 1943, Page 2

AFRICA STAR

For Middle East Service

FIRST RIBBON SUPPLY ARRIVES.

P.A. WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. The Minister of Defence, Hon. F. Jones, announced to-day that a very limited supply- of Africa' Star ribbon has been received at Army Headquarters. The supply of tne ribbon so far received win only permit .of a small piece—enough tor two jackets —being issued to each entitled officer or soldier, and this quantity is being issued from Base Records in the course of a few days to those members of the Second N.Z.E.b. Furlough Draft who are to return to the Middle East, and to those who have served in the Middle East, and are now with the Third Division in the Pacific. As further supplies of the ribbon become available, those entitled members of the Second N.Z. E.F. who are still serving in New Zealand will be issued with the ribbon. The ribbon is pale buff in colour, symbolising the desert, with a central red stripe, representing the Army[ a dark blue narrow stripe for the Navy and a light blue narrow stripe for the Air Force. When the Africa Star was approved by the King, it was announced that the special award was intended to commemorate the successful conclusion of the fighting in Africa, and that the medal itself would n’ot be available until after the war. As the medal ribbon can only be worn in uniform, the returned soldiers discharged to civil life and the next-of-kin of deceased soldiers will not receive an issue of the ribbon, but a star with the ribbon attached will be issued after the war. In accordance with conditions laid down, all members of the Second N.Z.E.F. who served in the Middle East on and after June 10 1940 are entitled to the Africa Star, and those who served in the Eighth Army from the beginning of t.ie Battle of El Alamein on October 25, 1942 to the cessation of operations in Tunisia are also entitled to wear on the ribbon a clasp in the shape of the Arabic eight. So far none of these clasps has been received in New Zealand, but they are on order, and will be issued when received to those entitled to wear them. It is most unlikely that these clasps will be received in time for them to be issued to members of the furlough draft returning to the Middle East, and arrangements will be made tor the clasps to be issued on arrival there.