Medals

Medals Awarded to Arthur Smith

1939-45 Star  Ribbon: Equal stripes of dark blue, to represent the service of the Royal and Merchant Navies, red, to represent that of the Armies and light blue to represent that of Air Forces. Worn with the dark blue stripe furthest from the left shoulder.

Criteria: The 1939–45 Star was awarded for any period of operational service overseas between 3 Sep 1939 and 8 May 1945 (2 Sep 1945 in the Far East).

The criteria are 180 days’ service between these dates, although some special criteria apply when, at certain specified times, just 1 days’ service is required.

Naval personnel qualify after 180 days afloat in areas of operations as laid out in the regulations between certain specified dates.
RAF air crew will qualify with 60 days service in an operational unit including at least one operational sortie.
Air crew of fighter aircraft engaged in the Battle of Britain between 10 July and 31 October 1940 were awarded the Clasp ‘Battle of Britain’ to be worn on the ribbon of the 1939-45 Star.
Air Crew Europe Star Ribbon: A wide central stripe of light blue, flanked at the edges by narrow stripes of yellow and black to symbolise the continuous service of the Air Forces by night and day.

Criteria: The Air Crew Europe Star was earned almost exclusively by RAF personnel. Can only be awarded after the 1939-45 Star has been qualified for.

Aircrew Europe Star awarded for 60 additional days’ service in an RAF Unit engaged in operational flying over Europe from bases in the UK with at least one operational sortie.

After 5 Jun 44, operational flying over Europe qualified aircrew for the France and Germany Star.

Campaign History: Air operations over Europe took place throughout the war with the strategic bombing campaign of German industrial cities, naval bases and other targets.

The RAF endured huge losses of men and aircraft and the bombing campaign ultimately failed to destroy either German industry or morale.
War Medal (1939-45) Ribbon: In the colours of the Union Flag, a narrow central red stripe flanked by narrow white stripes, wider blue stripes and then red.

War Medal. The obverse of the medal (shown here) shows the crowned head of King George VI, while the reverse bears a lion standing on a dragon with two heads, above are the dates 1939 and 1945.

Criteria: The War Medal was awarded to all fulltime personnel of the armed forces wherever they were serving, provided they had served for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.

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