Africa Star Full Size Medal
The Africa Star was a WW2 Medal awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. The area between the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar is included, together with Malta, Abyssinia, Kenya, Sudan, The Solmalilands and Eritrea. The areas not bordering the Mediterranean only qualified for the Africa Star from 10 June 1940 to 27 November 1941. Members of the Australian Imperial Force also qualified for the Star for service in Syria from 8 June 1941 and 11 July 1941.
The medal itself is a 6 pointed star with the Crowned Royal Cipher "GRI VI" in the centre, with an inscription of "THE AFRICA STAR" around the cipher. The reverse of the medal is blank as with all World War II stars. The ribbon is a standard width of 32mm or 1.25" wide and is a sand or buff colour symbolising the desert. There is a wide central stripe of red, representing the army, and a line of dark blue on the left representing the Navy, and a line of light blue on the right representing the RAF.
There are 3 bars that can be awarded and worn on the Africa Star, the 1st Army, 8th Army and North Africa 1942-43 bars. Only one bar can be worn even if 2 or 3 were qualified for.
Our museum quality replica full-size medals are made to the same exacting standards as the original and in line with MoD licensing. All official medals are sent loose on the ribbon unless medal mounting is also purchased on the same order.
WWII medals were not engraved when originally issued, so replacements therefore are not suitable for engraving.