The Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 recognises service in peacekeeping or non-warlike operations in the 30-year period following World War II, and prior to February 1975. The medal was established on 22 February 1995. The
Australian Service Medal
The Australian Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorised 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. It is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation and ...
recognises non-warlike service after February 1975.
Description
As described by the Australian Department of Defence:
* "The Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 is a nickel-silver medal ensigned with the
Crown of St Edward. The obverse features the
Commonwealth Coat of Arms
The coat of arms of Australia, officially the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It depicts a shield, containing symbols of Australia's six states, and is held up by native Australian animals, the ka ...
above a spray of
golden wattle" surrounded by the words 'THE AUSTRALIAN SERVICE MEDAL 1945–1975'.
* "The reverse of the medal shows the
Federation Star and golden wattle" with space for recipient's details.
* "The medal ribbon has a central gold stripe flanked by two green stripes which in turn are flanked by stripes of silver grey, dark and light blue" from the
Australia Service Medal 1939–45
* A nickel-silver clasp with the name of the theatre or action for which the award is made is presented with the medal.
Clasps
The medal has the following clasps:
Berlin
30 days service Service with the '
Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, roa ...
', from 26 June 1948 to 30 September 1949.
This clasp was issued 36 times.
FESR
30 days service with the
Far East Strategic Reserve
The British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve (commonly referred to as the ''Far East Strategic Reserve'' or the ''FESR'') was a joint military force of the British, Australian, and New Zealand armed forces. Created in the 1950s and based i ...
(FESR), from 2 July 1955 to 31 October 1971.
This clasp was issued 8,761 times.
Germany
30 days service during the occupation of Germany from 9 May 1945 to 19 October 1951.
Indonesia
30 days service with:
* the UN Good Offices Commission from 1 August 1947 to 1 January 1949
* the
UN Commission for Indonesia from 1 January 1949 to 30 April 1951
Japan
30 days service with
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) was the British Commonwealth taskforce consisting of Australian, British, Indian, and New Zealander military forces in occupied Japan, from 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952.
At its pe ...
(BCOF) in Japan from 3 September 1945 to 28 April 1952
This clasp was awarded 10,058 times.
Kashmir
30 days service with
UN mission in India/Pakistan, from 13 August 1948 to 13 February 1975.
Korea
30 days service in total with any of:
* the UN Commission in Korea from 9 June 1950 to 23 June 1950.
* the
British Commonwealth Forces Korea (BCFK) in Japan & Okinawa from 29 April 1952 to 26 August 1957.
* service afloat and in the air off Korea to 100 miles from 28 July 1953 to 26 August 1957.
* Ceasefire monitoring activities in Korea, from 28 July 1953 to 26 August 1957.
* the
UN Command
United Nations Command (UNC or UN Command) is the multinational military force established to support the South Korea, Republic of Korea (South Korea) during and after the Korean War. It was the first attempt at collective security by the U ...
(MAC) from 27 August 1957 to 13 February 1975
This clasp was issued 3,919 times.
PNG
30 days service in
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...
in nation building, training and administration of defence forces, and humanitarian relief from 3 September 1945 to 16 September 1975
This clasp was issued 14,030 times.
Southwest Pacific
30 days service associated with:
* RAAF service on
Bathurst,
Champagny and
Sir Graham Moore Island with Long Range Navigation Stations from 3 September 1945 to 24 November 1946.
* islands in South-West Pacific area,
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
, Burma & Malaya/Singapore, from 3 September 1945 to 24 November 1946.
* RAAF service on
Morotai Island from 25 November 1946 to 10 July 1948.
* RAAF service on
Cocos Island
Cocos Island () is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica, approximately southwest of the Costa Rican mainland. It constitutes the 11th of the 15 districts of Puntarenas Canton of the Puntarenas Province, Province of ...
with No. 2 Airfield Construction Squadron from 18 November 1951 to 22 January 1954.
* minesweeping service afloat with the RAN in:
** waters off coast of China & the South-West Pacific from 3 September 1945 to 30 December 1946.
** all Australian waters from 3 September 1945 to 16 August 1948.
** the Netherlands (Dutch East) Indies from 25 November 1946 to 30 December 1946.
** waters off Solomon Islands from 25 November 1946 to 16 August 1948.
* undertaking bomb & mine clearance:
** along the coast of Queensland from 3 September 1945 to 31 May 1950.
** in the Solomon Islands 25 November 1946 to 10 November 1956.
*
War Graves
A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations.
Definition
The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to b ...
on
Labuan
Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan (), is an island federal territory of Malaysia. It includes and six smaller islands off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capital is Victoria, which is best kno ...
,
Ambon and
Borneo
Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...
Islands from 25 November 1946 to 20 September 1947.
This clasp was awarded 8,877 times.
Middle East
30 days service with any of:
* the
UN Truce Supervision Organization from 11 June 1948 to 13 February 1975.
*
No 78 (F) Wing Malta from 9 July 1952 to 1 December 1954
* the
UN Observation Group in Lebanon from 11 July 1958 to 9 December 1958.
* the
UN Yemen Observer Mission from 4 July 1963 to 4 September 1964.
* the
Second UN Emergency Force from 25 October 1973 to 13 February 1975.
* the
UN Disengagement Observer Force from 3 June 1974 to 13 February 1975.
This clasp was awarded only 14 times.
Southeast Asia
30 days service:
* on land in Malaysia (excluding Thai-Malay border when warlike), from 1 August 1960 to 16 August 1964, and from 12 August 1966 to 14 March 1975.
* on land in Singapore from 1 August 1960 to 16 August 1964, and from 12 August 1966 to 14 March 1975
* on land in Thailand (excluding Ubon & Ban Kok Talat) from 2 July 1955 to 24 June 1965, and from 1 September 1968 to 30 October 1971.
* on land in Vietnam from 2 July 1955 to 30 July 1962.
* on land in Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia from 2 July 1955 to 14 March 1975.
* on RAN ships with the
ANZUK force from 31 October 1971 to 14 March 1975.
Special OPs
For service on
Special Operations
Special operations or special ops are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment." Special operations ma ...
, for activities and dates as specified by the
Chief of the Defence Force, at some time in the period 3 September 1945 and 13 February 1975.
Thailand
30 days service:
* at
RTAF Base Ubon from 1 May 1962 – 24 June 1965.
* on Operation CROWN, with 2 Field Troop,
RAE, at Ban Kok Talat from 1 May 1962 – 24 June 1965.
This clasp was awarded 1,401 times.
West New Guinea
30 days service with
UNTEA from 3 October 1962 to 30 April 1963.
Superseded clasps
A "Thai-Malay" clasp was issued for the Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 for service on land and air anti-terrorist operations along the Thai-Malay border between 1 August 1960 and 31 August 1964, or on RAAF air operations between 17 August 1964 and 30 March 1966, but in February 2002 this service was upgraded to the Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975. A total of 1,071 clasps were issued.
See also
*
Australian Honours Order of Precedence
*
Australian campaign medals
Australian campaign medals are listed in order of precedence as defined in references below. Those campaign medals which have been independently issued by Australia to its armed forces are in bold.
Second Boer War
* Queen's South Africa Med ...
References
External links
It's an Honour Australian Government website
site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Service Medal 1945-1975
Australian campaign medals
1995 establishments in Australia
Awards established in 1995