The France and Germany Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

in May 1945 for award to

British Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...

forces who served in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Germany and adjacent sea areas between 6 June 1944 and 8 May 1945, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

.New Zealand Defence Force - British Commonwealth War And Campaign Medals Awarded To New Zealanders - The France and Germany Star
(Access date 18 April 2015)- Defence and armed forces – guidance - Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility - France and Germany Star
(Access date 18 April 2015) One clasp, 'Atlantic', could be worn on the medal ribbon.

The Second World War Stars

On 8 July 1943, the Star (later named the Star) and the Africa Star became the first two campaign stars instituted, and by May 1945 a total of eight stars and nine clasps had been established to reward campaign service during the Second World War. One more campaign star, the Arctic Star, and one more clasp, the Bomber Command Clasp, were belatedly added on 26 February 2013, more than sixty-seven years after the end of the war.
(Access date 1 April 2015)War Service (Decorations) – Statement in the House of Commons by Winston Churchill on 3 August 1943 (HC Deb 03 August 1943 vol 391 cc2091-3)
(Access date 9 April 2015)
(Access date 1 April 2015) Including the Arctic Star and the Bomber Command clasp, no-one could be awarded more than six campaign stars, with five of the ten clasps denoting service that would have qualified for a second star. Only one clasp could be worn on any one campaign star. The maximum of six possible stars are the following: * The

1939–1945 Star The 1939–1945 Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for award to British and Commonwealth forces for service in the Second World War. Two clasps were instituted to be worn on the medal ribbon, Batt ...

with, when awarded, either the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

or the Bomber Command clasp.New Zealand Defence Force – The 1939–45 Star Eligibility Rules
(Access date 12 April 2015) * Only one of the

Atlantic Star The Atlantic Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to British Commonwealth forces who took part in the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous campaign of the Second World War. Two cl ...

Air Crew Europe Star The Air Crew Europe Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to British and Commonwealth air crews who participated in operational flights over Europe from bases in the United Kingdom during the S ...

or France and Germany Star. Those earning more than one received the first qualified for, with the second denoted by the appropriate ribbon clasp.New Zealand Defence Force – The Atlantic Star Eligibility Rules
(Access date 4 April 2015)
(Access date 12 April 2015)
(Access date 12 April 2015) * The

Arctic Star The Arctic Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 19 December 2012 for award to British Commonwealth forces who served on the Arctic Convoys north of the Arctic Circle, during the Second World War. The Second Wo ...

.New Zealand Defence Force – The Arctic Star
(Access date 12 April 2015) * The

Africa Star The Africa Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for award to British and Commonwealth forces who served in North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943 during the Second World War. Three clasp ...

with, if awarded, the first earned of clasps for North Africa 1942–43, 8th Army or 1st Army.New Zealand Defence Force – The Africa Star Eligibility Rules
(Access date 12 April 2015) * Either the Pacific Star or

Burma Star The Burma Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to British and Commonwealth forces who served in the Burma Campaign from 1941 to 1945, during the Second World War. One clasp, Pacific, was ...

. Those earning both received the first qualified for, with the appropriate clasp to represent the second.New Zealand Defence Force – The Pacific Star Eligibility Rules
(Access date 9 April 2015)
(Access date 12 April 2015) * The

Italy Star The Italy Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to British Commonwealth forces who served in the Italian Campaign from 1943 to 1945, during the Second World War. The Second World War Stars On ...

.New Zealand Defence Force – The Italy Star Eligibility Rules
(Access date 12 April 2015) All recipients of campaign stars also received the War Medal. Since only the first of the Atlantic Star, Air Crew Europe Star or France and Germany Star to be earned could be awarded to any one individual, the possible Star and Clasp combinations for these three campaign stars are:Forces War Records - Medals - Air Crew Europe Star Medal
(Access date 5 April 2015) * The Atlantic Star with either the Air Crew Europe or France and Germany clasp. * The Air Crew Europe Star with either the France and Germany or Atlantic clasp. * The France and Germany Star with the Atlantic clasp.
As a result of the different date ranges involved, the earlier period Air Crew Europe clasp could not be added to the later period France and Germany Star.

Institution

The Allies launched their campaign in North West Europe on 'D-Day', 6 June 1944, when British, American and Canadian forces landed on the beaches of Northern France. Over the following eleven months, these forces advanced across Western Europe while the Russians advanced towards Berlin from the East, Germany finally surrendering on 8 May 1945. The France and Germany Star was instituted by the

in May 1945, for award to those who had served in operations on land or in the air in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland or Germany from 6 June 1944 until the end of active hostilities in Europe on 8 May 1945, as well as for Naval and Merchant Navy service directly in support of these land operations.

Award criteria

The France and Germany Star was awarded for entry into operational service in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland and Germany between 6 June 1944 and 8 May 1945, both dates inclusive. The qualifying sea area was south of a line from the Firth of Forth to Kristiansand (South) in the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...

, east of longitude 6° West in the Bay of Biscay, and in the English Channel, provided such service was directly in support of land operations in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland or Germany. Air crew who flew on operations against the enemy over Europe on or after 6 June 1944 qualified by one operational sortie. The qualification for flying personnel posted or employed on air transport or ferrying duties from bases in the United Kingdom was at least three landings in Europe. Sorties flown from the Mediterranean did not qualify for the award of the France and Germany Star. Similarly, Army personnel who entered Austrian territory during the closing stages of hostilities in Europe, and Naval and Merchant Navy service afloat in the Mediterranean in support of operations in the South of France, did not qualify for this award. All these qualified for the award of the Italy Star. No South African Army or Air Force unit served in North West Europe during the war, with the frigate HM SAS Good Hope the only South African Naval vessel whose crew qualified for the Star. Including those seconded to British units, a total of 657 South African Forces personnel received the France and Germany Star or clasp, excluding South African citizens who enlisted directly into British and other Allied armed services. The France and Germany Star was not awarded in addition to the Atlantic Star or the Air Crew Europe Star. Personnel who qualified for the award of two or all three of these stars, were awarded only that star for which they first qualified and a clasp in respect of the first earned of the other two stars. Since the Air Crew Europe Star could not be earned for service after 5 June 1944, only the Atlantic clasp could be awarded with the France and Germany Star.

Description

The set of nine campaign stars was designed by the Royal Mint engravers. The stars all have a ring suspender which passes through an eyelet formed above the uppermost point of the star. They are six–pointed stars, struck in yellow copper zinc alloy to fit into a 44 millimetres diameter circle, with a maximum width of 38 millimetres and 50 millimetres high from the bottom point of the star to the top of the eyelet.Birkenhead Returned Services Association - Military Medals - The France and Germany Star
(Access date 19 April 2015) ;Obverse The obverse has a central design of the Royal Cypher "GRI VI", surmounted by a crown. A circlet, the top of which is covered by the crown, surrounds the cypher and is inscribed "THE FRANCE AND GERMANY STAR". ;Reverse The reverse is plain. ;Naming The British Honours Committee decided that Second World War campaign medals awarded to British forces would be issued unnamed, a policy applied by all but three British Commonwealth countries. The recipient's details were impressed on the reverse of the stars awarded to Indians, South Africans and, after a campaign led by veteran organisations, to Australians. In the case of Indians, naming consisted of the recipient's force number, rank, initials, surname and service arm or corps, and for South Africans and Australians, of the force number, initials and surname, in block capitals.Memoirs - My Days With The I.A.F (1940-48) - V S C Bonarjee, IAS
(Access date 14 April 2015)Rear Side of the Medals
(Access date 14 April 2015) ;Clasp Ribbon - France and Germany & Atlantic

The clasp was struck in yellow copper zinc alloy and has a frame with an inside edge which resembles the perforated edge of a postage stamp. It is inscribed "ATLANTIC" and was designed to be sewn onto the medal's ribbon. When the ribbon is worn alone, a silver rosette is worn on the ribbon bar to denote the award of the clasp. ;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with equal width dark blue, white, red, white and dark blue bands. The colours are those of the Union flag and also the

national colours National colours are frequently part of a country's set of national symbols. Many states and nations have formally adopted a set of colours as their official "national colours" while others have ''de facto'' national colours that have become well ...

of France and the Netherlands. The ribbons for this medal and the Defence Medal as well as those of the other Second World War campaign stars, with the exception of the Arctic Star, were devised by King George VI.

Order of wear

The order of wear of the Second World War campaign stars was determined by their respective campaign start dates and by the campaign's duration. This is the order worn, even when a recipient qualified for them in a different order. The Defence Medal and War Medal are worn after the stars. The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal is worn after the Defence Medal and before the War Medal, with other Commonwealth war medals worn after the War Medal. * The

, from 3 September 1939 to 2 September 1945, the full duration of the

. * The

, from 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the Battle of the Atlantic and the War in Europe. * The

, from 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the

Arctic Convoys The Arctic convoys of World War II were oceangoing convoys which sailed from the United Kingdom, Iceland, and North America to northern ports in the Soviet Union – primarily Arkhangelsk (Archangel) and Murmansk in Russia. There were 78 convoys ...

and the War in Europe. * The

, from 3 September 1939 to 5 June 1944, the period until D-Day minus one. * The

, from 10 June 1940 to 12 May 1943, the duration of the North African Campaign. * The Pacific Star, from 8 December 1941 to 2 September 1945, the duration of the Pacific War. * The

, from 11 December 1941 to 2 September 1945, the duration of the Burma Campaign. * The

, from 11 June 1943 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the Italian Campaign. * The France and Germany Star, from 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the

North West Europe Campaign The North West Europe campaign was a campaign by the Commonwealth of Nations, British Commonwealth armed forces in North West Europe, including its skies and adjoining waters during World War II. The term Western Front (WWII), Western Front has als ...

. * The Defence Medal, from 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945 (2 September 1945 for those serving in the Far East and the Pacific), the duration of the Second World War.New Zealand Defence Force - The Defence Medal Eligibility Rules
(Access date 21 April 2015) * The War Medal, from 3 September 1939 to 2 September 1945, the full duration of the Second World War.New Zealand Defence Force - The War Medal 1939-45 Eligibility Rules
(Access date 22 April 2015) The France and Germany Star is therefore worn as shown: Ribbon - Italy Star

* Preceded by the

. * Succeeded by the Defence Medal.

External links

France and Germany Star on the UK Parliament website

References

{{South African military decorations and medals British campaign medals Australian campaign medals New Zealand campaign medals Military decorations and medals of South Africa Military decorations and medals of South Africa pre-1952 Awards established in 1945 Military awards and decorations of World War II