British campaign medals
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British campaign medals are awarded to members of the British Armed Forces, Allied forces and civilians participating in specified military campaigns. Examples include the ''Defence Medal'', for homeland defence in World War II, and the ''Atlantic Star'' for World War II sea service in the Atlantic.


18th century

*
Naval Gold Medal The Naval Gold Medal was awarded between 1793 and 1815 to senior officers of the Royal Navy for specified actions. Two different sizes were struck. 22 large medals were awarded to flag officers (admirals), commodores and captains of the fleet ...
(1794)


19th century

* Army Gold Cross (1810) *
Army Gold Medal The Army Gold Medal (1808–1814), also known as the Peninsular Gold Medal, with an accompanying Gold Cross, was a British campaign medal awarded in recognition of field and general officers' successful commands in campaigns, predominantly the Pe ...
(1810) *
Waterloo Medal The Waterloo Medal is a military decoration that was conferred upon every officer, non-commissioned officer and soldier of the British Army (including members of the King's German Legion) who took part in one or more of the following battles: Li ...
(1815) *
Ghuznee Medal The Ghuznee Medal is a British campaign medal awarded for participation in the storming of the fortress of Ghuznee in Afghanistan, on 21 to 23 July 1839 by troops of the British and Indian Armies. This action, the Battle of Ghazni, took place du ...
(1839) *
Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal The Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal was awarded to those who took part in the campaign in the spring and summer of 1842, under the command of General William Nott, to restore British standing in Afghanistan after earlier defeats during the First ...
(1842) *
Jellalabad Medals The Jellalabad Medal was a campaign medal issued by the British East India Company. It was established by Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of India, on 30 April 1842.The medal was awarded for the defence of Jalalabad from 12 November 1841 ...
(1842) *
Medal for the Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie The Kelat-I-Ghilzie Medal is a campaign medal issued by the British East India Company, to the defenders of the fort at Kelat-I-Ghilzie during the First Anglo-Afghan War. History After the massacre of General Elphinstone's Army during the 1842 r ...
(1842) * China War Medal (1842) *
Scinde Medal The Scinde Medal was authorised on 22 September 1843 and issued to soldiers of the Honourable East India Company, the 22nd Regiment of Foot of the British Army and members of the Indian Navy who crewed the Indus Flotilla, who participated in Maj ...
(1843) *
Gwalior Star The Gwalior Star is a Campaign medal presented by the Honourable East India Company to the soldiers of the British Army and the British led Bengal Army who took part in the 1843 Gwalior Campaign. History Rising tensions between the East India ...
(1843) *
Sutlej Medal The Sutlej Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1846, for issue to officers and men of the British Army and Honourable East India Company who served in the Sutlej campaign of 1845–46 (also known as the First Anglo-Sikh War). This medal was the ...
(1846) *
Naval General Service Medal (1847) __NOTOC__ The Naval General Service Medal (NGSM) was a campaign medal approved in 1847, and issued to officers and men of the Royal Navy in 1849. The final date for submitting claims was 1 May 1851.British Battles and Medals, page 34. Admiral Th ...
*
Military General Service Medal __NOTOC__ The Military General Service Medal (MGSM) was a campaign medal approved in 1847 and issued to officers and men of the British Army in 1848.Including officers and men of the King's German Legion, Brunswick Oels and Chasseurs Britanniques ...
(1847) *
Punjab Medal __NOTOC__ The Punjab Medal was a campaign medal issued to officers and men of the British Army and Honourable East India Company who served in the Punjab campaign of 1848-49, which ended in the British annexation of the Punjab.Medal Yearbook 2015, ...
(1849) *
Army of India Medal The Army of India Medal (AIM) was a campaign medal approved in 1851 for issue to officers and men of the British Army and the Army of the Honourable East India Company. A retrospective award following the precedent set by the Naval General Servic ...
(1851) *
India General Service Medal (1854) __NOTOC__ The India General Service Medal (1854 IGSM) was a campaign medal approved on 1 March 1854, for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies. It was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India and nearby countries, ...
* South Africa Medal (1854) * Crimean War Medal (1854) *
Baltic Medal The Baltic Medal was a campaign medal approved on 6 June 1856, for issue to officers and men of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and Royal Sappers and Miners who served between March 1854 and August 1855 in the Baltic Sea operations against Russia ...
(1856) *
Indian Mutiny Medal __NOTOC__ The Indian Mutiny Medal was a campaign medal approved in August 1858, for officers and men of British and Indian units who served in operations in suppression of the Indian Mutiny. The medal was initially sanctioned for award to troops ...
(1858) *
Second China War Medal The Second China War Medal was issued by the British Government in 1861 to members of the British and Indian armies and Royal Navy who took part in the Second Opium War of 1857 to 1860 against China. The medal was designed by William Wyon. The ...
(1861) * New Zealand War Medal (1869) *
Abyssinian War Medal The Abyssinian War Medal was awarded for service between 4 October 1867 and 19 April 1868 to those who participated in the 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia. This punitive expedition, led by Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier, was carried out by th ...
(1869) *
Canada General Service Medal The Canada General Service Medal was a campaign medal awarded by the Canadian Government to both Imperial and Canadian forces for duties related to the Fenian raids between 1866 and 1871. The medal was initially issued in 1899 and had to be ap ...
(1866–70) * Ashantee Medal (1873–74) *
South Africa Medal (1880) The South Africa Medal (1880), often referred to as the Zulu War Medal, is a campaign medal instituted in 1880 and awarded by the British Government to members of the British Army, Royal Naval Brigade and Colonial Volunteers who were involved ...
(1877–1879) * Afghanistan Medal (1878–1880) *
Kabul to Kandahar Star The Kabul to Kandahar Star, also known as the Roberts Star or Kandahar Bronze Star was awarded to those British and Indian troops who participated in the 320 mile march from Kabul to Kandahar in Afghanistan between 9–31 August 1880, under the co ...
(1880) *
Egypt Medal The Egypt Medal (1882–1889) was awarded for the military actions involving the British Army and Royal Navy during the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War and in the Sudan between 1884 and 1889. Resentment at increasing British and other European involve ...
(1882–1889) * Royal Niger Company’s Medal (1886–1897) * British South Africa Company Medal (1890–1897) * East and West Africa Medal (1892) *
Central Africa Medal The Central Africa Medal was a British campaign medal awarded for service from 1891–1894 in Eastern and Central Africa, and from 1894–1898 for service in British Central Africa. Criteria Award of the Central Africa Medal was approved by Quee ...
(1895) *
India Medal The India Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1896 for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies. The India Medal was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India, chiefly for service on the North-West Frontier duri ...
(1896) *
Ashanti Star The Ashanti Star was created in 1896 for the members of the expedition against the Ashanti King Prempeh, in the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War
(1896) *
Queen's Sudan Medal The Queen's Sudan Medal was authorised in March 1899 and awarded to British and Egyptian forces which took part in the Sudan campaign between June 1896 and September 1898. The campaign reflected the British desire to reverse the defeats of the Ma ...
(1899) *
East and Central Africa Medal The East and Central Africa Medal, established in February 1899, was a British campaign medal awarded for minor military operations in the Uganda Protectorate and Southern Sudan between 1897 and 1899. Four separate clasps were issued. Most medals ...
(1899) *
Queen's South Africa Medal The Queen's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, and to civilians employed in an official capacity, who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Altogether twenty-six clasps wer ...
(1899) * Queen's Mediterranean Medal (1899) (South African War)


20th century


Pre World War I

*
China War Medal (1900) The China War Medal 1900 was a British campaign medal approved on 1 January 1902 for issue to British and Indian land and sea troops who served during the Boxer Rebellion, between 10 June and 31 December 1900. The medal was issued in silver to ...
*
Ashanti Medal The Ashanti Medal was sanctioned in October 1901 and was the first campaign medal authorised by Edward VII. This medal was created for those troops engaged in the Third Ashanti Expedition, also known as the War of the Golden Stool. This expedition ...
(1901) *
King's South Africa Medal The King's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to all British and Colonial military personnel who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa, and who were in the theatre on or after 1 January 1902 and who had completed 18 m ...
(1902) * Africa General Service Medal (1902) * Transport Medal (1902) (for South Africa or China) *
Tibet Medal The Tibet Medal was authorised in February 1905 for all members of the Tibet Mission and accompanying troops who served at or beyond Siliguri from 13 December 1903 to 23 September 1904. The obverse of the medal, designed by G. W. de Saulles, s ...
(1905) *
Natal Native Rebellion Medal The Natal Native Rebellion Medal was a British campaign medal. It was authorised in 1907 for service in Natal during a Zulu revolt against British rule and taxation in 1906. The 1906 Clasp to the medal was awarded to those who had served for m ...
(1906) *
India General Service Medal (1909) __NOTOC__ The Indian General Service Medal (1909 IGSM) was a campaign medal approved on 1 January 1909,British Battles and Medals, p. 220. for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies. From 1919, it was also awarded to officers a ...


World War I

During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
(1914–1918) the following campaign medals were issued: *
1914 Star The 1914 Star, colloquially known as the Mons Star, is a British World War I campaign medal for service in France or Belgium between 5 August and 22 November 1914. Institution The 1914 Star was authorised under Special Army Order no. 350 in No ...
* 1914–15 Star *
British War Medal The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in si ...
* Mercantile Marine War Medal * Victory Medal *
Territorial Force War Medal The Territorial Force War Medal was a campaign medal awarded to members of the Territorial Force, British Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Service who served overseas in World War I. It is the rarest of the five British Great War ...
The most frequent combinations are "trios" of either the 1914 or 1914–15 Star, the British War Medal and Victory Medal; and "pairs" of the British War and Victory Medals, these generally for servicemen who joined the war after 1915.
A
Memorial Plaque A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...
was issued to the next-of-kin of deceased service personnel.


Inter World War

*
General Service Medal (1918) __NOTOC__ The General Service Medal (1918 GSM) was instituted to recognise service in minor Army and Royal Air Force operations for which no separate medal was intended. Local forces, including police, qualified for many of the clasps, as could ...
*
Naval General Service Medal (1915) The Naval General Service Medal (1915 NGSM) was instituted in 1915 to recognise service by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in minor campaigns that would not otherwise earn a specific campaign medal. The Army/Air Force equivalent was the General ...
* India General Service Medal (1936)


World War II

During
World War II 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 opposing ...
(1939–1945) the following were issued (with authorised Clasp or Emblem (if awarded) in brackets)—the first eleven are listed in the authorised Order of Wearing: *
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 ...
(Battle of Britain ''or'' Bomber Command) *
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 ''or'' France and Germany) *
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 ...
*
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 ...
(Atlantic ''or'' France and Germany) *
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 ...
(8th Army ''or'' 1st Army ''or'' North Africa 1942–43) *
Pacific Star The Pacific 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 Pacific Campaign from 1941 to 1945, during the Second World War. One clasp, Burma, was ...
(Burma) *
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 ...
(Pacific) *
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 ...
*
France and Germany Star The France and Germany Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to British Commonwealth forces who served in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Germany and adjacent sea areas between ...
(Atlantic) * Defence Medal (Silver laurel leaves (King's Commendation for brave conduct; civil)) * Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (Overseas ''or'' Dieppe ''or'' Hong Kong ''or'' Bomber Command) * Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal *
War Medal 1939–1945 The War Medal 1939–1945 is a campaign medal which was instituted by the United Kingdom on 16 August 1945, for award to citizens of the British Commonwealth who had served full-time in the Armed Forces or the Merchant Navy for at least 28 days ...
(Oak leaf) *
Africa Service Medal The Africa Service Medal is a South African campaign medal for service during the Second World War, awarded to members of the Union Defence Forces, the South African Police and the South African Railways Police. The medal was originally intende ...
*
India Service Medal The India Service Medal 1939–1945 was a campaign medal of the Commonwealth. It was awarded to Indian Forces for three years of non-operational service in India during the Second World War. Eligibility The medal was instituted on 6 June 194 ...
* New Zealand War Service Medal * Southern Rhodesia Medal for War Service * Australia Service Medal


Post World War

*
Korea Medal The Korea Medal (french: Médaille de Corée), sometimes referred to as the Queen's Korea Medal to distinguish it from the United Nations Service Medal, is a campaign medal created in 1951 to recognize troops from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, ...
(1951) *
General Service Medal (1962) __NOTOC__ The General Service Medal (1962 GSM, also sometimes referred to as the Campaign Service Medal), is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom introduced in 1962 to replace both the General Service Medal (1918), as awarded to the Army and ...
*
Rhodesia Medal The Rhodesia Medal was initiated by the British Government in consultation with Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kenya, whose forces took part in Operation AGILA ( Operation MIDFORD for the New Zealand forces). The role of the multi-national forc ...
(1980) *
South Atlantic Medal The South Atlantic Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British military personnel and civilians for service in the Falklands War of 1982 between the United Kingdom and Argentina. Over 33,000 medals have been awarded. The South Atlantic ...
(1982) *
Gulf Medal The Gulf War Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1992, for issue to officers and men of British forces who served in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during Operation Granby (the Liberation of Kuwait) in 1990–91. Medal The Gulf Medal is cupro-nickel ...
(1991)


21st century

*
Operational Service Medal for Sierra Leone The Operational Service Medal for Sierra Leone is a campaign medal established in 2000 by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom for participation in the British military intervention during and after the Sierra Leone Civil War, from May ...
(2000) *
Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan The Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan is a campaign medal previously awarded by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom for service by British Armed Forces personnel in support of the post-2001 Afghan War. Operational Service Medal ...
(2002–present) *
Operational Service Medal for the Democratic Republic of Congo The Operational Service Medal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a British armed forces campaign medal, awarded mostly to military personnel who served between 14 June and 10 September 2003 on Operation Coral. Operational Service Med ...
(2003) * Iraq Medal (2004–2011) * Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal (2004–2013) * Civilian Service Medal (Afghanistan) (2011–present) * Ebola Medal for Service in West Africa (2014–2016) *
General Service Medal (2008) The General Service Medal 2008 (GSM 08), was introduced in 2015 for award to Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army, Army and RAF personnel to recognise specified operations since January 2008, not qualifying for another campaign medal. Unlike ...
(2009–present) * Operational Service Medal for Iraq and Syria (2016–present)


See also

* Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom *
Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom The British Armed Forces recognises service and personal accomplishments of individuals while a member of the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force with the awarding of various awards and decorations. Together with rank and qualification b ...
*
Campaign medal A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of an armed force who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater. Campaign medals are very similar to service medals but carry a hig ...
*
NATO Medal The NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is manufactured by Eekelers-Centini Intl, of Hemiksem, Belgium. ...
*
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 Me ...
* Canadian campaign medals *
New Zealand campaign medals Prior to 1946 the New Zealand armed forces received honours of the United Kingdom, including military decorations and campaign medals. Since the end of World War 2 there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system. ...


References

* Mackay, J & Mussell, J.W. (2003). ''Medal Yearbook 2003''. Token Publishing Ltd, UK.


External links


Search over 5 million campaign medal cards on The UK National Archives' website.

Records of WW2 Medals issued to Merchant Seamen from The National Archives.
{{DEFAULTSORT:British Campaign Medals Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom