Africa Star

The African Star is a Second World War medal.

The star was awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943.

The six–pointed star is yellow copper zinc alloy.

The obverse has a central design of the Royal and Imperial cypher, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The Africa Star’.

The sand coloured buff ribbon has a central red stripe and two narrow stripes, dark blue at left and light blue at right. The colours represent the desert, Army, Navy, and Air Force.

First Army: Awarded for service with that army between 08 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. A '1' is worn on the ribbon in undress to denote this bar.

Eighth Army: Awarded for service with that army between 23 October 1942 and 12 May 1943. An '8' is worn on the ribbon in undress to denote this bar.

North Africa 1942-1943: Awarded for service with the Navy, Merchant Navy, Air Force or headquarters of the 18th Army Group between 23 October 1942 and 12 May 1943. In undress, a rosette on the ribbon denotes this bar.

Only one bar is worn and when the ribbon is worn alone a ribbon emblem, ‘8’, ‘1’ or silver rosette as appropriate is worn to denote the award of a bar.