Key Publishing

Reply To: 263 Sqn Question for Alex Crawford and Jerry Brewer

March 17, 2006 at 10:33 pm #1344198

Participant

He should have had the BoB Clasp – he’s listed as one of the Few. Atlantic Clasp was for the same criteria as the star, ie:

Maximum number of WWII Medals
No one person could receive more than 5 stars and the two medals. Also no one person was awarded more than one clasp to any one campaign star.

This maximum entitlement can be expressed as

1939-45 Star
Atlantic Star (or Aircrew Europe or France and Germany)
Africa Star
Pacific Star (or Burma Star)
Italy Star
Defence Medal
War Medal
Some examples are

A RAF pilot who qualified first for the Atlantic Star and then the France & Germany star, would wear the Atlantic Star with France and Germany clasp.
A soldier who won the Pacific Star, and then gained the Burma Star, would wear the Pacific Star with Burma clasp.

Atlantic Star

This star was awarded to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic within the period 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945. The 1939-45 Star must have been earned by 6, or 2 for aircrew, months service before commencing qualifying service for the Atlantic Star.

The recipient was awarded this star if their service period was terminated by their death or disability due to service. Also the award of a gallantry medal or MID also produced the award of this medal, regardless of their service duration.

Royal Navy and Merchant Navy personnel, together with Army and RAF personnel serving with either Naval service, had to complete 6 months service in the Atlantic, home waters, North Russia Convoys or South Atlantic waters west of longitude 20 degrees East.

RAF members of air crews who had completed 2 months service in active operations within the specified area, providing that service for the 1939-45 Star had been completed.

The possible Atlantic, Aircrew Europe and France & Germany Star combinations are (remembering that you only received the first two earned of these 3 stars)

Aircrew Europe Star with France & Germany Clasp
Aircrew Europe Star with Atlantic Clasp
Atlantic Star with Aircrew Europe Clasp
Atlantic Star with France & Germany Clasp
France & Germany Star with Atlantic Clasp
Due to the different date ranges, you can’t have a Aircrew Europe clasp to a France and Germany Star.

Air Crew Europe Star

This medal was awarded for operational flying from the UK over Europe, between the period 3 September 1939 to 5 June 1944 (outbreak of war until the start of the D-Day Normandy Invasion).

RAF air crew had to complete 2 months service for this medal. However, this 2 months had to come after the service which entitled the person to the 1939-45 Star.

Army personnel qualified for this star if they served on air crew duties for 4 months, and that 2 months of this minimum 4 month period had been operational flying over Europe, with at least one operational sortie.

The possible Atlantic, Aircrew Europe and France & Germany Star combinations are (remembering that you only received the first two earned of these 3 stars)

http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/wwii_medals.htm