Any Medal Experts Out There?

1939-45 Star:

Bars
– Battle of Britain – awarded to aircrew for at least one operational sortie with an accredited fighter squadron during the designated period (10th July-31st October 1940). Hence a pilot shot down on 9th July and remaining non-operational until 1st November would not qualify but an air gunner of an “accredited” squadron flying his first op on the evening of 31st October would qualify. The bar is only worn on the full-size medal ribbon. On tunic ribbons, the award of the bar is denoted by a gilt coloured rosette (bars on any other medal are denoted by silver rosettes).

Air Crew Europe (ACE) Star:

France & Germany bar – awarded to all aircrew (not just pilots) who qualified during the time frame mentioned above.

e.g. A fighter pilot on sweeps over Europe, Dieppe etc. flying prior to D-Day would have earnt an ACE star. He continues flying over Europe post D-Day therefore technically earning a France & Germany star but as he already has an ACE star, he can only add a France & Germany bar to it – no separate medal. This bar is worn as above and is represented by a silver rosette on the tunic ribbon of the ACE star.

Nice & easy eh? !!!! Why the govt. came up with such a convaluted scheme is beyond me. Don’t even try to understand how you can have an ACE with Atlantic bar OR an Atlantic star with an ACE bar……(both of which were awarded)

Hi Andy,

If a pilot received the Air Crew Europe Star then he would have the France and Germany bar and not the star.

Alex

Thanks everyone. Just to confirm, would a pilot who received the AirCrew Europe Star (ie flew missions prior to D Day) also actually receive the France & Germany Star Medal if entitled to it or would this be represented by a bar on the former?
Thanks,
Andy

Hi,

I believe that those who flew in the Battle of Britain wore a ‘Battle of Britain’ bar on the 1939-45 Star.

Alex

Isn’t the rosette on the aircrew over europe ribbon for the battle of britain?

I’m no expert but I think that the rosette would only appear on ribbon bars in place of the qualifying bar.

Tony

Hi Andy,
The Medal Yearbook 2005 states the following about both medals…

France & Germany Star
Awarded for operational service in France, Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany from 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945. Service in the North Sea, English Channel and the Bay of Biscay in connection with the campaign in northern Europe also qualified. Prior eligibility for the Altantic or Air Crew Europe Stars entitled personnel only to a bar for France & Germany. Conversely a first award of the France & Germany Star could earn an Atlantic bar.

Only the Atlantic bar was worn on the F&G Star

Air Crew Europe Star
Awarded for operational flying from UK bases over Europe, for a period of two months between 3 September 1939 and 4 June 1944. Entitlement to either the Atlantic Star or France & Germany Star was denoted by the appropriate bar. This Star is by far the most coveted of all the Second World War stars. Officially named stars to South Africans are the rarest of all the 2nd World War medals.

Only the Atlantic or France & Germany bars are worn on the the ACE star.

HTH

Tony

Isn’t the rosette on the aircrew over europe ribbon for the battle of britain?

Help needed to answer a medal entitlement question. I have in my possession my Great Uncles WW2 campaign medals for service with the RAF which are: 39-45 Star, North Africa Star with North Africa 42-43 Bar, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal & 39-45 Medal. However on the dress ribbons the France & Germany Star is missing but in its place is the Aircrew Europe Star with a rosette I presume for France & Germany. Should he have received the actual AirCrew Europe Star medal as well as the France Germany Star as he flew Typhoons both before and after D Day?
Thanks,
Andy

I’m not a medal expert, but…
“The Star was awarded for two months of operational flying from the UK over Europe between 03 September 1939 and 05 June 1944. It was not awarded after D-Day.”

I’d assume that means he was not in action for long enough before D-Day to earn the Aircrew Europe star, so instead he got the France and Germany star, which I believe replaced it.