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General Service Medal
1918 - 1962
Instituted 19th January 1923 for Military operations otherwise than
in East, Central and West Africa, India or on the Indian
Frontier. This medal defines the (often inglorious) British retreat
from Empire as well as various interventions deemed necessary due to
the geopolitical imbalances generated in the aftermath of the two world
wars. This medal was intended for the Army and Air Force - the
Naval General Service Medal 1915 - 1962 ran parallel with this for
the Navy and Royal Marines, with similar (but not identical) bars.
Description: 36mm in silver - ornate fixed suspender
initially , changed to swivelling for the EIIR issues. The
medal was not issued without a bar. Various obverses corresponding
to the relevant issue period (see the first table below). Reverse:
the standing, helmeted figure of Victory holding a trident in her
left hand and placing a laurel wreath over the symbols of the
Army and the Air Force with her right.
Bars: seventeen issued, see second table. The latest
authorized bar
"Canal Zone" was instituted in 2003 after a vigorous and long
campaign by certain groups and MPs to gain medallic recognition for
service in the "Suez canal zone" , 16th Oct '51 - 19th Oct '54.
Naming : no surprises, impressed in neat sans-serif capitals for
the Army, or machine engraved for the Royal Air Force.
Ribbon: Purple, with a wide green central stripe.
|
Obverse &
Issue |
|
Monarch |
Issue/ Type |
Obverse / Legend |
Obverse Period |
| George V |
1 |
GV 1 |
Coinage Head /
GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX : ET IND : IMP. |
1914 - 1934 |
| George V |
2 |
GV 2 |
Crowned, in coronation
robes. / GEORGIVS. V. D. G. BRITT. OMN. REX. ET. INDIAE.
IMP. |
1934 - 1936 |
| George VI |
3 |
GVI 1 |
Crowned head / GEORGIVS GVI D :
G : BR : OMN : REX : ET INDIAE IMP : |
1937 - 1948 |
| George VI |
4 |
GVI 2 |
Crowned head / GEORGIVS GVI DEI
: GRA : BRITT : OMN : REX : FID : DEF+ |
1949 - 1952 |
| Elizabeth II |
5 |
EIIR 1 |
Tudor crowned head /
ELIZABETH II D : G : BR : OMN : REGINA F. D. |
1952 - 1953 |
| Elizabeth II |
6 |
EIIR 2 |
Tudor crowned head /
ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F. D. |
1953 - |
|
Bars,
period and obverse type. |
S. Persia
12th November 1918 - 22nd June 1919
GV type 1 |
Kurdistan
23rd May - 6th December 1919
and
19th March 18th June 1923
GV type 1 |
Iraq
10th December 1919 - 17th November 1920
GV type 1 |
N.W.
Persia
10th August - 31st December 1920
GV type 1 |
Southern
Desert, Iraq
8th January - 3rd June 1928
GV type 1 |
Northern
Kurdistan
15th March - 21st June 1932
GV type 2 |
Palestine
19th April 1936 - 3rd September 1939
GVI type 1 |
S.E. Asia
1945-46
3rd September 1945 - 30th November 1946
GVI type 1 |
Bomb &
Mine Clearance 1945-49
9th May 1945 - 31st December 1949
GVI type 1 & 2 ? |
Bomb &
Mine Clearance 1945-56
3rd September 1945 - 10th November 1956
GVI type 1 & 2 ? |
Palestine
1945-48
27th September 1945 - 30th June 1948
GVI type 1 |
Malaya
16th June 1948 - 31st July 1960
GVI type 2 and EIIR types 1 & 2 |
Canal
Zone
16th October 1951 - 19th October 1954
EIIR type 2 |
Cyprus
1st April 1955 - 18th April 1959
EIIR
type 2 |
Near East
31st October - 22nd December 1956
EIIR
type 2 |
Arabian
Peninsula
1st January 1957 - 30th June 1960
EIIR
type 2 |
Brunei
8th - 23rd December 1962
EIIR
type 2 |
|
| |
|
Bar award
criteria in more detail. |
|
(Also see:
Medals of the Regiments for qualification by regiment for
Infantry and Cavalry units.) |
