New Zealand Defence Force Medals Site

THE 1939–1945 Star

14. General

The 1939-45 Star is granted to recognise services rendered in operations during the War from the 3rd September, 1939, to the 2nd September, 1945, inclusive. The qualification is 180 days' operational service, except that a special award is granted for entry into operational service in certain specified areas and operations, or under the conditions laid down in para. 10.

Qualifying Land Areas (180 days)

1. The qualification for army personnel for service on land is 180 days as part of the establishment in an army operational command in:-
   1. France between 3rd September, 1939, and 9th May, 1940, inclusive; or,
   2. Any land operational area qualifying for the Africa, Pacific, Burma, Italy or France and Germany Star between the 3rd September, 1939, and 2nd September, 1945 (inclusive);
   3. Qualifying service between 9th May, 1945, and 2nd September, 1945 (inclusive) may be aggregated with qualifying service prior to these dates. 

    

   Notes.–

   1. The following areas in the Eastern Hemisphere will not be regarded as having been in the area of operational commands:- Australia, Ceylon, Fanning Island, Fiji Islands, India (except the North West Frontier region and parts of Assam and Bengal), New Caledonia, New Hebrides, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Phoenix Islands, Tonga Island.
   2. The rules for counting time spent in transit or as a prisoner of war and the conditions for “special awards” are stated in Section I.

 

2. Full time paid members of the specially approved colonial military forces, militarised police or militarised civilian bodies eligible to qualify for area campaign starts under sub-para. 26 (ii) and (iii), 3I(ii) and 37(ii), will also be eligible to qualify for the 1939-45 Star by 180 days under para. 14(i) or one day under para. 15 for operational service during the qualifying period laid down for the force concerned.
3. The undermentioned force(s) are eligible to qualify for the 1939-45 Star under para. 15 for full time service during the periods shown:-

   Arab Legion (Transjordan)              10.4.41-31.5.41

8.6.41-11.7.41

(Provided a similar award is not granted for service in Iraq or Syria).

15. Qualifying Special Areas (one day)

In the following operations entry into operational service (i.e., one day or part thereof) qualifies for the special award of the 1939-45 Star.

16. Airborne Service

1. Airborne troops will qualify for the 1939-45 Star if they have taken part in any airborne operation against the enemy, subject to the completion of 60 days' service in a fully operational unit. It is immaterial whether the operational unit was stationed in the United Kingdom, in an operational area or non- operational area. Personnel of airborne divisions who do not qualify for the 1939-45 Star (under para. 6 (ii)), and who jointed up with the airborne portion of the division in action on the ground will be subject to the normal qualifying conditions of the Army. Personnel who took part in an airborne operation prior to completing the required period of two months' service with a fully operational unit and who were withdrawn from the operational area prior to qualifying for the 1939-45 Star under normal army conditions, may aggregate any further service with a fully operational unit in order to complete the two months required for this award.

   In cases where prior to joining an air operational unit, operational service of over four months has been rendered elsewhere, service in the air operational unit may be added to this former service in order to qualify for the 1939-45 Star under the 180 day rule.

2. 1. Personnel, who although airborne did not land in the operational area and, therefore, did not carry out an “airborne operation” as defined in sub- para. 6(ii) will be required to make a second operational unit to qualify for the 1939-45 Star.

      Personnel at the air operational training unit (para. 6.(ii) (b)) will count service from the date of the sortie onwards.

   2. Units which are training, though ready for service will not necessarily be regarded as operational units. Service on return to a training, or a reserve unit will not qualify.
3. Liaison (etc.) officers at operational headquarters who flew regularly on operations and completed 60 days' service must have taken part as members of aircrew, but not as passengers or observers, in at least three operational sorties within the period of six consecutive months.
4. 1. The qualification for flying personnel posted or employed on air transport or ferrying duties will be 180 days' flying on approved overseas transport or approved ferrying routes (including at least three such overseas flights) during the period from 3rd September, 1939, to 2nd September, 1945, or a shorter period under the conditions of para. 10.
   2. For this purpose Trans-Atlantic flights; of a nature which would qualify for the Africa, Pacific, Burma, Italy or France and Germany Stars; flights to Norway, Sweden or Russia, or across the Bay of Biscay to Spain, Portugal and beyond, and including flights on the Foynes-Bathurst route, or flights on the Darwin-Calcutta portion of the Empire Air service route during the period 8th December, 1941, to 2nd September, 1945; will be deemed to have been flights on approved routes. Flights from the United Kingdom to Eire will not be regarded as overseas flights for this purpose. For the period from 9th May, 1942, to 2nd September, 1945 (inclusive), qualifying service will be confined to flights involving landings in the prescribed operational land areas for the Pacific and Burma Star.
   3. The 1939-45 Star may also be awarded to those who took part in any of the special operations listed in para. 15 and made three or more landings in any prescribed area within the dates indicated. Participation in the evacuation of the Channel Islands between 10th and 21st June, 1940, will qualify subject to the completion of three landings on the islands during this period. Aggregations of landings in various operations is not permissible.

Note. - The rules of counting time spent as a prisoner of war, or evading capture, or after escape, or liberation and the conditions for the special award of this Star are stated in Section I.

17. Clasp to the 1939-45 Star

1. The clasp to the 1939-45 Star is granted only for personnel who flew in fighter aircraft engaged in the Battle of Britain between 10th July and 31st October, 1940.

   Personnel who flew in aircraft other than fighters, notwithstanding that they may have been engaged with the enemy in the air during the qualifying period, are not eligible for this clasp.

2. The award of the clasp and the silver gilt rose emblem denoting the clasp, are confined to those who operated with the undermentioned squadrons:- Nos. 1, 17, 19, 23, 25, 29, 32, 41, 43, 46, 54, 56, 64, 65, 66, 72, 73, 74, 79, 85, 87, 92, 111, 141, 145, 151, 152, 213, 219, 222, 229, 234, 235, 236, 238, 242, 248, 249, 253, 257, 264, 266, 302, 303, 310, 312, 401 (No. 1 R.C.A.F. Sqn.), 501, 504, 600 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 607, 609, 610, 611, 615, 616, and the Fighter Interception Unit.

Awards will be made only with the approval of the Air Ministry.

18. Sea-going Service

The qualification for army personnel posted for duty in sea-going vessels (para. 7) is 180 days' service afloat in areas of active operations (dangerous waters).

19. Qualifying Sea Areas

1. The qualifying sea areas for the 1939-45 Star are:-
   1. From the 3rd September 1939, to the 31st May, 1940, the Atlantic Ocean, including Home Waters and the North Sea, the Baltic; the Arctic Ocean between Greenland and Longitude 70° E. and that part of Indian Ocean laying South of 15° S. and West of 55° E.
   2. From the 1st June, 1940 to the 9th June, 1940, as (i) (a), with the addition of the Pacific Ocean and the rest of the Indian Ocean.
   3. From the 10th June, 1940, to the 8th May, 1945, anywhere at sea.
   4. From the 9th May, 1945, to the 2nd September, 1945, the areas from the Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea, and the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, East of a line running from the south-most point of Ceylon for a distance of 300 miles South, thence to a pint 300 miles West of the Southern-most point of Sumatra, and continuing East of the Western side of Sunda Strait, thence through Christmas Island, and southwards along the Meridian of 110° E. (most of the Indian Ocean is excluded).
2. 1. Operational service on land may be aggregated with sea-going service. Service afloat in the operations listed in para. 15 may be aggregated towards the 180 days' qualifying period.
   2. Time spent as a “passenger” for a non-operational area is not qualifying service.

Note.–The rules for counting time spent in transit, or as a prisoner of war, or in evading capture, or after escape or liberation and the conditions for special awards are stated in Section I.