The Africa Star
The Africa Star will be granted in addition to the 1939-45 Star to those who have qualified for both Stars.
The ribbon of the Africa Star is pale buff in colour with a central vertical red stripe and two other narrower stripes, one dark blue and the other light blue. The background is intended as a symbol of the desert, the central red stripe stands for the Armies, the dark blue strip for the Naval Forces, the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleet and the light blue for the Air Forces. The ribbon is worn with the dark blue stripe furthest from the left shoulder.
In the Merchant Navy the qualifications for the Atlantic Star are:
In the Merchant Navy, service of any length at sea in the Mediterranean between the date of the entry of Italy into the War on the 10th June 1940, to the date of the cessation of operations against the enemy in North Africa on the 12th May 1943, inclusive or in direct support of the Army in the Abyssinian, Somaliland and Eritrea Campaigns between the 10th June 1940 and the 27th November 1941, will qualify. Service in Merchant Navy vessels which took part in the landings on the coast of Morocco on or after the 8th November 1942, will also be a qualification.
Clasp to The Africa Star
The Clasp to the Africa Star, denoted by the silver rose Emblem, will be granted to members of the Merchant Navy who served in vessels engaged in landing troops, equipment, stores etc at ports, or on the shores, of North Africa between el Alamein and the Straits of Gibraltar during the North Africa Campaign from the 23rd October 1942 (the date of the Battle of el Alamein) to the cessation of hostilities in North Africa on the 12th May 1943, irrespective of the length of that service. Service in ships which took part in the landings on or after the 8th November 1942, on the Coast of Morocco will also be a qualification.