1939 - 1945 Star.

[Spitfire]

Has this little argument with a friend of mine:
When was the "1939 - 1945 Star with Battle of Britain clasp" handed out?
I say during the war - around 1943. While my friend says after the war.
Who is right?

 

[Cobden]

The 1939-45 ribbon was issued from 1943 onwards (hence it is often called the 1939-43 star), however, medals themselves (excluding gallantry medals such as the VC) weren't themselves issued during the war. So you're both right -ribbon wartime, medal postwar!

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks Cobden - but I dont really get it. Are you saying that if a guy got a - lets say - DFC in summer 1940 he only got the ribbon? And the medal itself after the war?

 

[Cobden]

A DFC might be a special case, being a gallantry award the actual medal may have been given out during the war, I'm not certain - it could have just been the ribbon - after all, medals weren't worn during the war by the British.

 

[Smithy]

Hope I can help slightly with this...

If we are talking DFCs Spitfire, the situation very often dictated procedure. You mention a DFC from summer 1940 (and I take it you mean awarded for an action during the Battle of Britain), these were very often a case of the actual medal being presented by the King. Proximity to London of squadrons fighting the Battle, the propaganda and morale value of the King awarding the medal, etc meant that a vast amount of BoB DFCs were awarded by royalty.

Conversely if we take Cobber Kain (the NZer who was the RAF's first ace of the War) his DFC notification arrived as a telegram whilst in France. He subsequently got into trouble a day or so later when Air Marshall Arthur Barratt came to visit 73 Squadron and found Cobber not wearing the DFC ribbon. Cobber expalined that he thought he had to wait until the medal was awarded in person but Barratt said he was to sew the ribbon on as soon as notification came through.

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks to both of you.
Let me get this straight then:
It would be possible to see a pilot wearing the ribbon of the 1939-1945 Star with BoB clasp/rosette in 1943?
Maybe even together with DSO and/or DFC ribbons.
(I do not give up so easily - we have 3 pints at stake )

 

[Cobden]

Not sure about the BoB rose, but as for the rest...just.

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks Cobden. It seems like I have two pints comming my way - because of the uncertainty of the rose, I will buy my friend the last one.
Cheers