Five miniature WWII merchant navy service medals

Date1939 - 1945

Object number00028856

NameMedal

MediumGold, silver, ribbon

DimensionsOverall: 53 x 82 mm, 0.026 kg
Display Dimensions: 55 x 90 x 10 mm

ClassificationsCoins and medals

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Ruth Fergus

Terms

DescriptionA strip of five miniature World War ll service medals on a mounted on a bar pin awarded to Douglas William Macdonald who served as an electrical engineer in the merchant navy during WWII. The medals consist of three stars: The 1939-1945 Star, The Atlantic Star and The Pacific Star with a Burma clasp. All three stars have monogram initials of King George VI. The two medals are: The 1939 - 1945 War Service Medal (head of King George VI on front, verso shows a lion standing on a dragon) and The Australia Service Medal 1939 - 1945 with the Commonwealth's coat of arms.HistoryThe 1939 - 1945 Star was awarded forthose who carried out a period of six months service at sea for Merchant Navy provided at least one voyage was made through one of the specified areas of active operations. The ribbon colours are a dark blue stripe representing the Naval Forces and the Merchant Navy, the red stripe the Armies and the light blue stripe the Air Forces. The Atlantic Star - The Atlantic Star was awarded to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic between 3 September 1939 and 8 May 1945. It was designed primarily for convoys and their escorts and anti-submarine forces, as well as for crews of fast merchant ships that sailed alone. It was awarded for six months service afloat, in the Navy, the Merchant Navy and by Army and Air Force personnel serving on HM Ships, in the Atlantic and Home Waters. The ribbon colours represent the colours of the Atlantic Ocean. The Pacific Star is awarded for entry into operational service in the Pacific Theatre of Operations between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. Navy and Merchant Navy personnel are eligible if the 1939-45 Star is earned by six months service or if they entered the Pacific Theatre between 2 March 1945 and 2 September 1945. The ribbon features central yellow and green stripes that represent the forests and the beaches of the Pacific, flanked dark blue, light blue and red stripes that represent the service of the Naval Forces and Merchant Navy, the Air Forces and the Armies. The War Medal 1939-45 was awarded for 28 days full-time service in the Armed Forces between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. The ribbon colours of red, white and blue represent the colours of the Union Flag. The Australia Service Medal 1939-1945 was instituted in 1949 to recognise the service of members of the Australian Armed Forces and the Australian Mercantile Marine during World War II. The khaki represents the Australian Army, and the red, dark blue and light blue represent the Merchant Navy, Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force respectively. SignificanceDouglas Macdonald served as an electrical engineer officer on MV SALAMAUA from 1943 - 1946.