The Australia Service Medal 1939-45

The Australia Service Medal 1939-45 was instituted in 1949 to be awarded to all members of the Australian armed forces and those members of the Australian Mercantile Marine who served overseas for at least 18 months full-time service or three years' part-time service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. On 16 August 1996, the qualifying periods for the award of the Australia Service Medal 1939-45 were changed to 30 days' full-time or 90 days' part-time service respectively.The Australia Service Medal 1939-45 is nickel silver with the crowned effigy of King George VI on the obverse. The reverse has the Australian coat of arms, placed centrally, surrounded by the words, 'THE AUSTRALIA SERVICE MEDAL 1939-1945'. The Ribbon The Australia Service Medal 1939-45 ribbon has a wide khaki central stripe, flanked by two narrow red stripes, and edge stripes, one of dark blue the other of light blue. The khaki represents the Australian Military Forces, the red represents the Merchant Navy (which represents the red field of the Merchant Ensign), the dark blue represents the Royal Navy and the light blue represents the Royal Australian Air Force and Civil Air Services.