General Service Medal 1962-Present

[Darrell]

Instituted in 1964 to replace the Naval General Service Medal 1909 - 62 and the General Service Medal, and hence becoming the campaign medal for all three services. Thirteen bars have been issued for various minor campaigns, policing actions and minesweeping. When the closing date for the Northern Ireland clasp is announced, it will also signal the termination of the medal itself, as since 1999 no further new clasps for this medal are to be created and its role is now taken over by the Operational Service Medal.

Description: In silver, 36mm diameter with a swivelling suspender. Obverse; the crowned bust of Queen Elizabeth II and the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F. D. Reverse; the inscription FOR CAMPAIGN SERVICE with a crown over, all within an oak wreath.

Naming: in small sans serif capitals for the UK. Australia and New Zealand issues in larger letters, no unit given on Australian types. This medal has since 2005 allegedly been laser engraved in a similar style to the IRAQ Medal.

Ribbon: purple, with wide green edge stripes.

Possible Clasps and Service Required to obtain them:

<table id="table18" border="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" align="center" width="99%"> <table id="table19" border="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="center" width="25%">Borneo
24th December 1962 - 11th August 1966</td> <td align="center" width="25%"> Radfan
25th April - 31st July 1964
</td> <td align="center" width="25%"> South Arabia
1st August 1964 - 30th November 1967</td> <td align="center" width="25%"> Malay Peninsula
17th August 1964 - 11th August 1966</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%">South Vietnam
24th December 1962 - 29th May 1964</td> <td align="center" width="36%">Northern Ireland
14th August 1969 -
</td> <td align="center" width="29%">Dhofar
1st October 1969 - 30th September 1976</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%">Lebanon
7th February 1983 - 9th March 1984
</td> <td align="center" width="36%" nowrap="nowrap">Mine Clearance - Gulf of Suez
15th August - 15th October 1984
</td> <td align="center" width="29%">Gulf
17th November 1986 - 28th February 1989</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%">Kuwait
8th March - 30th September 1991</td> <td align="center" width="36%">N. Iraq & S. Turkey
6th April - 17th July 1991</td> <td align="center" width="29%">Air Operations Iraq
16th July 1991 - 30th April 2003</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Darrell]

This is a nice two Clasp (NORTHERN IRELAND+SOUTH ARABIA) General Service Medal 1962-Present named to 23726064 SPR. T. AIRNES. RE.

Sapper with Royal Engineers.

Obverse:

[Darrell]

Closeup of Clasps:

[Darrell]

Closeup of Obverse:

[Darrell]

Reverse:

[Darrell]

Closeup of Reverse:

[Darrell]

Naming 1:

[Darrell]

Naming 2:

[Patrick Dempsey]

The South Vietnam clasp is a rare beast.

I think only 68 were issued from memory, and they all were issued to members of the AATTV.