1914-15 Star

The 1914-15 Star medal

Eligibility

The 1914-15 Star was awarded to servicemen and servicewomen who served between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 in any "theatre of war". This included service at Gallipoli between 25 April 1915 and 31 December 1915, service in Egypt between 5 November 1914 and 31 December 1915, and service during the capture of German Samoa on 29 August 1914. Those eligible for the medal must have "served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war" during the relevant dates of operations in that area.

Description

The 1914-15 Star is a crowned four-pointed star with crossed swords and a wreath of oak leaves, with the royal cypher at the foot and a central scroll inscribed 1914-15. The 1914-15 Star is identical to the 1914 Star, except for the omission of AUG and NOV, and the scroll across the centre being inscribed 1914-15. The reverse of the 1914-15 Star is plain, except for the inscribed name and service details of the recipient. The medal is bronze and is attached to the ribbon by a ring.

Throughout the British Empire more than 2.35 million 1914-15 Stars were awarded.

Awarded to:

Leith John Newton Angelo		Robert Prior Bailey	William Barge	Ronald Adolphous Julian Batt
Edward James Bell		Frederick James Bishop	Gordon Bishop	John Blake
Charles Blunt		Henry Bolton	Arthur Percy Thomas Boyle	Richard William Thomas Boyle
James (Roy) Braidwood MM MiD		Henry Thomas (Harry) Brear	Edward Briggs	Harry Redcliffe Broadhurst
William Buck		Leonard Henry (Lennie) Buckingham MM	Albert George Bullock	William Edward Butcher MM RMG MiD
Arthur Charles Cam		Clarence Roy Champion	Stanley Joseph Callow Champion	Victor Norman Chandler MM
Frederick Lawrence Close		Henry Thomas Cockram	George Sidney Cook	Claude Francis Cooper
Charles Henry Davis		Aubrey Cecil Dawson	Frank William Dowell	Victor Emanuel Durling
Albert John Egan MiD		John James Emery	Richard Evans MM	Frederick Fancote
Walter Raymond Farnham		Charles Maul Glover	John Francis Grabham MM	Bertie Greenfield

Notes

Initially this medal was not intended for those who fought at Gallipoli. Instead it had been proposed that a 'Gallipoli Star', or 'ANZAC Star' would be given to Australian and New Zealand troops. However, there was unease in Britain that men from other Commonwealth nations would not be eligible and so, despite it having been approved by King George V, it was substituted with the 1914-15 Star.

In 1967 Gallipoli specific service was rewarded in Australia and New Zealand with the issue of a Gallipoli Medal (not intended to be worn) to those who were eligible, or their next of kin.