1939 - 45 Star Atlantic Star War Medal Africa Star Pacific Star Burma Star Italy Star France and Germany Star

Burma Star

30. The Burma Star will be awarded for entry into operational service in the Burma campaign from the 11th December 1941, until the 2nd September 1945

31. The ribbon of the Burma Star is dark blue with a central red stripe and in addition two orange stripes. The red stands for the British Commonwealth forces, and the orange for the sun, and these are placed on a contrasting background of dark blue.

32. In the Merchant Navy, The Qualification for the Burma Star are:

(a) The 1939-45 star must have been earned by six months' service at sea and be followed by service on or after the 11th December 1941, irrespective of the length of that service, in the following area:

The Bay of Bengal enclosed by a line running from the southernmost point of Ceylon for a distance of 300 miles south, thence to a point 300 miles west of the southernmost point of Sumatra and continuing east to the western side on Sunda Strait. The Malacca Strait is included.

If less than six months' service at sea has been rendered the Burma Star will be awarded only in the following circumstances:

(b) Service specified in paragraph 32 (a) terminated by death, wounds or other disability arising out of service.

(c). Service specified in paragraph 32 (a) marked by an Honour, Decoration, Mention in Despatches or Commendation for Brave Conduct. (d). Service specified in paragraph 32 (a) during the last six months of operational service up to the 2nd September 1945, provided that service was not subsequently rendered in another operational area. The 1939-45 Star will not be awarded in each cases.

33. Service in Merchant Navy vessels passing through the area specified in paragraph 32 (a) will not be a qualification.
Clasp to the Burma Star.
34. The Burma Star will not be awarded in addition to the Pacific Star. If a Candidate should qualify for both, the star first earned will be awarded. A Clasp will be awarded with it denoting that service, which would have qualified for the other Star, has been rendered. A silver rose Emblem will denote the award of clasp.
General
Although time spent as a prisoner of war consequent on service at sea in dangerous waters may be counted towards the qualifying period for the award of the 1939-45 star, and of the Atlantic star provided that an individual had at the time of his capture began to earn that star and had made one or more voyages in the area defined in paragraph 13 (a) after completion of service required for the award of the 1939-45 star, such time will not be counted towards the period of six months' qualifying service which must be completed before the grant of the Italy, Pacific and Burma stars may be authorised.

36. Service qualifying for the 1939-45 star cannot run concurrently with service qualifying for the Italy, Atlantic, Pacific and Burma stars. In calculating the six months' service at sea required for the 1939-45 Star no deduction will be made of the time spent in operational areas entitling the applicant to the Africa star and the France and Germany star. Similarly, in calculating the second six months' service at sea required for the Atlantic Star no deduction will be made for the time spent in operational areas entitling the applicant to another campaign star.