1939–1945 Star with Battle of Britain Clasp in yellow copper zinc alloy, produced as a replacement example of the pattern instituted on 8 July 1943 and awarded to British and Commonwealth aircrew of Fighter Command who flew at least one operational sortie during the Battle of Britain between 10 July and 31 October 1940. This Second World War campaign star displays the recognised device in relief, incorporating the Royal Cypher “GRI” for King George VI, surmounted by a crown at the centre, encircled by the words “THE 1939–1945 STAR”, the reverse being plain and unnamed as with all Second World War campaign stars. The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide with equal-width bands of navy blue, army red and Air Force blue; the dark blue band represents the naval forces and the merchant navy, the red band the Army, and the light blue band the air forces, the equal-width bands representing the equal contributions of the three service arms towards victory. The Battle of Britain Clasp is sewn to the ribbon via holes at each corner, inscribed “BATTLE OF BRITAIN” in raised capitals. A silver-gilt rosette worn on the ribbon bar denotes the award of this clasp when ribbons alone are worn.
The 1939–1945 Star was instituted on 8 July 1943, becoming one of the first two Second World War campaign stars announced. It was awarded for specified periods of operational service overseas between 3 September 1939 and either 8 May 1945 in the European theatre or 2 September 1945 in the Far Eastern theatre. The Battle of Britain Clasp is by a considerable margin the rarest of all clasps to the Second World War stars, instituted in 1945 for award to aircrew members on fighter aircraft who took part in the Battle of Britain from 10 July to 31 October 1940, with a total of 2,936 airmen qualifying for the clasp. The Battle of Britain was fought between the Royal Air Force Fighter Command under Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding and the German Luftwaffe between July and October 1940, representing the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces and the first significant German defeat of the war. Fighter Command’s front-line strength throughout the campaign was drawn principally from Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire squadrons, supplemented by Boulton Paul Defiant turret fighters and Bristol Blenheim night fighter units, all of whose qualifying aircrew were eligible for the clasp. The extreme scarcity of the qualifying population — fewer than 3,000 recipients from across all aircrew nationalities, including British, Polish, Czech, Canadian, New Zealand, Australian, South African, Rhodesian, Belgian, French, and American volunteers — makes the Battle of Britain Clasp the most sought-after of all Second World War British campaign medal accessories, with originally issued examples commanding substantial premiums at auction. This replacement example is produced to the original pattern specification. It is suitable for mounting to a 1939–1945 Star ribbon for display or commemorative purposes by a veteran or next of kin entitled to the award.
Manufactured in yellow copper zinc alloy consistent with Second World War campaign star replacement production, with the Battle of Britain Clasp sewn to the ribbon in the correct position. 1939–1945: Stars with Battle of Britain Clasps are collected as examples of Second World War Royal Air Force campaign medal groups; accessories to the rarest clasp in the British Second World War medal series; and commemorative display items associated with Fighter Command and the aircrew of the Battle of Britain.
Condition
As new
