Ribbon
In the colours of the Union Flag, also symbolising those of France and the Netherlands, a central red stripe flanked by white and blue stripes of equal width.
Criteria
Star awarded for 1 or more days’ service in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands or Germany between the above dates.
Naval personnel will qualify for service afloat in the North Sea and English Channel within certain specified boundaries.
RAF air crew, who have not already qualified by service on land, will qualify with one operational sortie over the appropriate land or sea area.
Campaign History
Concurrently to the campaigns in the Far East, the Allies were preparing for a final campaign in Northwest Europe. On 6 June 1944 – known as D-Day – British, American and Canadian forces landed on the beaches of Northern France.
Over the next year the British, American and Canadian forces advanced across Western Europe, liberating German-occupied France, Belgium and the Netherlands. At the same time the Russians advanced from the East, through German-occupied Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria towards Berlin.
The German forces surrendered when the Allies reached Berlin, bringing the war in Europe to an end on 8 May 1945.