Medal
The GSM is silver and circular in shape. The obverse of the medal shows the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse (shown here) bears the standing winged figure of Victory in a Greek helmet and carrying a trident, bestowing a wreath on the emblems of the Army (the sword) and the RAF (the wings).
Clasp
'Canal Zone'. 17 different Clasps have been awarded with the GSM 1918. Award of Clasps to the GSM are not denoted by the wearing of an emblem when the ribbon alone is worn.
Ribbon
A central stripe of green flanked by purple stripes.
Qualifying criteria
Awarded for 30 days continuous service during the above-mentioned dates within certain specified geographical boundaries in Egypt.
About the General Service Medal (GSM) 1918
The GSM 1918 was awarded to Army and RAF personnel (Naval personnel were awarded the separate Naval GSM 1915). It was awarded for a total of 17 campaigns and operations that fell short of full-scale war.
These were 'S. Persia', 'Kurdistan', 'Iraq', 'N. W. Persia', 'Southern Desert Iraq', 'Northern Kurdistan', 'Palestine', 'S. E. Asia 1945-46', 'Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-49', 'Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-56', 'Palestine 1945-48', 'Malaya', 'Cyprus', 'Near East', 'Arabian Peninsula', 'Brunei' and 'Canal Zone'. A separate Clasp signified each of these campaigns and operations. Only one GSM was awarded to each service person, no matter how many GSM qualifying areas they served in.
On the first occasion that a service person qualified for a GSM, the medal was awarded with the relevant Clasp. Should the service person subsequently have been deployed to another GSM qualifying area, then the relevant Clasp only was awarded, to be added to the ribbon and worn above the first Clasp.
The image on the obverse of the medal changed as the reigning monarchs (George V, George VI and Elizabeth II) and their titles changed over the years.
Although the reigning monarch changed during the Suez campaign, Queen Elizabeth II appears on all the GSMs issued for the Canal Zone because it was Queen Elizabeth that approved award of the Clasp to the GSM 'Canal Zone'.
The GSM 1918 and the Naval GSM 1915 were discontinued in 1962 when a new GSM was introduced to be issued to personnel of all services. The GSM 1962 had a new design on the reverse and a new ribbon.