Australian Awards

[AustralianAce]

This is something that I thought I'd ask

Was there any awards during WWI or WWII on that matter that could only be won by Australians. I imagine in WWI there werent but maybe WWII.




http://www.geocities.com/downloadhaven

G'day Archie,

I very much doubt it, unless it was an obscure award from an even more obscure country.

Andrew.

The Australia Service Medal (instituted 1949) for Second World War services in Australia forces, awarded to all Australian personnel who had seen 18 months overseas or three years home service. Medals were engraved with recipient's name and service number.

The matter of Commonwealth countries instituting their own medals is a tale in itself. Canada instituted two during the Second World War - the Canada Medal (which, once created, was never awarded) and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

Reading portions of the Borden papers in the National Archives (Sir Robert Borden was our Prime Minister during the First Great Unpleasantness and privy to much Imperience correspondence) I discovered that Australia had suggested creation of a campaign medal for Gallipoli, but British authorities objected; I cannot recall why (and am not even certain it is explained in any great detail) but the system of campaign medals in that conflict was extremely conservative compared to what had gone before (campaign medals such as the Africa General Service Medal with numerous clasps denoting one or another punitive expedition) and the system of campaign stars instituted for the Second Great Unpleasantness.

The Northwest Canada Medal (for active service in 1885) and the Canada General Service Medal (for action, 1866-1871, including dealing with terrorists from the United States - a.k.a. Fenians) were nominally British medals but had been instituted at the behest of Canadian officers and cabinet ministers.