Do you get medals in the merchant navy?

The medals were claimed and issued from 1946 to 2002. Medals were not automatically issued, but had to be claimed by the merchant seaman. You can find out whether a medal was issued by looking at the markings on the records.

Who is entitled to the Arctic Star?

The Arctic Star is awarded for operational service of any length north of the Arctic Circle (66, 32 N) between 3 September 1939 and 8 May 1945.

What do the ribbons on war medals mean?

Their own colours often have a symbolic significance: the equal stripes of the ‘1939 to 1945 Star,’ for example, are dark blue to represent the service of the Royal and Merchant Navies, red, to represent that of the Armies and light blue to represent that of Air Forces.

Did Merchant Navy get ww2 medals?

Eight medals were awarded to British merchant seamen who served in World War Two and who met the qualifications for each medal. The Mercantile Marine Office usually issued the ribbons at the port, with the medal normally following on some time later, after it had been produced by the Mint.

Who received the Atlantic Star?

The Atlantic Star, instituted to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic, was awarded to crews of the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy for operational service at sea for at least 6 months in the Atlantic, the home waters or on the Russian convoys and to air crews for at least 2 months of operational service in these …

How do you identify navy ribbons?

Navy Awards Precedence determines the order in which ribbons are to be arranged on uniforms. To identify awards on a uniform, start with the ribbon in the upper left (highest precedence) and work across, then down each row. The ribbon in the lower right position has the lowest precedence.

What is a merchant ship ww2?

These ships were to be manned by merchant mariners and to serve as a “bridge” to carry US manufactured war goods to the Allies who needed them across the Atlantic. Meanwhile, German submarines continued to attack American merchant steamers.

How much are war medals worth?

Nowadays, World War II medals can fetch as little as $5 to $10. The main reason is that these medals are usually unnamed and can’t be easily linked to a recipient. Others, however, have been issued in small quantities and have a higher collector’s value.

What are the disadvantages of merchant navy?

4 Disadvantages of Joining Merchant Navy

• Long periods away from friends and family. In the advantages of joining the Merchant Navy, we saw that seafarers tend to enjoy longer periods of vacations after completing a contract.
• Sacrificed social life.
• Constant examinations.
• Piracy and other risks.

Who has a Polar Medal?

2020s

Year	Recipient	Details
2020	Meredith, Prof. Michael Paul	Antarctic to 2016. Polar Oceanographer.
Harper, John Reynolds	2nd Clasp. Antarctic to 2019. Captain of Polar research vessels.
Whitham, Dr Andrew Gordon	2nd Clasp. Polar Geologist.