The Italy Star

The Italy Star will be granted for entry into operational service in the Italian Campaign.

The ribbon of the Italy Star is in the Italian colours, green white and red. There are five vertical stripes of equal width, one in red on either edge and one in green at the centre, the two intervening stripes being in white.

The Italy Star will be awarded for service at sea in the Mediterranean during the campaign subsequent to the capture of Pantellaria on the 11th June 1943, and until 8th May 1945, irrespective of the length of service, provided the service was directly connected with active operations in the Mediterranean theatre, including those in the Aegean and the South of France

In the Merchant Navy the qualifications for the Italy Star are:

(a) The 1939-45 Star must have been earned by six months’ service at sea and be followed by service in a vessel landing troops, stores, etc., at ports in, or on the shores of, the Mediterranean, excluding those in Spain, The Balearic Islands, North Africa, Palestine, Syria, Turkey (East of 30 degrees East) and in Cyprus. Service in vessels passing through the Mediterranean will not be a qualification.

If six months’ service at sea has not been rendered, the Italy Star will be awarded only in the following circumstances:

(b) Service specified in paragraph (a) terminated by death, wounds or other disability arising out of service.
(c) Service specified in paragraph (a) marked by an Honour, Decoration, Mentioned in Despatches or Commendation for Brave Conduct.
(d) Service specified in paragraph (a) during the last six months of operational service up to the 2nd September 1945, provided that service was not subsequently rendered in another operational area. The 1939-45 Star will not be awarded in such cases.