COMMEMORATIVE WAR MEDAL 1940-41
Instituted by Royal decree of 19 August 1947
to recognise Royal Hellenic Armed Forces personnel who took part in operations
from the outbreak of hosilities in 1940 until the fall of Crete in 1941
(Romanoff, 1987). It is issued with two different inscriptions, one for
land operations and one for actions at sea. The design of the medal was changed
in 1983 to relect the change from a Kingdom to the Greek republic in 1974.
The Medal is a medallion with a ring suspender and can be found in both bronze and gilt varities. The obverse of the medal issued by the Kingdom of Greece, bears the head of King George II, surrounded by a laurel wreath joined at the top by a crown. As shown in the photo at left. The reverse bears a Greek enscription meaning '1940-41 Eprius, Albania, Macedonia, Thrace, Crete' the theatres of war for the land campaigns medal, and '1940-41 Aegean, Ionian, Myrtoum, Adriatic' the locations for naval service for the sea operations medal. This is pendent from a Riband of dark blue with a wide pale blue centre stripe and narrow white edge stripes.
The obverse of the medal issued by the Greek Republic bears a
headless winged female figure above the inscription '1940-41' and surrounded by a laurel
wreath which is joined at the top by a Greek inscription meaning 'Greece'. As shown in
the photo at left by the Greek Army.
The reverse retains the list of land campaigns and sea operations but with the date
'1940-41 removed. The riband remains unchanged, however on some variations the centre
stripe is grey as opposed to pale blue. The Commemerative Medal 1940-41 is issued on
application to all New Zealand troops who served in Greece and Crete. Each medal is
accompanied by a certificate inscribed with the recipients name and is varification of
the award.