Operational Service Medal - Service in Afghanistan 2002 to 2004 Type

[Guest Darrell]

The following medal was awarded for Service in Afghanistan during 2002 thru 2004. After that date the same medal was issued but with some differences in both the Clasp and naming.

A little background on the medal:

Qualifying criteria

The award of this medal is complex; depending on length and area of service:

To qualify for the clasp, personnel must have either 5, 21, or 30 days continuous service between various dates, depending on the operation, for example between 11/09/2001 and 1/08/2002, or for a period later specified, on Operation Veritas, Operation Fingal and Operation Landman.

To qualify for the medal without the clasp depends on service of varying lengths on operations, for example operation(s) Landman, Oracle Ramson or Damien. Alternatively the medal is awarded for service in other middle eastern countries during specific dates. Pakistan, Oman and Qatar to name but a few.

Medal

The medal is silver and circular in shape and designed as follows:

Obverse shows the crowned effigy of Elizabeth II.

Reverse bears the Union Flag, surrounded by the inscription 'For Operational Service' and the four major points of the compass, with four Coronets: Royal (top left), Naval (top right), Mural-Army (bottom left), and Astral-Royal Air Force (bottom right).

Clasp

The "Afghanistan" Clasp is awarded for service specifically in Afghanistan.

Rosette on ribbon denotes clasp when no medal is worn.

There are two types of 'Afghanistan' clasps to date, the first initial issue from 2002-2004 the clasp had a smooth background behind the writing and from Op Herrick onwards (2005 to present) the clasp has a 'dappled' effect behind the writing, just like the 'Northern Ireland' clasp on the 1962-2007 General Service Medal.

The medal is issued without the clasp for service outside Afghanistan in support of ongoing operations, i.e. Pakistan and Oman.

Naming

The naming came in two styles to go along with the time period. up to 2004 with impressed capitals, post 2004 with lazer engraved capitals.

Ribbon

The ribbon consists of a broad central red stripe, flanked each side by a stripe of navy blue and one of light blue, to represent the three services, with an outer stripe of light brown, to represent the Afghan landscape.

The medal shown below is the earlier type awarded up till 2004. As such it has the smooth background behind the Afghanistan on the clasp and the Impressed capitals in the naming along the rim.

This medal came with an issue box and the envelope that held the rosette to be attached to the ribbon bar.

This medal was awarded to PTE M L FISHWICK of the RLC (Royal Logistics Corps).

[Guest Darrell]

Obverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Closeup of Afghanistan Clasp (2002-2004 type with no stippling background - smooth):

[Guest Darrell]

Closeup of Obverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Reverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Closeup of Reverse:

[Guest Darrell]

The capital letters of the impressed naming along the edge of the medal:

a.

[Guest Darrell]

b.

[Guest Darrell]

c.

[Guest Darrell]

The envelope that contains the Silver Rosette (sewn on ribbon bar worn when medal is not):

[Guest Darrell]

Back of Envelope:

[Guest Darrell]

Outsides of the top and bottom of the little white box that the medal came in:

[Guest Darrell]

Insides of top and bottom:

[Greg]

Is this sort of discolouration usual on UK medals only 6 or 7 years old?

Greg.

[Guest Darrell]

Depends on how and where they were stored. Patina develops quick rapidly on silver in certain areas.

Mother used to have silver spoons that would tarnish in 1 years time.

[censlenov]

The laser engraving method tarnishes the medals. common on Iraq's too.

Cheers

Chris

[Guest Darrell]

The laser engraving method tarnishes the medals. common on Iraq's too.

Cheers

Chris

Chris, this is the first series of the medal. These were impressed not laser engraved.

These issue medals were silver, the Iraq / gulf war medals were cupro-nickel. The "tarnished" look from the laser engraving were in fact "burn" marks made by this process.

Below is an example of the effects of "laser" engraving on an Iraq medal.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Darrell

[Greg]

It is still a good looking, solid looking, distinctive medal. Quite different to the post 70s Australian medals. Cupro-nickel certainly doesn't tarnish much and is an attractive finish. I have seen one set of UK/Australian medals (W.O. transferred to the Australian Army) remounted in the correct Australian Order and the jeweller had the silver coloured ones rhodium (?) finished to make them all shiny and new looking. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when the W.O. picked them up !!

Greg.

[Guest Darrell]

It is still a good looking, solid looking, distinctive medal. Quite different to the post 70s Australian medals. Cupro-nickel certainly doesn't tarnish much and is an attractive finish. I have seen one set of UK/Australian medals (W.O. transferred to the Australian Army) remounted in the correct Australian Order and the jeweller had the silver coloured ones rhodium (?) finished to make them all shiny and new looking. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when the W.O. picked them up !!

Greg.

It is interesting why these medals were silver, yet the Gulf War and Iraq medals were Cupro-nickel.

But i agree, I love the Silver medals (just look at my pets the Victorian).

Much better than most anything Canada has come up with over the last 20 years - those god awful rhodium plated monstrosities ....