Common Allied Decorations

Full medals: The wearing of full medals was prohibited for the duration of the Second World War.   Undress ribbons, however, as pictured below, were worn on all forms of dress, including combat clothing. 

Titular awards: Due to an act of Parliament, Canadians were not eligible for titular awards (ie those awards which also bestowed a knighthood on the recipient).

Second awards ("bars"): Some medals could be awarded more than once; on the full dress ribbon, a metal "bar" would be added.  On undress ribbons, these bars were represented by a rosette.   In official terminology, the term "and Bar" would signify a medal awarded twice to the same individual, "and 2 Bars" would signify three awards, etc.

Post-nominals:  Post-nominals - the permission to suffix a person's name with the initials of a decoration or award - were also attached to some of the awards below.  For example, a person awarded the Victoria Cross was permitted to add the initial "VC" after their name.   These post-nominals would become part of a person's full formal designation.   Not all awards had post-nominals; these are indicated below after the full title of the award, where present.

Order of Precedence: Ribbons were worn in a strict order of importance, most important on the left hand side (when facing the wearer); if the ribbons could not be fitted onto one row over the left hand breast pocket, they were worn in multiple rows (the full medals issued after the war would be overlapped and worn in a single row).  The awards are presented here out of order to conform to the format established by the Axis awards.

Service and Long Service Awards

Instituted: Established in 1943, renamed the 1939-45 Star after the end of the war.  Some awards were apparently made during the war.
Requirements: Awarded for six months service on active operations between 2 Sep 1939 and 8 May 1945. 

Instituted: 22 October 1943.
Requirements: Awarded to personnel who voluntarily served on Active Service and honourably completed eighteen months (540 days) total voluntary service with the Canadian military from 3 Sep 1939 to 2 Sep 1945.  A bar was awarded for 60 days service outside of Canada. 
Rarity: Over 1 million Canadians became eligible for this award (Canada's population at the time was just over 12 million.)  Over 600,000 were in fact awarded.   The medal became known as the Spam Medal (and joked that it was issued for eating large quantities of tinned meat) or as the EBGO (Every Bastard's Got One).  Some soldiers found they were eligible briefly for the maple leaf but not the ribbon itself.

Overseas bar signified by maple leaf on ribbon

Good Conduct Chevrons by soldiers with the rank of Private (including those appointed Lance Corporal (or Lance Bombardier in artillery units and Acting Corporal in Rifle Regiments)) so long as the soldier had not been subject to formal discipline.  The badges took the form of standard NCO badges worn inverted on the lower left sleeve.

	2 years		5 years		12 years
Service beyond 12 years was represented by up to six chevrons with varying requirements of qualifying service.   Given the temporary nature of most recruiting for the Second World War, as well as the length of the war and the restriction of the award to private soldiers only, 4, 5 and 6-bar chevrons were extremely rare.

Service Chevrons were introduced in December of 1942.  One red chevron was worn on the right forearm for every completed year of service.

Personnel who joined the Canadian Active Service Force on or before 10 September 1940 were permitted to wear a silver chevron in addition to, and underneath, any other service chevrons granted.

Wounds Badges

Special recognition for injured soldiers in World War Two was not implemented until 1944, when orders advised that "His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve the institution of Wound Stripes," The stripes were not to be considered a reward, and posthumous issues would not be made.

Each occasion in which a soldier was wounded or injured, subject to certain conditions, entitled the soldier to a gold stripe (either metal, or in russia braid 1-1/2 inches long).  All stripes were worn vertically on the left forearm, the lower end of the first stripe 4 inches from the bottom of the sleeve or immediately above the cuff, midway between the seams on the outer side of the sleeve. Additional gold stripes were worn at half inch intervals in front of the first gold stripe.  

British Orders of Knighthood
(As the highest degrees of these honours only went to general officers, statesmen, and the like, they have been omitted here)

The first two grades of this award were titular honours (ie gave the recipient a knighthood) and not awarded for battlefield merit.  This is the third grade of the order.

After 1 Jan 1958 gallantry awards were signified by two silver oakleaves on the ribbon; this system was not yet adopted during WW II.

Instituted: 9 November 1886
Requirements: Awarded for  individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in wartime.

Prior to 1943, it was awarded only to officers whose service had been mentioned in despatches for "distinguished services under fire, or under conditions equivalent to service in actual combat with the enemy."   In practice, generally awarded to officers in command, or Lieutenant Colonel rank or higher.  Awards to ranks of Major or below were usually for a high degree of gallantry just short of that rewarded by the Victoria Cross

Additional awards signified by rosette on ribbon

This is the fourth grade of this order.
Requirements: Military Division awards for services in the field or before the enemy or for services to the Empire (later Commonwealth).

After 1 Jan 1958 gallantry awards were signified by two silver oakleaves on the ribbon; this system was not yet adopted during WW II.

Bravery, Leadership and Gallantry Awards

Victoria Cross (VC)

Instituted: 1854
Requirements: Awarded for "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy."
Awards:
To all nationalities in WW II: 182, including one bar

The award process included the requirement of witnesses, and nominations were forwarded up the chain of command, from the battalion level through brigade, division, corps, army and army group.  The VC could be (and very often was) downgraded to a lesser award anywhere along the line.  The VC was the only bravery award that could be awarded posthumously (with the exception of a Mention in Despatches).

A miniature of the medal is always worn on the ribbon; second awards are recognized by the addition of a second miniature.

George Cross (GC)

Instituted: January 1941
Requirements: Awarded for acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger.  Intended for civilians; awards to military are for actions not normally granted military honours and actions not in the face of the enemy (for example rescuing of persons during bomb clearance in the UK).
Rarity: Extremely rare; only three Canadians, for example, have ever received this award.

A miniature of the medal is always worn on the ribbon; second awards are recognized by the addition of a second miniature.

Military Cross (MC)

Instituted: 28 December 1914
Requirements: Awaded to commissioned officers of the substantive rank of Captain or below (including acting and temporary Majors) or Warrant Officers for distinguished and meritorious services in battle.
Awards:
To Canadians for WW II: 678, plus 13 bars and 1 second bar

Additional awards signified by rosette on ribbon

Instituted: 4 December 1854
Requirements: Awaded to Warrant Officers, NCOs, and men, serving in any of the sovereign's military forces, for distinguished conduct in the field.
Awards:
To all nationalities for WW II:  1090   (Only 10 second bars ever awarded in the history of the award.)
To Canadians for WW II:    161 and 1 bar

Additional awards signified by rosette on ribbon

Instituted: 25 March 1916
Requirements: Awaded to Warrant Officers, non-commissioned officers and men for individual or associated acts of bravery on the recommendation of a Commander-in-Chief in the field.

Additional awards signified by rosette on ribbon

Instituted:
Requirements: The military division medal of the BEM was awarded to NCOs and men only.  After the Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM) was superceded by the George Cross, the BEM continued to be awarded for gallantry (but of a degree less than that required to earn the George Medal).

During World War Two 1,202   awards of the BEM were made to Canadians for merit and 34 for gallantry.

Additional awards signified by rosette on ribbon

Being mentioned in despatches was the lowest form of visible recognition for bravery; it entitled the recipient to wear an oakleaf device on the riband of the War Medal (which was not issued until after hostilities).

Wound Awards

Instituted: 7 August 1782
Requirements: Upon the revival of this award in 1932, the criteria were changed to include "being wounded in action in any war or campaign under conditions which entitle the wearing of a wound chevron", or for "those persons who perform any singularly meritorious act or extraordinary fidelity or essential service."  An Executive Order by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1942 restricted the award to those being wounded in action.

Second and subsequent awards signified by bronze oak leaf clusters.

Upon receipt of a fifth bronze cluster, they were replaced by one silver cluster.

Service Awards

Instituted: By order of the President of the United States, 28 June 1941
Requirements:

"For enlisted personnel who, on or after 27 Aug 1940, had or shall have honorably completed three years of active  federal military service, or who, after 7 Dec 1941, have or shall have honorably served one year of federal military service while the United States is at war."

Combat Awards

Instituted: By the War Department on 27 October 1943
Requirements: Awarded to personnel in the grade of Colonel or below with an infantry military occupational specialty who have satisfactorily performed duty while assigned as a member of an infantry unit, brigade or smaller size, during any period subsequent to 6 December 1941 when the unit was engaged in active ground combat.    In practice, this mean to have served for 30 days in combat, or to have been wounded in action, even without the requisite 30 days.

Worn on the left breast, above the ribbon bar.

Instituted: February 1942
Requirements:  Awarded to units of the United States Armed Forces for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occuring on or after 7 December 1941. "The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of a Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. Extended periods of combat duty or participation in a large number of operational missions, either ground or air, is not sufficient."

This citation is worn by all soldiers who participated in the action for which the citation was issued, even if transferred to another unit subsequently.

All members of a unit awarded the citation will wear the citation even if they did not partcipate in the action for which the citation was issued.  When these individuals transfer to another unit, they cease to wear the Distinguished Unit Citation device.

Second and subsequent awards signified by bronze oak leaf clusters.

Upon receipt of a fifth bronze cluster, they were replaced by one silver cluster.

This badge is worn on the wearer's right breast.

Orders

Instituted: 10 July 1942 by Congress. Any actions from 8 Sep 1939 were eligible as for consideration.
Requirements: Awarded in four grades;

Chief Commander; Chief of State or Head of Government Commander; Equivalent of a U.S. military Chief of Staff or higher position
Officer; General or Flag Officer below the equivalent of a U.S. military Chief of Staff; Colonel or equivalent rank for service in assignments equivalent to those normally held by a General or Flag Officer in U.S. military service; or Military Attaches.
Legionnaire; All recipients not included above.

Officially, the criteria for this award was to recognize: "Exceptionally Meritorious Conduct in the Performance of Outstanding Service."

This is the first United States decoration to be issued in degrees, as well as to be specifically intended for award to foreigners.  It is as close as the United States has come to emulating the European system of Orders.

Second and subsequent awards signified by bronze oak leaf clusters.

Upon receipt of a fifth bronze cluster, they were replaced by one silver cluster.

Bravery, Leadership and Gallantry Awards

Instituted: 2 January 1918 by the President of the United States.
Requirements: Awarded to members of the US Army serving after 6 April 1917, who distinguish themselves by  "Extraordinary Heroism in Connection with Military Operations Against an Opposing Armed Force."

Second and subsequent awards signified by bronze oak leaf clusters.

Upon receipt of a fifth bronze cluster, they were replaced by one silver cluster.

Second and subsequent awards signified by bronze oak leaf clusters.

Upon receipt of a fifth bronze cluster, they were replaced by one silver cluster.

Instituted: 9 Jul 1918 by the Congress of the United States
Requirements: For each Citation received by US Army personnel for gallantry in action, not sufficient to warrant the Medal of Honor or the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star was authorized.  On 8 August 1932 the decoration was revised by Congress and designed in the form shown here.  Officially, it was awarded for "gallantry in Action Against an Opposing Armed Force."

Second and subsequent awards signified by bronze oak leaf clusters.

Upon receipt of a fifth bronze cluster, they were replaced by one silver cluster.

Instituted: Established by Executive Order 9419, 4 February 1944
Requirements:Awarded to any soldier of the US Army who distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.  The act must have taken place after 6 Dec 1941.

Awards were made for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described above, considered of lesser degree than that required for the award of the Silver Star.

The Bronze Star could also be awarded for "meritorious achievement" or "meritorious service" considered to have been of a lesser degree than that required for the award of the Legion of Merit.

Awards for bravery were distinguished from those for merit by a "V for Valor" device on the ribbon.

Second and subsequent awards signified by bronze oak leaf clusters.

Upon receipt of a fifth bronze cluster, they were replaced by one silver cluster.