Australian Service Medal 1945-75

The Australian Service Medal 1945-75 was approved in 1995. It was awarded for service in, or in connection with declared non-warlike operations during the period commencing on 3 September 1945 and ending on 16 September 1975.

Design

The medal is nickel-silver with the Australian Coat of Arms surrounded by the words The Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 on the obverse.

The reverse has a Federation Star with space for recipient’s details.

The ribbon has central stripes of yellow and green, flanked by navy blue, khaki and light blue stripes from the Australia Service Medal 1939-45.

A nickel-silver clasp with the name of the theatre or action for which the award is made is presented with the medal.

Further awards of the medal in other areas are recognised by the presentation of additional clasps. These are worn above previously awarded clasps, in order of date of receipt.

The following clasps have been issued for the medal.

Operation Dates Allotted/assigned Visitor/Temporary duty

Berlin

Declaration and Determinations (Gazette S414) of 27 Oct 1995 (PDF, 111.12 KB)

Service with the ‘Berlin Airlift’ 26 Jun 1948 - 30 Sep 1949 30 days N/A

Far East Strategic Reserve

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S102) of 3 Apr 1995 (PDF, 480.19 KB)

Service with the Far East Strategic Reserve 2 Jul 1955 - 31 Oct 1971 30 days 30 days

Germany

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S408) of 18 Aug 1998 (PDF, 118.61 KB)

Service during occupation of Germany 9 May 1945 - 19 Oct 1951 30 days 30 days

Indonesia

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S274) of 18 Jul 1996 (PDF, 150.05 KB)

Service with UN Good Offices Commission 1 Aug 1947 - 1 Jan 1949 30 days 30 days
Service with UN Commission for Indonesia 1 Jan 1949 - 30 Apr 1951 30 days 30 days

Japan

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S498) of 1 Dec 1997 (PDF, 203.29 KB)

Service with British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) 3 Sep 1945 - 28 Apr 1952 30 days 30 days

Kashmir

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S274) of 18 Jul 1996 (PDF, 146.1 KB)

Service with UN mission in India/Pakistan 13 Aug 1948 - 13 Feb 1975 30 days 30 days

Korea

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S102) of 27 Mar 2001 (PDF, 182.98 KB)

Service with UN Commission in Korea 9 Jun 1950 - 23 Jun 1950 30 days N/A
Service with British Commonwealth Force Korea (BCFK) in Japan and Okinawa 29 Apr 1952 - 26 Aug 1957 30 days N/A
Service afloat and in air off Korea to 161kms 28 Jul 1953 - 26 Aug 1957 30 days N/A
Ceasefire monitoring activities in Korea 28 Jul 1953 - 26 Aug 1957 30 days N/A
Service with UN Command (MAC) 27 Aug 1957 - 13 Feb 1975 30 days N/A

Middle East

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S102) of 27 Mar 2001 (PDF, 195.25 KB)

UN Treaty Supervision Organisation 11 Jun 1948 - 13 Feb 1975 30 days 30 days
UN Disengagement Observer Force 3 Jun 1974 - 13 Feb 1975 30 days 30 days
Second UN Emergency Force 25 Oct 1973 - 13 Feb 1975 30 days 30 days
UN Observation Group In Lebanon 11 Jul 1958 - 9 Dec 1958 30 days 30 days
UN Yemen Observer Mission 4 Jul 1963 - 4 Sep 1964 30 days 30 days
No 78 (F) Wing Malta 9 Jul 1952 - 1 Dec 1954 30 days 30 days

Papua New Guinea

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S74) of 30 Apr 2009 (PDF, 213.36 KB)

Service in Papua New Guinea leading to Independence 3 Sep 1945 - 16 Sep 1975 30 days 30 days

South East Asia

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S230) of 29 Jun 2001 (PDF, 244.78 KB)

Service on land in Malaysia (excluding Thai-Malay border when warlike)

1 Aug 1960 - 16 Aug 1964

12 Aug 1966 - 14 Mar 1975

30 days 30 days
Service on land in Singapore

1 Aug 1960 - 16 Aug 1964

12 Aug 1966 - 14 Mar 1975

30 days 30 days
Service on land in Thailand (excluding Ubon & Ban Kok Talat)

2 Jul 1955 - 24 Jun 1965

1 Sep 1968 - 30 Oct 1971

30 days 30 days
Service on land in Vietnam 2 Jul 1955 - 30 Jul 1962 30 days 30 days
Service on land in Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia 2 Jul 1955 - 14 Mar 1975 30 days 30 days
Service on RAN ships with ANZUK force 30 Oct 1971 - 14 Mar 1975 30 days 30 days

Special Operations

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S230) of 29 Jun 2001 (PDF, 143.47 KB)

Service on Special Operations CDF specify (on or after 3 Sep 1945) - CDF specify (on or before 13 Feb 1975) CDF to determine CDF to determine

South West Pacific

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S230) of 29 Jun 2001 (PDF, 203.09 KB)

Service on islands in SW Pacific area, Dutch East Indies, Burma and Malaya/Singapore 3 Sep 1945 - 24 Nov 1946 30 days 30 days
RAAF service on Morotai Island 25 Nov 1946 - 10 Jul 1948 30 days 30 days
RAAF service on Cocos Island with No 2 ACS 18 Nov 1951 - 24 Jan 1954 30 days 30 days
RAAF service on Bathurst, Champagny and Sir Graham Moore Islands with Long Range Navigation Stations 3 Sep 1945 - 24 Nov 1946 30 days 30 days
Minesweeping service afloat with RAN in waters off coast of China and SW Pacific 3 Sep 1945 - 30 Dec 1946 30 days 30 days
Minesweeping service afloat with RAN in all Australian waters 3 Sep 1945 - 16 Aug 1948 30 days 30 days
Minesweeping service afloat with RAN in Netherlands (Dutch East) Indies 25 Nov 1946 - 30 Dec 1946 30 days 30 days
Minesweeping service afloat with RAN in waters off Solomon Islands 25 Nov 1946 - 16 Aug 1948 30 days 30 days
Bomb and mine clearance; coast of Queensland 3 Sep 1945 - 31 May 1950 30 days 30 days
Bomb and mine clearance; Solomon Islands 25 Nov 1946 - 10 Nov 1956 30 days 30 days
Service with War Graves on Labuan, Ambon and Borneo Islands 25 Nov 1946 - 20 Sep 1947 30 days 30 days

Thailand

Declaration and Determination of 4 Dec 2012 (PDF, 610.66 KB)

Royal Thai AF Base Ubon

1 May 1962 - 30 May 1962

28 Jul 1962 - 24 Jun 1965

30 days 30 days
Operation Crown
2 Field Troop, RAE at Ban Kok Talat
1 May 1962 - 24 Jun 1965 30 days 30 days

Western New Guinea

Declaration and Determination (Gazette S337) of 5 Sep 1995 (PDF, 75.39 KB)

Service with UNTEA 3 Oct 1962 - 30 Apr 1963 30 days N/A

Source documents

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette S122 of 3 April 1995 (Letters Patent and Regulations) (PDF, 205.73 KB)

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette S220 of 14 June 1995 (Determination) (PDF, 123.99 KB)

Application process

Contacts

Defence honours and awards
BP33-1
PO Box 7952
Canberra BC ACT 2610