The General Service Medal 1918-1962 (GSM 1918-62) was instituted in 1923 as a general service medal similar to the Naval General Service Medal 1915-1962 and to be awarded for minor conflicts for which no other specific campaign medal is awarded. It was always awarded with a clasp indicating the area for which the medal was awarded. Subsequent service is recognised by the award of further clasps to be worn on the original medal.
Members mentioned in despatches for operations recognised by the GSM 1918-1962 after 11 August 1920 were approved to wear a bronze oak leaf on the medal ribbon.
The GSM 1918-62 is cupro-nickel medal with the obverse having the effigy of the reigning sovereign at time of issue. The reverse bears a figure of Victory with a trident in her left hand and a wreath in her right. Directly below the wreath is a winged sun above a sword, vertically aligned with the tip pointing towards the base of the medal.
The GSM 1918-62 ribbon is purple with a central dark green stripe.
There have been sixteen clasps issued for the GSM 1918-1962.
These are:
Web page last updated 19 January, 2012