The Gulf Medal

Time Period: Post-WW2
Year of Institution: 1992
Country: Great Britain

The Gulf War Medal is a British campaign medal issued to officers and men of British forces who served in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during Operation Granby (the Liberation of Kuwait) in 1990–91 and approved in 1992.

It was instituted to recognize and honor the service of British and Commonwealth military personnel who participated in the Gulf War (also known as Operation Desert Storm) and subsequent operations in the Persian Gulf region in the early 1990s.

The Gulf Medal was established in 1992 and was awarded for various periods of operational service in the Gulf region, depending on the specific campaign or operation. The medal comes in several variations, each with its own distinctive ribbon and clasp, denoting the specific period and theater of service.

In addition to the Gulf Medal, there is also a separate medal called the Iraq Medal, which was awarded for service in later operations in Iraq, particularly during the post-9/11 period.

The Gulf War Medal Clasps

Two clasps were authorized for those who served in Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion, and for those who took part in operations to liberate Kuwait:

2 Aug 1990: Awarded to the members of the Kuwait Liaison Team who were in Kuwait on the said date, and who were taken hostage by the invading Iraqi Army.

16 Jan-28 Feb 1991: Awarded for seven days continuous service between these dates in the designated Theatre of Operations. This clasp signifies service during the actual war.

In undress uniform, a rosette is worn on the medal ribbon to denote the award of either clasp.

The Gulf War Medal Design

The Gulf Medal is made of cupro-nickel and measures 36 millimeters (1.4 in) in diameter.

The obverse shows the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing right with the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF. The reverse display an eagle in flight above an automatic rifle superimposed on an anchor, representing the three services, with THE GULF MEDAL above and 1990-91 below. The recipients details were impressed in capitals on the edge of the medal.

The Gulf War Medal ribbon measures 32 millimeters (1.3 in) wide, and shows a sand-colored broad central stripe flanked by narrow stripes of dark blue, red and light blue which represent the three services. A dark blue line appears on both outer edges.