Africa Star 1940-43 awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Beresford Herbert Wallis, 107th Pioneers

Copper-zinc alloy, unnamed, campaign medal in the form of a six-pointed star with, on the obverse, the royal cypher, 'GRVI', for King George VI (1895-1952), within circlet bearing the medal name, 'The Africa Star', surmounted by a crown. The medal is suspended by a ring from a pale buff ribbon with central red stripe flanked by light and dark blue stripes.

Beresford Herbert Wallis (1888-1951) was educated at Aravon School, and passed out of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 1908. He served with the Royal Irish Regiment, joining the Indian Army in 1911.

During World War One (1914-1918), Wallis served with the 107th Pioneers on the Western Front and was wounded, and Mentioned in Despatches on two occasions. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1915. Wallis went on to serve with his regiment in Mesopotamia.

Wallis continued to serve in the Indian Army after the Great War. The 107th Pioneers was amalgamated to form the 2nd Bombay Pioneers in 1922. Walllis also served in World War Two (1939-1945).

Instituted in 1943, the Africa Star was awarded to British and Commonwealth personnel who served in the operational area of North Africa between the 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943 during World War Two (1939-1945). The pale buff colour of the ribbon represents the desert sand; the dark blue, the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy; the pale blue, the Royal Air Force, and the red, the Army.

From a medal group awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Beresford Herbert Wallis, 107th Pioneers.