Africa Star 1940-43 awarded to Major Harold Sewell Knocker, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)

Copper-zinc alloy 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, with clasp, '8th Army'.

Lieutenant Colonel Harold Sewell Knocker (1899-1972) commanded 1st Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) between January and June 1942.

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 Harold Sewell Knocker, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment).

From the collection of the former Buffs Regimental Museum.