Africa Star 1940-43 awarded to Captain Alan Alexander Drew Mitchell, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Copper-zinc alloy medal in the form of a six-pointed star, 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.

The Africa Star was awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. The area between the Suez Canal and Gibraltar was included, together with Malta, Abyssinia, Kenya, Sudan, Somaliland and Eritrea. Mitchell (1916-1959) served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during World War Two (1939-1945). He also served with the King's African Rifles and the French Foreign Legion.

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 Captain Alan Alexander Drew Mitchell (1916-1959). Mitchell served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during World War Two (1939-45). He also served with the King's African Rifles and the French Foreign Legion.