Description

Authorised Reseller

Gallipoli Star Medal is protected by Australian Government IP Australia Copyright owned by Ross E. Smith of Canberra Australia.

The Gallipoli Star

The Gallipoli Star not an official campaign medal.  The original idea of a Gallipoli medal (ANZAC Star) was first proposed by Lieutenant General Birdwood in 1917, but despite being approval by King George V it was never issued. British parliamentarians and media protested because it was only to be awarded to ANZAC troops, and not to other Empire troops who had taken part the Dardanelles Campaign. In 1918, even after ribbons, but not medals, had been shipped to Australia and New Zealand, the award was cancelled, instead, eligible participants were awarded the 1914 – 1915 Star.

In 1990, Ross Smith, a Warrant Officer veteran of the Vietnam War, manufactured the medal and presented them as a personal gift to the remaining 200 Gallipoli veterans still alive at that time, and offered the remaining 1800 medals to collectors.