I had expected more from this slim volume and, at first browsing, it does not seem to be of the standard that I expect from Shire Books. For example, the page about the one medal that I was awarded - the South Atlantic Medal (1982) - has too much blank space (a quarter of the page) and that means there was room for a lot more information than that afforded. Half the text is about medals that are sought after by collectors and the essential information denied readers of this book is the number of medals awarded to the 27,500 serving personnel Down South and some 2,000 who served on Ascension Island in 1982 - medals awarded to the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service (QARNNS), Merchant Navy, British Army and the Royal Air Force; this information is surely of interest to medal collectors and would help inform the value of medals. Later edition(s) of this book may mention that, on 3 Nov 2017, the qualifying dates for the medal were changed and a further 3,626 medals (without rosette) were issued for service Down South between the day after the formal surrender by Argentine Forces to 21 Oct 1982.

It is interesting that the author states that awards to the Parachute Regiment and Welsh Guards are highly sought after, given that the war was led by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, a war principally fought by seafarers and 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines ashore (of which 2 Para was part for the duration of hostilities). He mentions that medals awarded to the ship's company of the nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror are "highly collectable" and that is certainly understandable. However, I'd have thought that medals awarded to Merchant Seafarers, this being one of the few occasions since the Second World War where medals were awarded to those in requisitioned ships of the Merchant Navy, as well as those serving in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, would be of special interest to collectors (about 2,000 medals were awarded to each group of merchant seafarers). I estimate that only about 90 women were awarded the medal and that's a 'group' surely of interest, albeit not mentioned, as might be the medals of medics at sea and ashore and, not least, the medals of those such as the seven naval personnel of Naval Party 2090 (NP2090), embarked in mv British Enterprise III, requisitioned as a diving tender.

The author commits a cardinal sin in that he describes 'The Few' of the Battle of Britain as RAF pilots (The 1939-1945 Star - page 24). Most of the nearly 3,000 of 'The Few' were RAF pilots, but 56 of them were naval aviators, officers of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Most were serving in 804 Naval Air Squadron and 808 Naval Air Squadron and a few were serving with RAF Squadrons; one might think that one of these naval aviators' medals was rather more a collector's item than many of the RAF medals. Some 500 of the 'The Few' were, of course, pilots from the British Empire, the Dominions and foreign powers.

It's a pity that the author also refers to a number of medals by their colloquial name, rather than by their actual name. For example, the heading on page 24 "The 1939-45 Star" is incorrect, and is right next to a photograph which clearly shows the name is properly "The 1939-1945 Star". This sort of detail matters particularly when one is searching online, of course.

Later edition(s) of this book may mention that, on 19 Dec 2012, the Arctic Star was issued, retrospectively (and some 67 years after the war's end), complementing the Antarctic Star. It was mainly for those who served in ships on Arctic Convoys but, of course, others who served north of the Arctic Circle.

With no index, it's hard to be sure, but I think there is no mention of the Army Medal Office (now the MoD Medal Office), the issuing authority, no mention of miniature medals and no mention of replica medals. Last year, for example, I met a full colonel still serving in the Army, and he had a number of unusually shiny medals; he admitted they were all replicas, purchased after learning that a friend of his had had his original medals stolen (the colonel now keeps his original medals under lock and key, and never wears them!). I am told by a medal collector that such medals will be considered as fakes. Miniature medals were not issued by the Medal Office but had to be purchased by the holder, so there is no true original in the way that there is for the full-size medals.

I would also have liked to know how many of each and every medal were issued - numbers for some are stated - and when they were issued. For example, when were each of the Stars for the Second World War issued?

It is a surprise to learn that many campaign medals were struck in silver. My South Atlantic Medal is cupro-nickel, sadly. ( )