Commemorative War Medal 1940-1941

The Greek Commemorative War Medal 1940-1941 was instituted by Royal Decree of August 19th 1947. It was instituted to recognise the actions of the Royal Greek Armed Forces who took part in the war efforts from the outbreak of the war in Greece in 1940 until the fall of Crete in 1941. It was also awarded to foreign forces that fought on Greek soil.
The medal can either be of bronze or of gilt. The obverse bears the head of King George II, surrounded with a laurel wreath. The wreath is at the top joined by a crown. In 1983 the obverse was changed because of the changing of Greece from a kingdom to a republic in 1974. From 1983 the obverse shows a headless winged female figure above the inscription "1940-41". The figure is surrounded by a laurel wreath, at the top joined by the Greek word for "Greece".
The reverse has original a Greek inscription meaning "1940-41 Eprius, Albania, Macedonia, Thrace, Crete" for Army medals and "1940-41 Aegean, Ionian, Myrtoum, Adriatic" for Navy medals. From 1983 the "1940-41" was removed but the rest remained.

The riband is of a dark blue colour with a pale blue centre stripe and two narrow white edge stripes. Some variations have a more grey stripe in the centre.
Every recipient receives a certificate with the recipients name.