Encyclopedia - Air Force Medal
The Air Force Medal - or
AFM - was awarded by British military authorities to non-commissioned
officers as a means of recognising acts of valour, courage or devotion to
duty whilst flying, but not while in active operations against an enemy.
Instituted at the same time as the Distinguished Flying Medal on 3 June 1918 - King George V's birthday - the Air Force Medal was in practice seldom awarded. In all some 102 AFMs were awarded in 1918-19 (two greater than the number of Distinguished Flying Medal awards).
The medal's obverse featured the effigy of King George V; on the reverse within a wreath of laurel Hermes featured, mounted on a hawk in flight and bestowing a wreath. The medal was engraved with the service number, rank, initials, surname and service of the recipient.
A supplementary Bar could be awarded to recognise an additional act that would by itself have merited an award of the AFM.
The AFM was essentially a non-combat version of the Distinguished Flying Medal.
Stormtroopers comprised specially trained German assault troops used in 1918.
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