23/02/2004

Soldiers and civilians set to receive Iraq campaign medal

A new Iraq medal to recognise military and support operations is set to be issued in the coming weeks, the MoD has said today.

Members of Britain's armed forces, UK civilians, including embedded media, and certain foreign nationals assigned to the operation, are eligible for the medal.

Members of the armed forces and MoD civilians who died during their service in Kuwait or Iraq will automatically qualify for the honour.

Minister for the Armed Forces Adam Ingram said: "The medal recognises the collective bravery and achievements of the military and civilian personnel who risked so much to remove Saddam Hussain's oppressive regime. I am sure that the recipients of the medal will wear it with pride."

The Iraq Medal bears the crowned image of the Queen, and the design of the reverse is the symbol of the Lamussu – a sculpture dating from the Assyrian period which is symbolic of the region – above the word 'IRAQ'.

(gmcg)

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