Material: Silk ribbon mounted on metal backing
Size: 30mm w x 10mm h
Description: The ribbon consists of Green edges with Orange stripes and a broad purple center band. The colors symbolize Canada’s wartime service across land, sea, and air during the Second World War.
Circa: 1943–1947 issue
Notes:
The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal was instituted in 1943 to recognize Canadians who voluntarily enlisted for active service during the Second World War. It was awarded to members of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force. Eligible service ran from 3 September 1939 to 1 March 1947. To qualify, personnel generally needed 18 months of voluntary service, though wartime conditions modified requirements in some cases. Several clasps could be attached to the medal ribbon to denote specific service. These included the Overseas Clasp for service outside Canada, the Dieppe Clasp for participation in the Dieppe Raid (1942), the Hong Kong Clasp for the defense of Hong Kong in 1941, and the Bomber Command Clasp for service with RAF Bomber Command. This ribbon bar does not display a clasp, representing the basic medal without additional service distinctions. Over one million Canadian Volunteer Service Medals were awarded, making it one of the most common Canadian decorations from the Second World War, yet it remains an important symbol of Canada’s large voluntary contribution to the Allied war effort.