Three bars were awarded which consisted of:- 8TH ARMY, for service in the Eighth Army between 23 October 1942 and 12 May 1943; 1ST ARMY, for service in the First Army or any unit under its command from 31 December 1942 to 12 May 1943; and NORTH AFRICA 1942-43, to Naval, RAF and Merchant Navy personnel operating in specified areas from 23 October 1942 to 12 May 1943. When only ribbons are worn, these bars are replaced by the arabic numeral 8, the arabic numeral 1, and a small silver rosette. During the same dates inshore service by the Merchant Navy, certain commands of the RAF, and the personnel of 18th Army Group earned a silver rose emblem instead of one of the bars. Although it was possible to qualify for more than one bar, only the first was awarded.
The ribbon is pale buff with a wide red stripe in the centre. Equidistant between the edges of the ribbon and the middle stripe are a thin dark blue stripe on the left and a thin light blue stripe on the right. These colours represent the services and the desert sands.
