There is no official British Medal for those who were called up for National Service. It has never been the Governments policy to award a medal purely for being a member of the Armed Forces.e range of medals instituted at the end of World War II including the 1939/45 Star, 1939/45 War Medal, the Defence Medal and the Campaign Stars for the various campaigns in which they took part.

Those called up between 1946 and 1960 were eligible for the various clasps to the General Service Medal for the operations in which they may have served in Malaya, Cyprus, Kenya etc and those who served in Korea were eligible for a campaign medal.

In the case of the estimated two million people who were conscripted into the Armed Forces in the post war years, those who did take part in campaigns or operations for which medals were awarded, had an equal right to receive them as did their Regular colleagues. Conversely those who spent their National Service in the UK or with the British Army of the Rhine in peacetime conditions, did so alongside their Regular colleagues who likewise did not receive a medal.

It would be divisive to offer National Servicemen a medal simply for being conscripted, when those who volunteered for service would be excluded from receiving an award. Even today there are many people leaving the Armed Forces without having received a campaign medal during their service. This does not imply that their contribution to the defence of the country has not been appreciated.