A total of eighteen clasps were awarded, the medal never being awarded without a clasp. :In 2020, the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals decided against granting the clasp to ground crew involved in the airlift. •
Malaya :For service in Malaya and Singapore against communist guerrilla forces. :The qualifying dates for service were between 16 June 1948 and 31 July 1960. For the Colony of Singapore, the date period was between 16 June 1948 to 31 January 1959. It was issued to members of the British, Commonwealth and Colonial Forces and Civil personnel, for example as the Malayan Police Force. •
Canal Zone :Awarded for 30 days continuous service between 16 October 1951 – 19 October 1954 within certain specified geographical boundaries in Egypt. This clasp was awarded some 50 years later in October 2003 following representation to the then Prime Minister,
Tony Blair. •
Cyprus :For involvement in the suppression of acts of terrorism during the guerrilla war with the
EOKA organisation, who wanted Cyprus’s union with Greece (called "
Enosis"). The conflict involved approximately 40,000 British troops over 4 years. It was issued to members of the British Military Forces and Civil personnel, for example the Cyprus Police Force. The clasp was originally awarded for 120 days service between 1 April 1955 to 18 April 1959. As a result of the 2012 Independent Medal Review conducted by
Sir John Holmes, from 1 October 2014 the qualifying period was reduced to 90 days service, to bring it into line with the
Africa General Service Medal awarded for the Kenya campaign. •
Near East :This clasp was awarded for service in Egypt during the period 31 October to 22 December 1956. This conflict is often referred to as the
Suez Crisis, or by its codename of
Operation Musketeer. It was issued to members of the British Armed Forces and selected civil personnel. •
Arabian Peninsula :Due to a disagreement about land and associated oil rights, the Iman of
Oman rebelled against the Sultan of
Muscat. After initial setbacks, in 1955 the Sultan called for assistance from UK forces. It was not until British special forces were deployed that the rebels were dislodged from their territory in the
Jebel Akhbar mountains. :The qualifying period for this clasp is 30 days' service between 1 January 1957 and 30 June 1960, in the Aden Colony or protectorate and the Sultanates of Muscat and Oman, or any of the adjacent Gulf states. •
Brunei :For a minimum 1 days' service in at least one of the operational areas located in the State of
Brunei,
North Borneo or
Sarawak between 8 and 23 December 1962. It was issued to members of the British Armed Forces, specially approved civilians and civil police forces, such as the Sarawak Police Force. == Obverse variations ==