Theatres of War

British Army

Medal Cards

These are the official British Army codes for Theatres of War used from 1916 onwards (taken from TNA medal card guide, available under OGL):

• 1 Western Europe
  • a France and Belgium
  • b Italy
• 2 Balkans
  • a Greek Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria and European Turkey
  • b Gallipoli (Dardanelles)
• 3 Russia (4 - 5 August 1914 to 1 - 2 July 1920)
• 4 Egypt
  • a 4 - 5 November 1914 to 18 - 19 March 1916
  • b 18 - 19 March 1916 to 31 October - 1 November 1918
• 5 Africa
  • a East Africa, Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia
  • b South West Africa
  • c Cameroon
  • d Nigeria
  • e Togoland
• 6 Asia
  • a Hedjaz
  • b Mesopotamia
  • c Persia
  • d Trans Caspia
  • e South West Arabia
  • f Aden
  • g Frontier regions of India
  • h Tsingtau
• 7 Australasia
  • a New Britain
  • b New Ireland
  • c Kaiser Wilhelmland
  • d Admiralty Islands
  • e Nauru
  • f German Samoa

War Diaries

Catalogue records for war diaries in WO 95 have subseries for theatres, but these are arranged differently from the above codes and include some areas that were not officially classed as Theatres of War:

1. France, Belgium and Germany
2. Italy
3. Gallipoli, Dardanelles
4. Egypt, Palestine and Syria
5. Salonika, Macedonia, Turkey Black Sea, Caucasus and South Russia
6. Mesopotamia, Iraq and North Persia
7. East Africa, Cameroons, West Africa
8. India and East Persia
9. North Russia and Siberia
10. Colonies and Protectorates
11. Home Forces