The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I. The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. In the Royal Air Force, eligibility was broadly the same as for the Army - it required overseas service. However, members of the RAF, RNAS or RFC who had seen combat whilst based in the UK, who had ferried aircraft to France, or who had served on ships carrying aircraft, were deemed eligible.