Australian medal info:
From here:
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-...-cat-index.htm
BARS and CLASPS
* There is a difference between "bars" and "clasps" although sometimes the two get mixed up. Supporting "bars" are another thing altogether.
* A bar represents the award of another medal of the same type. As wearing 2 or more identical medals would look silly a bar is worn on the riband of the medal to indicate the second award.
* Bars are appropriate only on gallantry or distinguished service medals.
* A clasp is a metal bar across the riband that carries a date or campaign or battle name. It was in the past common to issue only 1 medal for a war but to issue clasps for each significant action.
* Clasps are appropriate on campaign medals.
* Clasps are sometimes used on long service medals to indicate a further period of service, after the original qualifying period.
* None of the above refers to the supporting "bar" that is used to hang the medal and that sometimes carries a date, campaign or battle name.
Campaign medals - note Battle of Britain - these were issued AFTER the war so basically in a game issued at the end of a career.
The following link is gallantry medals which in general are identical to the British ones .. Victoria Cross, George Cross down to the medal for mention in Dispatches:
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-.../gallantry.htm
If I understand correctly it was considered inappropriate to award bars to a Victoria Cross.
This is an amazing Victoria Cross reference website:
http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/vcross.htm
It tracks every Victoria Cross ever awarded.