Service medals have been issued since the First World War in recognition of the service of individuals to their country. The medals signify service to the country and sacrifices made by individuals in pursuing a common goal. There are situations when an award is damaged, stolen or lost. When this happens, a replacement for the award can be obtained.

There are many circumstances when the service medals can be replaced. If the serving member or ex-serving member has had medals stolen, lost or damaged while they are in possession of it, the medal can be replaced. If the recipient of the medal is deceased and the medals are damaged, stolen or lost, the relatives of the recipient can request a replacement. The medals can get damaged in a natural disaster, a fire etc. or they can be lost when the family has moved to a new home. If the medals have been lost in a natural disaster, they will be issued again as originals. If the medals are damaged, they can be returned to Defence. Sometimes, if the medals are stolen, you will not be able to return them to Defence. In this event, you will be re-issued a medal that has been marked with a “D” for duplicate. This will also indicate the service number and the name of the family member. You will need to wait for a period of two months from the date of the loss to receive replacement awards. This time period is allowed for the recovery of the lost medals.

If you are searching for where to buy replica military medals, there is a process attached to getting a replica. There is an application form you can find online for defence medals. You need to select the type of application as replacement medals. It will have a section for you to fill regarding how the medal came to be lost or damaged. If you are a family member, you will need to apply as the ‘holder’. You will need to give the name of your family member who was the original recipient, their basic service details and date of birth. You should attach your contact details as well so that Defence can get in touch with you.  

The medals that can be replaced by Defence are the service and campaign medals that were issued from the Imperial honour system and the Australian honour system. The duration for these medals is from the time of the First World War to the present. However, there are certain medals that cannot be replaced by Defence. These include Honours, Decorations and The National Medal. Foreign awards that have been bestowed upon the individual by a foreign government cannot be replaced. The only exception to this rule is if the award was issued by the Australian Government on behalf of the foreign government. There are only three awards in this category. There are medal dealers and commercially available military memorabilia outlets where you can purchase replica medals. These are a good option for display purposes. You can also wear these replica medals to commemorative events.