New Zealand Memorial Cross

Award

New Zealand Memorial Cross

King George VI version

Type| Memorial medal
Presented by| New Zealand

Eligibility| Relatives of members of New Zealand Forces who died on war service
Campaign(s)| World War II and later conflicts
Status| Currently awarded
Established| December 1947
Total recipients| 11,671 (World War II),
136 (Post-war conflicts)

Ribbon of the NZ Memorial Cross

The New Zealand Memorial Cross is awarded to the next of kin of New Zealand service personnel who, since September 1939, have been killed on active service or later died of their wounds.

## Eligibility

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The proposal to establish the cross was announced by the New Zealand government in December 1946, as a "small tribute of gratitude from the government and people of New Zealand in memory of those who gave their life for their country".[1] The cross was formally instituted, and full regulations published, in September 1947.[2]

It was awarded to family members of servicemen who died on active service during the Second World War, including those whose later death was attributable to their war service. Eligibility included both those serving with New Zealand forces and New Zealanders serving with other British Commonwealth forces, including the merchant navy.[3]

Up to two crosses could be awarded to the family of each individual, and was intended primarily for widows and mothers. Where the mother had died, the first cross was awarded to the father, or if he had also died, to the eldest sister, or eldest brother where there is no living sister. A second cross could only awarded where the serviceman was married – to the widow, eldest daughter or eldest son.[3]

In September 1960, further regulations were published extending eligibility to conflicts since the Second World War.[4] Awards have since been made relating to service in Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, East Timor and Afghanistan.[5] In September 1995 relatives of those killed during peace keeping operations became eligible.[2]

The cross has been awarded to the families of more than 11,671 New Zealand service personnel who died in the Second World War,[2] with a further 136 relating to conflicts since 1945.[6]

## Design

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The Memorial Cross is in the form of a cross patoncé in dull silver, 32 millimetres (1.3 in) across, with arms slightly flared at the ends. A laurel wreath appears between the arms of the cross. At the top of the vertical arm is a St. Edward's Crown, with a fern leaf at the end of each of the other arms. At the centre is the reigning monarch's Royal Cypher.
The reverse is plain, with most crosses engraved with the name, rank and service number of the person commemorated.[5]

There are two versions of the cross:

* with the cypher of King George VI, awarded for the Second World War. Worn suspended around the neck from a 12 millimetres (0.47 in) wide mauve ribbon attached to the cross by a silver ring;
* with the cypher of Queen Elizabeth II, for post-1945 conflicts. There is no ribbon, and it is awarded with a pin on the reverse to be worn as a brooch.[6]

The design is based on the Canadian Memorial Cross, with a fern leaf replacing a maple leaf at the end of the three lower arms of the cross.[7] A similar design is used by the United Kingdom for the Elizabeth Cross, established in 2009.[8]

## See also

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* Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand
* New Zealand campaign medals
* Memorial Cross (Canada)
* Elizabeth Cross (United Kingdom)

## References

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1. ^ Captain H. Taprell Dorling. Ribbons and Medals. p. 103\. Published A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956.
2. ^ a b c Aubrey G. Bairstow. The New Zealand Memorial Cross. pp 89-92, Orders & Medals Research Society Journal vol 35, no 2, Summer 1996
3. ^ a b "Regulations for the Zealand Memorial Cross, 12 September 1947. Archived copy". NZ Defence Force website. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
4. ^ "Regulations for the Zealand Memorial Cross, 16 August 1960. Archived copy" (PDF). NZ Defence Force website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
5. ^ a b Mussell, J. (ed.). Medal Yearbook 2015. p. 193 Published Token Publishing Limited, Honiton, Devon. 2015.
6. ^ a b "Other New Zealand Medals and Awards - New Zealand Memorial Cross". NZ Defence Force website. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
7. ^ Mussell, J. (ed.). Medal Yearbook 2015. p. 192 Published Token Publishing Limited, Honiton, Devon. 2015.
8. ^ Mussell, J. (ed.). Medal Yearbook 2015. p. 195 Published Token Publishing Limited, Honiton, Devon. 2015.

## External links

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* Regulations for the Zealand Memorial Cross, 12 September 1947: NZ Defence Force website (archived from 13 February 2020)
* Regulations for the Zealand Memorial Cross, 16 August 1960: NZ Defence Force website (archived from 29 January 2020)

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Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand

(Order of wearing)

Orders|

* Order of the Garter
* Order of the Thistle
* Order of the Bath
* Order of Merit
* Order of New Zealand
* Order of St Michael and St George
* Royal Victorian Order
* Order of the British Empire
* Companion of Honour
* New Zealand Order of Merit
* King's Service Order
* Imperial Service Order

Gallantry|

* Victoria Cross for New Zealand
* New Zealand Gallantry Star
* New Zealand Gallantry Decoration
* New Zealand Gallantry Medal

Bravery|

* New Zealand Cross
* New Zealand Bravery Star
* New Zealand Bravery Decoration
* New Zealand Bravery Medal

Meritorious service|

* King's Service Medal
* New Zealand Antarctic Medal
* New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration
* New Zealand Memorial Cross

Commemorative

* King George V Coronation Medal
* King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
* King George VI Coronation Medal
* Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
* Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
* Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
* Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
* Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
* King Charles III Coronation Medal
* New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal
* New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993

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