New Zealand War Medal

Campaign medal awarded to troops in the New Zealand Wars

Award

New Zealand War Medal

Obverse and reverse of the medal

Type| Campaign medal
Awarded for| Campaign service
Description| Silver disk, 36 mm in diameter
Presented by| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Eligibility| British and Colonial forces
Campaign(s)| New Zealand Wars
(1845–47, 1860–66)
Established| 1869
Total recipients| 4,400
Ribbon bar
Related| New Zealand Cross for bravery

The New Zealand War Medal was a campaign medal authorised in 1869 to be awarded to Imperial and Colonial troops involved in the New Zealand Wars of 1845–47 and 1860–66.[1] The New Zealand Wars were previously known as the Māori Wars, Anglo-Māori Wars or Land Wars.

Imperial forces included British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The Colonial militia were recruited both locally and in Australia, and included mobile forces like Von Tempsky's Forest Rangers and the Arawa Flying Column from a Māori tribe for the guerrilla war in the New Zealand bush.

For Imperial forces, it was awarded to those "who actually served in the field against the enemy in New Zealand".[2][3]

The medal was granted to Colonial Forces and Friendly natives who had "been actually under fire, or otherwise conspicuous for distinguished service in the field," and also to nearest relatives of anyone killed in action or who had died of his wounds.[4] Claims from Colonial forces were closed in 1900 but reopened in 1910 and 1913 in association with land claims for service in the war. Claims were finally closed for Europeans in 1915 and Māori in 1916.

## Description

[edit]

The medal is silver, circular, 36 millimetres (1.4 in) in diameter and with a straight bar suspender ornamented with New Zealand fern fronds.[1] The medal was designed by the brothers A. B. and J. S. Wyon.[5]: 143

The obverse shows an effigy of Queen Victoria, facing left and wearing a diadem and veil, with the legend: VICTORIA D: G: BRITT : REG : F : D : The bust is similar to, but larger than, that on the Abyssinian Medal issued in the same year.

The reverse has a laurel wreath containing the year or years between which the recipient served, with the words NEW ZEALAND above and VIRTUTIS HONOR (Honour of valour) below. Generally Colonial militia medals are undated, as were some to Imperial forces. The year(s) of service, within the period 1845 to 1866, were shown over three lines, for example: 1863 / to / 1865. Uniquely for a British campaign medal, the years are die struck in the centre.[5]: 143 The longest period shown on an awarded medal was "1846 to 1865", of which only one was bestowed, while unawarded specimens are known bearing the dates "1846 to 1866".[5]: 144

The rim of the medal was impressed with the recipient's number, name, regiment and – for those above private – their rank. Some medals with an undated reverse also have the relevant years of service engraved on the rim.[5]: 143

The ribbon, 1.25 inches (32 mm) wide, is of blue with a 10 mm red centre stripe.[5]: 143

No clasps (bars) were issued.[6]

## Number issued

[edit]

The number struck was 1,957 (Imperial government) and 2,500 (Colonial government), total 4,457, of which about 4,400 were issued.
The New Zealand Ministry of Defence retained a few unclaimed medals, some of which they sold in the 1960s marked "specimen" and with the name of the recipient obliterated.[5]: 143

## See also

[edit]

Dennerly, Peter Y. (May 1986). "The New Zealand War Medal: Awards to Colonial Units". The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society. 12 (4). New Zealand Military Historical Society.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Mussell, John W., ed. (2015). Medal Yearbook 2015. Honiton, Devon: Token Publishing Limited. p. 147.
2. ^ "Horse Guards' General Order 17 of 1 March 1869". Journal of the Orders & Medals Research Society. 58 (1): 18. March 2019.
3. ^ "New Zealand War Medals". Papers Past. National Library of New zealand. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
4. ^ Papers Relative to the Issue of the New Zealand War Medal, Wellington, 1871, p. 3 - via Papers Past, "That, in accordance with the report of the Joint Committee, the New Zealand War Medal should be granted to such Colonial Forces and friendly Natives in all cases where the claimants have been actually under fire, or otherwise conspicuous for distinguished service in the field. The medal also to be given to the nearest relatives or any who have died of wounds or been killed in action."`{{citation}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
5. ^ a b c d e f Joslin, E. C.; Litherland, A. R.; Simpkin, B. T. (1988). British Battles and Medals. London: Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 9780907605256.
6. ^ Dorling, Taprell (1956). Ribbons and Medals. London: A. H. Baldwin & Sons Ltd. p. 62.

## External links

[edit]

* "Ngā mētara me ngā rekoata mahi · Medals & service records". New Zealand Defence Force.

* v
* t
* e

British campaign medals

18th century|

* Naval General Service Medal (1793–1840)
* Naval Gold Medal (1793–1815)
* Military General Service Medal (1793–1814)

19th century|

* Army of India Medal (1803–26)
* Army Gold Cross/Army Gold Medal (1806–14)
* Waterloo Medal (1815)
* South Africa Medal (1834–6, 1846–7, 1850–3)
* Ghuznee Medal (1839)
* First China War Medal (1839–42)
* Jellalabad Medals (1841–2)
* Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal (1842)
* Medal for the Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie (1842)
* Scinde Medal (1843)
* Gwalior Star (1843)
* Sutlej Medal (1845–6)
* New Zealand Medal (1845–7, 1860–6)
* Punjab Medal (1848–9)
* India General Service Medal (1852–95)
* Baltic Medal (1854–5)
* Crimean War Medal (1854–6)
* Indian Mutiny Medal (1857–8)
* Second China War Medal (1857–60)
* Canada General Service Medal (1866–70)
* Abyssinian War Medal (1867–8)
* Ashantee Medal (1873–4)
* South Africa Medal (1877–9)
* Afghanistan Medal (1878–80)
* Kabul to Kandahar Star (1880)
* Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal (1880-1, 1896–7)
* Egypt Medal (1882–9)
* Royal Niger Company Medal (1886–97)
* North West Canada Medal (1885)
* East and West Africa Medal (1887–1900)
* British South Africa Company Medal (1890–7)
* Central Africa Medal (1891–8)
* India Medal (1895–1902)
* Ashanti Star (1895–6)
* Queen's Sudan Medal (1896–8)
* East and Central Africa Medal (1897–9)
* Queen's South Africa Medal (1899–1902)
* Queen's Mediterranean Medal (1899–1902)
* Transport Medal (1899–1902)
* China War Medal (1900)
* Ashanti Medal (1900)

20th century
pre-First World War|

* King's South Africa Medal (1902)
* Africa General Service Medal (1902–56)
* Tibet Medal (1905)
* Natal Native Rebellion Medal (1906)
* India General Service Medal (1909)

First World War|

* 1914 Star
* 1914–15 Star
* British War Medal
* Mercantile Marine War Medal
* Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
* Victory Medal (South Africa)
* Territorial War Medal

Inter World War|

* Naval General Service Medal (1915)
* General Service Medal (1918)
* India General Service Medal (1936)

Second World War|

* 1939–1945 Star
* Atlantic Star
* Arctic Star
* Air Crew Europe Star
* Africa Star
* Pacific Star
* Burma Star
* Italy Star
* France and Germany Star
* Defence Medal
* War Medal 1939–1945
* Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
* Africa Service Medal
* India Service Medal
* New Zealand War Service Medal
* Australia Service Medal
* Southern Rhodesia Service Medal

Post War|

* Korea Medal (1951)
* Nuclear Test Medal (1952)
* General Service Medal (1962)
* Rhodesia Medal (1980)
* South Atlantic Medal (1982)
* Gulf Medal (1992)

21st century|

* OSM for Sierra Leone (2000)
* OSM for Afghanistan (2002)
* OSM for Democratic Republic of Congo (2003)
* Iraq Medal (2004)
* Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal (2004)
* Civilian Service Medal (Afghanistan) (2011)
* Ebola Medal (2015)
* General Service Medal (2008) (2015)
* OSM for Iraq & Syria (2017)
* Humanitarian Medal (2023)
* Wider Service Medal (2024)

* v
* t
* e

New Zealand campaign medals

19th century|

* New Zealand War Medal

Second Boer War|

* Queen's South Africa Medal
* King's South Africa Medal

World War I|

* 1914–15 Star
* British War Medal
* Victory Medal
* Mercantile Marine War Medal

World War II|

* 1939–1945 Star
* Atlantic Star
* Arctic Star
* Air Crew Europe Star
* Africa Star
* Pacific Star
* Burma Star
* Italy Star
* France and Germany Star
* Defence Medal
* War Medal
* New Zealand War Service Medal (1939–45)

General Service|

* Naval General Service Medal (1915–62)
* General Service Medal (1918–62)
* General Service Medal (1962–2003)
* New Zealand Operational Service Medal (1945–present)

Post-World War II|

* New Zealand Service Medal 1946–1949 (1946–49)
* Korea Medal (1950–53)
* Vietnam Medal (1964–73)
* Rhodesia Medal (1979–1980)
* New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) (1956–1991)
* New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Non-Warlike) (1954–present)
* East Timor Medal (1999–2006)

21st century|

* NZGSM 2002 (Solomon Islands)(2000–2013)
* NZGSM 2002 (Afghanistan) – Primary Operations Area (2001–present)
* NZGSM 2002 (Afghanistan) – Secondary Operations Area (2001–present)
* NZGSM 2002 (Iraq 2003) (2003–present)
* NZGSM 2002 (Timor-Leste) (2006–2012)
* NZGSM 2002 (Korea) (2001–present)
* NZGSM 2002 (Counter-Piracy) (2009–present)
* NZGSM 2002 (Iraq 2015) (2014–present)
* NZGSM 2002 (Greater Middle East) (2014–present)

Special service|

* New Zealand Special Service Medal (Nuclear Testing) (1956–1973)
* New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus) (1979–1980)
* New Zealand Special Service Medal (Asian Tsunami) (2004–2005)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template