The institution of new campaign medals in New Zealand and the United Kingdom
Noel Cox
originally published in (1999) 77 New Zealand Numismatic Journal 3-10
Introduction
The nature of campaign medals awarded to members of the New Zealand Defence Force has departed from the model formerly followed. Historically, members of the armed forces of the Crown in New Zealand had received medals instituted by the appropriate authorities in the United Kingdom. To a large degree this was because New Zealand rarely if ever embarked on military deployments apart from in consort with the United Kingdom. It also reflected the former view of the Crown as an emblem of imperial unity.
In relatively recent years, with the introduction of New Zealand-based campaign medals, has come the practice of awarding medals, often retrospectively, for operations which fall short of campaigns. This appears to be in pursuance of a deliberate policy of providing medals for each and every occasion when New Zealand servicemen are deployed operationally overseas, whether for a campaign or not.
Two factors appear to have influenced this departure from precedent, and the commensurate enlargement of the range of campaign medals available. Firstly, a great range of United Nations and other international medals are now awarded to New Zealanders and other nationals serving on United Nations missions. Secondly, since until recently few medals or bars have been awarded to New Zealanders (because there were few overseas deployments to war zones). With the recent creation of the New Zealand General Service Medal, the reason for the paucity of bars was apparently forgotten, or perhaps deliberately departed from.
British campaign medals had historically been awarded only to those who had actually been present in a theatre of war. This has not always been the practice in foreign traditions, and particularly in United Nations practice. The newly instituted New Zealand medals have followed United Nations traditions in this respect, and are therefore really service medals rather than campaign medals.
It is worthwhile to look at the procedures which lead to the institution of a new campaign medal or bar in the United Kingdom, and the range of medals and bars which have actually been instituted since 1945. We can then examine the New Zealand situation, and ask whether the range of medals and bars created since 1992 are commensurate with the scale of operations undertaken.
The procedures
The procedures which lead to the institution of a British award have been followed for many years, with only minor changes. In the case of campaign service or an emergency situation, the process starts if the Commander-in-Chief considers that a medal for service in that theatre, or under particularly rigorous circumstances, justifies a medal. His recommendation is passed to senior military officers who, if they are in agreement, submit the case for a medal to the Chief of Defence Staff.
If the Chief of Defence Staff approves the proposal, the Defence Services Secretary submits the case to the Honours and Decorations (HD) Committee, through the Ceremonial Officer of the Cabinet Office. The HD Committee, consisting of senior officers from several Ministers in London, consider the case and, if it agrees it has merit, submits it to Her Majesty The Queen for approval.
The HD Committee
The HD Committee, rarely referred to by its full title, the Honours Decorations and Medals Committee, evolved from a pre-war organisation, the Committee on the grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals in Time of War. The committee is chaired by the Head of the Civil Service, the Permanent Under Secretary of the Cabinet Office, and the other senior officers. They are the Private Secretary to The Queen, the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Permanent Under Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Services Secretary, the Permanent Under Secretary of the Home Office, the Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, and the Ceremonial Officer of the Cabinet Office (the Secretary).
The HD Committee never actually meets, all work being carried out by post, though there is no reason why it should not do so if it deemed necessary. There is no direct ministerial involvement with the Committee, at it reports directly to Her Majesty The Queen. However, Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister is responsible for reporting to the Prime Minister matters discussed by the Committee. Similarly, the Private Secretary to The Queen represents the Royal Household and in this way Her Majesty The Queen can be advised of progress throughout all stages of the Committee's deliberation over medal proposals. In view of this, submissions to Her Majesty The Queen are rarely, if ever, rejected. Her Majesty The Queen maintains a keen interest in the work of the Committee.
Qualifying Periods
Qualifying periods for each award or medal are determined by consideration of the rigours of the campaign. This is not standardised. In some circumstances, the qualifying period agreed has been as short as one day's service, whereas other medals or clasps require 90 days' continuous service. The case for each medal is considered on its own merits.
Retrospective Awards
Since the end of World War II, the HD Committee has maintained a policy that it will not consider the belated institution of awards and medals for service given many years earlier. The reason for this policy is that the present HD Committee cannot put itself in the place of the Committee which made the original decision and which would have been able to take account of the views of the Government and of other interested parties at the time of the decision. The HD Committee has made it clear on a number of occasions in response to requests for the institution of belated awards that it will not reconsider this policy.
Quite apart from this, in practical terms, the more distant the event to be re-considered, the more difficult would be the task of verifying individual eligibility. Similarly, if an exception were to be made for one case, then it would be almost impossible to refuse to re-consider every other claim for retrospective institution of an award or medal.
Wearing of foreign awards
Decisions on the acceptance and wearing by British servicemen of awards, instituted by overseas nations, are always a matter for Her Majesty The Queen, who, in turn, relies on the advice and guidance of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The ruling applied by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is that when that award is offered more than five years after the period of service which it recognises, or if Her Majesty The Queen has awarded a British medal for the same campaign or particular period of service, the award offered by another nation may be accepted, but may not be worn. This reflects Her Majesty The Queen's view that British servicemen should only wear awards granted to them by their Queen.
This practice has been followed since World War Two, when it was agreed between the Allied nations that there should be no interchange of awards instituted by each country for service in the Second World War. Following this, a Special Committee was set up which examined the plethora of awards offered to British armed forces and ruled out the wearing of foreign campaign awards where individuals receiving those awards were entitled to the relevant British decoration or medal.
Exceptions are made for medals awarded by the United Nations for a particular campaign or operation in which British servicemen have participated, or for medals awarded by overseas nations when no British medal has been instituted for the same period of service.
As normally there is no British award for the same period of service as the United Nations medals, these may be accepted and worn by British servicemen. These awards are worn in chronological order and therefore can take precedence over British campaign and General Service Medals.
British subjects may accept a decoration or award from overseas countries in recognition of acts of gallantry, or for particularly good or outstanding service given by an individual to a foreign head of State. In these cases, any head of State intending to award a honour to a British subject must apply to Her Majesty The Queen, through diplomatic channels, for approval to present the award.
Although it is normal practice for agreement to be given to accept awards offered by a foreign head of State for good or outstanding service, Her Majesty The Queen may rule that the awards may only be worn on particular occasions, for example, in the presence of the head of State giving the award, or when the recipient is visiting the nation or country from which he has received the award. This practice is known as "Restricted" wearing of an award.
However, gallantry awards offered by foreign heads of State may normally be worn by the recipient at all times. This is known as "Unrestricted" wearing of an award.
In summary, Her Majesty The Queen's permission must be sought and granted to both receive an wear each and every new medal, whether it be a British medal, or one instituted by the United Nations, a foreign Government, or, as happened recently, NATO. It is Her Majesty The Queen's prerogative rather than "legal authority" which dictates whether a medal or award may, or may not, be worn.
British campaign medals since 1945
The actual operation of the system of campaign medals awarded for British forces may be seen in an examination of medals awarded since 1945. The campaign medals, and bars to general service medals which have been awarded since 1945 are numerous. They reflect the multitude of operations of different nature which the British, and New Zealand armed forces have been engaged in. The medals, and the respective bars or clasps, are as follows:
The Africa General Service Medal (1902) "Kenya" (1952-56).
The Naval General Service Medal (1915) "South East Asia 1945-48"; "Minesweeping 1945-51"; "Palestine 1945-48"; "Yangtse 1949"; "Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-53"; "Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-56"; "Malaya"; "Bomb and Mine Clearance Mediterranean" [1953-60]; "Cyprus" [1955-59]; "Near East" [1956]; "Arabian Peninsula"; "Brunei" [1962].
General Service Medal (1923) "Palestine"; "South East Asia 1945-46"; "Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-49"; "Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-56"; "Palestine 1945-48"; "Malaya" [1948-60]; "Cyprus" [1955-59]; "Near East" [1956]; "Arabian Peninsula" [1957-60]; "Brunei" [1962].
Korea Medal [1950-53]
Campaign Service Medal (1964, to replace the Naval General Service Medal 1915 and the General Service Medal 1918). "Borneo" [1962-66]; "Radfan" [1964]; "South Arabia" [1967]; "Malay Peninsula" [1964-66]; "South Vietnam" [1962-64]; "Northern Ireland" [1969-]; "Dhofar" [1969-76]; "Lebanon" [1983-84]; "Mine Clearance- Gulf of Suez" [1984]; "Gulf" [1986-89]; "Kuwait" [1991]; "Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey" [1991].
Rhodesia Medal [1979-80]
South Atlantic Medal 1982
Gulf Medal 1990-91
Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 1994
The Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 1994 was created to recognise 36 or more months of aggregate service since 1969 in those theatres where the Campaign Service Medal is awarded.
As an example of the criteria for the award of a campaign medal or bar, that of the Northern Ireland bar of the Campaign Service Medal 1962 is 30 days service, not necessarily continuous, while on posted or attached strength of any regular naval, military or air force unit or formation in that area, excluding recruits, and junior soldiers under training. Additionally, 30 days service in Ulster Defence Regiment or Reserves on call out or emergency service afloat in the Royal Navy or army vessels on duty in waters adjacent (which may include service on land) qualifies for recognition. Shorter service is allowed if this is due to death or evacuation owing to wounds or other disability due to service. The awarded of the BEM or above for gallantry, or the Queen's Commendation, or Mention in Despatches, also qualifies. Specially hazardous operations is also considered.
United Nations Organisation Medals
The British campaign medals and bars must be contrasted with the range of United Nations medals awarded. The following is a list of the various service medals introduced by the United Nations Organisation. Not all were conferred upon British, or New Zealand, servicemen.
Service Medal for Indo-China [from 1954; for the International Commission for Supervision and Control]
Service Medal for Vietnam [from 1973; for the International Commission for Supervision and Control]
United Nations Service Medal for Korea [1950-54, including the United Kingdom and New Zealand]
United Nations Emergency Force Medal, Egypt and Israel (UNEF I) [1956-67]
United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in Palestine and Observer Group in Lebanon (UNTSO) [from 1948; including New Zealand] and the same medal to members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNOGIL) [1958], and the United Nations Operations in the Congo (ONUC) [1960-64]
United Nations Military Observation Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) [from 1949; including New Zealand] and the same medal to members of the United Nations India-Pakistan Observer Mission (UNIPOM) [1965-66]
United Nations Temporary Executive Authority in West New Guinea (UNITEA) [1962-63]
United Nations Yemen Observer Mission (UNYOM) [1963-64; including New Zealand]
United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) [from 1964; including the United Kingdom, New Zealand]
United Nations Emergency Force Middle East (UNEF II) [1973-79]
United Nations Disengagement Observation Force Golan Heights (UNDOF) [from 1974]
United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan (UNGOMAP) [1988-90, assigned to UNTSO, UNDOF or UNIFIL as parent missions] and the same medals to members of the Office of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan and Pakistan (OSGAP) [from 1990]
United Nations Military Observer Force in Iran and Iraq (UNIIMOG) [1988-91; including New Zealand]
United Nations Angola Verification and Monitoring Mission (UNAVEM) [1989-91]
United Nations Angola Verification and Monitoring Mission (UNAVEM II) [1991-95; including New Zealand] and the same medal to members of the United Nations Angola Verification and Monitoring Mission (UNAVEM III) [from 1995; including New Zealand]
United Nations Transition Assistance Group Namibia (UNTAG) [1989-90; including the United Kingdom, and New Zealand]
United Nations Observer Group in Central America (ONUCA) [1989-92]
United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) [from 1991; including the United Kingdom]
United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) [from 1991]
United Nations Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) [from 1991; including the United Kingdom]
United Nations Assistance Group in Cambodia (UNAMIC) [1991-93; including the United Kingdom, New Zealand]
United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) [1992-93; including the United Kingdom, New Zealand] and the same medal to members of the United Nations Military Liaison Team Cambodia (UNMLT)
United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM) [1992-93] and the same medal to members of the United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM II) [1993-95; including New Zealand]
United Nations Operations in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) [from 1992; including New Zealand]
Observer Mission in Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR) [from 1993]
Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) [from 1993; including the United Kingdom]
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) [from 1993]
United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) [from 1993; including the United Kingdom]
United Nations Protection Force, Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR) [from 1992; including the United Kingdom, New Zealand] and the same medal to members of the United Nations Peace Force Headquarters [from 1995]
United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ)
United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) [from 1993; including New Zealand]
United Nations Prevention Deployment Force Macedonia (UNPREDEP) [from 1995]
United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) [from 1994]
United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP)
United Nations Special Services Medal [from 1995]
Most of the these medals are for military observer missions, and some are for peacekeeping missions. Traditionally the UN was not involved in peace-enforcement missions, though this also has occurred. What is clear, however, is that generally speaking a medal will be available for any servicemen (and in some cases civilians also) deployed on UN duty. A medal is available for service in the United Nations Headquarters. And the last medal in the list is for military and civilian personnel serving at the UN in capacities other than peace-keeping missions or UN HQ.
Thus UN medals are not confined to campaigns and wars, however generously defined. They are in fact more akin to long service medals than campaign medals as traditionally understood in British usage.
As they are awarded by the UN, they have always been available to subjects of The Queen. In all instances approval must first be given by the Sovereign, though this does not have to be sought by individual servicemen, but rather is granted for the award of a particular medal.
Other international medals
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation stood for forty years like the Knights Templars and Hospitallers as a bulwark against the heathen hordes of the east. A large host was maintained in Germany and other parts of Europe to help preserve the independence of the west against the ever-real and present threat from the former Soviet Union and its minions in the Warsaw Pact. Yet is was only with after the ending of the Cold War and the lifting of the Iron Curtain that divided Europe between good and evil that the western alliance instituted any service or campaign medals.
NATO Medal was instituted by North Atlantic Council in December 1994, for military and civilian personnel active in operations, or in direct support of operations, relating to the former Yugoslavia. In May 1996 eligibility was extended to personnel from non-NATO member troop-contributing nations. Minimum 30 days in theatre of NATO operations, or 90 days in adjacent areas in direct support of operations. Approved by Her Majesty for unrestricted wear by members of the New Zealand Defence Force was given in August 1996. Forces involved have included Deny Flight, Airborne Early Warning aircraft, Standing Naval Force Mediterranean, and the Standing Naval Force Atlantic.
The European Community Monitoring Mission, Yugoslavia 1991, also had a medal.
The Multi-national Force and Observers Medal, for the force in the Sinai, dates from 1987. Its acceptance by servicemen in the employ of the Crown was never approved.
Military Operations since 1945
The following is a broad outline of the principal military naval and air operations undertaken by the British and New Zealand armed forces since the conclusion of the Second World War. Where a medal was conferred, the particular campaign medal awarded in each instance is noted.
Java/Sumatra 1945 [South East Asia 1945-48 bar to General Service Medal; South East Asia 1945-46 bar to Naval General Service Medal]
Greece 1945-47
India 1945-48
Palestine 1945-48 [Naval General Service Medal 1945-48, General Service Medal]
Minesweeping 1945-51 [Naval General Service Medal 1945-51]
Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-53 [Naval General Service Medal, General Service Medal 1945-49]
Trieste 1945-54
Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945-56 [Naval General Service Medal]
Berlin 1945-94(1)
Germany 1945-(2)
Bomb and Mine Clearance Mediterranean [Naval General Service Medal]
Corfu Straits 1946
Suez Canal Zone 1946-54
Aden 1947
Northern Ireland 1947-48
Gold Coast 1948
British Honduras 1948
China and Far East 1948-49 [General Service Medal, Naval General Service Medal- Yangtse 1949]
Eritrea 1948-51
Malaya 1948-60 [General Service Medal 1948-60, General Service Medal 1948-59 in Singapore, Naval General Service Medal]
Somaliland 1949-51
Malaya 1949-51 [General Service Medal]
Gulf of Aqaba 1949-51
Singapore 1950 [General Service Medal 1948-59]
Korea 1950-53 [Korea Medal, UNO Medal]
Gulf of Aqaba 1951
Kenya 1952-56 [Africa General Service Medal]
British Guiana 1953
Cyprus 1954-59 [Naval General Service Medal, General Service Medal 1959]
Singapore 1955-56 [General Service Medal 1948-59]
Aden 1955-58 [Arabian Peninsula 1957-60 bar to General Service Medal, Naval General Service Medal]
Suez Canal Zone 1956 [Near East 1956 bar to General Service Medal]
Hong Kong 1956
Bahrain 1956-57
British Honduras 1957
Togoland 1957
Muscat and Oman 1957-59
Jordan and Lebanon 1958
Iceland Cod War 1958-59
Gan 1959
Bahamas Patrol 1959-73
Cameroon 1960
Jamaica 1960
Bahrain 1961
Kuwait 1961
British Honduras 1962
British Guiana 1962
Brunei 1962 [1962 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Borneo 1962 [Campaign Service Medal]
British Guiana 1963
Zanzibar 1963
Malaysia/Borneo 1963
Swaziland 1963-66
Cyprus 1963- [UNFICYP receive UNO Medal from 1964]
Kenya 1964(3)
Zanzibar 1964
Uganda 1964(4)
Tanganyika 1964(5)
British Guiana 1964(6)
South Arabia 1964(7)
Malaya 1964-66 [1964-66 Campaign Service Medal]
Radfan 1964-67 [1964 Campaign Service Medal]
Mauritius 1965
Zambia 1965-66(8)
Beira Patrol 1965-75(9)
Oman 1965-77
Hong Kong 1966
Seychelles 1966
Libya 1967
Hong Kong 1967(10)
Aden 1967 [South Arabia 1967 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Mauritius 1968(11)
Anguilla 1969-71(12)
Dhofar 1969-76(13) [1969-76 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Northern Ireland 1969 [bar to Campaign Service Medal from 1969]
Iceland Cod War 1972-73
Cyprus Emergency 1974(14)
Iceland Cod War 1975-76
Belize 1976-94(15)
Anguilla 1977(16)
Bermuda 1977(17)
Rhodesia 1979-80 [Rhodesia Medal, and Zimbabwe Independence Medal]
New Hebrides 1980(18)
Gulf of Oman 1980-(19)
Sinai 1981-93(20) [Multi-national Force and Observers Medal, but not approved for wear]
Falkland Islands and South Georgia 1982 [South Atlantic Medal 1982]
South Atlantic 1982-(21)
Lebanon 1983-84(22) [1983-84 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Suez Canal Zone 1984(23) [Suez Canal- Mine Clearance 1984 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Yemen 1986(24)
Persian Gulf 1986-89(25) [1986-89 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Namibia 1989-90(26) [UNTAG received UNO Medal]
Liberia 1990(27)
Kuwait-Iraq 1990-91(28) [Gulf Medal 1990-91; Kuwait 1991 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Saudi Arabia 1990-(29)
Western Sahara 1991-93(30) [MINURSO received UNO Medal]
Cambodia 1991-93(31) [UNAMIC 1991-92, UNTAC 1992-93 each received UNO Medal]
Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey 1991(32) [1991 bar to Campaign Service Medal]
Turkey 1991-(33)
Kuwait-Iraq 1991-(34) [UNIKOM receive UNO Medal]
Prevlaka Peninsula 1992-(35) [UNMOP receive UNO Medal]
Yugoslavia 1992-(36) [UNPROFOR and other UNO forces receive UNO Medal; IFOR receive NATO Medal]
Haiti 1993-(37)
Georgia 1993-(38) [UNIMOG receive UNO Medal]
Rwanda 1994-95(39) [UNAMIR received UNO Medal]
Angola 1995-(40) [UNAVEM receive UNO Medal]
Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium 1996-(41) [UNTAES receive UNO Medal]
It can be seen that by no means all occasions when British servicemen are deployed abroad do they receive a campaign medal. Indeed, the conclusion appears to be that a medal will be awarded only where the hardship, real or potential, warrants this. This does not mean that fighting must ensue, but it does preclude the award of a medal in such a case as the German garrison. Only where there is general war will a separate medal be awarded, as Korea 1950-53, the South Atlantic 1982, and the Gulf War 1990-91.
Rhodesia was a special case, as this was an instance of a Commonwealth Monitoring Force, deployed in Operation Agila, to oversee the disarmament of terrorist forces in what is now Zimbabwe. It will be seen that in recent decades it has become common for servicemen to receive only United Nations medals. This tendency has had a profound affect both on the British, and the New Zealand, medals systems.
New Zealand Campaign medals since 1945
Rather than list the occasions when New Zealand servicemen have been deployed abroad since 1945, it is more instructive merely to list the campaign medals and bars which have been instituted.
New Zealand Service Medal, Japan 1946-49(42)
Vietnam Medal 1964-68(43)
New Zealand General Service Medal 1992(44) "Sinai"(45) [from 1982; for the Multi-national Force and Observers]; "Kuwait"(46) [1990-91]; "Iraq"(47) [from 1991; UN Special Commission on Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction]; "Peshawar"(48) [1989-91; UN Mine Clearance Training Team, Pakistan]; "Somalia"(49) [from 1992; UN Task Force from 1993]; "Mozambique"(50) [from 1994; Mine Clearance programme, where no UN medal awarded]; "Cambodia"(51) [from 1994; Cambodian Mine Action Centre, Cambodia]; "Arabian Gulf"(52) [from 1995; Multi-national interception force]; "Malaya-Thailand border" [1960-64]; "Korea 1954-57"(53), "Bouganville"(54) [from 1997; Bouganville Truce Monitoring Group].
Until 1992 New Zealand servicemen abroad were eligible for UN medals where approved, or, at least in the earlier years, for the appropriate bar of the British Campaign Service Medal, such as "Malay Peninsula" [1964-66] and "South Vietnam" [1962-64], the latter was instituted for Australia and New Zealand servicemen only, as Britain did not commit troops to the campaign. The absence of a New Zealand campaign medal did not present difficulties. Apart from the occasional contribution to UN missions, New Zealand rarely sent any forces abroad.
However, in 1992 the New Zealand General Service Medal was created. This is available in silver for wars, and in bronze for peacekeeping operations. The first bar was for Sinai, where troops participated in the Multi-national Force and Observers from 1982. The next was for Kuwait 1990-91, and was in silver. In total 66 were awarded to the RNZAF, 37 to the army, and 10 to the RNZN.
Although the award of a bar for service in the Sinai was made retrospectively, it was not in this respect that the award was important. It marked the departure from the long-standing tradition of awarding campaign medals for warlike operations rather than mere service abroad.
The creation of the New Zealand Service Medal, Japan 1946-49, was a more significant step. This was very much a post-facto recognition of service. In fact it illustrates the validity of the still-current policy of the HD Committee in the United Kingdom. The present Committee cannot put itself in the place of the Committee which made the original decision and which would have been able to take account of the views of the Government and of other interested parties at the time of the decision.
It is quite possible that no committee ever in fact considered the possibility of conferring a medal for the 12,000 servicemen who served in J-Force in Japan 1946-49. But is it appropriate for the current authorities to create a medal now, fifty years after the event? Service in an occupation force did not qualify for a campaign medal in the years immediately after the end of the Second World War. Why should be decide that a medal should now be awarded?
However, the royal warrant instituting the medal was signed by Her Majesty 3 November 1995. To be eligible, the servicemen must have served 28 days in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Because Her Majesty The Queen was not then Sovereign, the New Zealand coat of arms appears on the obverse, rather than the usual royal head. Unusually, the medal may be claimed by surviving relatives of the servicemen, such as grandchildren, cousins, or aunts.
Clearly, it is now the policy to go over the past fifty years of deployments, and create a medal, or a bar for the new New Zealand General Service Medal 1992, where no medal was conferred. Thus a medal for service on the Malaya-Thailand border, 1960-64, was approved by Her Majesty in October 1996, and K-Force, in Korea 1954-57, in 1998, for those who had not received either the United Nations Service Medal for Korea, or the Korea Medal(55).
The current position is that it appears that the UN practice has been adopted. A bar will be created for any and every occasion when New Zealand servicemen are deployed abroad, excepting exercises. This is perhaps inevitable, in light of the prevalence of UN medals. But is unfortunate, as the standing of these medals is commensurate with the conditions of conferment. If they are granted too generously they become of little merit.
(1) Garrison duty (army, a with a nominal RAF component).
(2) The British Army of the Rhine 1945-92.
(3) Troops sent to suppress a revolt.
(4) Troops sent to suppress a revolt.
(5) Royal Marines present 25 January to end March 1964 to suppress revolt.
(6) Troops sent to suppress revolt in May 1964.
(7) Troops sent to deal with incursions.
(8) Ten Javelin aircraft sent 3rd December 1965.
(9) From December 1965. The UN Security Council authorised the deployment 19 April 1966. Initially comprised an aircraft carrier, later two frigates/destroyers and Shackleton surveillance aircraft. Nine ships were required to keep one on station, yet over the time of the embargo only 30 vessels were intercepted.
(10) To deal with Chinese-inspired disturbances.
(11) Shropshire Light Infantry sent to deal with disturbances prior to independence.
(12) Some 300 troops present 19th March till September 1969 due to secessionist moves.
(13) SAS, advisory team, Royal Engineers, RAF pilots. In total 24 British servicemen were killed, and 55 wounded, with a total of 187 killed, and 557 wounded.
(14) Turkish invasion 20th July to 16th August. Commando carrier HMS Hermes, two frigates, Near East Air Force (two Vulcan bomber, one Whirlwind helicopter, one Lightning fighter, one Hercules transport squadrons).
(15) Naval, military and air force garrison to deter Honduran aggression.
(16) A frigate sent to deal with disturbances.
(17) Some 260 troops sent December 1977 due to disturbances.
(18) Some 200 RM sent to suppress revolt 15th June to 19th August 1980, including 148 to Espirito Santo from 24th July to 18th August.
(19) Armilla Patrol, including Multi-national Interception Force in the Arabian Sea since 1990.
(20) Total 38 in 1985, 10 in 1992.
(21) A naval, military and air garrison.
(22) HMS Hermes and HMS Illustrious with 800 RM troops sailed 18th September 1983 for the Mediterranean. Royal Navy ships were offshore 8th February 1983 to 22nd March 1984.
(23) Mine damage occurred from 9th July 1984 in the Red Sea, Gulf of Suez. Mine clearance vessels from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, Italy (3), and Egypt, etc.
(24) HMY Britannia, HMS Hydra evacuated civilians from Yemen civil war. HMS Newcastle and HMS Jupiter assisted at a distance.
(25) Oil traffic mined, attacked by Iranians, Iraqis.
(26) Some 175 army signallers.
(27) Royal Navy frigate, tanker under the United States of America tactical command in early June.
(28) Total of 44,000 troops.
(29) Air forces.
(30) Only 15 observers.
(31) UNAMIC, UNTAC some 45 observers, 75 Royal Marines.
(32) Several thousand RM troops, aircraft proportionate, to protect Kurds.
(33) Aircraft to enforce an exclusion zone in Southern Iraq, to provide humanitarian airlift for northern Iraq. Also 30 army at Incirlik.
(34) Only 15 observers.
(35) Observers only.
(36) UNO 1992-95, NATO IFOR 1995-. Also national forces, NATO, WEU forces (under NATO from 20th December 1995). Military, naval and air forces, including RAF in Italy, RN in Adriatic.
(37) From 19th October 1993 UN sanctions were enforced by the United States of America and the United Kingdom patrolling a blockade.
(38) Only 10 observers.
(39) Some 600 troops 28th July 1994 to 1st December 1995.
(40) Some 649 troops with UNAVEM III.
(41) Only observers.
(42) SR 1995/244.
(43) SR 1968/141; They also were eligible for the South Vietnam Campaign Medal, issued by the Republic of Vietnam, and approved by Her Majesty The Queen for wear by New Zealand forces 27 June 1966.
(44) SR 1992/101.
(45) SR 1992/102.
(46) SR 1992/103.
(47) SR 1994/73.
(48) SR 1994/74.
(49) SR 1994/75.
(50) SR 1995/246.
(51) SR 1995/246.
(52) SR 1996/54.
(53) SR 1998/193.
(54) SR 1998/192.
(55) Counter-signed 1 July 1998 by Hon Max Bradford, Minister of Defence.