Campaign Medals 1869 to 1939

in #history6 years ago

Including war, operational and peacekeeping medals,

These are worn in the order of date of participation in the campaign, operation,
or peacekeeping mission for which awarded. Included United Nation, NATO missions,
and European Mission medals,

The New Zealand Medal

Instituted in 1869,

While British, it can be considered
New Zealand’s first indigenous campaign medal.

Awarded for service in the New Zealand Wars of
1845 to 47 and 1860 - 66.

Awarded to members of the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines
and to Colonial volunteers.

The Queen’s South Africa Medal

The King’s South African Medal

The Queen’s medal was instituted by Queen Victoria to recognize
Service in the Boer War in South Africa between 1899 - 1902.

On her death in 1901 a new medal called the King’s South
African Medal was struck with the effigy of King Edward V1.

These were the first medals awarded to New Zealand servicemen
for military service outside New Zealand.

Ten contingents of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, totalling
6,128 officers and men, and a contingent of 31 nurses served in
South Africa.

Almost all of these personnel received the Queen’s medal only.

To qualify for the King’s medal a soldier or nurse had to be serving
in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and have completed
18 months total service before 1 June 1902.

Approximately 200 military and 6 nurses were awarded the King’s medal.

All awards of the King’s medal were issued with the
South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps,

There were 26 clasps awarded with the Queen’s medal,
12 of which were awarded to New Zealand personnel.

And two clasps with the King’s medal.

Awarded to NZ, Not awarded to NZ personnel
Queen’s South African Medal Clasps,

Cape Colony, Relief of Mafeking, Natal,
Rhodesia, Defence of Kimberly, Belfast,
Orange Free State, Talana,
Driefontein, Elandslaagte,
Transvaal, Defence of Ladysmith,
Johannesburg, Belmont,
Diamond Hill, Modder River,
Wittebergen, Tugela Heights,
Relief of Kimberly, Relief of Ladysmith,
Paardeberg, Wepener,
South Africa 1901, Defence of Mafeking,
South Africa 1902, Laing’s Nek,

King’s South African Medal Clasps

South Africa 1901,
South Africa 1902,

The 1914 Star [Mons Star]

The 1914 Star was the first of a series of medals instituted
between 1917 and 1919 to recognize service in the
first world war.

Awarded for service in Belgium and France between
5 August 1914 and 22 November 1914, sometimes referred to
as the “Mons Star”.

Only 4 awards to New Zealand personnel are known,

2 to New Zealand nurses, and 2 to Army officers attached to
British forces in the UK at the outbreak of war.

Colonel Richard Hutton Davies and Major George Spafford
Richardson, both were later promoted to the rank of Major General.

There was a clasp “5th Aug - 22nd Nov 1914” to those who had
actually been under fire in Belgium or France in this period.

The 1914 - 15 Star

The 1914 - 15 Star was awarded to service personnel who
served between 5 Aug 1914 and 31 Dec 1915 in any theatre
of war,

Provided they had not qualified for the 1914 Star.

This included
Service at Gallipoli between 25th April 1915
and 31st December 1915,
Service in Egypt between 5th November 1914
and 3 December 1915, and
Service during the capture of German Samoa on 29th August 1914.

Initially, this medal was not going to be awarded for service
at Gallipoli.

Instead, it had been proposed by Lieutenant General Birwood
on October 1917 that a Gallipoli Star [Originally to be called
the ANZAC Star] should be awarded to members of the Australian
Imperial Force and New Zealand’s 1NZEF who served at
Gallipoli.

King George V approved the idea the following month.

However, by August 1918 when the design of the star and the
conditions for the award had been finalized, and stocks of
ribbon forwarded to Australia and New Zealand, the proposal
was reviewed by the British Government following criticism
from both members of parliament and the media in the UK.

They were uneasy about British and other forces of the Empire
being ineligible for the proposed star.

After consultation with the Australian and New Zealand Governments,
the British war cabinet agreed that the 1914 - 15 star would be
awarded to all personnel who has served at Gallipoli.

[source: Ina McGibbon [ed], The Oxford Companion to
New Zealand Military History. {Oxford University Press, Auckland, 1000, page 226}]

In 1967 the Australian and New Zealand Governments
agreed to issue an ANZAC Commemorative Medallion
[which was not designed to be worn] to all veterans and
the next of kin of those who had served at Gallipoli

The British War Medal

Instituted in 1919 to recognize the successful conclusion of the
First World War, coverage was later extended to 1920, recognizing
the mine clearance operations at sea, and participation in operations
In North and South Russia, the Eastern Baltic, Siberia, the Black Sea
and the Caspian.

The Mercantile Marine War Medal

Instituted in 1919, awarded to all members of the
Merchant Navy who had undertaken one or more voyages
through a war or danger zone during World War One.

Approximately 133,000 medals were awarded.

The Victory Medal

The medal was issued to those who had already qualified for the
1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star, and to most people who had
already qualified for the British War Medal.

The Victory medal was awarded to all New Zealand troops
serving overseas, except those who arrived in Samoa after
30th August 1914 and those who served in UK only.

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