New Zealand Service Medal 1946 - 1949
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand Service Medal 1946–1949 was a New Zealand
campaign medal
for service in Occupied Japan
at the end of World War II
.
The medal was instituted in 1995 to recognise New Zealand military personnel who served in the occupation forces
in Japan
between March 1946 and March 1949. In 2002 the Royal Warrant was amended to also recognise service between September 1945 and March 1946, including service by the crews of HMNZS Gambia and HMNZS Achilles in Japanese waters.
The medal was awarded to all those, military or civilian, who served with the occupation forces.
Service terminated by death, wounds or disability due to service, withdrawal at the direction of the New Zealand Government for official reasons, or the award of a Royal Honour for gallantry, bravery, or meritorious service, qualified for the award of the medal, regardless of whether the length of service requirement had been met.
Since 1995 this medal has been issued to over 4,700 veterans or their families. About 13,000 New Zealanders, including several hundred women, are eligible for this medal.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
campaign medal
Campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...
for service in Occupied Japan
Occupied Japan
At the end of World War II, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers, led by the United States with contributions also from Australia, India, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. This foreign presence marked the first time in its history that the island nation had been occupied by a foreign power...
at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The medal was instituted in 1995 to recognise New Zealand military personnel who served in the occupation forces
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
between March 1946 and March 1949. In 2002 the Royal Warrant was amended to also recognise service between September 1945 and March 1946, including service by the crews of HMNZS Gambia and HMNZS Achilles in Japanese waters.
The medal was awarded to all those, military or civilian, who served with the occupation forces.
- Members of the armed services were required to have completed 28 days service in Japan,
- Members of the New Zealand Merchant Navy were required to have spent an aggregate of 28 days in Japanese territory or territorial waters, working with or alongside a New Zealand government contribution to the occupation forces,
- Aircrew of civilian airlines incorporated in New Zealand were required to have completed an aggregate of 48 flying hours in Japanese airspace,
- Civilians qualified if they had spent 28 days in Japan working with or alongside a New Zealand government contribution to the occupation forces.
Service terminated by death, wounds or disability due to service, withdrawal at the direction of the New Zealand Government for official reasons, or the award of a Royal Honour for gallantry, bravery, or meritorious service, qualified for the award of the medal, regardless of whether the length of service requirement had been met.
Since 1995 this medal has been issued to over 4,700 veterans or their families. About 13,000 New Zealanders, including several hundred women, are eligible for this medal.