New Zealand War Service Medal
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand War Service Medal (NZWSM)was a New Zealand
campaign medal
for service in World War II
.
The NZWSM was approved in 1946, and was awarded to members of the New Zealand armed forces
, the National Military Reserve, and the Home Guard. The NZWSM was awarded in addition to the standard Commonwealth
campaign awards for World War II.
The NZWSM was awarded for 28 days' full time aggregated service or six months' part time aggregated service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Service brought to an end by death on duty, or due to wounds sustained on duty, or honourable discharge as a result of such wounds, automatically qualified for award of the medal. Some 238,000 medals were issued.
This medal was the first distinctively ‘New Zealand' campaign medal, which was emphasised by the use of the fern leaf motif on the reverse and the national colours of black and white in the ribbon.
The NZWSM was issued unnamed.
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 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 NZWSM was approved in 1946, and was awarded to members of the New Zealand armed forces
New Zealand Defence Force
The New Zealand Defence Force consists of three services: the Royal New Zealand Navy; the New Zealand Army; and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the NZDF is His Excellency Rt. Hon...
, the National Military Reserve, and the Home Guard. The NZWSM was awarded in addition to the standard Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
campaign awards for World War II.
The NZWSM was awarded for 28 days' full time aggregated service or six months' part time aggregated service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Service brought to an end by death on duty, or due to wounds sustained on duty, or honourable discharge as a result of such wounds, automatically qualified for award of the medal. Some 238,000 medals were issued.
This medal was the first distinctively ‘New Zealand' campaign medal, which was emphasised by the use of the fern leaf motif on the reverse and the national colours of black and white in the ribbon.
The NZWSM was issued unnamed.