GENERAL WAR SERVICE MEDAL TO BE ISSUED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 8, 15 October 1948, Page 5

GENERAL WAR SERVICE MEDAL TO BE ISSUED

All Services To Share Eligibility

Royal approval of the institution and issue of a New Zealand War Service Medal for a minimum requirement of 28 days’ full-time service or six months’ part time service within New Zealand or abroad between September 3 1939 and September 2 1945, has been announced by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones. , “Though our Armed Forces have shared in several British awards connected with war service, it is, in the view of the Government, appropriate that there should be a special New Zealand Medal, to recognise service primarily in the New Zealand Armed Forces, ’ said Mr Jones in a statement to the House of Representatives. “The New Zealand War Service Medal will afford some recognition by the Government and people of this country of the loyal service, not only of our Servicemen, but also of the many who faithfully and unselfishly performed their arduous, if less spectacular, duties as members of the Merchant Navy, the Naval Auxiliary Patrol Service and the Home Guard. Personnel who served outside New Zealand as members of the crew of a civil aircraft will also x qualify,” he said. Eligibility for the award of the Medal is based generally on a minimum requirement of 28 days’ fulltime service, or six months’ parttime service, whether within New Zealand or abroad, between September 3 1939 and September 2 1945. In the case of the Home Guard and the Naval Auxiliary Patrol Service, the service would, of course, require to have been performed during the period that those organisations were functioning. Provision has been made for those persons whose service was terminated by death or injury occurring whilst on duty before the usual requirements for the award of the Medal could be fulfilled. Full conditions of award will be published shortly. The design of the Medal has been submitted to His Majesty for approval and will be published when His Majesty’s pleasure is known. Nearer the time when the Medals can be distributed, an announcement will be made indicating the procedure that should be followed in submitting applications. Until then, interested persons should refrain from applying.