Veterans gift to Army Museum

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 628, 19 March 1996, Page 3

Veterans gift to Army Museum

By

Michele

Monaghan

The dominion president and vice president of the Kings Empire Veterans (KEV) were in Waiouru last Wednesday to gift treasures to the Army museum. The old association colours (the guidon) were presented for posterity as was the first medal minted to commemorate the KEV centennial being held in 1999. The KEV Standard was also handed over during a short ceremony. The Kings Empire Veterans were formed in 1900 by the Earl of Ranfurly who ■' was governor-general at the time. Known as the Empire Veterans Association (EVA), the formation became the first servicemen's organisation to be established in New Zealand. In 1911 the association changed its name to the KEV after a suggestion from Lord Kitchener. The suggestion was to call them the Kings Company of Veterans, but King George the Fifth didn't like this so Kings Empire Veterans

was the compromise. The requirements to become a member of KEV have changed over the years. In earlier times the first priority was given to decorated soldiers and the second given to soldiers with 10 years of active service. This changed in 1963 when soldiers over 60 years of age, who had served in any war waged by the Commonwealth,

became eligible. With this change came the need to update the battle honours on the guidon so a new guidon was commissioned and the old colours were laid to rest last May. Battle honours on the guidon presented to the museum are Inkerman, Delhi, Tel-El-Kebir, Omdurman, Chitral, Great War 1914-1918, Alma, Lucknow, Burma, Khartoum, Tarah, Balaclava,

New Zealand, Atbara, Wazinstan, South Africa, Second Great War 19391945. The new colours include Korea, Malaya and V ietnam. People interested inKEV centennial celebrations can contact the centennial committee chairman, Doug White, 4 Hazlett Road, RD 5, Thames. Mr White said any information regarding KEV would be gladly accepted.