MEDALS AND DECORATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1919, Page 6

MEDALS AND DECORATIONS.

THE LATEST IN FORMATION, Wellington, Tuesday. Tlie Defence Department has received advieo from His Eveullency the Governor General that His Majesty the King has been pleased to approve the issue of a special decoration to all troops who were in certain defined theatres of operations on duty with their units during the period August sth, 1!)14, till December 31st, 1915, both dates inclusive. The details of this award are published in an Army Order of December 23rd as follows: —

(1) New denotation applies to those who have served in theatres of war between August sth IDI4, and December 31st, 11)1©, both dates inclusive.

Those entitled to 1914 Star will not be eligible for the new decoration. (2) Decoration will be star in bronze(3) No clasp will he issued with star. (4) Ribband will be red, white and blue,

shaded and watered. (5) Provided claims approved by Army Council, >Star will be granted to all officers, Warrant Officers, Non-com-missioned officers and men of British Dominions, Colonial and Indian forces, including civilians, medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals who actually served on the establishment of unit in a th«-

atre of war. (6)' Instructions as to submission of claims and disposal of Stars in case of Dominion, Colonial and Indian forces will be issued by respective Governments.

The effect of this is that all New Zealand soldiers who took part in the occupation of Samoa on 29th August, 1914, those who participated in the operations against the Turko-German forces in Egypt in 1915, or who took part jn the operations at the Dardanelles, will be' entitled to this decoration.

As soon as the full text of the Imperial Armp Order comes to hand by mail—the details given above have Been cabled—a local General Order will be published. In the meantime, the compilation of the rolls of those entitled to the awards lias been put in hand. <\ nuestion having arisen as to the issue of tlie King's badge and certificate to demobilised soldiers, the Defence Department cabled to England for the Army Council's decision and the reply is that the. Badge and certificate have only to be issued as at present, and not to demobilised soldiers and the cable adds that a special certificate of discharge will be issued later to all demobilised men-