SILVER WAR BADGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1919, Page 6

SILVER WAR BADGE.

i NOT A MILITARY MEDAL. Wellington, March '2O- - good deal of misapprehension has arisen over the round silver war badge which many New Zealanders are wearing. Returning soldiers, who will in due course get the official commemorative war medal after peace is signeJ, i ask why they should have to wait for their medal when others are already wearing a distinction. But tne important fact is that this round medal is in no sense a military distinction, but more properly a badge of exemption, an improvement upon the arm badges which were once worn in the Dominion.

The principle underlying the issue of . tlie silver war badge is that this award 1 is for those only who have been compelled to relinquish their appointments with the armed forces of the Crown on account of old age, wounds, or sick- i 11 ess, the disability being such as to I render them permanently and totally ; disabled for further military service. 1 These men have placed themselves at. I the disposal of the military authorities, they have not been able to continue to | render service in the fighting line, and j they were entitled to something which i would distinguish them, when in civilian j clothes during war time and the opera- I tion of compulsory military service, I from those civilians who had not rendered service. Now the war is over, ths ! real value of the badge has ceased, : though thq owners continue to wear it. as an indication that they, at any rate, • tried to do what they could for the de- ! fence of their country. |