New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Non-Warlike)

History

The New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Non-Warlike) was authorised in 1992 for New Zealanders who had served in non-warlike, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations for which no separate New Zealand, British Commonwealth, United Nations or NATO campaign medal had been issued. Like its warlike counterpart, its ribbon was drawn from the New Zealand Medal of the colonial wars, tying the country's peacekeeping to the oldest part of its military heritage.

Each operation was represented by a clasp, and the medal was never issued without one; thirteen clasps were issued for operations from 1954 onward across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific. It was replaced by the New Zealand General Service Medal 2002 for operations beginning from 2000, though it continued to be issued for earlier operations still running, such as the Sinai. As a New Zealand campaign medal it is worn in order of the date of qualifying service.

Design & ribbon

The medal

The medal is bronze and circular. The obverse bears the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II with the legend ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID DEF. It is always worn with a clasp naming the operation, and the recipient's details are engraved on the rim. The bronze metal distinguishes the non-warlike medal from the silver of the warlike version.

The ribbon

Dark blue with a light red centre and white stripe.

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, dark blue with a light red centre and a narrow central white stripe; the colours are based on the New Zealand Medal of 1869. The white central stripe distinguishes the non-warlike medal from the warlike version, which has a black one.

Clasps

Each operation is represented by a clasp; the medal is never issued without one.

Korea 1954-57

For qualifying non-warlike service in Korea between 1954 and 1957.

Indian Ocean

For qualifying non-warlike service in the Indian Ocean.

Sinai

For qualifying non-warlike service in the Sinai.

Bougainville

For qualifying non-warlike service on Bougainville.

Eligibility

The medal was awarded for non-warlike, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations for which no separate New Zealand, Commonwealth, United Nations or NATO campaign medal was issued.

• Members of the New Zealand forces, and in some cases civilians, who served in a qualifying operation from 1954 onward were eligible, subject to the conditions of each clasp;
• Thirteen clasps were issued, and the medal was never issued without one; it was replaced by the New Zealand General Service Medal 2002 for operations beginning from 2000;
• As a New Zealand campaign medal it is worn in order of the date of the qualifying service.

Order of wear

In the New Zealand Order of Wear, campaign and operational medals are worn in the order of the date of the qualifying service, so two recipients may mount the same medals in a different order depending on when they served. On an Australian rack these New Zealand awards are mounted according to the wearer's own national honours system.

Frequently asked questions