A New Zealander in the Vietnam War

This is an interesting group, inscribed to Gunner H.H. Brass, RNZA (383606). Both the Vietnam War Service medal and the Republic of Vietnam are engraved. The RVN medal has the famous 1960- date on it. The intention was that the final date would be added after the victory over North Vietnam. Since South Vietnam was defeated there was no government around to establish the missing date.

The Vietnam War Service Medal was awarded to all members of the New Zealand armed forces who, between 29 May 1964 and 27 January 1973, either served for 28 days, continuous or aggregated, in ships or craft employed in operations on inland waters or off the coast of Vietnam or served for one day or more on the posted strength of a unit or formation on land in Vietnam, conducted one operational sortie over Vietnam or Vietnamese waters by aircrew on the posted strength of a unit allocated for direct support of operations in Vietnam or served for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated, on official visits, inspections or other occurrences of a temporary nature on duty in Vietnam, or in ships or craft engaged in operations off the Vietnamese coast.

Service terminated by death or wounds, or the award of a decoration for gallantry led to the immediate award of the medal, regardless of whether the qualification period had been fulfilled.

Since the ROV medal was considered a foreign award by the New Zealand Government it was never approved for display on official occasions so this group has been mounted for Anzac Day wear I am guessing.

A Kiwi Korea Vet

This group is marked to 61235 Aircraftsman L.C. Hill, RNZAF and comprises the New Zealand Operational Service Medal, The New Zealand Service Medal 1946-49, the Commonwealth Korea Medal, the UN Korea Medal and the Republic of Korea War Medal. The ROK medal is a later issue as it down’t have the national symbol woven into the ribbon. This is an interesting set as the guy is clearly an early arrival into Korea and stayed until the end. The The OSM and Jay Force medals are named which is unusual for these things, leading me to believe that at least some of this group are official replacements as habitually they weren’t inscribed at the time but late issues from the 1990′s were.

A medal group for a lucky man

This medal group I picked up the other day from EBay. It belonged to a bloke J.S. Farquarson (Private 624746) and consists of the British Victory Medal, the New Zealand War Service Medal, The New Zealand Operational Service Medal and the New Zealand Service Medal 1946-1949. The group came with a stack of papers and photos detailing his enlistment in June 1942, subsequent deployment to Italy via Egypt in April 1945 (Just missing the war in Europe) and his final deployment to Japan in September 1945 as part of the British and Commonwealth Occupation Force (“Jay-Force”). He returned to New Zealand in October 1946 and was discharged. What a lucky guy, too late for a bullet every time. This explains why he has no campaign stars in his rack.

New Zealand Operational Service Medal

New Zealand Service Medal 1946-1949

The New Zealand Service Medal 1946 – 1949 was a New Zealand campaign medal for service in Occupied Japan at the end of World War II.
The medal was instituted in 1995 to recognise New Zealand military personnel who served in the occupation forces in Japan between March 1946 and March 1949. In 2002 the Royal Warrant was amended to also recognise service between September 1945 and March 1946, including service by the crews of HMNZS Gambia and HMNZS Achilles in Japanese waters.
The medal was awarded to all those, military or civilian, who served with the occupation forces.
Members of the armed services were required to have completed 28 days service in Japan,
Members of the New Zealand Merchant Navy were required to have spent an aggregate of 28 days in Japanese territory or territorial waters, working with or alongside a New Zealand government contribution to the occupation forces,
Aircrew of civilian airlines incorporated in New Zealand were required to have completed an aggregate of 48 flying hours in Japanese airspace,
Civilians qualified if they had spent 28 days in Japan working with or alongside a New Zealand government contribution to the occupation forces.
Service terminated by death, wounds or disability due to service, withdrawal at the direction of the New Zealand Government for official reasons, or the award of a Royal Honour for gallantry, bravery, or meritorious service, qualified for the award of the medal, regardless of whether the length of service requirement had been met.
Since 1995 this medal has been issued to over 4,700 veterans or their families. About 13,000 New Zealanders, including several hundred women, are eligible for this medal.

New Zealand War Service Medal

This medal was awarded for one month’s full time service or six months’ part time service in any of the Armed Services, the Reserve or Home Guard between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. This medal was the first distinctively ‘New Zealand’ campaign medal, which was emphasised by the use of the fern leaf motif on the reverse and the national colours of black and white in the ribbon.

The New Zealand War Service Medal was issued unengraved, as were other Second World War campaign medals awarded for service for New Zealand.

Being a New Zealander I am especially fond of this medal. My grandfathers medal bar contains one as does that on the Grand-Uncle that I am named after.