Background

The New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration has been instituted as a New Zealand Royal Honour to recognise distinguished military service, by regular, territorial and reserve members of the New Zealand Defence Force, including command and leadership and service in an operational environment, or in support of operations. Until 1995 this type of service was recognised by awards of the British Empire Medal (Military Division), the lower levels of the Military Order of the British Empire. Since the change to a totally New Zealand Honours system in 1996, these British awards have not been available to New Zealand military personnel.

Eligibility

The Decoration may be awarded to all military ranks of the New Zealand Defence Force, or uniformed members of allied forces operating with or alongside units of the New Zealand Defence Force. The Decoration may be awarded for the outstanding performance of military duties in either warlike or non-warlike operations and for individual efforts toward peacetime and humanitarian service which brings great credit to the New Zealand Defence Force and contributes significantly, through exceptional devotion to duty, dedication, judgement or application of skills to one or more of the following:

the conduct of an operational deployment;

the conduct of military training or a military operation or operations; and

the management and implementation of a project or activity with significant implications for the current or future capability of the New Zealand Defence Force.

The Distinguished Service Decoration also may be awarded for a singular accomplishment or instance of extraordinary performance of duty, or be awarded for superior cumulative efforts over a sustained period of time.

Precedence

The New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration ranks as a sixth level award and takes precedence immediately following The New Zealand Antarctic Medal. Recipients may use the letters “DSD” after their name.

Design and Manufacture

The Decoration is made of Sterling Silver. The obverse design is a representation of eight blades of a Kotiate (lobed club) in a circle with a St Edward’s Crown (Royal Crown) in the centre. The front four blades are frosted silver, the rear blades are polished silver. The reverse bears the inscriptions “FOR DISTINGUISED SERVICE” and “MO NGA TE MAHI KAHURANGI”.

The ribbon is Blue and Red, with two narrow Yellow stripes that signify ‘achievement’. Red and Blue are traditional military colours and have been used for medal ribbons since the first Military General Service Medal (1793 - 1814), the Waterloo Medal (1815) and the (British) Distinguished Service Order.

Kotiate

A Kotiate or “liver cutter” is a lobed, or fiddle-shaped, war club made of hard wood or bone, the blades of which may be plain or decoratively carved. This type of club was used as both a weapon and an item of personal adornment. In addition, it was used to reflect status, rank, authority, pride, mana or ceremonial importance, similar to the use of military swords.

The Decoration is manufactured by Eng Leong Medallic Industries Pte Ltd, of Singapore , who also manufacture The New Zealand Antarctic Medal and many of the campaign and special service medals for the New Zealand Defence Force.

Other Issues

Bars

The holder of The New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration, who performs further services worthy of another award, may be awarded a Bar to their Decoration.

Posthumous Awards

The Decoration may be awarded posthumously.

Announcement of Awards

Awards of The New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration will normally be announced in the regular New Year and Queen’s Birthday Honours Lists.

Naming of Awards

The recipient’s name and date of the award are engraved on the reverse of the Decoration between the two inscriptions.

Lapel Badge

A distinctive Lapel Badge, for everyday wear, is issued to living recipients. This is in line with the Lapel Badges and policy adopted for the various other distinctive New Zealand honours.

Certificate

Each award is accompanied by a certificate signed by The Queen and Governor-General.

ROYAL WARRANT

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of New Zealand and Her Other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to all to whom these Presents shall come,

GREETING!

WHEREAS we are desirous of instituting a Decoration to honour those members of the New Zealand Armed Forces who render distinguished or meritorious service.

WE do by these presents for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, institute and create a new Decoration.

1    Style

The Decoration shall be styled and designated "The New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration".

 

2    Description

aThe Decoration shall be a silver representation of eight blades of a Kotiate (lobed club) in

a circle with in the centre a Royal Crown, and

bOn the reverse the inscription "FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE – MO NGA TE MAHI

KAHURANGI".

 

3    Ribbon

The Decoration shall be worn from the left breast suspended from a ribbon, 32 mm in width of five stripes of dark blue, yellow, red, yellow and dark blue.

 

4    Post Nominal letters

Recipients of the Decoration shall have the privilege of placing the letters “DSD” after their name.

 

5    Bar

aPersons to whom the Decoration has been awarded who for further services qualify for the

Decoration, shall be awarded a Bar to their Decoration.

bThe Bar to the Decoration shall be of silver, oblong in shape, and bearing two New

Zealand fern fronds.

 

6    Posthumous Awards

The Decoration and Bar to the Decoration may be awarded posthumously.

 

7    Promulgation

Awards of the Decoration and Bars to the Decoration shall be promulgated in "The New Zealand Gazette".

 

8    Register

The names of all those persons who receive the Decoration and Bars to the Decoration shall be recorded in a register kept by the Clerk of the Executive Council of Our Realm of New Zealand.

 

9    Engraving of Decoration and Bar

aThe name of the recipient and date of award shall be engraved on the reverse of the

Decoration; and

bThe date of award of a Bar shall be engraved on the reverse of the Bar.

10   Certificate

Every award of the Decoration and Bar to the Decoration shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by Us, Our Heirs and Successors, and countersigned by Our Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Realm of New Zealand.

 

11   Order of Wear

It shall be competent for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, to determine from time to time, the order of wear of the Distinguished Service Decoration relation to the insignia of Orders of Chivalry and Orders, Decorations and Medals that have been or may be conferred in Our Realm of New Zealand.

 

12   Miniatures

Reproductions of the Decoration and Bars to the Decoration in miniature, which may be worn on certain occasions by those to whom the Decoration and Bar is awarded, shall not exceed one half the size of the full-size Decoration and Bar.

 

13   Lapel Badge

aA Lapel Badge may be worn by recipients of the Decoration; on those occasions it is

inappropriate to wear the full-size or miniature Decoration, except that the Lapel Badge shall not

be worn with official uniform.

bThe Lapel Badge shall not exceed 18 mm in diameter, and shall consist of a red enamel

disc with, in the centre a representation of the Decoration.

 

14   Eligibility

Serving members of the New Zealand Armed Forces, Regular, Territorial, and Reserve, shall be eligible for the Decoration and Bars to the Decoration.

 

15   Eligibility: Honorary

Commonwealth and foreign military personnel serving with, alongside or on exchange with the New Zealand Armed Forces shall be eligible for an Honorary Decoration or Bars to the Decoration.

 

16   Making of Awards

Awards of the Decoration and Bars to the Decoration shall be made by Us, Our Heirs and Successors, only on a recommendation by our Prime Minister of New Zealand or a Minister of the Crown acting for our Prime Minister.

 

17   Delegated powers

Delegated powers to make awards of the Decoration and Bars to the Decoration under the terms of this Our Warrant shall also be vested in Our Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Realm of New Zealand.

 

18   Forfeiture and restoration

It shall be competent for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, or Our Governor-General of New Zealand under Our delegated authority, on a recommendation by our Prime Minister of New Zealand or a Minister of the Crown acting for our Prime Minister—

aTo cancel and annul the conferment of the Decoration or Bar to the Medal, or both, thereof

on any person and remove their name from the Register; and

bWhere the conferment of the Decoration or Bar to the Decoration, or both, on any person

has been cancelled or annulled, to restore the Decoration or Bar to the Decoration, or both, to

that person and restore their name to the Register.

 

19   Annulment

We reserve to Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors, full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting, or dispensing with this Our Royal Warrant, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Sign Manual.

 

20   Regulations

The Decoration shall be awarded under Regulations that the Governor-General of New Zealand, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister or a Minister of the Crown acting for the Prime Minister may determine.

GIVEN At Our Court of Saint James’s this --------- day of -------------, 2007 in the 56th Year of Our Reign.

BY HER MAJESTY’S COMMAND,

New Zealand

Distinguished Service Decoration