THAILAND
This bar was announced in a press release from NZ's Minister of Defence on 15 January 2003. This medal is to recognise the exceptional service of the almost 300 New Zealanders deployed to Thailand during the period 1962 - 1971.
In 1962, three RNZAF Bristol Freighters with support personnel and 30 SAS personnel were deployed to northeast Thailand. They joined forces with the US, Thai, Australian and the UK to prepare against a feared invasion of Thailand from acros the Laotian border. The crisis was resolved before any invasion.
In 1964-65, a 33 strong NZ Army Engineering team was deployed to northeast Thailand to assist British and Australian military engineers in the construction of a strategic military airfield at Mukdahan, near the Thai-Laos border. Two RNZAF Bristol Freighters of 41 Squadron supported the engineers throughout this period. The aircraft also assisted the US Strategic Logistic Aid to Thailand (SLAT) programme.
From 1965 to 1971, New Zealand Army Engineers were involved in road construction in Northeast Thailand. Due to the potential military risk in the area, the project was carried out by military rather than civilian personnel.
THE NEW ZEALAND GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL
ELIZABETH R.
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 medal to award to members of Our New Zealand Defence Force and certain other civilian persons for services rendered during both warlike and non-warlike (peacekeeping) operations:
WE do by these presents, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, institute and create a new Medal.
1 Style
The Medal shall be designated and styled "The New Zealand General Service Medal".
2 Description
a
Subject to subclause 2 of this clause, the Medal shall be circular in shape, bearing on the obverse the Crowned Effigy of the Sovereign, and on the reverse the inscription "The New
Zealand General Service Medal" within a wreath of New Zealand flora (pohutukawa blossom, fern fronds, and kowhai blossom) ensigned by a Royal Crown.
bThe Medal
i When issued for warlike operations, shall be of silver; and
iiWhen issued for non-warlike operations, shall be of bronze.
3 Ribbons
aSubject to subclause 2 of this clause, the Medal in silver shall be worn from the left breast suspended from a ribbon, 32 millimetres in width, of dark blue with a light red centre and
a narrow central black stripe.
bThe Medal in bronze shall be worn from the left breast suspended from a similar ribbon to
that prescribed by subclause 1 of this clause, save that the narrow central stripe shall be white.
4 Clasps
On all occasions on which the Medal is awarded (being occasions approved by Us), the Medal shall be awarded with a clasp bearing the name of the operation for which the Medal has been sanctioned.
5 Conditions of award
aThe Medal shall be awarded in accordance with such regulations as We, from time to
time may be pleased to determine.
bWhere the Medal is awarded for warlike operations, both the Medal and the clasp shall be
in silver.
cWhere the Medal is awarded for non-warlike operations, both the Medal and the clasp
shall be in bronze.
6 Duplicate awards
aWhere a person who is in possession of the Medal and the clasp in bronze qualifies for
the Medal for a subsequent operation, that person,
i If the subsequent operation is a non-warlike operation, shall receive only the
appropriate clasp in bronze for attachment to the Medal; but
iiIf the subsequent operation is a warlike operation, shall receive both the Medal in
silver and the appropriate clasp in silver.
bWhere a person who is in possession of the Medal and the clasp in silver qualifies for the
Medal for a subsequent operation, that person,
i If the subsequent operation is a warlike operation, shall receive only the appropriate
clasp in silver for attachment to the Medal; but
iiIf the subsequent operation is a non-warlike operation, shall receive both the Medal
in bronze and the appropriate clasp in bronze.
7 Registration The names of all those to whom the Medal and clasp thereof are awarded shall be recorded in a register kept by the Chief of Defence Force in Our Realm of New Zealand.
8 Names of recipients The name of the recipient shall be engraved or stamped on the rim of the Medal.
9 Order of wear In the official list showing the order in which Orders, Decorations, and Medals
shall be worn, the New Zealand General Service Medal shall in Our Realm of New Zealand be
worn, according to the date of award, as a war medal.
10 Miniatures
aReproductions of the Medal and any clasp thereof in miniature, which may be worn on
certain occasions by those to whom the Medal is awarded, shall be approximately half the size of the New Zealand General Service Medal and clasp thereof.
bA sealed pattern of the miniature Medal shall be deposited with and kept by the Chief of
Defence Force in Our Realm of New Zealand.
11 Delegated powers
aSubject to subclause 2 of this clause, delegated powers to make awards under the terms
of this Our Warrant and Regulations We, from time to time, may be pleased to determine, shall be vested in Our Ministers of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and External Relations and Trade, or a Minister of the Crown acting for Our Ministers of Defence, Foreign Affairs, or External Relations and Trade.
bOur Minister of Defence may delegate powers to make awards to members of Our New
Zealand Defence Force to the Chief of Defence Force or a Chief of Staff acting for the Chief of Defence Force.
12 Forfeiture and restoration
It shall be competent for Our Minister of Defence or Minister of
Foreign Affairs or Minister of External Relations and Trade in New Zealand
aTo cancel and annul the conferment of the Medal or any clasp thereof on any person; and
bWhere the conferment of the Medal or any clasp thereof on any person has been cancelled or annulled, to restore the Medal or clasp to that person.
13 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.
GIVEN At Our Court at Saint James's this 7th day of May 1992 in the 41st Year of Our Reign.
By Her Majesty's Command,
JIM BOLGER,
Prime Minister of New Zealand.
THE NEW ZEALAND GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL
ELIZABETH R.
ROYAL WARRANT
AMENDMENT
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 by a Warrant under Our Sign Manual dated the Seventh day of May, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Two
S.R.
1992/101
We were pleased to institute and create a Medal designated "The New Zealand General Service Medal" and did make, ordain and establish rules and ordinances for the governance of the same, reserving to Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors, full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting or dispensing with the rules and ordinances, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Sign Manual:
AND WHEREAS We deem it expedient that the said Warrant should be amended to extend the eligibility for the Medal to include persons who are not members of Our New Zealand Defence Force but who have served as members of the Armed Forces of New Zealand prior to the said Seventh day of May, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Two:
NOW THEREFORE, We, by these Presents for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, are graciously pleased to ordain that Our Warrant shall be altered by inserting, after clause 4, the following clause:
4A Eligibility
The following persons are eligible for the Medal for services rendered during both
warlike and non-warlike (peacekeeping) operations
aMembers of the New Zealand Defence Force and other civilian persons:
bPersons who were at any time members of the Armed Forces, within the meaning of the
Defence Act 1971:
cPersons who were at any time members of
i The New Zealand Naval Forces, within the meaning of the Navy Act 1954; or
ii The New Zealand Army, within the meaning of the New Zealand Army Act 1950; or
iiiThe Royal New Zealand Air Force, within the meaning of the Royal New Zealand Air
Force Act 1950.
And it is Our Will and Pleasure that these amendments shall be taken and received as part and parcel of the Warrant for the said Medal and shall henceforth be inviolably observed and kept.
GIVEN at Our Court at Saint James's this Fourth day of August 1997 in the 46th Year of Our Reign.
By Her Majesty's Command,
JIM BOLGER,
Prime Minister of New Zealand.
NEW ZEALAND GENRAL SERVICE MEDAL (THAILAND)
REGUATIONS 2003
1 Title These regulations are the New Zealand General Service Medal (Thailand) Regulations 2003.
2 Commencement: These regulations come into force on the 28th day after the date of their
notification in the Gazette.
3 Thailand:
aThe award of the New Zealand General Service Medal in bronze with the Clasp
"THAILAND" in bronze is approved.
bThe Medal and the Clasp are awarded subject the Royal Warrant and to regulations 5 and 6.
4 Operational area In these regulations, operational area
ameans those areas of any of the following 18 provinces of north- eastern Thailand:
bincludes those areas of any other provinces of Thailand that the Minister of Defence, on the advice of the Chief of Defence Force, may determine.
5 Eligibility: A person is eligible for the award of the Medal and the Clasp, subject to regulation 6, if, between 25 May 1962 and 15 December 1971, he or she was
aa member of the New Zealand Army or Royal New Zealand Air Force or Royal New Zealand Navy; or
ba civilian person who was a member of a New Zealand contribution or a New Zealand
supported or sanctioned contribution in the operational area.
6Qualification:
An eligible person qualifies for the award of the Medal and the Clasp if he or she
aserved for 30 days or more as a member of a unit or sub-unit engaged in operations in the
operational area; or
bcarried out 30 sorties or more as a member of a military or naval air crew or as a supernumerary crew member, in support of operations in the operational area; or
coperated with the New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Royal New Zealand
Navy, or allied armed forces, or worked on New Zealand Government official tasks for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated, in the operational area; or
drendered humanitarian service for a philanthropic organisation supported or sanctioned by
the New Zealand Government for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated, in the operational area; or
ehad his or her period of service in the operational area terminated before the completion of
the qualifying time required by paragraphs (a) to (d) due to death or evacuation owing to wounds or other disability caused by that service; or
f did not complete the qualifying time required by paragraphs (a) to (d), but was given a royal honour for gallantry or bravery in the operational area; or (g) had his or her period of service in the operational area terminated before completing the qualifying time required by paragraphs (a) to (d) due to the withdrawal of the New Zealand armed forces referred to in regulation 5(a) from the operational area at the request of the New Zealand Government and the award has been approved by the Chief of Defence Force; or
ghad his or her period of service in the operational area terminated before completing the
qualifying time required by paragraphs (a) to (d) for service reasons (not personal or compassionate) and the award has been approved by the Chief of Defence Force; or
hserved in any manner not inconsistent with these regulations that the Minister of Defence
on the advice of the Chief of Defence Force, may determine.
7 Delegation
Under clause 11(2) of the Royal Warrant, the Chief of Defence Force or a Chief of Staff acting for the Chief of Defence Force is authorised to award the New Zealand General Service Medal with the Clasp "THAILAND" to those persons who qualify for the award of that Medal with the Clasp "THAILAND".
Dated at Wellington this 17th day of September 2003.
(Signed) Ministry of Defence
