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The General Service Medal 1962 Obverse The General Service Medal 1962 Reverse

The General Service Medal 1962

Overview

The General Service Medal 1962 was instituted in 1964 to replace both the Naval General Service Medal 1915-62 and the General Service Medal 1918-62. It was awarded to recognise service in minor operations for which no separate medal was intended. Subsequent New Zealand equivalents to this medal are the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 and the New Zealand General Service Medal 2002.

Description

The General Service Medal 1962 is silver in colour and circular in shape.   The obverse features the Royal Effigy Crown.  On the reverse is a wreath surrounding the words "For Campaign Service" surmounted by the Crown.

The ribbon is purple with green edges.

This medal was always issued with a clasp. A total of fourteen clasps (listed below) were issued with this medal. However, only two clasps (Borneo and Malay Peninsula) have been awarded to New Zealanders in significant numbers. Both of these clasps were awarded for service related to the Indonesian Confrontation of the 1960s.

  • Borneo
  • Cyprus 1963-64
  • Radfan
  • South Arabia
  • Malay Peninsula
  • South Vietnam
  • Northern Ireland
  • Dhofar
  • Lebanon
  • Mine Clearance
  • Gulf
  • Kuwait
  • N Iraq & S Turkey
  • Air Operations Iraq

Eligibility

Individuals who served in specified operations between 1962 and 1992. Eligibility criteria varied for each operation.

For further information:

The Naval General Service Medal and The General Service Medal for Operational Service in Brunei in December 1962, issued July 1963 (PDF, 129 KB)

The General Service Medal, 1962 for Operational Service in the Malay Peninsula/Singapore between 17 August 1964 and 11 August 1966, issued October 1967 (PDF, 131 KB)

The General Service Medal, 1962 for Operational Service in Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei from December 1962, issued September 1964 (PDF, 181 KB)

Queries & requests

  • Wearing this medal

    The General Service Medal 1962 is worn as a campaign medal in the New Zealand Order of Wear.  Campaign medals are worn in order of date of participation in the campaign, operation, or peacekeeping mission for which the medal was awarded.  This includes United Nations, NATO mission, and European Union mission medals.  As a result, different individuals may mount their medals in different orders depending on the time served in theatre.

    In most cases, the General Service Medal 1962 with clasps 'Borneo' and 'Malay Peninsula' is worn after the General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) with clasp 'Malaya 1960-64,' if both medals have been awarded.

    For more information on how to wear and care for honours, medals, and awards:

  • Applying for this medal

    NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals (PAM) issues war, operational and service medals to current and former NZDF members.

    If you or someone you know may be eligible, you can apply through our application page.

    Apply for unclaimed medals

  • Checking if this medal was awarded

    Honours, medals, and awards bestowed on an individual for service in the New Zealand Armed Forces are recorded in their individual service record.  NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals holds a collection of about 1.5 million service records relating to 420,000 New Zealand service personnel who served in New Zealand’s Military Forces after the First World War.

    Service records are not currently digitised, but we can locate it and find the information you might be looking for or help you book a time for you to see the records in Trentham by completing the form on the Service Record page. 

    Request a service record

  • Related questions and medals
    Why do some ex-Army soldiers receive a British General Service Medal for their service in Malaya in the 1950s and 1960s and others receive a New Zealand General Service Medal?

    Campaign medals for service in Malaya and Singapore are awarded based on the dates of the different types, phases, and locations of operational service undertaken by British Commonwealth and/or New Zealand military personnel. They are not awarded based on the deployment dates of specific New Zealand units.

    In 1950, the British Government instituted the General Service Medal (1918-62) with clasp 'Malaya' for Army and Air Force service in the Malayan Emergency. The British Government later determined that the end date for land-based service in Malaya qualifying for this medal would be 31 July 1960.

    In 1967, the British Government instituted the General Service Medal (1962) with clasp 'Malay Peninsula' to recognise Confrontation-related military service on land in the Malay Peninsula or Singapore between 17 August 1964 and 12 June 1965. There were different dates for service at sea.

    Until 1997, those New Zealand military personnel who had only served in Malaya between 1 August 1960 and 16 August 1964 received no medallic recognition for their service.  However, in the mid-1990s, the New Zealand Government reviewed claims for medallic recognition from NZ military personnel who had served in Malaya in the period 1 August 1960 and 16 August 1964. As a result of this review, the New Zealand Government created the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 with clasp 'Malaya 1960-64' to recognise specified service during this time period. Those who had only served in the south (e.g. Terendak) or centre of Malaya or in Singapore are not eligible for this medal.

    For further information: