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New Zealand General Service Medal Obverse New Zealand General Service Medal Reverse

The New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike)

Overview

The New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) was instituted in 1992 to recognise service in warlike operations for which no separate New Zealand or British Commonwealth campaign medal was issued. Four clasps have been issued for warlike operations between 1956 and 1991 in the Suez Canal region, Malaya, Vietnam and Kuwait. In 2002, the NZGSM 1992 was replaced by the New Zealand General Service Medal 2002.

Description

The medal is silver in colour and circular in shape.  On the obverse is the Crowned Effigy of the Sovereign surrounded by the legend 'ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF.' On the reverse is 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. The wreath of New Zealand flora adds a distinctive New Zealand appearance to the medal.

The ribbon is dark blue with a light red centre and a narrow central black stripe.The design and colours of the ribbon are based upon the New Zealand Medal 1845-1847 and 1860-1866, thus are directly linked with the beginnings of New Zealand’s military history. As the first occasion upon which New Zealand had issued a war or warlike service medal outside of the two World Wars or the Vietnam War it was considered that the link with the first military campaigns in New Zealand best reflected New Zealand’s military heritage.

The medal was awarded with a clasp to describe where an individual served:  Near East, Malaya Regulations, Vietnam regulations, or Kuwait. 

Eligibility

Regulations are issued for specified service and dates for each clasp.  For Clasp Regulations, click the links in descriptions below.   

  • NEAR EAST(external link) :  For specified service of one day or more on the HMNZS Royalist off the Egyptian Coast during the Suez Crisis between 31 October 1956 and 22 December 1956.
  • MALAYA 1960–1964(external link) :  For specified service of one day or more or one sortie or more on counter-insurgency operations in northern Malaya between 1 August 1960 and 16 August 1964; or on official visits of 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated.
  • VIETNAM(external link) :  For specified service of one day or more or one sortie or more during the Vietnam War between 1 December 1962 and 1 May 1975; or on official visits, or other occurrences of a temporary nature on duty for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated; or humanitarian service for a philaropic organisation supported or sacntioned by the New Zealand Government for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated in the operational area; or served for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated, as an accredited New Zealand war correspondent in the operational area.
  • KUWAIT(external link) :  For specified service of one day or more on operations related to the Gulf War of 1990 - 1991 between 18 December 1990 and 12 March 1991; or on official visits or other occurrences of a temporary nature on duty for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated.

 For full medal details:

 Royal Warrant for the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992(external link)

Queries & requests

  • Wearing this medal

    The New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) 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 when they served in each theatre. 

    For example, the New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) with clasp 'Vietnam' is worn after the Vietnam Medal, if both have been awarded unless the recipient also qualified for the 'Malaya 1960-64' clasp.

    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 issued

    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: