The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces
Overview
The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces may be awarded annually to the champion shot in the New Zealand Army.
The Queen's Medal for Best Shot in the British Army was originally instituted by Royal Warrant in 1869. In 1923, Army Order 174 extended the grant of the King's Medal for the Champion Shot to the Military Forces of India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. This order was cancelled in 1954 when the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces was granted to British Military Forces and the Military Forces of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Ceylon, and Southern Rhodeisa.
The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces has not been renamed the King's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces.
Description
The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces has a similar design to the medal instituted by Royal Warrant, 30 April 1869, with the main difference that the new medal bears the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The medal is silver and circular in shape. On the obverse is the Crowned Effigy of the Sovereign. The reverse shows the winged mythological goddess Pheme, with a trumpet in her left hand and rising from her throne to crown a warrior with a laurel wreath. At left is the naked and cloaked warrior, with his left foot on the throne dais, a bow and a quiver of arrows in his right hand, and supporting a target with three arrows through its centre on his left knee.
The ribbon has a central stripe of dark crimson, bordered on both sides by two black stripes separated by a beige stripe in the middle.
The year of the award is inscribed on a clasp attached to the medal ribbon. Subsequent awards to the same person are recognised by additional clasps.
Eligibility
The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces is awarded annually to the winner of Queen's Medal competition in Waiouru. Personnel from any branch of the New Zealand Army are eligible to compete.
For full details:
1923 Army Order 174 (PDF, 100 KB)
1923 General Order 418 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Queries & requests
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Wearing this medal
The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces is worn with the Merit, Efficiency, and Service Awards in the New Zealand Order of Wear. It is worn after the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Naval Forces and before the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Air Forces.
For more information on how to wear and care for honours, medals, and awards:
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Checking eligibility and applying for this medal
The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Military Forces is awarded annually to the winner of Queen's Medal competition in Waiouru. Personnel from any branch of the New Zealand Army are eligible to compete.
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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.