WAR AWARDS

Grey River Argus, 1 February 1946, Page 8

WAR AWARDS

K.Z. PERSONNEL Fine Record WELLINGTON, January 15. Between them.' New Zealand Army, Navy and Air .Force personnel received a total of -6002 British honours and awards from the outbreak of war to January 9;. 3641 ..going to the Army, 1984 to the Air Force, and 377 to the Navy. When he nuade these figures available, the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) said he was sure the whole country would feel a justifiable pride in such a magnificent record of achievement. . _ Mr Jones said that rn addition to the British awards, 26 different decorations from nine Allied nations had been awarded To 162' members or the New Zealand forces. '■ ' 5 Although the total included both operational and non-operational awards, by far the larger portion of these were earned by operational activities. In addition to 2782 mention in dispatches, and 27 commendations, a total of 2588 medals and decorations was awarded to New Zealanders for gallantry in the face of the enemy. The highest award, the Victoria Cross, had been gained seven times. In addition, one of the recipients, Captain C. H. Upham, had the almost unprecedented distinction of gaining a Bar to this coveted decoration. The largest, number of single decorations awarded was 998 Distinguished Flying Crosses. In addition, there were 79° Bars to that decoration, and on four occasions a second Bar was awarded. Awards of the Military Medal totalled 589, and the naval decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross, was awarded 92 times. . The list of awards and decorations in order of Navy, Arm/, and AirForce is:— OPERATIONAL Victoria Cross: —, 5,2. Total 7. Bar to .Victoria Cross: ■ —, 1, —■ Total 1. DSO.: 7, 110, 70. Total 181. Bar to D. 5.0.: 1. 19, 4. Total 24 Military Cross: —, 252, 2. Total 254. Bar to M.C.: —, 13, —. Total 13. D.C.M.: ■ —, 107, —. Total 107. Bar to D.C.M.: —, 1, •—• Total 1. Military Medal: —, 586, 3. Total 589. , . Bar to M.M.: —, 4, —. Total 4. Distinguished Service Cross: 92, , —. Total 92. t , o Bar to D.S.C.: 8, —, —• total 8. Second Bar to D.S.C.: 1, , ■ • Total 1. n 1 -I Conspicuous .Gallantry Medal. 1, , 5. Total 6. Distinguished Service Medal: 32, —, —. Total 32. Distinguished Flying Cross: 1, —, 997. Total 998. Bar to D.F.C.: —, —, 79. Total 79. Second Bar to D.F.C.: ■ , , 4. Total 4. Distinguished Flying Medal; —, —, 179. Total 179. Bar to D.F.M.;.—, —, 1- Total 1. Mentioned in Dispatches: 178, 2199, 405. Total 2782. Commendations: 1, —, 26. Total 27. Albert Medal: 1, —, —■ Total 1. NON-OPERATIONAL.

Knight .Commander of the MostHonourable Order of the Bath: - , 1, —. Total 1. Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath: 2,7, —• Total 9. Knight Commander of the. Most Excellent’ Order of the British Empire. —, 1, 1. Total 2. Commander of the Most. Excellent Order of the British Empire: —, 28, 7. Total 35. Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: 10, 78. 20. Total 108. Member of the Most Excellent. OrSer of the British Empire: 21, 135, 39. Total 195. British Empire Medal: 21, 69, 40. Total 130. Royal Rad Cross: —, 25, —. Total 25. George Medal: —, 1, 5. Total G. Air Force Cross: —, —, 87. Total 87. Bar to A.F.C.: —, —, 2.. Total 2. Air Force Medal; —, —, 5. Total 5. A total of 247 of the Navy’s-377 awards have been won by men serving in the Royal Navy. Of the Army awards, 3428 were earned in the Middle East, and 213 in the Pacific. New Zealand airmen ,in the R.A.F gained 234 awards; 282 were earned in the Pacific, and 1468 in the United Kingdom, Middle East, and other war theatres. Following are the decorations awarded to members of the New Zealand forces by, Allied nations:— American Navy Cross: 3, —, —. Total 3. American Silver Star Medal: 5,4, —. Total 9. American Bronze Star Medal: 2.7, —. Total 9. American Legion of Merit (Degree of Legionaire): 3, 1. Total 4.American Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer): —, 9,2. Total 11. American. Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander): —, 4,2. Total 6.' American Letter of Commendation: 23, —, —. Total 23. American Distinguished Flying Cross: —, —, 16. Total 16. United States Air Medal: —. —■. 16. Total 16. French Croix de Guerre: 2. — 5. Total 7. Belgian Croix de Guerre: —, —. 1. Total 1. Polish Virtute Militari: —, —, 2. Total 2. . Order of Crown of Yugoslavia: —, —, 2. Total. 2. . White Eagle of Yugoslavia: —, —, 1. Total I. Norwegian War Cross: —, —, 1. Total 1, Czech' War Cross: —. —, 1. Total 1. Soviet Order of Lenin: —, —, 1. Total 1 Soviet Medal for'Valour: —, 1 ; ’ —, Total 1. "I. '' .... Greek Order of Phoenix Silver Cross: —. 3, —. Total 3. Greek Order of Grand Commander:' —, 1, —. Total ll , Greek Order of King. George Silver“ Cross: —, 2, —. Total 2. Greek Medal for Outstanding Service: —, 7. —. Total 7. Greek Military Cross- —, 12 — Total 12. Greek Bronze Medal: —, 17, — Total 17. Greek Silver Medal: —, 4, —. Total 4. Greek Gold Medal: —, 2, —. Total 2, The Navy gained 35 foreign awards, two of them being gained by New Zealanders in the Royal Navy. Army, personnel were awarded 76, all earned in the Middle East. Of the Air Force’s 51 awards; 26 were gained in the Pacific.