Award Of War Medal

Northern Advocate, 27 June 1946, Page 6

Award Of War Medal

(F.A.) WELLINGTON. This Day.' The War Medal would be granted to full-time personnel of the United Kingdom and Dominion armed forces wherever they served during the war, and would be granted in addition to campaign stars and the Defence Medal, if earned, said the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) today, when he referred to an announcement by His Majesty of the institution of a war medal. The qualification would be 28 days' full-time service, and both operational and non-cperational service would qualify. “Service qualifying for award of this medal will count from September 3. 1939, and the terminating date for all theatres, whether in Europe, the Pacific or elsewhere, will be September 2, 1945,” said the Minister. He added that as far as personnel of the New Zealand forces were concerned, all members of the Royal New Zealand Navy, including the WRNS. the army, which embraced the regular force and territorial force, the temporary staff, the WAAC and Home Guardsmen and RNZAF men, including the WAAF, who served for not less than 28 days on full-time duty, would be eligible for the War Medal. PACIFIC STAR

Referring to the Pacific Star, the Minister said that under the original rules personnel would not earn the Pacific Star until they first qualified for the 1939-45 Star for which the genera] qualification on land or sea was six months, and for aircrew two months’ service in an opeational area. “These rules have now been changed making it unnecessary for Army and Air Force personnel to first earn the 1939-45 Star and the new time qualification for the Pacific Star for service co land or in the air had been reduced to one day on the strength of a unit in an operational area." he said. “In the case of naval personnel shore-based in an operational area, the qualifying rules for the Army are applicable. “For service afloat the concession of one day’s service for the Pacific Star applies to the Navy and Merchant Navy personnel only after the 1939-45 Star has been earned. “However, in the last six months of the wa r in the Pacific—March 2, 1945, to September 2, 1945—service afloat in the Pacific area will qualify for the Pacific Star without the prior earning of the 1939-45 Star.’’ CONDITIONS ALIGNED The Minister said that by this change the rules and conditions of the award of the Pacific Star and Africa Star were brought into line. Furthermore, the same rule of one dayon the strength of a unit in an operation area applied i n respect to the • Burma, Italy. France and Germany i Stars. Mr Jones concluded by saying that . the qualifying period of service for ' the award of the Defence Medal had \ been reduced for members of the New ; Zealand forces in the Pacific Islands from 12 to six months.