Thomas McFlinn originally joined the Army, training with the New Zealand Artillery 9th Heavy Regiment in November of 1940. He served at Motutapu Camp for six months before transferring to the Royal Navy as a Supply Officer. During the Second World War, McFlinn served in HMS Glasgow which took part in the Russian Convoys that took vital supplies of food and military equipment to Northern Russia. He also served in HMNZS Gambia later in the war with the British Pacific Fleet in operations around the Pacific and Japan. In 1947 McFlinn joined the Auckland Division of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNZNVR). He would be a member of the RNZNVR for the next thirteen years. Over that time, McFlinn was attached to HMNZS Ngapona and undertook training several times in HMNZS Bellona. He was awarded the Royal Navy Volunteer Decoration in 1957, the same year he reached the rank of Commander. He retired from the RNZNVR in 1960 after twenty years of service.
The 1939-45 Star is the first in a series of eight campaign stars instituted in 1945 to recognise service in World War Two. The ribbon has three equal vertical stripes of dark blue, red and light blue. The dark blue stripe symbolises the service of the Navy and the Merchant Navy, the red stripe symbolises the service of the Army, and the light blue stripe symbolises the service of the Air Force. The equal width bands represent the equal contributions of the three service arms towards victory. The ribbon was devised by King George VI. Two clasps could be awarded with this medal: ‘Battle of Britain’ and ‘Bomber Command’. Only aircrew would qualify for these clasps although a small number of Fleet Air Arm naval pilots flew for the air force and would be eligible for the ‘Battle of Britain’ clasp.
The Atlantic Star was awarded for service during the Second World War. It was instituted to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic the longest continuous military campaign in the Second World War running from 3 September, 1939 – 8 May, 1945. Six months naval service or four months air service in the Atlantic, United Kingdom (‘home’) waters or North Russian waters was normally required. The ribbon is watered silk coloured blue, white and green, symbolising service in the oceans. Two clasps could be awarded with this medal: ‘France and Germany’ and ‘Air Crew Europe’. Personnel issued the Atlantic Star who then qualified for either the France and Germany and the Air Crew Europe Stars were awarded a clasp in respect of the second only (as only one clasp could be worn on the star).
The Burma Star was awarded for service in the Second World War in the Burma campaign, from 11 December 1941 to 2 September 1945. The centre of the ribbon is red (representing the Commonwealth forces) with outer stripes of dark blue (representing the British forces). The dark blue bands each have at their centres a stripe of bright orange (symbolising the sun). A ‘Pacific’ clasp could be awarded with this medal. Personnel qualifying for both the Pacific and Burma Stars were awarded the first star but only a clasp in respect of the second.
The Defence Medal was awarded to British and Commonwealth forces who served during the Second World War. It was awarded to New Zealand military personnel who served overseas in a non-operational area such as Great Britain, Palestine or Fiji. The ribbon’s flame-coloured orange centre band and green edge bands symbolise enemy attacks on Britain’s green and pleasant land. The narrow black stripes represent the black-outs against enemy air-attacks.
The War Medal 1939-45 was awarded across the British Commonwealth to all full-time members of the Armed Forces in the Second World War for 28 days service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945, irrespective of where they were serving. The ribbon is the red, white, and blue of the (British) Union Flag. There is a narrow central red stripe with a narrow white stripe on either side. There are broad red stripes at either edge, the two intervening stripes being blue.
A bronze oak leaf on the medal ribbon denotes that the recipient was Mentioned in Despatches. To be Mentioned in Despatches a member of the armed forces had their name mentioned in an official report, written by a superior officer, and sent to a higher command. The report would describe the individual’s gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.
The New Zealand War Service Medal was awarded for 28 days’ full time service or six months’ part time service in the Second World War in any of the New Zealand Armed Forces including the Reserves, Naval Auxiliary Patrol Service, or Home Guard, between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.
Instituted in 1908, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration was awarded to commissioned officers in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve after fifteen years of service; wartime service counting as double. Holders were entitled to the postnominal letters VD (until 1947) or VRD (after 1947). The original plain dark green ribbon was replaced with a blue, green and red striped version in 1919. The VRD was discontinued in the United Kingdom in 1966 but continued to be awarded in New Zealand, being instituted in 1985 as the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration with qualifying service backdated to 1977. The New Zealand VRD is the exact same design as the RNVR Decoration with the post 1919 striped ribbon. The ribbon colours are symbolic with blue representing the sea, red the Royal crimson and green which was the colour of the ribbon of the original Volunteer Officer’s decoration.
This medal was issued by the Russian (Soviet) government in 1985 to commemorate victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Although primarily awarded to Russian citizens, it was also awarded to Commonwealth veterans (including Merchant Navy) who took part in the Arctic Convoys delivering essential supplies to the Soviet Union during the Second World War. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the Russian Convoy medal.
This medal was issued by the Russian (Soviet) government in 1995 to commemorate victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Although primarily awarded to Russian citizens, it was also awarded to Commonwealth veterans (including Merchant Navy) who took part in the Arctic Convoys delivering essential supplies to the Soviet Union during the Second World War. For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the Russian Convoy medal.
