Display No. 22E
Campaign Medals – NZ Special Service Medal
Campaign or service medals are awarded to those who serve in specified campaigns or military operations. They recognise general military service (in contrast to Decorations which are issued for acts of heroism and bravery). The New Zealand Special Service Medal (NZSSM) was instituted in 2002 to recognise personnel who undertook special operations which are not normally recognised by a campaign medal. The Royal Warrant allows for a number of variants of the award and to date three Special Service Medals have been struck: the NZSSM (Nuclear Testing), the NZSSM (Asian Tsunami), and the NZSSM (Erebus). The medal for the NZSSM is standard with the New Zealand Coat of Arms on the obverse and sprigs of pōhutukawa, mānuka, kōwhai, and Mount Cook lilies on the reverse. The three medal variations are distinguished by their different ribbons.
Medal(s)
Medal Description [Left to Right]:
New Zealand Special Service Medal (Nuclear Testing)
The New Zealand Special Service Medal (Nuclear Testing) was awarded to personnel who were part of an official New Zealand Government presence at atmospheric nuclear tests between 1956 and 1973. This includes naval personnel who served in HMNZ Ships Pukaki and Rotoiti at Operation Grapple (British nuclear weapon tests in the Pacific), in 1957-58, as well as those aboard RNZN vessels sent to protest French nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll in July 1973. The medal is gilt. The obverse of the medal features a representation of the New Zealand Coat of Arms. The reverse features a representation of a bouquet of New Zealand flora, composed of fern fronds and sprigs of blossom of pohutukawa, manuka, kowhai and Mt Cook lilies with a scroll inscribed “For Special Service”. The ribbon is 32mm in width with an orange-yellow central stripe with Crimson, red, white and black stripes. The central stripe of the ribbon represents the core of the nuclear explosion fireball and stripes either side allude to the red luminous spherical wave formation radiating from it. The black represents the destruction caused by the explosion.
New Zealand Special Service Medal (Asian Tsunami)
The New Zealand Special Service Medal (Asian Tsunami) was awarded to New Zealanders, both Defence Force personnel and civilians, who were involved in rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by the December 2004, Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. The ribbon has eleven vertical stripes of equal width in colours representing the national flags of the countries affected by the Tsunami.