New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal

New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal
Awarded by New Zealand
Type	Long Service Award
Eligibility	1887-1891 non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the New Zealand Volunteers upon completion of 16 years continuous service 1891 the statutes of the award were amended to include Volunteer officers upon completion of 20 years broken service 1917 further amendment made to cover Territorial officers who were permanently appointed to the New Zealand Staff Corps or Permanent Staff 1920 extended to all members of the New Zealand Military Forces. [1] [2]
Awarded for	"Long and Efficient Service"
Status	Rendered obsolete 23 September 1931 [2]
Description	Silver disk, 37mm in diameter
Clasps	none
Statistics
Established	1st January 1887
First awarded	to a member of the 1st Westland Rifle Volunteers and was recorded on 8th September 1887 [3]
Last awarded	to a member of the Canterbury Regiment on 8th June 1944 [3]
Total awarded	2384 awards were made [1] 285 awarded to volunteers [3]

The New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal was the earliest medal awarded in New Zealand for long and efficient services, being issued between 1 January 1887 to 22 September 1931. Eligibility for the medal changed over time (see infobox) and, from 1920, could be issued to all members of the New Zealand Military Forces for 16 or 20 years of service (active service between 5 August 1914 and 28 January 1919 counted as double qualifying time).^[3]

Detailed Description^[1]

Obverse: A Royal Crown superimposed over a crossed sword and taiha (Maori spear) and surrounded by fern fronds.
Reverse: The inscription "FOR LONG AND EFFICIENT SERVICE".
Size: 37 mm in diameter.
Ribbon: 38 mm wide, crimson in colour with two central white stripes (stripes added in 1917).
Suspension: The ribbon is threaded through a 14 mm diameter ring, which passes through a loop fixed to the top of the piece. The ring will move forwards and backwards.

Varieties^[2]

There are three varieties;

The first variety was manufactured by S. Kohn, Wellington, and marked S. KOHN between the ends of the ribbon bow. The second variety was manufactured by G.T. White, Christchurch and Wellington, and is found either unmarked, or marked with G.T. WHITE between the ends of the ribbon bow. The third variety was manufactured by William Dibble, Gerrards, London in the early 1950s. These medals were cast frosted silver second type medals, with very small suspension rings, sterling silver hallmarks and WJD on the bottom of the reverse. Intended primarily as replacement medals, most were sold to collectors with SPECIMEN impressed on the rim.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} Birkenhead RSA Medals Details
2. ^ ^{a b c} New Zealand Medals and Awards - Long Service
3. ^ ^{a b c d} CNMWC Regimental History Centre

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand
• List of military decorations
• David Cossgrove