British Commonwealth War and Campaign Medals Awarded to New Zealanders - The General Service Medal 1918 - 62
About the General Service Medal (GSM) 1918 - 62
The General Service Medal (GSM) 1918 - 62 was instituted in 1918 to recognise service in minor Army and Air Force operations for which no separate medal was intended. Six different effigies of the reigning monarch are used on the Obverse of this medal.
Only one clasp to the GSM 1918 - 62 was awarded to New Zealand military personnel in large numbers: the clasp 'Malaya'. The clasp 'Malaya' recognised service by New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel in the Malayan Emergency of 1948 to 31 July 1960. The clasp 'Malaya' recognises service in Malaya between 16 June 1948 and 31 July 1960, and service in Singapore between 16 June 1948 and 31 January 1959. Also see Note 1, below.
Two other clasps to the GSM 1918 - 62 were awarded in small numbers to New Zealand military personnel: the clasp 'SE Asia 1945-46'; and the clasp 'Brunei'.
The GSM 1918 - 62 was replaced in 1964 by the General Service Medal 1962.
Royal Warrant
Campaign Medals are instituted by Warrants signed by the reigning Sovereign at the time they are instituted.
Medal Regulations
The Regulations for the following clasps to the General Service Medal 1918 - 62 can be viewed through the links below.
Clasps and Bars
A total of eighteen clasps were issued with the GSM 1918 - 62.
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Clasp Comments S. Persia for service between 12 Nov 1918 and 22 Jun 1919 Kurdistan for service between 23 May 1919 and 6 Dec 1919 Iraq for service between 10 Dec 1919 and 17 Nov 1920 N.W. Persia for service between 10 Aug 1920 and 31 Dec 1920 Southern Desert Iraq rare - for service between 8 Jan 1928 and 3 Jun 1928 Northern Kurdistan rare - for service between 15 Mar 1932 and 21 Jun 1932 Palestine for service between 1936 and 1939 SE Asia 1945 - 46 Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945 – 49 rare Bomb and Mine Clearance 1945 – 56 rare Palestine 1945 – 48 Berlin Airlift for service in the Berlin Airlift operation from 25 Jun 1948 to 6 Oct 1949 Malaya (George VI and Elizabeth II) for service in Malaya between 16 Jun 1948 and 31 Jul 1960; and for service in Singapore between 16 Jun 1948 and 31 Jan 1959. (Also see Note 1) Canal Zone for 30 days' continuous service between 16 Oct 1951 and 19 Oct 1954 Cyprus for service between 1 Apr 1955 and 18 Apr 1959 Near East for service during the Suez Crisis of 1956 Arabian Peninsula for service between 1 Jan 1957 and 30 Jun 1960 Brunei for service between 8 Dec 1962 and 23 Dec 1962
- Notes
- 1. Operational service on land in Singapore from 1 February 1959 to 31 July 1960 (which cannot be recognised by the General Service Medal 1918-62 with clasp 'Malaya'), has since 2002 been eligible for the award of the New Zealand Operational Service Medal (NZOSM). The eligibility requirement for the award of the NZOSM for service in Singapore in this period is 7 days or more service on the posted strength of a unit permanently based in Singapore.
- 2. Royal New Zealand Navy personnel who served in the Malayan Emergency were awarded a different campaign medal, the Naval General Service Medal 1915 - 62 with clasp 'Malaya'.
Order of Wear
The position of the GSM 1918-62 in the Wearing of Medals in New Zealand Table can be viewed here.