The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is encouraging descendants of New Zealand's 28th (Māori) Battalion veterans to apply for their unclaimed ancestors' war medals.
The veterans fought on battlefields in Greece, Crete, North Africa and Italy during World War II.
Government policy at the time they were awarded with war medals for their service was that veterans had to apply for them to be posted.
This process began after World War I, when 10% of the war medals were sent to the wrong address.
According to the NZDF, there are about 500 sets of Māori Battalion medals that were never claimed.
To find out how to claim your tupuna medals, please keep reading.
Checking the list
David Stone and his team at Te Mata Law have compiled a list of hoia (soldiers) who never claimed their medals. That list is here.
Once you have confirmed that your tupuna (or tūpuna) are on this list, you will need to fill in a claim form. It can be printed out here.
Please note that this process only applies to medals awarded by the NZDF. And applicants will be required to provide legal documents proving their whakapapa to the tūpuna in question.
If you believe that your tupuna was awarded medals by a country apart from NZ, you’ll need to contact the government of that nation.
Birth/death certificates, and marriage certificates will be required to establish your connection to your tupuna. Whakapapa papers will not be accepted by the NZDF as they are not legal identification documents.
What happens if multiple whānau claim the same medals?
Te Mata Law's website explains more about the whakapapa (geneaology) process.
“For example, if the soldier is your father, your birth certificate or a marriage certificate will list both your parents. Thus proving your link to the soldier.
“If the soldier is your grandfather on your mother’s side you will need to produce your birth or marriage certificate and your mother's birth, death or marriage certificate.”
If there is more than one whānau member applying, the medals are awarded to the closest relation.
Priority is defined as follows: Wife, children, siblings, grandchildren and grand nieces and nephews.
You can find out more information from the NZDF here. Otherwise you can reach out to Te Mata Law here.
The NZDF intend to award these medals to uri who have successfully claimed their tupuna medals at a later date. The process has already begun, with C Company veteran medals being presented to their uri last year.
Similar presentations will be held for A, B and D Company veterans as well.
When will we get the medals?
Once you’ve filled in the forms, you’ll need to send them here.
NZDF Personnel Archives & Medals
Trentham Military Camp
Private Bag 905
Upper Hutt 5140
New Zealand
Their contact number is (04) 527 5280.
NZDF Personnel Archives & Medals holds the files of all military personnel who served in the NZDF from 1 January 1921 to the present.
SHARE ME