Report on Medallic Recognition of New Zealand Military Service in South-East Asia 1950-1975

INTRODUCTION

1. A range of New Zealand service in South-East Asia between 1950 and 1975 is currently ineligible for medallic recognition. This paper summarises the service which still needs to be researched and assessed against the current medallic principles of the New Zealand Government.
2. The following list below is not complete. The list will be expanded as more instances of service in South-East Asia are brought to the attention of Personnel Branch. Veterans’ groups should be consulted about additional service, or specific incidents within broad periods of service outlined below, which are to be examined.
3. The date the Vietnam War ended, 1 May 1975, has been chosen as the end date for this review.
4. One focus of this review will be to determine the justification, or lack thereof, for the institution of a new medal which would recognise a wide range of service in South-East Asia between 1950 and 1975. The second focus of this review will be to assess carefully the appropriate medallic entitlement of each specific type of service in South-East Asia which is currently not eligible for medallic recognition.
SERVICE NOT CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR NEW ZEALAND MEDALLIC RECOGNITION TO BE ASSESSED
5. The second focus of this review will be to carefully assess the appropriate medallic entitlement of each specific type of service in South-East Asia which is currently not eligible for medallic recognition. The service to be assessed is listed below. As is noted in paragraph 2, this list is not complete and it therefore will be expanded in the course of the research project.
Naval Service

6. Royal New Zealand Naval service to be assessed includes:

a. Passage of disputed international waters close to Indonesia by RNZN ships - between 1958 and 11 August 1966.
b. Passage of the Taiwan Straits by RNZN ships (1950 to 1975).
c. Naval service off the Malay Peninsula between 1 August 1960 and 16 August 1964.
d. Naval service off the coast of north Borneo between 24 December 1962 and 11 August 1966, which did not meet the strict British criteria for the General Service Medal with clasp “Borneo”.
e. Naval service in the inland waterways and off the coast of north Borneo in HMNZS Rotoiti 1958-59: anti-piracy patrols, support efforts towards anti-Communist Terrorist activities in Sarawak; 45 days in total probably.
Land Service

7. New Zealand Army service to be assessed includes:

a. Land service on the Malay Peninsula or in Singapore after 12 June 1965.
b. 1RNZIR personnel temporarily attached to RAAF Butterworth on Airfield Defence duties 1970 and 1971.
c. Exercise ‘Rajata’ - March 1961 - ‘a SEATO exercise held in Thailand’ - at/near Ubon.
d. Exercise ‘Dhanarajata’ - May 1963 to July 1963 - lasted about 8 weeks - ‘the largest South-East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) exercise to be held in the area to that date.’ The Exercise was held in Thailand.
Air Service

8. Royal New Zealand Air Force service to be assessed includes:

a. Air service on or over the Malay Peninsula or in or over Singapore after 12 June 1965.
b. the evacuation by RNZAF “mercy flight” of British Embassy staff and families from Udorn in northern Thailand to Bangkok in December 1960.
c. Exercise Vanguard I - 1963 - held in combination with the major SEATO Exercise Dhanarajata.
d. Exercise Vanguard X - Feb to March 1969 - held in Malaysia and Singapore.
e. Exercise Bersatu Padu - June 1970 - held in Malaysia and Singapore.
f. various flights into Thailand in the late 1960s and early 1970s by Bristol Freighters of 41 Squadron.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
9. This review will not re-examine service which has already been thoroughly reviewed by the New Zealand Defence Force. Such service includes:
a. Land service on the Malay Peninsula between 1 August 1960 and 16 August 1964, including service which is ineligible for the NZGSM (Malaya 1960-64) because it was outside the four northern border provinces of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan.
b. Naval service off Malaya between 1948 and 31 July 1960 (during the Malayan Emergency).
c. Land, air and sea service in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
10. The activities undertaken at Government behest by New Zealand civilians in South-East Asia, during the review period, are outside the scope of the review. However, it should be noted that some such civilians were accredited to the New Zealand military forces, while others served overseas at the direction of External Affairs / Foreign Affairs.

Assistant Director Medals Policy

Personnel Branch

HQ NZDF

Wellington

28 November 2005

1 Margin note on JAPC(63)4, Principal Admin Officer’s Committee Joint Admin Planning Committee Exercise Pool Expenses: SEATO Ground Defence Ex 1963, p1. ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668 120/5/4, part 6, Archives NZ, Wellington

2 Terms of Reference, dated 28 November 2005 - included as Annex A.

3 Information on the medals, dates and qualifying criteria are available on the NZDF Medals website: http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz

4 These guidelines were added to the Report of Research Findings by the JWG in January 2010.

5 Commander’s Diary, 1 RNZIR, August 1966, WA-M, 1/1/31, Archives NZ, Wellington; Christopher Pugsley, From Emergency to Confrontation: The New Zealand Armed Forces in Malaya and Borneo 1949-66, 2003, pp333-34

6 Major R.G. Williams, ‘Exercise Carshalton, General Instruction, 13-23 March 1967’, Annex A, 1 RNZIR Commander’s Diary, March 1967, WA-M, 1/1/38, Archives NZ, Wellington

7 Naval Message from Commander Far Eastern Fleet (Comfef) to all vessels, 3 April 1969. ‘Operations: Movement of HMNZ Ships: Ships on Far East Station’, ABFK W4010, Box21, 62/1/14, part 6, Archives NZ, Wellington

8 1 RNZIR Commander’s Diary, April 1969, May 1969, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

9 1 RNZIR Commander’s Diary, Feb 1973, May 1969, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

10 Routine Orders, 1 RNZIR, 11 April 1975, 1RNZIR Commander’s Diary, April 1975, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

11 Captain D.G. Close, Editor, Journal of the First Battalion RNZIR, Southeast Asia 1957-89. 1989, p39

12 Roll of Honour, Malayan Veterans Assn, as at Aug 2003. HQNZDF Medals Policy office file.

13 New Zealand High Commissioner to the Federation of Malaysia to the Secretary External Affairs, 9 March 1961. ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668, 120/5/4, part 5, Archives NZ, Wellington

14 ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668, 120/5/4, part 5, Archives NZ, Wellington

15 ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668, 120/5/4, part 16, 17, Archives NZ, Wellington

16 ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668, 120/5/4, part 6, Archives NZ, Wellington

17 Appendices to the Journal of the House of Representatives (AJHR) H4 1964, p31, though the Secretary of Defence later said New Zealand’s contribution was “173 all ranks”. Secretary Defence to Secretary External Affairs, 19 December 1967. ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668, 120/5/4, part 12, Archives NZ, Wellington

18 Margin note on JAPC(63)4, Principal Admin Officer’s Committee Joint Admin Planning Committee Exercise Pool Expenses: SEATO Ground Defence Ex 1963, p1. ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668 120/5/4, part 6, Archives NZ, Wellington

19 NZARM Singapore to JOZWEL, 25 March 1963, ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668 120/5/4, part 6, Archives NZ, Wellington

20 Major Kennedy, 1 NZ Regt Op Instr No1/63, ‘Op Magnus’ 25 Jun 1963, 1 NZ Regt’s Commander’s Diary, June 1963, ABFK w3788/25, Archives NZ, Wellington

21 Summarised comments from personnel involved in the project, Personnel Branch paper, 14 May 2002. Submission from CDF to the Minister of Defence, entitled ‘Retrospective Medallic Recognition: New Zealand General Service Medal for Service in North-East Thailand between 1962 and 1971’, 2002.

22 Bangkok Post, 19 August 1968, cited by Charge D’Affaires to Sec Ex Ramasoon 29 Aug 1968, ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668, 120/5/4, part 12, Archives NZ, Wellington

23 Summarised comments from personnel involved in the project, Personnel Branch paper, 14 May 2002. Recollection of Col. Alan Beaver, 5 Spec Team 1970-71.

24 ‘Butterworth, RAAF Base’, in The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History, 1995, p132

25 1 RNZIR Commander’s Diary, ABFK w3788 Archives NZ, Wellington, for month of deployment.

26 Army HQ to NZDEF Canberra, 3 April 1969, in ‘Deployment of 1 RNZIR to Airfield Defence, RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia’, 1325/5/2 vol 1. Army General Staff (AGS)

27 Ibid.

28 ‘Operations & Training, Pt1’ attached to HQ Australian Army Force to NZARM, 12 May 1970, in ‘Deployment of 1 RNZIR to Airfield Defence, RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia’, 1325/5/2 vol 1. AGS

29 Acting Sec of Defence [Australian] to NZDLS, Canberra, [January 1971], in ‘Deployment of 1 RNZIR to Airfield Defence, RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia’, 1325/5/2 vol 1. AGS

30 MFA KL to Wellington, 7 June 1971, in ‘Deployment of 1 RNZIR to Airfield Defence, RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia’, 1325/5/2 vol 1. AGS

31 Pugsley, 2003, pp339-340 and 355.

32 ‘Admin Instr – Sp Coy 1 RNZIR to Butterworth’, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, 13 May 1971, p3, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington.

33 ‘HQ 28 ANZUK Bde. General Instructions for Butterworth Company,’ p5, AALJ w3253/22, Archives NZ, Wellington

34 Colonel Ray Seymour 16 August 2006, Mr. Willie Walker and Mr. Robert McIntosh, 8 August 2006, and Mr. Jack Hayes 14 August 2008.

35 The weapons were “at all times guarded by an armed guard and kept padlocked to a secure foundation”.” Weapons could only be issued by Platoon commanders”. ‘Admin Instr – Butterworth’, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, June 1971, p3, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

36 ‘A Coy to Airbase Butterworth’, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, 30 January 1973, p5, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

37 Ibid.

38 ‘Training Directive for Butterworth’, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, 6 December 1971, p1, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

39 ‘HQ 28 ANZUK Bde. General Instructions for Butterworth Company.’ P2, AALJ w3253/22, Archives NZ, Wellington

40 ‘A Coy to Air Base Butterworth’, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, 30 January 1973, p1, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington; ‘Administrative Instruction for C Company 1 RNZIR Tour of Duty to Butterworth 22 June – 27 July 1973’, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, 13 Jun 1973, p1, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

41 ‘Administrative Instruction for C Company 1 RNZIR Tour of Duty to Butterworth 22 June – 27 July 1973’, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, 30 January 1973, p1, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

42 ‘Butterworth Base Leave Centre’. Annex A to 1 RNZIR NZ2-19-2, dated 10 March 1972, 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, March 1972, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

43 HQ 28 Inf Bde ‘Ex Cunctator-General Instructions’, 24 June 1974, file ‘Ex Cunctator’, AALJ, w3573, Archives NZ, Wellington

44 ‘D Coy 1 RNZIR, Admin Instruction Ex Cunctator’, 1RNZIR Commander’s Diary, July 1974, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

45 1RNZIR Commanders Diary, May 1974, ABFK w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

46 Exercise Instructions, Section O1, ‘Commander’s Diary, April-May 1961, WA-M series 1, 1/2/16, Archives NZ, Wellington, as recorded in ‘Aitken’s Battalion – Malaya - 1961’, HQNZDF Medals Policy Office paper 2004.

47 AD, Acc2564, AD-W 6, 36/2/51, part 1, 1973-76; ABFK w3593, 36/2/51, part 2, 1976-79; AALJ w3573 file 108, Archives NZ, Wellington

48 AD-W6, w2564, 36/2/51; AD-A 11, w2518 69/1/177 part 1, Archives NZ, Wellington

49 AD-A 11, w2518, 69/1/177 part 1; AALJ, W3253 Box 16; 1974 1RNZIR Journal; Cmdrs Diary, ABFK, w3788; AIR132/2 1971-75; 41 Sqn diary 1971-73 AIR w1832 box14, Archives NZ, Wellington

50 AD-W6, w2564, 36/2/51; AALJw3789 box 93 file 12.27; 1976 1RNZIR Journal; 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, ABFK, w3788, Archives NZ, Wellington

51 AALJ, W3573, Box 25; AD-W6, w2564, 36/2/51; EA w2668 120/5/4, part 17; AALJw3789 box 93 file 12.31, Archives NZ, Wellington

52 AD-W6, w2564, 36/2/51; NEWFORSEA to NZDEF Army, 21 June 1976, AD-A 11, w2518, 69/2/4/1 part 3, Archives NZ, Wellington

53 1 RNZIR Cmdrs Diary, ABFK, w3788 March 1986, Archives NZ, Wellington

54 NEWZFORSEA to Army, 30 May 1975, AD-A 11, w2518, 69/2/4/1, Archives NZ, Wellington

55 ‘Reporting of Proceedings’, HMNZS PUKAKI, 1959-61 ABFK W4010 72/3/6 part 1, Archives NZ, Wellington

56 ‘Reporting of Proceedings’, HMNZS PUKAKI, 1959-61 ABFK W4010 72/3/6 part 1, Archives NZ, Wellington

57 ‘GSM (1962) with Borneo Clasp – Conditions of Award and Perimeters of Operational Area’. COMFEF to Admiralty, 24 March 1966, Medals Policy Office files.

58 The example is from HMNZS ROTOITI’s visit in July 1960. H.M.N.Z.S. ROTOITI - Far East Station April 1960 - February 1961, ship’s magazine, p.13

59 ‘SEATO Exercises’, EA w2668, 120/5/4, Archives NZ, Wellington

60 AJHR 1971 H4, p9

61 Ship’s Log, HMNZS OTAGO, 18 September 1971, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ. Wellington

62 Ship’s Log, HMNZS OTAGO, 26 May 1971, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

63 Ship’s Log, HMNZS OTAGO, 27 May 1971, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

64 Ship’s Log, HMNZS TARANAKI, 1353hrs, 3 July 1970, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

65 ‘Record of Proceedings’, 27 December 1961 to 31 January 1962 dated 12 February 1962, Para 2, HMNZS PUKAKI 1958-1964 ABFK W4010 72/3/6 part 1 - Archives NZ, Wellington

66 ‘Record of Proceedings’, HMNZS ROYALIST, July 1958 to March 1966 ABFK W4010 72/3/1, Archives NZ, Wellington

67 H.M.N.Z.S. ROTOITI - Far East Station April 1960 - February 1961, ship’s magazine, 1961, page 11

68 Ship’s Log, HMNZS OTAGO, 25 August 1969, Navy Series 112, Archives NZ, Wellington

69 Personal Communication from Rear Admiral Ian Hunter (Rtd) to Peter Cooke, 30 August 2007

70 Ship’s Log, HMNZS WAIKATO, 12 March 1968, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

71 Ship’s Log, HMNZS TARANAKI, 2 August 1972, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

72 Ship’s Log, HMNZS TARANAKI, 1353hrs, 3 July 1970, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

73 HMNZS WAIKATO Ship’s Log, 13 May 1974, NBCD State for 1010 hrs, AYT8621 nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

74 Personnel Communication from Rear Admiral Ian Hunter (Rtd) to Peter Cooke, 30 August 2007. Rear Admiral Hunter did one transit, in HMNZS TARANAKI in July 1970, en route from Hong Kong to Kobe, Japan.

75 Jeffrey Grey, Up Top: The Royal Australian Navy and Southeast Asian Conflicts 1955-1972, St Leonard’s, New South Wales: Allen and Unwin, 1998, pp51-54

76 ‘Record of Proceedings’ HMNZS OTAGO 1961-65, ABFK W4010 72/3/19 part 1, Archives NZ, Wellington

77 ‘Report of Proceedings’, HMNZS ROYALIST, 11 October 1962 to 24 March 1963, ABFK W4010 72/3/1, Archives NZ, Wellington

78 ‘Report of Proceedings’, HMNZS TARANAKI, 8 August to 7 September 1964, HMNZS TARANAKI Dec 1963 to Aug 1964 Deployment, ABFK W4010 72/3/20 part 1, Archives NZ, Wellington

79 HMNZS OTAGO - 1963 Deployment, June to November 1963, Para 12, ABFK W4010 72/3/19 part 1 (April 1961 to 1 May 1965), Archives NZ, Wellington

80 ‘Report of Proceedings’, HMNZS ROYALIST, 4 July to 3 August 1964, ABFK W4010 72/3/1, Archives NZ, Wellington

81 Paper ‘RNZN Service that could qualify for OSM’. Unpublished transcript, August 2006.

82 AJHR 1969 H4, p8

83 Ship’s Log, HMNZS TARANAKI, 18 April 1973, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

84 SEATO – Military Aspects – Exercises, Prime Minister’s Department file, International Affairs, EA w2668, PM120/5/4, part 10, Archives NZ, Wellington

85 Ship’s Log, HMNZS OTAGO, 6 June 1966, Navy Series 112/60, Archives NZ, Wellington. The Mate writing OTAGO’s log during this entry into Bangkok misheard and wrote down ‘HUDDERSTON’ for HMS HUBBERSTON, the latter being correct.

86 Ship’s Log, HMNZS OTAGO, 20 August 1968, Navy Series N112/86, Archives NZ, Wellington

87 Ship’s Log, HMNZS BLACKPOOL, 11 February 1967, Navy Series N119/9, Archives NZ, Wellington

88 Ship’s Log, HMNZS TARANAKI, 19 November 1974, Navy Series AAYT8621 Nw2375, Archives NZ, Wellington

89 AJHR 1971 H4, p9

90 AJHR 1972 H4, p10

91 COMFEF signal, 24 June 1968, ‘Operations: Movement of HMNZ Ships: Ships on Far East Station’, ABFK W4010, Box21, 62/1/14, part 6, Archives NZ, Wellington

92 Grant Howard, The Navy in NZ, 1981, p100

93 No.41 Sqn RNZAF Unit History, 27 September 1971, the day the first helicopter arrived at RAF Tengah. AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

94 RNZAF Singapore History Sheet, 8-9 December 1974, Air132/2, Archives NZ, Wellington

95 1 RNZIR Unit Diary, July 1973, Box 16, AALJ w3253/22, Archives NZ, Wellington

96 Pugsley, 2003, footnote 41, p464; No14 Sqn Unit History, AIR149/3, Archives NZ, Wellington

97 Major R Kennedy 2IC to 1 NZ Regt, 20 April 1963, 1 NZ Regt’s Commander’s Diary, SEATO Ex Dhanarajata’, ABFK w3788/25; 1 NZ Regt Post Activity Report, 1-31 July 1963, 1 NZ Regt Commander’s Diary 1963, ABFK w3788/25; Pugsley 2003, footnote 41, p464; Swift & Sure, 1996, p174; EA w2668 120/5/4, part 6, Archives NZ, Wellington

98 Pugsley, 2003, pp229-237.

99 History Sheet, No14 Sqn RNZAF, November 1968, AIR149/3a, Archives NZ, Wellington

100 Annex B, ‘Ex Gedgely, Air Aspects’, 14 June 1967, WA-M 1/1/41, Archives NZ, Wellington; 1RNZIR Commander’s Diary WA-M 1/1/41; AIR149/3, Archives NZ, Wellington

101 History Sheet, No14 Sqn RNZAF, November 1968, AIR149/3a, Archives NZ, Wellington

102 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 4 June 1968, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

103 Op HQ RNZAF to Air Movements Auckland, 31 July 1975, ‘Fixed Wing (Transport) – Air Operations General’, 5.46 part 2, AD w2325, Archives NZ, Wellington

104 Duxbury/Ewing/McPherson, 1987, pp35 and 38

105 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 11 February 1974, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

106 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 28 July 1967, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

107 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 29 June 1975, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

108 Errol W Martyn, ‘For Your Tomorrow’, vol 2, 1999

109 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, August 1972, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

110 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 4, 8 December 1975, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

111 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 25 July 1974, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

112 Embassy Jakarta to Def Con Wtn, 3 September 1975, ‘Fixed Wing (Transport) – Air Operations General’, 5.46 part 2, AD w2325, Archives NZ, Wellington

113 ‘Fixed Wing (Transport) – Air Operations General’, 5.46 part 2, AD w2325, Archives NZ, Wellington

114 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 7 June 1968, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

115 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 11 May 1972, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

116 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 3 August 1972, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

117 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 11 July 1970, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

118 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 4 December 1975, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

119 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, December 1975, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

120 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheets 1964 to April 1975; and NZ Surgical Team - Monthly Reports February 1965 to April 1975, ABHS (External Affairs) series 6957 W4628, SAI 52/4/4/3 parts 1 and 2, Archives NZ, Wellington

121 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 5-9 June 1968, 14-22 December 1968, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

122 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 14 December 1971, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

123 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 14 April 1970, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

124 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 11 April 1969, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

125 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 31 July 1967, ABFK7232 w4718/6, Archives NZ, Wellington

126 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, 16, 22 July 1970, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

127 41 Sqn RNZAF History Sheet, August 1972, AIR w1832/14, Archives NZ, Wellington

p.

1 July 2011