The New Zealand Cross was introduced in 1869 during the
New Zealand Wars
The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the M ...
in New Zealand. The wars were fought between natives of New Zealand, the
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
, and forces raised by European settlers known as
Pākehā
Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...
assisted by
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
troops.
Many acts of bravery, gallantry and devotion to duty were recorded among the local militia, armed constabulary and volunteers, but there was one militia
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
awarded to
Charles Heaphy
Charles Heaphy VC (1820 – 3 August 1881) was an English-born New Zealand explorer and recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest military award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded to British and Empire forc ...
in 1867 for action in 1864.
On 10 March 1869, without checking the facts and under the mistaken impression colonial troops were not eligible for the Victoria Cross unless under command of British troops, the
Governor of New Zealand
The governor-general of New Zealand ( mi, te kāwana tianara o Aotearoa) is the viceregal representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently King Charles III. As the King is concurrently the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth realms and liv ...
, Sir
George Bowen
Sir George Ferguson Bowen (; 2 November 1821 – 21 February 1899), was an Irish author and colonial administrator whose appointments included postings to the Ionian Islands, Queensland, New Zealand, Victoria, Mauritius and Hong Kong.R. B. Joy ...
, instituted the New Zealand Cross as the highest New Zealand award.
He was widely criticised in England, and accused of usurping the prerogative of
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
, but she eventually ratified his action.
Only 23 New Zealand Crosses were awarded with first six published in the
New Zealand Gazette
The ''New Zealand Gazette'' ( mi, Te Kāhiti o Aotearoa), commonly referred to as ''Gazette'', is the official newspaper of record (Government gazette) of the New Zealand Government. Published since 1840, it is the longest-running publication i ...
in 1869. There was one award gazetted in 1870 and the remaining 16 awards gazetted between 1875 and 1910, from six to 44 years after the actions commended.
It has the form of a silver cross pattée. The
obverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''o ...
contains the words 'NEW ZEALAND' in the centre,
gilded
Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...
in gold, which are encircled by a laurel wreath. Each limb of the cross has a six-point star, in gold. The cross is surmounted by a gold
Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and symbolises the sovereignty of the monarch.
It has existed in various forms since the 15th century. The current version was made in 1937 and is worn by the monarc ...
. The
reverse
Reverse or reversing may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Reverse'' (Eldritch album), 2001
* ''Reverse'' (2009 film), a Polish comedy-drama film
* ''Reverse'' (2019 film), an Iranian crime-drama film
* ''Reverse'' (Morandi album), 2005
* ''Reverse'' ...
of the medal has two concentric circles with the name of the recipient engraved between the circles, and the date of the action engraved within the inner circle. A crimson ribbon passes through a silver suspender clasp with small gold laurel leaves. For the first 20 medals cast in 1871, the reverse of the suspender clasp contains the
cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the fea ...
of the goldsmith Messrs Phillips Brothers and Son of Cockspur Street, London; which was omitted from a further five medals cast in 1886.
Recipients
![Captain preece](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Captain_preece.jpg)
Recipients of the original New Zealand Cross were:
* Private
Thomas Adamson, Corps of Guides, Ahikereru, 1869.
* Constable
Henare Kepa Te Ahururu, 1st Division, Armed Constabulary, Moturoa, 1868.
* Sergeant
Samuel Austin, Wanganui Contingent, Putahi Pa and Keteonetea, 1866.
* Constable
Solomon Black
Solomon (; , ),, ; ar, سُلَيْمَان, ', , ; el, Σολομών, ; la, Salomon also called Jedidiah ( Hebrew: , Modern: , Tiberian: ''Yăḏīḏăyāh'', "beloved of Yah"), was a monarch of ancient Israel and the son and succes ...
, 1st Division, Armed Constabulary,
Ngatapa, 1869.
* Constable
Benjamin Biddle, 1st Division, Armed Constabulary,
Ngatapa, 1869.
* Sergeant
Arthur Wakefield Carkeek
Arthur Wakefield Carkeek (1843 – 24 May 1897) was a member of the Armed Constabulary in the New Zealand Wars, and was one of only 23 recipients of the New Zealand Cross for gallantry. Later he was a civil engineer and land surveyor.
Early li ...
, Armed Constabulary, Ohinemutu, 1870.
* Dr
Isaac Earl Featherston, Native Contingent, Otapawa Pa, 1866.
* Sergeant
George (Rowley) Hill
George Rowland Hill ( – 15 February 1930) was a British sailor and soldier who was awarded the New Zealand Cross for his actions at Mohaka during Te Kooti's War. Throughout the Crimean War, he served in the Royal Navy, obtaining the Sebastopo ...
, 1st Division, Armed Constabulary, Hiruharama Pa,
Mohaka
Mohaka is a small settlement in the northern Hawke's Bay region of the eastern North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the coast of Hawke Bay, 20 kilometres southwest of Wairoa.
The Mohaka River reaches the coast close to Mohaka.
Marae
Mo ...
, 1869.
* Trooper
William Lingard
William Redworth Needham (1837–1927), better known by the stage name of William Horace Lingard, was a 19th century English comic singer and actor.
Early life and marriages
William Horace Lingard is the stage name of William Redworth Needham, wh ...
, Kai Iwi Cavalry Volunteers, Tauranga-ika, 1868, originally from
Ruan, County Clare
Ruan () is a village in County Clare in Ireland.
It is in the Catholic parish of Dysart and Ruan.
Location
Ruan is near the Burren and between Corofin, County Clare, Corofin, Crusheen and Ennis.
The name "Ruan" (''An Ruadhán'') is an old Ir ...
.
* Captain
Francis Joseph (Frank) Mace,
Taranaki
Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont.
The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth Dist ...
Militia, Kaitikara River, 1863.
* Captain
Gilbert Mair, NZ Militia, Rotoma, 1870.
* Sergeant
Christopher Louis Maling, Corps of Guides, Tauranga-ika, 1868.
* Lieutenant-Colonel
Thomas McDonnell
Thomas McDonnell ( – 8 November 1899) was a 19th-century New Zealand public servant, military leader and writer.
Biography
Childhood and early life
McDonnell was born to Thomas McDonnell Sr., an early British merchant and speculator who se ...
, NZ Militia, Paparatu, 1863 and Putahi Pa, 1866.
* Ensign
Henry William Northcroft
Henry may refer to:
People
* Henry (given name)
* Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portuga ...
, Patea Rangers, Pungarehu and Tirotiro Moana, 1866.
* Sub-inspector
George Augustus Preece, Armed Constabulary,
Ngatapa, 1869.
* Major
Kepa Te Rangihiwinui
Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui (died 15 April 1898) was a Māori military commander and noted ally of the government forces during the New Zealand Wars. First known as Te Rangihiwinui, he was later known as Te Keepa, Meiha Keepa, Major Keepa or Maj ...
, NZ Militia (Native Contingent), Moturoa, 1868, and Otauto 1869.
* Inspector
John Mackintosh Roberts, Armed Constabulary, Moturoa, 1868.
* Trooper
Antonio Rodrigues de Sardinha, Taranaki Mounted Volunteers, Poutoko 1863 and Kaitake, 1864.
* Sergeant
Richard Shepherd, Armed Constabulary, Otauto, 1869.
* Cornet
Angus Smith,
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runawa ...
Cavalry Volunteers,
Opepe, 1869.
* Major
Ropata Wahawaha
Ropata Wahawaha ( – 1 July 1897) was a Māori military leader and ''rangatira'' (chief) of the Ngāti Porou ''iwi'' (tribe) who rose to prominence during New Zealand's East Cape War and Te Kooti's War.
Born in 1820 in the Waiapu Valley on ...
, Native Contingent,
Ngatapa, 1869.
* Assistant-Surgeon
Samuel Walker, Armed Constabulary, Otauto, 1869.
* Cornet
Harry Charles William Wrigg, Bay of Plenty Cavalry Volunteers, Opotiki, 1867.
One member of the New Zealand colonial forces, Major
Charles Heaphy
Charles Heaphy VC (1820 – 3 August 1881) was an English-born New Zealand explorer and recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest military award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded to British and Empire forc ...
was awarded the VC for his actions in 1864, when he was commanding British troops.
See
List of New Zealand Victoria Cross recipients
The Victoria Cross is a military decoration awarded for valour of the British and Commonwealth forces. The highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, it was first instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856 after the Cr ...
and
New Zealand Land Wars Victoria Cross recipients
The Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 15 recipients for action during the New Zealand Wars. The VC is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth ...
.
1999 Medal
In 1999, the
New Zealand Cross was re-instituted. The Royal Warrant of 20 September 1999 created four awards for bravery and four for gallantry.
The new New Zealand Cross for Bravery is similar to the 1869 medal with some amendments. The Crown is now the current
St Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th cen ...
instead of the
Victorian Imperial State Crown, and New Zealand fern fronds replace laurel leaves. The ribbon is bright blue, a colour traditionally associated with bravery awards.
There is also a new
Victoria Cross for New Zealand
The Victoria Cross for New Zealand (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour or gallantry in the presence of the enemy to members of the New Zealand Armed Forces. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and civilians und ...
for Gallantry, which has the same crimson ribbon and is made to the same design and of the same gunmetal as the British VC.
See also
*
New Zealand campaign medals
Prior to 1946 the New Zealand armed forces received honours of the United Kingdom, including military decorations and campaign medals. Since the end of World War 2 there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system. ...
*
New Zealand gallantry awards
Prior to 1999 the New Zealand armed forces received honours of the United Kingdom, including military decorations and campaign medals. Since the end of World War II there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system. ...
*
New Zealand bravery awards
The New Zealand bravery awards are civil (non-military) decorations for bravery.
Since the end of WW2 there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system. This has resulted in a new system of New Zealand honours, mi ...
References
''The Queen's Heroes: Victoria & New Zealand Crosses'' by Murray Moorhead (2005, Zenith, New Plymouth)
Notes
External links
*
New Zealand Cross awarded to Captain Francis Joseph (Frank) Mace. Held in the collection of Puke Ariki, New PlymouthThe New Zealand Cross awarded to Sergeant Carkeek and now in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
{{Authority control
Military awards and decorations of New Zealand
New Zealand Wars
*