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Medals Awarded to Pte Eruera Dennis Hamon

Medals Awarded to Pte Eruera Dennis Hamon

Medals awarded to Private Eruera Dennis Hamon, 28 Maori Battalion, C. Company: 

1939-1945 Star  The 1939-1945 Star is the first in a series of eight campaign stars instituted in 1945 to recognise service in the Second World War. It was awarded for six months service in specified operational areas. Those whose service was shortened by death, injury or capture or who were awarded a decoration or mention in despatches also qualified for the medal. 

The ribbon has three equal vertical stripes of dark blue, red and light blue. The dark blue stripe symbolises the service of the Navy and the Merchant Navy, the red stripe symbolises the service of the Army, and the light blue stripe symbolises the service of the Air Force.

The Africa Star  The Africa Star was awarded for service in North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943.

The ribbon is pale buff in colour, with a central vertical red stripe, and narrower stripes, one dark blue and the other light blue. The pale buff background symbolises the desert, the central red stripe symbolises the Army, the dark blue stripe symbolises the Navy and Merchant Navy, and the light blue stripe symbolises the Air Force.

The Defence Medal  This medal was awarded to British military and civilian personnel for a range of service in the United Kingdom, and to British, British Commonwealth and British Colonial personnel who served outside their home countries in a non-operational area or in an area subject to threat such as air attack.

The centre of the ribbon is flamed-coloured, and the edges are green, symbols of the enemy attacks on Great Britain.  Two black stripes represent the blackout in Great Britain.

War Medal  This medal was awarded to all fulltime members of the Armed Forces for 28 days service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945 irrespective of where they were serving.

The ribbon is the red, white, and blue of the (British) Union Flag.  There is a narrow central red stripe with a narrow white stripe on either side.  There are broad red stripes at either edge, the two intervening stripes being blue.

NZ War Service Medal  The New Zealand War Service Medal was awarded for 28 days' full time service or six months' part time service in any of the New Zealand Armed Forces, the Reserve or Home Guard between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. This medal was the first distinctively ‘New Zealand' war service medal, which was emphasised by the use of the fern leaf motif on the suspender and the reverse, and the national colours of black and white in the ribbon.

Reference:
Composite by Te Awhi o Te Rangi Manahi. Medal images and descriptions are available for public use from the NZDF website.
Submitter:
Submitted by TeAwhi_Manahi on

Comments (1)

Submitted by TeAwhi_Manahi on Mon, 25/10/2010 - 19:23

NEW ZEALAND MILITARY FORCES BASE RECORDSP.O. Box 3044 WELLINGTON Mr H. Hamon 10 Waverly St Te Hapara GISBORNE 2 July 1948 Dear Mr Hamon New Zealand Memorial Cross 39202 PTE Eruera Dennis Hamon During December of last year letters were despatched to the next-of-kin of all New Zealand Servicemen who lost their lives as a result of active service overseas, and with this letter was sent forms to be used in claiming the New Zealand Memorial Cross.  Up to date, however, no claim for the Cross in respect of the above-named deceased service has been received by Base Records.I would again explain briefly that the mother and the widow of every New Zealand serviceman who died as a result of active service overseas during the 2nd World war were eligible to claim the Memorial Cross.  If the serivceman was unmarried then only the mother (if living) is eligible.In the case of a married man, if the widow also is deceased and there are any surviving children of the marriage then the eldest daughter or the eldest son in that order or precedence is the person to whom the Cross amy be issued.  Where a serviceman's mother is dead the father, if living, may claim but if he also is deceased then the serviceman's eldest survining sister or eldest survining brother in that order is the entitled person.From the personal records of the serviceman whose name is shown above it appears that you would be entitled to the Memorial Cross and it would be greatly appreciated if you could advise whether or not the claim will be made by having the attached form completed.It is necessary to request intending recipients to submit individual claims, partly to confirm the addresses to which the Crosses are to be despatched, and to check eligibility where this can not be fully established from the serviceman's personal records.Yours faithfullyR. S. HoganDIRECTOR

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