Collection: N.Z. Ribbons

The British Royal Honours system served the country well for over a hundred years, but as New Zealand began to assert its independence as a sovereign nation some small changes were made.

The first distinctively New Zealand award was the New Zealand Cross introduced in 1869 for acts of outstanding gallantry by the New Zealand Volunteers. At the end of the Second World War the service and sacrifice of New Zealanders was recognised with the award of a special New Zealand War Service Medal.

Since that time a system of distinctive New Zealand Honours, including New Zealand State Orders and New Zealand Gallantry and Bravery awards, has been developed in what has now become the New Zealand State Honours system. In addition, a new range of military campaign medals have been introduced by the New Zealand Government to recognise operational military service since 3 September 1945, including the operational service currently being performed by New Zealand military personnel throughout the world. In April 2011, the New Zealand Defence Service Medal was instituted to recognise non-operational military service since 3 September 1945.