Do you have a relative who was entitled to the Anzac Commemorative Medallion? Every Anzac soldier who served on the Gallipoli Peninsula, or in direct support of operations there - or his family if he did not survive until into the late 1960s - was entitled to be issued with the Anzac Commemorative Medallion. (shown right at approximately full size). The medallion was issued in 1967, and as a result MANY HAVE NEVER BEEN CLAIMED. If you are the descendant of an Anzac soldier, you MAY still be entitled to claim the medallion.

FOR AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS' MEDALLIONS

FOR NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS' MEDALLIONS

AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS

Contact the following:

NEW ADDRESS (2005) - Thanks, Glyn.

Mailing address for all Medals applications
Directorate of Honours and Awards
T-1-49
Department of Defence
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Toll-free Medals Inquiry Phone line:
1800 111 321 (Operating Hours: 8:30am-5:00pm, Monday to Friday)

Email Contact:
dpe.honoursandawards@defence.gov.au
Enquirers calling on the 1800 telephone number should be aware that these numbers can experience busy periods, and delays may be experienced in reaching an operator.

There is apparently a large backlog of applications, so don't be surprised if you don't hear anything for a considerable time.

Include as many details as possible regarding the soldier on whose behalf you wish to claim the medallion.
Full name, rank and unit, and service number
are generally required

If the medallion has not previously been issued, and if you qualify for issuance, you may proceed with the application and should receive the medallion.


I'm very grateful to Mr Charles La Nauze, of South Australia, for informing me that he applied for and recently (February 2000) received the medallion for his grandfather, Captain C.A. La Nauze, of the 11th Battalion. Below is his message to me, reproduced here in order to give an idea to anyone applying of the process involved and the time it can take:

The medallion was sent by registered post and comes in a presentation case
with a moulded velvet base to receive the medallion, with a silk lined
hinged lid. In my opinion a very suitable presentation.

I received a post card acknowledgement of the application within a
few weeks which warned that there would be delays due to heavy work load.
I rang the medals section after about six months and was told the application
was received but not yet processed. I rang again several times and
eventually was told the medallion had been approved. A couple of months
later (January 2000) I received a formal letter advising that the medallion
was available to family members in an order of precedence. A form was
enclosed to claim the medallion in which I was required to state that I
believed I was the person entitled to the medallion and that I would
surrender the medallion if a preferential claimant came forward. This form
only required a signature witness.
The medallion arrived a few weeks after this form was sent. Acknowledgement
of receipt was requested (SAE enclosed).

The medals section has a free call number 1800 065 149 and were willing to
ring back if the officer you wished to speak with was not available.



Captain La Nauze was killed in action at Silt Spur, on the southern Anzac flank, Gallipoli, on 28th June 1915.
My thanks to Mr La Nauze for supplying me with the photo of his grandfather used in Captain La Nauze's record page.

OBTAINING A COPY OF THE SOLDIER'S DOSSIER (Australia)

If you would like more information on the soldier, copies of individual's service dossiers are available from
National Archives WW1 section.
(The above link will take you directly to the on-line form for ordering the dossier).

Dossiers may now be ordered for online digitisation.
This digital copy service is free.
Please go to the Links Page and read the details in the National Archives section.

A 'hard' copy of the dossier from National Archives costs $16.20 AU (with GST and including postage within Australia OR overseas) and in most cases contains a good deal of information. Note: Orders for overseas dispatch will no longer be liable to the Australian GST charge, and will cost $14.70 AU.

For general contact details for National Archives, please see the 'Links' Page.

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS

For claiming the Anzac Commemorative Medallion for a New Zealand soldier,
write to:

Staff Officer Medals,
New Zealand Defence Force,
Private Bag 905,
Upper Hutt, New Zealand.

Janet O'Melia, of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, very kindly supplied me with details on how her father claimed the medallion of his uncle, Private John Moreland of the Auckland Battalion,who was killed in action on Chunuk Bair, Anzac, on 8th August 1915. The medallion was received free of charge within a few weeks of her father proving his relationship to his uncle.

My thanks for updates on the procedure to my colleague John Meyers, and to Willie Walker, former RSM in the Artillery Corps, New Zealand Army, who saw service in Vietnam and who processes medal and medallion requests.

OBTAINING A COPY OF THE SOLDIER'S DOSSIER (New Zealand)

For a copy of a soldier's WW1 service dossier, contact the Personnel Archives of the New Zealand Defence Force (Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa). The cost for this service varies depending upon how much material must be photocopied, up to a maximum of $28.00 NZ.

All Requests Must Be In Writing (letter or fax: [04] 527 5275) to:

Personnel Archives / Enquiries & Medals Trentham Camp, NZDF Private Bag 905 UPPER HUTT NEW ZEALAND

Include the following information in your request:

Enquirer's details:
Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms:
Name:
Address:
Phone number:

Soldier's Details:
Supply as many of the following details as possible

Surname:
Full Given Names:
Any other names known by:
Date and place of birth:
Living or deceased:
Service Number:
Rank:
Unit:
Period of service:
Next-of-kin at time of enlistment:
Address at time of enlistment:
Occupation at time of enlistment:

REMEMBER - This is to receive a copy of the soldier's service file - NOT the Medallion.

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