New Zealand War Medal

The New Zealand War Medal was a campaign medal authorised in 1869 to be awarded to Imperial and Colonial troops involved in the New Zealand Wars of 1845–47 and 1860–66. The New Zealand Wars were previously known as the Māori Wars, Anglo-Māori Wars or Land Wars.

Imperial forces included British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The Colonial militia were recruited both locally and in Australia, and included mobile forces like Von Tempsky's Forest Rangers and the Arawa Flying Column from a Māori tribe for the guerrilla war in the New Zealand bush.

For Imperial forces, it was awarded to those "who actually served in the field against the enemy in New Zealand".

The medal was granted to Colonial Forces and Friendly natives who had "been actually under fire, or otherwise conspicuous for distinguished service in the field," and also to nearest relatives of anyone killed in action or who had died of his wounds. Claims from Colonial forces were closed in 1900 but reopened in 1910 and 1913 in association with land claims for service in the war. Claims were finally closed for Europeans in 1915 and Māori in 1916.