Naval Awards

"Reverse – an erect figure of Neptune turned to the right quarter front, grasping thunderbolts in both hands, the right arm drawn back in the act of hurling the missiles. Behind is the prow of a trireme, beneath which are seen the heads of three horses. Just above, on the table of the Medal, a trident is depicted. The legend is, “AMAT VICTORIA CVRAM."

The Naval version of the Queen’s Medal is the youngest of the three services’ awards.

The Royal New Zealand Navy was the first to award such a medal, and the Royal Warrant and Regulations for The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Naval Forces were promulgated in 1958 (these are set out, in full, below).

It took another eight years for the UK version of the naval medal styled The Queen's Medal for Champions Shots of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines to be awarded in 1966.

The Medal

The Royal Warrant for the New Zealand medal provides that the medal shall be:

"…in silver in the form of a circular Medal bearing on the obverse the Crown Effigy of the Sovereign and on the reverse a representation of Neptune, grasping thunderbolts in each hand, and in the background the prow of a Roman trireme drawn by three sea horses; the whole surrounded by the inscription "Amat Victoria Curam"".

That is a somewhat less fulsome description of the (identical) reverse of the Naval Good Shooting Medal than that which was attributed to the Master of the Royal Mint by A. A. Payne (A handbook of British and Foreign Orders, War Medals and Decorations awarded to the Army and Navy, 1911), which description was contemporaneous with the creation of that award, and was as follows:

The wording of the Royal Warrant for the UK medal makes clear that the design of the reverse of the medal was indeed to be that of the former Naval Good Shooting Medal, which was established in 1903 as an award for the gunlayers of ships guns (rather than for small arms competition). Approximately 1,000 Naval Good Shooting Medals were awarded until the award of the medal ceased after 1914.

The records of the Royal Mint (PRO “Mint 20-218”) contain references to the design of the reverse of the Naval Good Shooting Medal. In February 1904, the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint took the very unusual step of inviting designs for the reverse of the medal to be submitted by students of the Modelling School of the Royal College of Art in South Kensington with a requirement that "...the subject shall be emblematical of the skill in shooting in the Navy...". A design submitted by Miss Margaret Winser (reputed to be a student of Rodin) was ultimately approved by the Admiralty by letter dated 19 May 1904. The inscription, required by his Majesty King Edward VII, Amat Victoria Curam means victory delights in care.

Navy Board Regulations (extracts)

"...The Medal shall be competed for by all serving officers and ratings in the Royal Navy and serving officers, non commissioned officers and men of the Royal Marines. It shall be awarded to the winner of a competition organised under conditions prescribed by the Admiralty Board of the Defence Council.

"...A register of those to whom H.M. The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines to whom the Medal or Clasp has been awarded shall be maintained by Her Majesty's Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy."

The Royal Warrant (extracts)

"Whereas, we are desirest of encouraging skill in small arms shooting in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines; We do by these present for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, institute and create a medal to replace the Naval Good Shooting Medal which was instituted in 1903 and we do hereby direct that is shall be governed by the following rules and ordinances:

Style - The medal shall be designated and styled "The Queen's Medal for Champions Shots of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines".

Description - The award shall be in Silver in the form of a circular Medal bearing on the obverse the crowned effigy of the sovereign and on the reverse a representation of Neptune, grasping thunderbolts in each hand, and in the background a prow of a Roman trireme drawn by three seahorses; the whole surrounded by the inscription "Amat Victoria Curium".

The wording of which is identical to the earlier New Zealand Naval award.

Obverse

obv1 obv2

"... on the obverse the crowned effigy of the sovereign..."

The first obverse of the medal (above, left) was designed by Mr. Cecil Thomas OBE.

Reverse

... and on the reverse a representation of Neptune, grasping thunderbolts in each hand, and in the background a prow of a Roman trireme drawn by three seahorses; the whole surrounded by the inscription "Amat Victoria Curium".

Designed by Miss Margaret Winser.

The Ribbon

Two versions of ribbon are commonly seen.

One with "wide" white stripes, the second with "narrow" white stripes. Both versions are seen on issued medals although the latter is the correct pattern, being the same as that of the Naval Good Shooting Medal upon which the design of the Queen's Medal was based.

The Royal Warrant for the New Zealand medal provides

"...the Medal shall be worn on the left breast suspended from a ribbon one inch and a quarter in width of dark blue, a broad central stripe of red being superimposed, together with a narrow white stripe on either side of the centre red stripe."

The matter was finally put to rest recently by a determination by the Naval Secretary of the Office of the Second Sea Lord, that the ribbon with the "thin" stripes (3mm) is the correct pattern for all awards post 2006.

NZ Royal Warrant and Regulations

ROYAL WARRANT
THE QUEEN'S MEDAL FOR CHAMPION SHOTS OF THE NEW ZEALAND NAVAL FORCES
Elizabeth R

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Her Other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to all to whom these Presents shall come. GREETING:

WHEREAS We are desirous of encouraging skill in small-arms shooting in Our Naval Forces of New Zealand:

NOW THERFORE, We do by these Presents for Us, Our Heirs and Successors institute and create a new Medal and we do hereby direct that it shall be governed by the following rules and ordinances.

Firstly: Style - It is ordained that the Medal shall be designated and styled “The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Naval Forces.”

Secondly: Description - It is ordained that the award shall be in silver in the form of a circular Medal bearing on the obverse the Crown Effigy of the Sovereign and on the reverse a representation of Neptune, grasping thunderbolts in each hand, and in the background the prow of a Roman trireme drawn by three sea horses; the whole surrounded by the inscription “Amat Victoria curam”.

Thirdly: Ribbon - It is ordained that the Medal shall be worn on the left breast suspended from a ribbon one inch and a quarter in width of dark blue, a broad central stripe of red being superimposed, together with a narrow white stripe on either side of the centre red stripe.

Fourthly: Clasps - It is ordained that every such Medal granted shall be accompanied by a Clasp to be affixed to the ribbon, and bearing the year of award inscribed thereon. Should be recipient of the award subsequently qualify for the Medal again, a Clasp only will be granted on each such occasion. When the ribbon only is worn, the grant of a second or further Clasp shall be denoted by the wearing on the ribbon of a silver rose Emblem, one or more Emblems being worn according to the number of such additional Clasps granted.

Fifthly: Eligibility - It is ordained that one Medal or Clasp only shall be granted annually in the New Zealand Naval Forces, under regulations approved by Us, The Champion Shot of the New Zealand Naval Forces shall be selected under conditions laid down in the regulations hereinafter mentioned.

Sixthly: Registration - It is ordained that the names of all those to whom the Medal is awarded shall be recorded in the manner prescribed in the regulations hereinafter mentioned.

Seventhly: Names of Recipients - It is ordained that the names of recipients shall be engraved or stamped on the rim of the Medals.

Eighthly: Order of Wear - It is ordained that in the official list showing the order in which Orders, Decorations and Medals should be worn, the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Naval Forces shall be placed immediately before the Queen's Medal (for Champion Shots in the Military Forces).

Ninthly: Miniatures - It is ordained that reproductions of the Medal, known as miniature Medals, which may be worn on certain occasions by those to whom the Medal is awarded, shall be approximately half the size of the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Naval Forces, and a sealed pattern of the miniature Medal shall be kept in the Central Chancery of Our Orders of Knighthood.

Tenthly: Forfeiture and Restoration - It is ordained that it shall be competent for the Minister of Defence of Our Government in New Zealand to cancel and annul the conferment of the Medal or Clasp on any person, under the conditions laid down in the regulations hereinafter mentioned, and also to restore a forfeited award, under those regulations.

Eleventhly: Retrospective Effect - Awards of the Medal made under Our authority since 1st January, 1955, shall be governed by the terms of this Warrant.

Twelfthly: Regulations - It is ordained that he award shall be conferred under such regulations as to grant, forfeiture, restoration, and other matters, in amplification of this Our Warrant, as may with Our approval be issued from time to time by the Minister of Defence of Our Government in New Zealand.

Lastly: Annulment, etc., of Rules and Ordinances - We reserve to Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors, full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting, or dispensing with these rules and ordinances, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Sign Manual.

Given at Our Court at St James's this Thirtieth day of April One thousand Nine hundred and Fifty-eight, in the Seventh year of Our Reign.
By Her Majesty's Command, PHILLIP G. CONNOLLY.
9TH July 1958.

Issued under the authority of the Regulations Act 1936. Dated of notification in Gazette: 19 February 1959 WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND.

THE QUEEN'S MEDAL FOR CHAMPION SHOTS OF THE NEW ZEALAND NAVAL FORCES REGULATIONS 1958

PURSUANT to the Royal Warrant dated the thirtieth day of April, 1958* instituting and creating the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Naval Forces, the Minister of Defence hereby makes the following regulations, approved by The Queen.

REGULATIONS

These regulations may be cited as the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Naval Forces Regulations 1958.

Qualifications. The Medal for the New Zealand Naval Forces shall be competed for under service rifle championship conditions and awarded to the winner of the Naval Rifle Championship at that meeting. All competitors must be actual servicing members of the Royal New Zealand Navy, or of the reserve or auxiliary Naval Forces of New Zealand.

Register of Recipients. A register of those to whom the Medal or Clasp has been awarded in the New Zealand Naval Forces shall be maintained by Her Majesty's Government in New Zealand.

Forfeiture :
(1) If the service of a recipient of the Medal in the New Zealand Naval Forces is terminated for misconduct or for neglect of duty, he or she shall be liable, at the discretion of the Minister of Defence of New Zealand, to forfeit the Medal and any Clasp thereto.
(2) Any holder of the Medal who is convicted of treason, sedition, mutiny, cowardice, desertion, or disgraceful conduct of an unnatural kind shall forfeit the Medal and any Clasp thereto.

Restoration. A Medal, and any Clasp thereto, forfeited under regulation 4(1), may be restored at the discretion of the Minister of Defence.

Dated at Wellington this ninth day of July 1958.
PHILLIP G. CONNOLLY. Minister of Defence
*S.R. 1959/13

Issued under the authority of the Regulations Act 1936. Dated of notification in Gazette: 19 February 1959. These regulations are administrated in the Navy Office. WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND.

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