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New Zealand military records

NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals (PAM)

Introduction

NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals (PAM) contributes to the development of New Zealand’s military heritage by providing advice on and interpretation of New Zealand military information we hold. We safeguard the personnel files of over 1 million ex-serving military, and provide information from these files to them, their families and other interested parties in accordance with New Zealand Government legislation. The files held at PAM at Trentham Military Camp are an invaluable resource for documenting the social and military history of New Zealand. They provide a unique record of the military service of the men and women who served our country at home and overseas.

We research and establish entitlement to medals of serving and ex-serving military personnel; and issue campaign and service medals awarded on behalf of New Zealand to entitled recipients. We protect the integrity of medallic entitlement in accordance with the intent of Royal Warrants and Regulations approved by the Governor General and Parliament as applicable. Our business activities support our veterans and their families in line with NZDF’s business outcome “Veterans’ Service is Honoured”.

NZDF PAM holds files for those who served in New Zealand’s military forces from January 1921 to the present day. 

There is no complete list of all those who have served in the Armed Forces and, as the files have been relocated several times, we cannot guarantee that we hold files for all who served. 

In 1949 a large number of files were purged and the information taken off those files was destroyed.

Further projects to reduce space have resulted in files being microfilmed and microfiched with the original files then destroyed. Sadly, the imaged quality at times is very poor quality and not readable. 

This collection of files continues to grow on a daily basis as recently discharged persons' files are transferred in. 

For many WW2 Army files we only hold a history sheet and if the person you are researching became an officer there will also be a second personnel file as well as the history sheet.

Records at Archives New Zealand

• Māori in the NZ Wars

Records at Archives New Zealand or Alexander Turnbull Library

• British Imperial Regiments (1840-1870); 

• Early Militia Records (1845-1872); 

• Colonial Defence Force (1863-1867); 

• Armed Constabulary (1867-1886); 

• Royal NZ Fencibles (1847-1852):

These files can be found at Archives New Zealand and/or Alexander Turnbull Library.

South African War (1899-1902), First World War (1914-1918) and some Second World War (1939-1945)

These files are now held by Archives New Zealand. For those who continued to serve after 1920 (the close off date for the transfer), these files too have now been transferred to Archives New Zealand. A search can be done on their AIMS search tool. If the person you are researching is not there it would pay to contact NZDF PAM just to confirm that there is no file available.

Merchant Navy

Those that served on Merchant ships in conflict were registered with the ship’s owners and can be found at:

Archives New Zealand for:

• War Medal index cards

• New Zealand Shipping Co

• NZ Marine Department Archives

·

Wellington City Council Archives for:

• Wellington Harbour Board

• Union Steam Ship Co of NZ

National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, UK for:

• P & O Shipping

• Shaw Savill Shipping

Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum

Land Girls

As they were not members of the military no files are held.

Photographs

NZDF PAM do not hold photographs for any service personnel, groups or units.

Photographic collections can be found at:

• Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch

• Archives New Zealand

• Alexander Turnbull Library “Matapihi”

• Auckland War Museum

• Cenotaph Database - excellent first stop for anyone researching those involved in world wars and other major conflicts.

• Local Libraries

• Local Museums

• National Army Museum, Waiouru

• National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy, Torpedo Bay, Auckland

Unit Histories

Can be found at:

• Archives New Zealand

• National Army Museum

• National Museum of the RNZN

• Air Force Museum of New Zealand

• The actual unit – if still in existence

Official War Histories

Official War Histories from WW1 and WW2 can be found at:

• Libraries and museums throughout New Zealand.

• National Army Museum

• New Zealand Electronic Text Collection

Courts Martial and Courts of Enquiry

Older Courts Martial are held at Archives New Zealand. The more recent ones are held by Headquarters NZDF who can confirm if a record is held and if access may be given.

Conscientious Objectors

Lists can be found at Auckland War Memorial Museum and have been added to the Online Cenotaph database.

War Dairies

Can be found at:

·         Archives New Zealand

·         Alexander Turnbull Library

·         National Army Museum

·         National Museum of the RNZN

·         Air Force Museum of New Zealand

War Graves

Refer to the Commonwealth War Graves website.

War Memorabilia:

Can be found at:

• Archives New Zealand

• National Museum of the RNZN

• National Army Museum

• Air Force Museum of New Zealand

• Local museums

NZDF Civilian Staff

NZDF PAM does not hold files for those who may have served as Civilian Staff.

Foreign Forces

NZDF PAM only hold files for those who have served with the New Zealand Armed Forces.

What they hold a little of:

Home Guard (1940-1943)

After WW2 it was decided to retain only the personnel records for those who served on a full-time mobilized basis therefore, we only hold a small portion of those records.

Compulsory Military Training (CMT) (1950-1959)

Under the Military Service Act 1949 those aged 18 had to register. Files for those from the South Island were stored at the King Edwards Barracks in Christchurch which was destroyed by fire in 1962 and the majority of their files were destroyed.

National Service Training (NST) (1962-1972)

Under the National Military Service Act 1961 men had to register with the Department of Labour on their 20th birthday. Those selected by birthday ballot were required to undertake three-month’s full-time training. These files too were destroyed in the 1962 fire.

28th (Maori) Battalion

NZDF PAM hold files for those who served with the 28th (Māori) Battalion but because of War Pension related reasons some were transferred to Archives New Zealand. Check with NZDF PAM first.

Cadet Forces

NZDF PAM hold some files but only for some Cadet Force Officers.

Eras NZDF PAM holds records for:

Post 1920 to the present including:

• ·         World War II (1939-1945)

• ·         Occupation of Japan (1946-1949)

• ·         Korean War (1950-1957)

• ·         Conflict in Malaya (1955-1967)

• ·         Indonesian Confrontation (1962-1966)

• ·         Vietnam War (1965-1971)

• ·         Peacekeeping/Making (1954 to date)

 To apply for files or medals from NZDF PAM:

·         In Writing

Application form available from our website

https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/medal-and-service-records/

Or try a straight Google search “NZDF Archives”

·         Email: NZDF.PAM@nzdf.mil.nz

·         Telephone – (04) 527 5280

Information required when applying for a file

In order to ensure we identify the correct file we need enough information to narrow down the search. E.g. there are many John Smith’s and it may be the second name which will indicate the correct one. Or, you can have a father and son with the same name and both have served in the military so the birth date will be a key identifier. Give as much of this as you can:

• • Full Name of person you are enquiring about

  • Date of birth of the person you are enquiring about

  • Arm of the service if known

  • Service number if known

  • Rank if known

  • Period of service and anything else you can provide.

We also need to know if a person is living or deceased as this is required for us to comply with the Privacy Act 1993.

Living person

While a person is still alive, we cannot issue any information without their consent. The application form or letter must be signed by the person whose file is being requested. 

If the person is unable to sign the letter due to poor health and someone within the family has Power of Attorney (care and wellbeing), that person can sign the application and provide a copy of the power of attorney. Then we can issue the file.

Deceased person

A file becomes a public record once a person is deceased but we need proof of death so that we can issue the file. Not all our files have any evidence of death attached and this is why we ask for proof of death.

·         Examples of proof of death

• • Photocopy of death certificate

  • Copy of newspaper obituary notice

  • Funeral Service Sheet

  • Photograph of headstone

  • Cemetery online printout

What forms holding key information can be found in a file?

The contents of the file depend on the individual, their rank, the era in which they served and the service they served in. Examples are:

• History Sheet

• Attestation Form

• Casualty Sheet (Army)

• War Gratuity Assessment

• Medical information

• Correspondence

• Pay records

• Course reports

• Posting Cards (Navy & Air Force)

Files after 1950 hold more information as they missed the big purge in 1949

History Sheet

History sheets were used from the 1930’s to 1953 (Army); Navy and Air Force until 1997. Although they differ between each Service, they may include:

Front page:

• Name

• Service number

• Unit(s)

• Rank history

• Date of enlistment

• Date attested (this is the formal date of enlistment)

• Next of kin

• Overseas service dates

• Casualties if the person was wounded, captured or killed in action

• Action after returning to New Zealand

• Medal entitlement

If there is a blue line through the medal name that person is not entitled to it.

A red tick confirms a medal has been awarded and the date awarded is shown.

Back page:

·         Personal details

§  Date of birth

• Religion

• Occupation at time of enlistment

• Colour of eyes (sometimes)

• Height

• Weight

• Medals and decorations

• Record of promotions, reductions, transfers etc. in date order

• Service record in date order

• Conduct

• Particulars of will and where it was held

Attestation Form

Contains a lot of personnel information which has been filled out by that person applying to join the forces and this information begins the creation of the file.

War Services Gratuity assessment

Records the final pay for the service person as well as the start and finish date and the number of assessable days in New Zealand and overseas.

For a person who has been killed in action or discharged due to being wounded the form will be yellow. For a person who has left the services, the form will be white

Casualty Sheet (Army)

This Army record contains general postings, units served in, locations and if wounded.

Information on a file can be distressing

• A medical file can have records about the serviceperson contracting some form of social disease. 

• A person may have attempted or committed suicide

• Medical reports from WW2 can talk about ‘shell shock’ and their state of mind (now known as PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

• The information on the file does not reflect what that person has told the family e.g. the person may have told family of some heroic action they did – which actually never took place.

• Details on misbehaviour, punishment and imprisonment.

Abbreviations

There is a comprehensive list of abbreviations on our website.

Charges

If you request a copy of a single military service within a 12-month period the copy will be provided free of charge. If you request copies of more than one military service file within a 12-month period the first file will be provide free but the second and subsequent files will be charged at the rate of $28 per file. Payment by Electronic Banking. NB. Currently on hold.

Research

A reading room facility is available for which bookings must be made five days in advance and the criteria of access to files for living and deceased applies.

For large research projects an application in writing must be made to the NZDF PAM Manager stating the purpose of the research and cover the ability to meet statutory requirements in regard to living or deceased people.

Early New Zealand, genealogical and historical indices and databases
Resources on very early pakeha arrivals in New Zealand, including sealers and whalers, missionaries, explorers, settlers, soldiers, shipwrecks, New Zealand Company, etc.
www.nzearlyhistory.com/ 

Scotland