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New Zealand Bravery Decoration


FieldValue
nameNew Zealand Bravery Decoration
image[[File:NZBD-FS-WB-01-clearcut-v2 1.jpg150px]]
captionObverse of the medal
presenterNew Zealand
typeCivil decoration
eligibilityThose performing acts of bravery in, or meriting recognition by, New Zealand
awarded_for"acts of exceptional bravery in situations of danger"
statusCurrently awarded
description45mm, (obverse) cross pattée surmounted by a small faceted four-pointed star with the Royal Crown and fern frond wreath emblem; (reverse) inscribed "FOR BRAVERY - MO TE MAIA". With ring suspension.
established20 September 1999
firstawarded23 October 1999
holder_labelLatest award
holder13 December 2025
total_recipients52
higherNew Zealand Gallantry Decoration
lowerOrder of St John
image2[[File:NZBraveryDecRibbon.png]]
caption2Ribbon: 32mm, seven equal and alternating stripes of bright blue and crimson

NOTOC The New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD) is the third-level civil decoration of New Zealand.

It was instituted by royal warrant on 20 September 1999 as part of the move to replace British bravery awards with an indigenous New Zealand Bravery system. The medal, which may be awarded posthumously, is granted in recognition of "acts of exceptional bravery in situations of danger". The medal is primarily a civilian award, but it is also awarded to members of the armed forces who perform acts of bravery in non-operational circumstances (given that the New Zealand gallantry awards may only be awarded "while involved in war and warlike operational service (including peacekeeping)".

Bars are awarded to the NZBD in recognition of the performance of further acts of bravery meriting the award. Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters NZBD.

The medal replaced the award of the Queen's Gallantry Medal, Air Force Cross, and Air Force Medal in respect of acts of bravery in, or meriting recognition by, New Zealand.

Recipients

NameDate of actionLocation of actionHonours list
Terence Albert Hood4 July 1989WellingtonSpecial Honours List - 1999 (Bravery Awards)
Sergeant Allan Donald Cantley29 July 1993Morrinsville
Christopher Michael Crean13 March 1996*New Plymouth
Graeme James Hunt21 April 1996Flaxmere
Constable Warren Gilbert Sloss12 October 1996Whanganui
Hakihana Jackson Pomare21 June 1997*Matauri Bay
Brian John Pickering25 September 2000Kaimanawa RangeSpecial Honours List - 29 January 2005 (Bravery Awards)
Constable Geoffrey Frank Knight4 June 2001Tapanui
Sergeant David Templeton21 January 2003South AucklandSpecial Honours List - 14 October 2006 (Bravery Awards)
Sergeant Ngakina Jane Bertrand17–18 January 2005Yandina, Solomon Islands
Sergeant George William White
Constable Craig David Bennett7 May 2005Dunedin
Pes Sia’atoutai Fa'aui28 November 2005Henderson
Constable Robert Bruce Gibson5 June 2005Mount AlbertSpecial Honours List - 3 May 2008 (Bravery Awards)
Constable Karl Hugh Pennington
Constable James Alexander Muir23 June 2007WhakatāneSpecial Honours List - 2 April 2011 (Bravery Awards)
Senior Firefighter Mervyn Raymond Neil5 April 2008Tamahere
Wing Commander Anthony Frederick Ronald Millsom26 April 2008RNZAF Base Auckland
Inspector Michael Ross O'Leary24 April 2009near Taupō
Sergeant Heath Courtenay Jones7 May 2009Napier
Senior Sergeant Anthony James Miller
Constable Kevin Lawrence Rooney
Constable Michael Thomas Wardle13 July 2010ChristchurchSpecial Honours List - 2 December 2013 (Bravery Awards)
Georgina Rose Langford21 April 2011near Nelson
Dr Bryce Curran22 February 2011ChristchurchSpecial Honours List - 23 June 2014 (Bravery Awards)
Dr Lydia Grace Johns-Putra
Christopher Mark Foot15 January 2014DunedinSpecial Honours List - 1 August 2016 (Bravery Awards)
Senior Constable Blair John Spalding25 August 2014Hamilton
Constable Benjamin Patrick Turner
Liam Christiaan Armand Beale15 March 2019ChristchurchSpecial Honours List - 16 December 2021 (Bravery Awards)
Senior Constable Scott Eric Carmody
Senior Constable James Andrew (Jim) Manning
Ziyaad Shah
Timothy Robin (Tim) Barrow9 December 2019Whakaari / White IslandSpecial Honours List - 26 October 2022 - (Bravery Awards)
Jason William Hill
Graeme Hopcroft
Sam Peter Jones
Callum Mill
Thomas Sandford (Tom) Storey
Constable Matthew Dennis Hunt19 June 2020*AucklandSpecial Honours List - 6 December 2024 - (Bravery Awards)
Bodey Thomas Foley11 April 2020Lower Hutt
Noel George Jones1 May 2020Auckland
Vanessa Miller-Andrews10 May 2021Dunedin
Stephen Robert Brodie3 September 2021Auckland
Johnathan Aaron Curreen
Ross Elliott Tomlinson
Ian Stewart Anderson24 October 2022Kekerengu
Roland Ipenburg
Senior Constable Andrew Ian Watson
Young Person N17 September 2024AucklandSpecial Honours List - 13 December 2025 - (Bravery Awards)
Junior (Losi) Faamalosi Isaako20 June 2025Flaxmere

References

References

  1. (13 December 2025). "New Zealand bravery awards". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
  2. "Order of Wear: Orders, Decorations and Medals in New Zealand". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
  3. "Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Honours Secretariat - Medal information page".
  4. [http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/warrants/d1nzgb-warrant.html New Zealand Defence Force - Text of the Royal warrant for the New Zealand Gallantry awards system - s.5]
  5. "NZDF Medals - The New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)".
Wikipedia Source

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