item details
NameMedal commemorating the visit of H.M.S. New Zealand, 1913.
ProductionWilliam Bock; maker/artist; 1913; New Zealand
Classificationmedals, commemoratives
Materialssilver
Techniquesstriking
DimensionsOverall: 35.5mm (diameter)
Registration NumberNU006789
Overview
The HMS New Zealand was a battlecruiser funded by the New Zealand government as a gift to Britain. It was launched in 1911.
The 1913 tour
The medal commemorates the New Zealand’s visit to its namesake country. The tour stirred strong patriotic feelings in New Zealanders. The ship was seen as “an impressive and tangible symbol of the bond of Empire,” and was greeted with enthusiasm at every port. The captain of the ship, Lionel Halsey, was presented with a piupiu and a hei tiki to ward off evil.