Certificate of Discharge

This discharge certificate was issued to Lance Corporal David Cruickshank of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment on his discharge from the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force on the 22nd of March 1919.

The significance of this object lies in its 'typicality' as illustrating processes and experiences undergone by many thousands of New Zealanders during the First World War. These certificates recorded the time each man had served, a brief physical description of him, and a very brief statement about character.

Many men always carried their certificates with them, as in the difficult post-war years the ability to prove war service could help them gain employment. This certificate is made from a mixture of waterproofed linen and cotton to make it more durable when folded up in men's pockets.