Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. In 1947, India was granted independence and the medal ceased to be awarded. Before 1963, the Jamaican competition was an annual local shooting competition which did not form part of the Queen's Medal Competitions. The first Queen's Medal Competition in Jamaica was held in 1963 and the first medal to a Jamaican was won by Private J.E.P. Daley of the 1st Battalion, The Jamaica Regiment. The medal can still be awarded annually in Jamaica. The first King's Medal Competition in New Zealand was held in 1923 and the first
Merit Medal in Silver Merit Medal in Silver The Merit Medal in Silver, post-nominal letters MMS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty. Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in isiZulu, was the para-military wing of the African National Congress (ANC). It was established on 16 December 1961, to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South