Old Boy Fraser Mundie awarded the Defence Meritorious Service Medal

By Richard Mundie | Posted: Tuesday July 6, 2021

Fraser Mundie was awarded the Defence Meritorious Service Medal at the Burnham Military Camp, June 16th, 2021, by Air Marshal Kevin Short, Chief of Defence Force.

The New Zealand Defence Meritorious Service Medal is awarded to recognise meritorious exceptional performance, commitment or innovation.

A citation was read aloud at the ceremony and the following has been extracted from the citation and a letter from JR Boswell, Major General, Chief of Army.

Fraser Mundie enlisted into the New Zealand Army as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Operator and qualified as an EOD Team Leader in 2016.

In this role, Fraser (Corporal Mundie), responded to a mass shooting at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch to support the Police response on 15th March 2019.

The citation describes the circumstances that he was confronted with and captures the complexity and uncertainty of the situation.

“You were in real danger, yet you did not hesitate to carry out your drills and make safe potentially deadly devices. You were not distracted by the destruction and casualties that surrounded you and, after clearing the Al Noor Mosque you were retasked twice more.”

This included rendering safe multiple explosive devices in the boot of the vehicle at the site where the accused terrorist had been apprehended.

“Each time you performed exceptionally well under pressure. Your professionalism and dedication to your duty was both truly remarkable and seriously impressive.”

Fraser, son of Joanna and Richard, and brother of Greer, was brought up initially in Te Anau. From Te Anau School Fraser went to Kaikorai Primary School and Balmacewen Intermediate in Dunedin. He then went to Otago Boys’ High School 1999 – 2003, and the University of Otago, before joining the Army.

Fraser is now living in Dunedin with his partner Liz, and son Will.