This cross was awarded to the next of kin of Corporal Alexander Mafeking Eagles, a New Plymouth ambulance driver, who was killed in action on 31 May 1941 while serving in the New Zealand Engineers. He was killed at sea off the Island of Crete. According to information on the New Zealand Defence Force website the New Zealand Memorial Cross was "awarded to the families of servicemen and women who were killed while on war service or operational service overseas, or who subsequently died of wounds received while on war service or operational service overseas, since the commencement of World War Two. Two versions of the New Zealand Memorial Cross have been struck: one during the reign of King George VI, and one during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The King George VI cross is worn from a thin mauve coloured ribbon suspended around the neck, while the Queen Elizabeth II cross is worn as a brooch. The King George VI New Zealand Memorial Cross has been awarded to the families of the more than 11,000 personnel who died while serving in the New Zealand Armed Forces during the Second World War. The Queen Elizabeth II New Zealand Memorial Cross has been awarded to the families of the 125 New Zealand military personnel who have died while on operational service since 3 September 1945. Up to two New Zealand Memorial Crosses are issued to the family of each individual. For deaths during the Second World War the first cross was awarded in the late 1940s or the 1950s to the mother. If the mother was deceased the first cross was awarded to the father, or if he was also deceased to the eldest sister, or the eldest brother if the military service person had no living sisters. A second cross was awarded to the widow, eldest daughter or eldest son (in that order of precedence). If the deceased military service person was not married and had no children only one Memorial Cross was issued. " Source: http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/category/f/f2.html