The extremely scarce undated NZ War Medal awarded to 2088 Pte. Donald McLaren, who served in New Zealand during the campaign of 1846-47.

Information on soldiers from this period is fairly limited, but from the muster rolls of 99th Regiment indicate McLaren arrived in New South Wales in late 1844. He was deployed to New Zealand in early 1846 but it is unclear if he arrived in time to serve at Ruapekapeka in January of that year. He was on the strength of the 99th during the campaign in the Hutt Valley (Boulcoutt's Farm, Battle Hill). By October 1847 McLaren was back in New South Wales, and over the next four years he served in the garrison at Sydney, and as a convict guard at Norfolk Island and Launceston in Tasmania. McLaren returned to the UK with his regiment in 1856. No further records of his movements have been located to date.

The medal is correctly impressed 2088 D Mc.LAREN, 99th REGt. Some of the impressing faint due to the angle of the striking. Note, the image of the unknown 99th Regiment soldier shown in this listing is just for illustrative purposes only.