The Navy Cross (Vlootkruis in Afrikaans), post-nominal letters CN (Crux Navalis) is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Navy for bravery. It was discontinued in 2003, but backdated awards can still be made for acts of bravery during this period.South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Accessed 28 April 2015)

The first award was made by the then Chief of the Navy Vice Admiral Robert Simpson-Anderson on 15 August 1994.

The South African military The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975 (Accessed 30 April 2015)South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003 (Accessed 30 April 2015)

Institution The Navy Cross, post-nominal letters CN (Crux Navalis), was instituted by the State President in 1987.South African Medal Website - Legal aspects - Fount of Honour (Accessed 1 May 2015)

Award criteria The cross was initially awarded for exceptional ingenuity, resourcefulness and skill, and extraordinary leadership, dedication, sense of duty and personal example and courage in mortal danger in non-combatant situations. After 1993 it was awarded for exceptional courage, leadership, skill, ingenuity or tenacity in dangerous or critical situations. A Bar, instituted in 1993, could be awarded in recognition of further similar displays of courage, leadership, skill, ingenuity or tenacity in danger.

Order of wear

The position of the Navy Cross in the official order of precedence was revised three times, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, again when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted in April 1996 for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again when a new series of military decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged on all three occasions.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,

Official SANDF order of precedence Preceded by the Air Force Cross (CA) of the Republic of South Africa. Succeeded by the Medical Service Cross (CC) of the Republic of South Africa.

Official national order of precedence Preceded by the Air Force Cross (CA) of the Republic of South Africa. Succeeded by the Medical Service Cross (CC) of the Republic of South Africa.

Description Obverse The Navy Cross is a pointed cross, struck in silver, to fit in a circle 45 millimetres in diameter, with the South African Navy emblem in the centre on a navy blue roundel, 18 millimetres in diameter.

Reverse The reverse has the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms, with the decoration number impressed underneath.

Bar The Bar was struck in silver and has a Protea emblem embossed in the centre. The same Bar was used to indicate multiple awards of the Pro Virtute Medal, Army Cross, Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, Medical Service Cross, Southern Cross Medal (1975) and Pro Merito Medal (1975).

Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and white, with a 12 millimetres wide Navy blue centre band.

Discontinuation Conferment of the decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003.

Recipients Since inclusion in the table itself is impractical, the actions cited for follow below the table. The Ranks reflected are the final rank held by the recipient. CN no.NameRankUnitDate awarded Barnard, LJWO2 Doult, ALS Minnaar, SLT CDR Wooding, LS LT Tancrel, CDWO1 Norman, DJHCDR Motsoenyane, FPO Swart, WPLS Palmer, JRLT CDR Stephenson, JDWO2 Hicks, NMCPO Jacobs, PLCPO Marnitz, RBCPO Nel, MFJCPO Zarry, WSCPO Buys, ACLS Ferguson, SCLS Price, LLS Henderson, RWCdrOC Diving School Uys, JCIS LT Engelbrecht, JHWO1 Smith, NCCPODiving School Schoultz, CFLS Van wyk, HLS0013 Schoeman, MFLT CDR Stander, AWO1 Prinsloo, AWO2 Jaffar, MNCPO Pronk, TPCPO Mahlwele, MDPO Hughes, RPWO2 Combrink, WW Cdr Lewis, GSMWO2SAS Protea- Frieslaar, J.M CPO Williams, DCCPO Actions cited for

References