The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver is the lesser of two classes of a South African civil decoration for acts of bravery that was in use from 1939 to 1952, when the country was a constitutional monarchy in the British Commonwealth. The medal was instituted by King George VI on 23 June 1939.South African Medal Website - Union of South Africa (Accessed 1 May 2015)
Institution The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver, the lesser of two classes of South Africa's highest civilian decoration for bravery, was instituted by Royal Warrant of 23 June 1939, published in Government Gazette no. 2671 dated 25 August 1939, and amended by Royal Warrants of 18 February 1947, 24 October 1949 and 17 October 1950.
Award criteria The medal was awarded to recognise gallantry performed in the face of imminent and obvious peril by those residents of the Union of South Africa or its dependent territories who endangered their own lives in the act of saving, or endeavouring to save, the lives of others.
Although it was primarily a civilian award, it was also granted to military personnel for non-combatant acts of gallantry during the Second World War.Abbott, P.E. and Tamplin, J.M.A. (1971). British Gallantry Awards. Guinness Superlatives.
Order of wear In the British order of precedence, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver ranks as a third level decoration, equivalent to the Queen's Gallantry Medal. It is preceded by the Indian Distinguished Service Medal and succeeded by the Distinguished Service Medal.
In South Africa, the medal is ranked as a second level decoration and, despite its status, it has no post-nominal letters. It is preceded by the Louw Wepener Decoration and succeeded by the South African Police Cross for Bravery.Government Gazette of the Republic of South Africa No 27376 (11 March 2005)
Description Obverse The decoration is struck in silver and is a disk, 38 millimetres in diameter with a raised rim and a large ring suspender. The obverse depicts the crowned effigy of King George VI, facing left, surrounded by the words "GEORGIVS VI REX ET IMPERATOR".
Reverse A public competition was held to find a suitable design for the reverse of the medal. The winning entry, by Miss Renee Joubert, depicts the 18th-century Cape hero Wolraad Woltemade on his horse, rescuing shipwreck survivors from a stormy sea. As a result, the medal became commonly referred to as the Woltemade Medal. The image is circumscribed with the words "FOR BRAVERY • VIR DAPPERHEID" around the top.
Ribbon The ribbon is 44 millimetres wide and dark blue with 4½ millimetres wide orange edges.
Discontinuation
Upon the accession to the British Throne of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver was discontinued and replaced by the Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery, Silver.
Recipients The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver was awarded to altogether thirty-four individuals, of whom eighteen were military personnel. Title/RankNameGazettedateAction cited for1MrDalling, William TweeddaleTried to save a black man in a rock-burst, Rose Deep Mine2MrNourse, DennisSaved a man from being savaged by a shark, Warner Beach, Natal3MrMoubray, Robert JohnJumped down a 50 feet waterfall near Tzaneen to save a friend, who had fallen and struck his head, from drowning in the pool below4MrVan den Berg, Michael AdriaanSaved an injured miner despite ignited dynamite fuses, Venterspost Gold Mine5MrGivana, son of SiqwayiniAssisted Mr. M.A. van den Berg in the aforementioned rescue, Venterspost Gold Mine6MrSnell, HendrikTried to save the pilot in a crashed and burning aircraft, Landsdowne Road, Cape Town7LtRabe, Arnold (SAAF)Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft8T/F SgtBrady, Martin Wilson Taylor Bellingham (SAAF)Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft, Youngsfield Base, Cape Town9Pupil PilotDe Jong, Daniel Nicholaas (SAAF)Saved his instructor from a burning aircraft, Standerton10T/2 LtFowles, Geoffrey Turner (SAAF)Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft, Pietersburg11A/MBotes, Rudolph Daniel (SAAF)Attempted to save the crew of a burning aircraft, Wingfield, Cape Town12MrMpotuSaved a miner in the face of exploding dynamite, Venterspost Gold Mine13A/CplFaul, Joseph Piek (SAAF)Tried to save a man overcome by fumes in the fuel tank of a Catalina aircraft14T/CaptFisher, H.S. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945 at the Grand Magazine, Pretoria15T/CaptWarner, A.L.H. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194516T/LtSolomon, H.I. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194517T/WO2Bruyns, H.C. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194518WO2Murcia, L. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194519T/S SgtDu Plessis, P.F. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194520SgtPentz, C. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194521L CplSeholi, Peter (UDF)Rescued two men, gassed in a sewer, Maitland, Cape Town22SgtFerreira, I.M. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194523SgtBronkhost, N.J. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194524T/CplBreet, W.S. (UDF)Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194525MrTheron, Marthinus JacobusGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194526MrHall, John BassettGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194527MrSehlogo, AndriesGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194528MrNel, FrederickGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194529MrClark, Edward GeorgeGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194530MrSnyder, Erle SniderGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194531MrMpye, AmosGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 194532ABAdlam, H.S.J. (SANF (V))Saved a black man from the sea and sharks, Durban33MrLewis, Peter ThomasSaved a child from the path of a railway locomotive, Pretoria34MasterHart, Jack JacobusAt age 14, rescued a child from a burning garden hut, Johannesburg
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