South African military decorations

An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.

Colonial forces 1894–1913

The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long service. This was the general practice in the British Empire at that time. The colonial medals were:

Decorations Volunteer Officers' Decoration (VD) (18941901) Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (VD) (190013) Distinguished Conduct Medal (18941913) Distinguished Conduct Medal (Natal) 18941913) Distinguished Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) (18941913) Distinguished Conduct Medal (Transvaal) (19021913) Campaign medals Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal (1900) Natal Native Rebellion Medal (1907) Long service medals Meritorious Service Medal (18451913) Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope) (18961913) Meritorious Service Medal (Natal) (18961913) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (18301896) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) (18961910) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal) (18961910) Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal (19101913) Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies (18961901) Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (190013).

Union Defence Forces 1913–1952

The colonial forces were replaced in 1912 by the Union Defence Forces, which continued the system. British decorations for gallantry and distinguished service were awarded during World War I and World War II, and the South African government granted the other categories of award. They were:

Decoration Distinguished Conduct Medal (191440) Campaign medals Victory Medal (1919) Africa Service Medal (1943) Long service medals Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal (19131930) Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) (193039) Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa) (193952) Meritorious Service Medal (191440) Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (VD) (191339) Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (191339) Efficiency Decoration (ED) (193952) Efficiency Medal (193952) RNVR Volunteer Officers' Decoration Medal (VD) (191549) RNVR Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (191549) Air Efficiency Award (195052).

Boer war veterans

In 1920, the South African government instituted a separate set of awards, for Boer veterans of the 18991902 Anglo-Boer War — neither of the Boer republics for which they had fought had had its own honours system. The awards were:

Decoration Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst (Decoration for Devoted Service) (DTD) Campaign medals South African Republic & Orange Free State War Medal Wounds Ribbon.

South African Defence Force

19521975

South Africa introduced its own honours system in 1952. Its largest component was a series of military decorations and medals, which not only replaced the existing long service medals, but provided substitutes for the decorations which the British government had awarded in wartime:

Decoration Name Post Nominals Period current Number awarded Awarded for Ribbon Castle of Good Hope Decoration 19522003 Never awarded Most conspicuous bravery Louw Wepener Decoration 19521975 7 Most conspicuous courage or greatest heroism Star of South Africa SSA 19521975 20 Exceptionally meritorious service Van Riebeeck Decoration DVR 19521975 2 Distinguished service in the field (officers) Honoris Crux (1952) HC 19521975 5 Gallantry in action against the enemy Van Riebeeck Medal VRM 19521975 5 Distinguished service in the field (other ranks) Louw Wepener Medal LWM 19671975 8 Courageous or heroic deeds in saving lives Southern Cross Medal (1952) SM 195275 587 Outstanding devotion to duty Pro Merito Medal (1967) PMM 196775 374 Outstanding devotion to duty (other ranks) Danie Theron Medal 19702003 Diligent service in the Commandos Jack Hindon Medal 19701975 18 Diligent service in the Commandos (other ranks) Campaign medals Korea Medal 1953 Service in the Korean War Commemorative Medals Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953 To commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Long Service Medals Union Medal 19521961 18 years service in the Permanent Force Permanent Force Good Service Medal 19611975 18 years service in the Permanent Force John Chard Decoration JCD 19522003 20 years service in the Citizen Force De Wet Decoration DWD 19522003 20 years service in the Commandos John Chard Medal 19522003 12 years service in the Citizen Force Cadet Corps Medal 19661967 20 years service in school cadets Shooting Medals Queen's Medal for Champion Shots 19531961 Winning the annual SADF shooting championships Commandant General's Medal 19651975 Winning the annual SADF shooting championships Emblems Mentioned in dispatches 19672003 Commendation by the Chief of the SADF 19681974

19752003

A new system was introduced in 1975. It retained seven of the existing decorations and medals. Innovations included a hierarchy of merit awards, cumulative long service medals, and colour-coded ribbons. As the South African Defence Force was engaged in military operations in South West Africa and Angola throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the number of awards granted each year increased significantly. Additional decorations were instituted between 1987 and 1991.

Decoration Name Post Nominals Period current Number awarded Awarded for Ribbon Castle of Good Hope Decoration CGH 19522003 Never awarded Most conspicuous bravery Honoris Crux Diamond HCD 197593 Never awarded Death-defying heroic deeds of outstanding valour Honoris Crux Gold HCG 197593 6 Outstanding bravery in extreme danger Star of South Africa, Gold SSA 19752003 Meritorious military service. Star of South Africa, Silver SSAS 19752003 Meritorious military service. Honoris Crux Silver HCS 19752003 27 Exceptional bravery in great danger Honoris Crux (1975) HC 19752003 201 Bravery while in danger Pro Virtute Decoration PVD 19872003 Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership (officers) Southern Cross Decoration SD 19752003 Outstanding service of the highest order, and utmost devotion to duty (Officers) Pro Merito Decoration PMD 19752003 Outstanding service of the highest order, and utmost devotion to duty (other ranks) Pro Virtute Medal PVM 19872003 Never awarded Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership (other ranks) Ad Astra Decoration AAD 19872003 Excellent flying skill or ingenuity by SA Air Force aircrew in emergencies or unusual situations Army Cross CM 19912003 Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (army personnel) Air Force Cross CA 19912003 Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (air force personnel) Navy Cross CN 1991–2003 Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (naval personnel) Medical Service Cross CC 19912003 Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (military health service personnel) Southern Cross Medal (1975) SM 19752003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty (officers) Pro Merito Medal (1975) PMM 19752003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty (other ranks) Danie Theron Medal DTM 19702003 Exceptionally diligent and outstanding service in the Commandos Military Merit Medal MMM 19742003 Service of a high order Campaign medals Pro Patria Medal 19741992 Operational service in combating terrorism or in defence of South Africa Southern Africa Medal 1989 Service in military operations outside South Africa and South West Africa between 1976 and 1989 General Service Medal 1992 Operational service inside South Africa from 1983 Commemorative Medals Unitas Medal 1994 To commemorate the amalgamation of the SADF, APLA, MK and the homeland defence forces to form the SA National Defence Force Long Service Medals Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service 19872003 40 years service in the Defence Force Good Service Medal, Gold 19752003 30 years service in the Permanent Force Good Service Medal, Silver 19752003 20 years service in the Permanent Force John Chard Decoration JCD 19522003 20 years service in the Citizen Force De Wet Decoration DWD 19522003 20 years service in the Commandos John Chard Medal 19522003 12 (from 1986, 10) years service in the Citizen Force Good Service Medal, Bronze 19752003 10 years service in the Permanent Force De Wet Medal 19872003 10 years service in the Commandos Shooting Medals SADF Champion Shot Medal 19752003 Champion shots of the annual SADF Bisley in the categories of fullbore, smallbore, pistol and service shooting Cadet Corps Champion Shot Medal 1987–2003 Emblems Mentioned in Dispatches 19672003 Emblem for Volunteer Service (South Africa) 19672003

Armed opposition organisations

In 1996, two separate sets of decorations were instituted for veterans who had served in the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe during the armed campaign against the former government.

Azanian People's Liberation Army

Decoration Name Post Nominals Period current Number awarded Awarded for Ribbon Gold Star for Bravery GSB 19962003 Exceptional bravery in great danger Bravery Star in Silver BSS 19962003 Bravery Star for Conspicuous Leadership SCL 19962003 Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership Gold Decoration for Merit GDM 19962003 Outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty Silver Medal for Merit SMM 19962003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty Bronze Medal for Merit BMM 19962003 Service of a high order Campaign medals Operational Medal for Southern Africa 19962003 Operational service outside South Africa South Africa Service Medal 19962003 Operational service inside South Africa Long Service medals Gold Service Medal 19962003 30 years service in APLA Silver Service Medal 19962003 20 years service in APLA Bronze Service Medal 19962003 10 years service in APLA

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Decoration Name Post Nominals Period current Number awarded Awarded for Ribbon Star for Bravery in Gold SBG 19962003 Exceptional bravery in great danger Star for Bravery in Silver SBS 19962003 Bravery Conspicuous Leadership Star CLS 19962003 Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership Decoration for Merit in Gold GDMG 19962003 Outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty Merit Medal in Silver MMS 19962003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty Merit Medal in Bronze MMB 19962003 Service of a high order Campaign medals Operational Medal for Southern Africa 19962003 Operational service outside South Africa South Africa Service Medal 19962003 Operational service inside South Africa Long Service medals Service Medal in Gold 19962003 30 years service in Umkhonto we Sizwe Service Medal in Silver 19962003 20 years service in Umkhonto we Sizwe Service Medal in Bronze 1996 2003 10 years service in Umkhonto we Sizwe

South African National Defence Force

The South African National Defence Force, which was formed in 1994 by amalgamating the SADF, the liberation armies, and the military forces of the former homelands, used the SADF decorations and medals until 2003, when a new series of decorations was instituted:

Bravery

Superior Service

Campaign medal

Commemoration Medal

Long service medal

Emblems

Bars and Clasps

See also

Orders, decorations, and medals of South Africa British and Commonwealth orders and decorations South African civil honours South African intelligence service decorations South African orders and decorations South African police decorations South African prisons decorations

References

Further reading

External links SANDF website South African Medals Website Order of Precedence 2005