South African military decorations

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

Honoris Crux Diamond decoration

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:

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:


Boer war veterans

In 1920, the South African government instituted a separate set of awards, for Boer veterans of the 1899–1902 Anglo-Boer War — neither of the Boer republics for which they had fought had had its own honours system. The awards were:

South African Defence Force

1952–1975

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 CGH 1952–2003 Never awarded Most conspicuous bravery
Louw Wepener Decoration LWD 1952–1975 7 Most conspicuous courage or greatest heroism
Star of South Africa SSA 1952–1975 20 Exceptionally meritorious service
Van Riebeeck Decoration DVR 1952–1975 2 Distinguished service in the field (officers)
Honoris Crux (1952) HC 1952–1975 5 Gallantry in action against the enemy
Van Riebeeck Medal VRM 1952–1975 5 Distinguished service in the field (other ranks)
Louw Wepener Medal LWM 1967–1975 8 Courageous or heroic deeds in saving lives
Southern Cross Medal (1952) SM 1952–75 587 Outstanding devotion to duty
Pro Merito Medal (1967) PMM 1967–75 374 Outstanding devotion to duty (other ranks)
Danie Theron Medal 1970–2003 Diligent service in the Commandos
Jack Hindon Medal 1970–1975 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 1952–1961 18 years service in the Permanent Force
Permanent Force Good Service Medal 1961–1975 18 years service in the Permanent Force
John Chard Decoration JCD 1952–2003 20 years service in the Citizen Force
De Wet Decoration DWD 1952–2003 20 years service in the Commandos
John Chard Medal 1952–2003 12 years service in the Citizen Force
Cadet Corps Medal 1966–1967 20 years service in school cadets
Shooting Medals
Queen's Medal for Champion Shots 1953–1961 Winning the annual SADF shooting championships
Commandant General's Medal 1965–1975 Winning the annual SADF shooting championships
Emblems
Mentioned in Despatches 1967–2003
Commendation by the Chief of the SADF 1968–1974

1975–2003

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.

Major Arthur Walker HCG and Bar SM: Honoris Crux Gold and Bar, Southern Cross Medal, Pro Patria Medal, Southern Africa Medal, General Service Medal (South Africa), Good Service Medal, Bronze, Zimbabwean Independence Medal, General Service Medal (Rhodesia), and a United Nations medal for peacekeeping operations
Decoration Name Post Nominals Period current Number awarded Awarded for Ribbon
Castle of Good Hope Decoration CGH 1952–2003 Never awarded Most conspicuous bravery
Honoris Crux Diamond HCD 1975–93 Never awarded Death-defying heroic deeds of outstanding valour
Honoris Crux Gold HCG 1975–93 6 Outstanding bravery in extreme danger
Star of South Africa, Gold SSA 1975–2003 Meritorious military service.
Star of South Africa, Silver SSAS 1975–2003 Meritorious military service.
Honoris Crux Silver HCS 1975–2003 27 Exceptional bravery in great danger
Honoris Crux (1975) HC 1975–2003 201 Bravery while in danger
Pro Virtute Decoration PVD 1987–2003 Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership (officers)
Southern Cross Decoration SD 1975–2003 Outstanding service of the highest order, and utmost devotion to duty (Officers)
Pro Merito Decoration PMD 1975–2003 Outstanding service of the highest order, and utmost devotion to duty (other ranks)
Pro Virtute Medal PVM 1987–2003 Never awarded Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership (other ranks)
Ad Astra Decoration AAD 1987–2003 Excellent flying skill or ingenuity by SA Air Force aircrew in emergencies or unusual situations[1]
Army Cross CM 1991–2003 Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (army personnel)
Air Force Cross CA 1991–2003 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 1991–2003 Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (military health service personnel)
Southern Cross Medal (1975) SM 1975–2003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty (officers)
Pro Merito Medal (1975) PMM 1975–2003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty (other ranks)
Danie Theron Medal DTM 1970–2003 Exceptionally diligent and outstanding service in the Commandos
Military Merit Medal MMM 1974–2003 Service of a high order
Campaign medals
Pro Patria Medal 1974–1989 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 1989 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 1987–2003 40 years service in the Defence Force
Good Service Medal, Gold 1975–2003 30 years service in the Permanent Force
Good Service Medal, Silver 1975–2003 20 years service in the Permanent Force
John Chard Decoration JCD 1952–2003 20 years service in the Citizen Force
De Wet Decoration DWD 1952–2003 20 years service in the Commandos
John Chard Medal 1952–2003 12 (from 1986, 10) years service in the Citizen Force
Good Service Medal, Bronze 1975–2003 10 years service in the Permanent Force
De Wet Medal 1987–2003 10 years service in the Commandos
Shooting Medals
SADF Champion Shot Medal 1975–2003 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 1967–2003

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 1996–2003 Exceptional bravery in great danger
Bravery Star in Silver BSS 1996–2003 Bravery
Star for Conspicuous Leadership SCL 1996–2003 Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership
Gold Decoration for Merit GDM 1996–2003 Outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty
Silver Medal for Merit SMM 1996–2003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty
Bronze Medal for Merit BMM 1996–2003 Service of a high order
Campaign medals
Operational Medal for Southern Africa 1996–2003 Operational service outside South Africa
South Africa Service Medal 1996–2003 Operational service inside South Africa
Long Service medals
Gold Service Medal 1996–2003 30 years service in APLA
Silver Service Medal 1996–2003 20 years service in APLA
Bronze Service Medal 1996–2003 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 1996–2003 Exceptional bravery in great danger
Star for Bravery in Silver SBS 1996–2003 Bravery
Conspicuous Leadership Star CLS 1996–2003 Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership
Decoration for Merit in Gold GDMG 1996–2003 Outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty
Merit Medal in Silver MMS 1996–2003 Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty
Merit Medal in Bronze MMB 1996–2003 Service of a high order
Campaign medals
Operational Medal for Southern Africa 1996–2003 Operational service outside South Africa
South Africa Service Medal 1996–2003 Operational service inside South Africa
Long Service medals
Service Medal in Gold 1996–2003 30 years service in Umkhonto we Sizwe
Service Medal in Silver 1996–2003 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

References

  1. ↑ http://samw.hwmw.net46.net

Further reading

External links

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