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:

• Decorations
  • Volunteer Officers' Decoration (VD) (1894–1901)
  • Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (VD) (1900–13)
  • Distinguished Conduct Medal (1896–1913)
• Campaign medals
  • Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal (1900)
  • Natal Native Rebellion Medal (1907)
• Long service medals
  • Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (1896–1913)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (1896–1913)
  • Volunteer Long Service Medal (1894–1901)
  • Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (1900–13).

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 (1914–40)
• Campaign medals
  • Victory Medal (1919)
  • Africa Service Medal (1943)
• Long service medals
  • Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (1914–39)
  • Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (Military) (1939–52)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (1914–40)
  • Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration (VD) (1913–39)
  • Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (1913–39)
  • Efficiency Decoration (ED) (1939–52)
  • Efficiency Medal (1939–52)
  • RNVR Volunteer Officers' Decoration (VD) (1915–49)
  • RNVR Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (1915–49)
  • Air Efficiency Award (1950–52).

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:

300px

• 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

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	x29px
Star of South Africa	SSA	1952–1975	20	Exceptionally meritorious service	x29px
Van Riebeeck Decoration	DVR	1952–1975	2	Distinguished service in the field (officers)	96px
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)	96px
Louw Wepener Medal	LWM	1967–1975	8	Courageous or heroic deeds in saving lives	105px
Southern Cross Medal (1952)	SM	1952–75	587	Outstanding devotion to duty	96px
Pro Merito Medal (1967)	PMM	1967–75	374	Outstanding devotion to duty (other ranks)	96px
Danie Theron Medal		1970–2003		Diligent service in the Commandos	96px
Jack Hindon Medal		1970–1975	18	Diligent service in the Commandos (other ranks)	96px
Campaign medals
Korea Medal		1953		Service in the Korean War	96px
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	96px
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	96px
John Chard Medal		1952–2003		12 years service in the Citizen Force	96px
Cadet Corps Medal		1966–1967		20 years service in school cadets	96px
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	96px
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	96px
Star of South Africa, Gold	SSA	1975–2003		Meritorious military service.	x29px
Star of South Africa, Silver	SSAS	1975–2003		Meritorious military service.	x29px
Honoris Crux Silver	HCS	1975–2003	27	Exceptional bravery in great danger	96px
Honoris Crux (1975)	HC	1975–2003	201	Bravery while in danger	96px
Pro Virtute Decoration	PVD	1987–2003		Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership (officers)	96px
Southern Cross Decoration	SD	1975–2003		Outstanding service of the highest order, and utmost devotion to duty (Officers)	96px
Pro Merito Decoration	PMD	1975–2003		Outstanding service of the highest order, and utmost devotion to duty (other ranks)	96px
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	96px
Army Cross	CM	1991–2003		Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (army personnel)	96px
Air Force Cross	CA	1991–2003		Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (air force personnel)	96px
Navy Cross	CN	1991–2003		Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (naval personnel)	96px
Medical Service Cross	CC	1991–2003		Exceptional courage, leadership, skill or ingenuity in dangerous or critical situations (military health service personnel)	96px
Southern Cross Medal (1975)	SM	1975–2003		Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty (officers)	96px
Pro Merito Medal (1975)	PMM	1975–2003		Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty (other ranks)	96px
Danie Theron Medal	DTM	1970–2003		Exceptionally diligent and outstanding service in the Commandos	96px
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	96px
Southern Africa Medal		1989		Service in military operations outside South Africa and South West Africa between 1976 and 1989	96px
General Service Medal		1989		Operational service inside South Africa from 1983	96px
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	96px
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	96px
Good Service Medal, Silver		1975–2003		20 years service in the Permanent Force	96px
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	96px
John Chard Medal		1952–2003		12 (from 1986, 10) years service in the Citizen Force	96px
Good Service Medal, Bronze		1975–2003		10 years service in the Permanent Force	96px
De Wet Medal		1987–2003		10 years service in the Commandos	96px
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			96px
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

• Nkwe ya Gauta (NG) (Golden Leopard)

• Nkwe ya Selefera (NS) (Silver Leopard)

• Nkwe ya Boronse (NB) (Bronze Leopard)

Superior Service

• iPhrothiya yeGolide (PG) (Golden Protea)

• iPhrothiya yeSiliva (PS) (Silver Protea)

• iPhrothiya yeBhronzi (PB) (Bronze Protea)

Campaign medal

• Tshumelo Ikatelaho (General Service Medal)

Commemoration Medal

• Closure Commemoration Medal

Long service medal

• Medalje vir Troue Diens (Medal for Loyal Service)

• Medalje vir Troue Diens (Medal for Loyal Service with 20 Year Clasp)

• Medalje vir Troue Diens (Medal for Loyal Service with 30 Year Clasp)

• Medalje vir Troue Diens (Medal for Loyal Service with 40 Year Clasp)

Emblems

• Okhankanyiweyo (Mentioned in Despatches)

• Emblem for Reserve Force Service (RD) (Reserve Distinction)

• Badge for Reserve Voluntary Service

Bars and Clasps

• Maluti Clasp (Operation Boleas)
• Tshumelo Ikatelaho (Clasps) (General Service Medal with Peace Support clasp)

• Tshumelo Ikatelaho (Clasps) (General Service Medal with Humanitarian Aid clasp)

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

Further reading

• Alexander, E. G. M., Barron G. K. B. and Bateman, A. J. (1986). South African Orders, Decorations and Medals. Human and Rousseau.
• Monick, S. (1988). South African Military Awards 1912–1987. South African National Museum of Military History.

External links

• SANDF website
• South African Medals Website
• Order of Precedence 2005