SADF MEDAL LIST
SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENCE FORCE MEDALS
SADF and SAP Criteria for the more common medals available to the rank and file National Servicemen and women
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SADF/ SANDF Official Medal List summary showing the most common medals relevant to our Members.
This list is designed to provide information and qualifying criteria relating to official medals- which would be common to most of our Ordinary Members.
This list is based upon the 1975-2003 period and 2003 to present day which should cover most of our Members years of Service.
This is a guide only- and there will be certain Members who may have earned Gallantry and Meritorious awards which are not included- nor are any of the Police, Prisons Services or other Arms of Services Medals included in this condensed list.
CAMPAIGN MEDALS
PRO PATRIA MEDAL
Second Image shown with Cunene Clasp for Service in Angola during Operation Savannah in 1975 and before April 1976.
Third Image shows a MID -Mentioned in Despatches Coat of Arms attached.
The medal could be awarded to serving members of all ranks of the South African Defence Force. The conditions for award stipulated that the recipient had to have:
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been involved in combat or a skirmish or combat situation or an incident caused by enemy activities, or
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participated in a specific operation acknowledged by the Minister of Defence, or
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served for a continuous period of 55 days or non-continuous for 90 days in an operational area as designated by the Minister of Defence.
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The wording on the certificate of award reads that the Pro Patria Medal was awarded for service in the defence of the Republic or for the prevention or suppression of terrorism.
Members who took part in Operation Savannah in 1975 and before 1 April 1976 were awarded the Cunene Clasp to the Pro Patria Medal.
MID- Mention in Despatches-
This award is a miniature replica of the national Coat of Arms worn on the appropriate campaign medal related to the operational service the member rendered. The award may be awarded to members of the SANDF as special recognition for conduct and devotion to duty during operational circumstances for which no other medal can be awarded. If the recipient has no campaign medals the emblem is worn junior to all medals, mounted on a bar covered with the appropriate piece of tunic. If the member has no medals, the emblem is worn mounted on a bar covered with the appropriate piece of tunic.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN MEDAL
The medal was awarded to serving members of all ranks of the South African Defence Force for participation in military operations outside the borders of South Africa and South West Africa, between 1 April 1976 and 21 March 1990. Since members who qualified for the Southern African Medal would also qualify for the award of the Pro Patria Medal, such members were awarded both these campaign medals.
Service in Angola during Operation Savannah in 1975 and before 1 April 1976 was excluded, since members who took part in that operation were awarded the Cunene Clasp to the Pro Patria Medal instead.
GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL
The medal could be awarded from 1 January 1983, to serving members of all ranks of the South African Defence Force for operational service inside South Africa in the prevention or suppression of terrorism or internal disorder, or the preservation of life, health or property, or the maintenance of essential services and law and order, or crime prevention.
In effect, it also served as a campaign medal for the State of Emergency operations against Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) from 1985 to 1990.
Instituted by warrant on 9 May 2002, the Maluti Clasp was authorised for personnel who participated in Operations Boleas and Maluti in Lesotho.
the second example shows the Maluti Clasp for Service in Operations Boleas and Maluti in Lesotho 2002.
COMMEMORATION MEDALS
UNITAS MEDAL
COMMANDO CLOSURE MEDAL
The Unitas Medal was awarded to all ranks who were on the active strength of these seven constituent military forces on 27 April 1994 and until at least 10 May 1994, and to the President, the Minister of Defence and the Deputy Minister of Defence.
Personnel of the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) who were serving in South Africa at the time, were subsequently also awarded the Unitas Medal
The medal could be awarded to Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks who have served in the Commandos, as well as to the Honorary Colonels, who had completed at least five years’ service on or after 27 April 2003.
The first medals were presented to all former active Commando members at the time of closure - on 30 November 2011.
SERVICE MEDALS
GOOD SERVICE MEDAL GROUP
(Initially Awarded to all Services of the SADF but restricted to PF from 1993):
GOLD - 30 years
SILVER - 20 years
BRONZE - 10 years
Good Service Medal Gold
(30 years) The example above shown with Bar for additional 10 years totaling 40 years’ service.
The Good Service Medal Gold was initially awarded to Permanent Force, Citizen Force and Commando members of the South African Defence Force for thirty years of good service but was restricted to Permanent Force personnel from 1993.
The Good Service Medal Silver was initially awarded to Permanent Force, Citizen Force and Commando members of the South African Defence Force for twenty years of good service but was restricted to Permanent Force personnel from 1993.
The Good Service Medal Bronze was initially awarded to Permanent Force, Citizen Force and Commando members of the South African Defence Force for ten years of good service but was restricted to Permanent Force personnel from 1993.
CITIZEN FORCES SERVICE MEDALS
John Chard Group (Citizen Forces)
John Chard Medal
(for 10 years' service after 1986, 12 years' service prior to 1986)
John Chard Medal
(for 10 years' service after 1986, 12 years' service prior to 1986)
Note the “Crossed Swords” depicting the Arm of Service being Army -on this example.
The John Chard Medal was awarded to all ranks of the Citizen Force for twelve years efficient service, not necessarily continuous. After a further eight years a recipient could qualify for the award of the John Chard Decoration (JCD). Upon being awarded the decoration, the recipient was no longer allowed to wear the medal.
From 1 July 1975, when the Good Service Medal, Bronze was instituted as the junior award in a new series of three medals for long service, for award to members of all three elements of the South African Defence Force, qualifying Citizen Force members who had not yet been awarded the John Chard Medal, could elect to receive the Good Service Medal, Bronze instead. Such members would thereafter be restricted to the series chosen.
The choice was therefore between, on the one hand, the new series of three medals, which would together eventually reward thirty years’ service and of which all three medals could be worn together, once awarded, and on the other hand the existing Citizen Force series of a medal, a decoration which entitled the recipient to the post-nominal letters JCD and, after thirty years, a clasp to the decoration, of which only the decoration (and clasp) could be worn once awarded. In addition, the choice entailed that a member who qualified for the award of a Good Service Medal, Bronze after ten years’ service would have to elect to wait another two years for recognition, should the John Chard series of awards be preferred.
To resolve the issue, the period of qualifying service for the John Chard Medal was reduced to ten years in 1986, to bring the John Chard series of Citizen Force long service awards in line with the Good Service Medal series. In addition, recipients of the John Chard Decoration were now allowed to wear both the decoration and the medal. Members who elected to receive the John Chard series would, however, still be excluded from receiving the Good Service Medal, Gold after completing thirty years of qualifying service.
John Chard Decoration ( 20 Years)
John Chard Decoration (20 Years)
(Post Nom – JCD)
This example shows the additional Bar for an additional 10 years’ Service totalling 30 Years. (Post Nom- JCD with Bar) note the “Eagle” depicting the Arm of Service being Airforce
The decoration was awarded to all ranks of the Citizen Force for twenty years efficient service, not necessarily continuous. It was initially one of only three awards for long service which entitled the recipient to the use of post-nominal letters, the others being the De Wet Decoration (DWD), which was awarded to Commando members, and the defunct Efficiency Decoration (ED)
In respect of officers, the John Chard Decoration replaced the Efficiency Decoration, which had been awarded to officers of the Citizen Force between 1939 and 1952. The decoration was named after John Chard VC, the lieutenant in command of the supply depot at Rorke's Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War, when it was attacked by Zulus in January 1879. Upon being awarded the John Chard Decoration, recipients of the John Chard Medal were no longer allowed to wear the medal.
A clasp could be awarded to holders of the John Chard Decoration after 30 years’ service. In 1977, a second clasp was instituted for award after 40 years’ service.
From 1 July 1975, when the Good Service Medal, Silver was instituted as the middle award in a new series of three medals for long service for members of all three elements of the South African Defence Force, qualifying Citizen Force members who had already been awarded the John Chard Medal, but who had not yet been awarded the John Chard Decoration, could elect to receive the Good Service Medal, Silver instead, but such members would thereafter be restricted to the series chosen.
The choice was therefore between, on the one hand, a further two medals which would, together with the John Chard Medal, eventually reward thirty years’ service and of which all three medals could be worn together, once awarded and, on the other hand, the existing Citizen Force series of a medal, a decoration which entitled the recipient to the post-nominal letters JCD and, after thirty and forty years respectively, clasps to the decoration, of which only the decoration (and clasps) could be worn once awarded.
To resolve the issue, recipients of the John Chard Decoration and John Chard Medal were allowed, from 1986, to wear both the decoration and the medal. Members who elected to receive the John Chard series would, however, still be excluded from receiving the Good Service Medal, Gold after completing thirty years of qualifying service.
De Wet GROUP - COMMANDO FORCES
De Wet Medal ( 10 Years)
De Wet Decoration ( 20 Years)
De Wet Medal (10 years)
The DeWet Medal was instituted in 1987.
It was awarded to members of the Commandos, the rural defence component of the South African Defence Force, for ten years of efficient service
De Wet Decoration (20 years) (Post Nom- DWD)
This example shows the addition of a 30 Year Service Bar (Post Nom – DWD with Bar)
The decoration could be awarded to officers of the Commandos, the rural civil defence component of the South African Defence Force, for twenty years of efficient service and good conduct. Award of the decoration was made available to all ranks in 1986.
A clasp could be awarded to holders of the De Wet Decoration after 30 years’ service. When medals are not worn, recipients of the clasp wear a button with the encircled letters "DWD" on the ribbon bar.
SANDF Service Group
(Medalje vir Troue Diens)
Medal for Loyal Service
(10 Years)
This example shows the addition of “RD” and Bar to depict 20 years’ Service in the Reserve Forces.
The medal can be awarded to all ranks of the South African National Defence Force and of any Auxiliary Service of the South African National Defence Force, whose character and conduct have been irreproachable and who, on or after 27 April 2003, have completed ten years of qualifying service, not necessarily continuous. The medal and the Bars to the medal may be awarded posthumously. Qualifying service include service in the former constituent permanent or part-time forces of the SANDF as well as other former uniformed establishments, such as the Police forces and Prisons services of South Africa, the Republics of Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei and the Self-Governing Territories.
Upon completion of further periods of ten years of qualifying service, the Medalje vir Troue Diens - Medal for Loyal Service and the appropriate bar may be awarded in addition to previous medals for long service which had been awarded for service in these former forces.
Tshumelo Ikatelaho - General Service Medal
The Tshumelo Ikatelaho - General Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa on 16 April 2003, and came into effect on 27 April 2003.
It can be awarded to all ranks who have participated in military campaigns or operations which, while not warranting the institution of particular campaign medals, still justify the award of a medal for general service.
The bilingual title of the medal is in Tshivenda and English.
The medal can be awarded to all ranks of the South African National Defence Force, Auxiliary Service of the South African National Defence Force, and Armed Forces attached to or serving with or rendering any service to the South African National Defence Force who, for one day or more, have participated directly in or in support of military campaigns or operations, belligerent or otherwise, in accordance with the provisions of the Defence Act, which operations in themselves may not warrant the institution of particular campaign medals but which are nevertheless judged to be of sufficient significance to justify the award of a medal for general service.
The medal may be awarded posthumously. A member who is injured, killed, or dies before completing the required period of duty is deemed to have rendered the qualifying service for awarding of the medal or a clasp. The period of qualifying service for official visits or inspections in connection with an operation is a minimum of 34 days, which may be continuous or interrupted.
Guidelines consisting of appropriate phrases which may be useful when writing a citation for the award of the Tshumelo Ikatelaho - General Service Medal have been published by the South African Defence Department.
Clasps
Clasps may be awarded to indicate a particular campaign or operation for which the medal has been conferred. The three clasps which have been instituted to date are the Peace Support Clasp, Humanitarian Aid Clasp, and Force Intervention Brigade Clasp.
Mention in Despatches- Okhankanyiweyo
The Mentioned in Dispatches - Okhankanyiweyo emblem was instituted by the President on 16 April 2003 and came into effect on 27 April 2003. The bilingual title of the honour is in English and isiNdebele. Members of all ranks whose names have been mentioned in dispatches to the President for having distinguished themselves in the execution of duty for actions of bravery or meritorious conduct, leadership, service, or devotion to duty, which may not warrant the award of a particular decoration or medal, are awarded a miniature emblem in the form of the coat of arms of the Republic of South Africa.
The Mentioned in Dispatches - Okhankanyiweyo emblem is worn above any campaign clasp on the ribbon of the relevant campaign medal, or on the ribbon of the Tshumelo Ikatelaho - General Service Medal or, if the recipient has no such medal, in the position of a single ribbon on a ribbon bar after all other honours worn by the recipient.
for more information on medals not included in this list visit
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_military_decorations
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SAP Medals
(South African Police)
This section is being researched and appropriate medals will be displayed
SAPS Medals
(South African Police Services)
This section is being researched and appropriate medals will be displayed