Defence Force Merit Medal

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Defence Force Merit Medal
BDF Defence Force Merit Medal.jpg
TypeMilitary decoration for merit
Awarded forExtraordinarily excellent service and particular devotion to duty
Country Flag of Bophuthatswana (1972-1994).svg Bophuthatswana
Presented bythe State President
EligibilityAll Ranks
StatusDiscontinued in 1994
Established1982
Ribbon - Defence Force Merit Medal.png
Ribbon bar
BDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
BDF succession:
SANDF succession:

The Defence Force Merit Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks for extraordinarily excellent service and particular devotion to duty. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The Bophuthatswana Defence Force

The Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) was established upon that country's independence on 6 December 1977. The Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Bophuthatswana Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). [4] [5] [6]

Institution

The Defence Force Merit Medal was instituted by the State President of Bophuthatswana in 1982. It is the middle award of a set of three decorations for merit, along with the Defence Force Merit Decoration and the Defence Force Commendation Medal. [1] [3]

Bophuthatswana's military decorations and medals were modeled on those of the Republic of South Africa and these three decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Southern Cross Decoration and Pro Merito Decoration, the Southern Cross Medal (1975) and Pro Merito Medal (1975), and the Military Merit Medal. [1]

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to all ranks for extraordinarily excellent service and particular devotion to duty. [3]

Order of wear

Since the Defence Force Merit Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date. [1] [7]

Bophuthatswana Defence Force until 26 April 1994

Ribbon - Distinguished Gallantry Medal.png Ribbon - Defence Force Merit Medal.png Ribbon BDF Marumo Medal Class I.png

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

PMM2lint.gif Ribbon - Defence Force Merit Medal.png Ribbon - Sandile Medal.png

The position of the Defence Force Merit Medal in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted in April 1996 for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003. [1]

Description

Obverse

The Defence Force Merit Medal is a medallion struck in silver, 38 millimetres in diameter, with a six-pointed star with three rays between each pair of star points, surmounted by a silver leopard head on a light blue enamelled roundel in the centre. [3] [8]

Reverse

The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and cobalt blue, 32 millimetres wide, with a 12 millimetres wide dark blue band, an 8 millimetres wide dark yellow band and a 12 millimetres wide dark blue band. [8]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Defence Force Merit Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Medal (Bophuthatswana)</span> Award

The Independence Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana to commemorate that country's independence on 6 December 1977. It was awarded to all ranks on the active strength of the Bophuthatswana Defence Force upon independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Bronze</span> Award

The Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Bronze was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks as a long service medal for ten years service and good conduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Silver</span> Award

The Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Silver was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks as a long service medal for twenty years service and good conduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold</span> Award

The Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks as a long service medal for thirty years service and good conduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Service Medal (Bophuthatswana)</span> Award

The General Service Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1991, for award to all ranks for operational service inside Bophuthatswana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nkwe Medal</span> Award

The Nkwe Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1990, for award to all ranks for operational service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marumo Medal, Class I</span> Award

The Marumo Medal, Class I was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marumo Medal, Class II</span> Award

The Marumo Medal, Class II was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Force Commendation Medal</span> Award

The Defence Force Commendation Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982. It could be awarded to all ranks for service of a high standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Force Merit Decoration</span> Award

The Defence Force Merit Decoration was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to officers for distinguished service of high quality and utmost devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Gallantry Medal</span> Award

The Distinguished Gallantry Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks for extraordinary gallantry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Gallantry Cross</span> Award

The Distinguished Gallantry Cross was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks for hair-raising deeds of distinguished heroism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Service Medal, Gold</span> Award

The Distinguished Service Medal, Gold was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Service Medal, Silver</span> Award

The Distinguished Service Medal, Silver was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for outstanding service and devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venda Defence Force Medal</span> Award

The Venda Defence Force Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1984, for award to all ranks for service of a high standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Medal (Venda)</span> Award

The Independence Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1979, for award to all ranks in commemoration of the independence of Venda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Service Medal, Gold</span> Award

The Long Service Medal, Gold was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for thirty years exemplary service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandile Medal</span> Award

The Sandile Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Ciskei in 1988, for award to all ranks for meritorious service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief C.D.F. Commendation Medal</span> Award

The Chief C.D.F. Commendation Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Ciskei in 1992, for award to all ranks for service commended by the Chief of the Ciskei Defence Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merit Medal in Silver</span> Award

The Merit Medal in Silver, post-nominal letters MMS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  2. Republic of Bophuthatswana Constitution Act, 1977
  3. 1 2 3 4 South African Medals Website - Bophuthatswana Defence Force (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  4. South Africa Homeland Militaries, May 1996 (Accessed 1 May 2015)
  5. Peled, Alon (1998), A Question of Loyalty: Military Manpower Policy in Multiethnic States , Cornell Studies in Security Affairs, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp.  50f, ISBN   0-8014-3239-1
  6. 1 2 Warrant of the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of the "UNITAS MEDAL-UNITAS-MEDALJE", Gazette no. 16087 dated 25 November 1994.
  7. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
  8. 1 2 Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF)