Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service

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Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service
Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service.jpg
Awarded by the State President and, from 1994, the President
Country Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
TypeMilitary long service medal
EligibilityAll ranks
Awarded forForty years of loyal service and distinguished conduct
StatusDiscontinued in 2003
Statistics
Established1987
First awarded1991
SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
SADF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
SADF succession:
SANDF succession:
Ribbon - Medal for Distinguished Conduct & Loyal Service 1.gif Ribbon - Medal for Distinguished Conduct & Loyal Service 2.png Ribbon - Medal for Distinguished Conduct & Loyal Service 3.gif
Original, Version 2 and 1994-2003 ribbon bars

The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service is a South African military medal which was instituted by the Republic in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for forty years of loyal service and distinguished conduct. [1]

South African Defence Force comprised the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994

The South African Defence Force (SADF) comprised the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence Force was officially succeeded by the SADF, which was established by the Defence Act of 1957. The SADF, in turn, was superseded by the South African National Defence Force in 1994.

Contents

The South African military

The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). [1] [2] [3]

Union Defence Force (South Africa)

The Union Defence Force (UDF) was the military force of the Union of South Africa from 1 July 1912, when the Defence Act took effect, two years after the creation of the Union of South Africa, until 1957 when it was reorganised and renamed the South African Defence Force.

South African National Defence Force armed forces of South Africa

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The commander of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of the Defence Department.

Institution

The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service was instituted by the State President in 1987. [1] [4]

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to Permanent Force, Citizen Force and Commando members of the South African Defence Force for forty years of loyal service and distinguished conduct. [1]

Order of wear

The position of the Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service in the official order of precedence was revised twice, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force in 1994 and again upon the institution of a new set of awards in 2003. [5]

South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994

Ribbon - QE II Coronation Medal.png Ribbon - Medal for Distinguished Conduct & Loyal Service 1.gif MTDGlint.gif

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal British and Commonwealth medal

The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953.

United Kingdom Country in Europe

The United Kingdom (UK), officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is a sovereign country located off the north-western coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state, the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the south-west, giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland. With an area of 242,500 square kilometres (93,600 sq mi), the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world. It is also the 22nd-most populous country, with an estimated 66.0 million inhabitants in 2017.

Good Service Medal, Gold

The Good Service Medal, Gold, originally named the South African Defence Force Good Service Medal, Gold, is the senior of a set of three military medals which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was initially awarded to members of all elements of the South African Defence Force for thirty years of exemplary service, but was restricted to Permanent Force personnel from 1993.

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

UNMlint.gif Ribbon - Medal for Distinguished Conduct & Loyal Service 2.png MTDGlint.gif

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003

MTDlint.gif Ribbon - Medal for Distinguished Conduct & Loyal Service 3.gif MTDlint.gif

Description

Obverse

The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service is a medallion, struck in 9 carat gold, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the centre, depicting the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms. [7]

Reverse

The reverse has the Roman numeral "XL", surrounded by a wreath of leaves, with the medal number stamped or engraved above. [7]

Ribbons

The original ribbon was 32 millimetres wide and green, with a single multicoloured band in the centre consisting of a 1 millimetre wide white band, three bands in orange, white and blue, all three 4 millimetres wide, and a 1 millimetre wide white band. Orange, white and blue are the colours of the pre-1994 national flag. [7]

A second version exists, with the orange and blue bands now both 4 millimetres wide and all three white bands 2 millimetres wide. These ribbons were replaced when the new national flag was instituted.

The new ribbon was also 32 millimetres wide and green, with a single multicoloured band in the centre consisting of red, white, black, yellow and blue bands, all five bands 2 millimetres wide. Green, red, white, black, yellow and blue are the colours of the post-1994 South African national flag.

Discontinuation

Conferment of the medal was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003. [3]

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Unitas Medal

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Distinguished Gallantry Medal

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Distinguished Service Medal, Gold

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Distinguished Service Medal, Silver

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.

Long Service Medal, Silver

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Closure Commemoration Medal

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Presidents Medal for Shooting

The President's Medal for Shooting was instituted by the President of the Republic of Ciskei in 1988, for award to champion shots.

Service Medal in Gold

The Service Medal in Gold 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, for thirty years exemplary service.

Service Medal in Bronze

The Service Medal in Bronze 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, for ten years service.

Silver Service Medal

The Silver Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It could be awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for twenty years exemplary service.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  2. ↑ South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  3. 1 2 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 457, no. 25213, Pretoria, 25 July 2003
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  5. 1 2 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
  6. 1 2 3 Medal for Distinguished Conduct & Loyal Service - Summary
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