Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog

Last updated

Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog

Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog.jpg

Awarded by the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India
CountryRed Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa
Type Campaign medal
Eligibility Boer military veterans
Awarded for Campaign service
Campaign(s) 1899–1902 Anglo Boer War
Status Discontinued in 1946
Statistics
Established 1920
First awarded 1921
Last awarded 1982
Total awarded 13,800
South African order of wear
Next (higher) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Queen's South Africa Medal
Next (lower) Red Ensign of South Africa 1912-1928.svg Lint voor Verwonding
Ribbon - SAR & OFS War Medal (SAR).png Ribbon - SAR & OFS War Medal (OFS).png
SAR and OFS ribbon bar orientations

The Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog is a South African military campaign medal. It was instituted on 21 December 1920 as a retrospective award for Boer veteran officers and men who fought in the 1899–1902 Second Boer War. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Boer descendants of Dutch-speaking settlers in Southern Africa

Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans noun for "farmer". In South African contexts, "Boers" refers to the descendants of the then Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th and much of the 19th century. From 1652 to 1795 the Dutch East India Company controlled this area, but the United Kingdom incorporated it into the British Empire in 1806.

Second Boer War war between South African Republic and the United Kingdom

The Second Boer War was fought between the British Empire and two Boer states, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, over the Empire's influence in South Africa. It is also known variously as the Boer War, Anglo-Boer War, or South African War. Initial Boer attacks were successful, and although British reinforcements later reversed these, the war continued for years with Boer guerrilla warfare, until harsh British counter-measures brought them to terms.

Contents

Institution

The Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog, originally officially designated De Zuidafrikaanse Republiek- en Oranje Vrijstaat Oorlogsmedalje (the South African Republic and Orange Free State War Medal) and commonly referred to as the Anglo-Boere-Oorlog Medalje, was instituted in terms of Government Notice no. 2307 dated 21 December 1920, and published in the Union of South Africa Government Gazette of 24 December 1920. It was a retrospective campaign medal for Boer veteran officers and men, who served in the combat forces of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State during the Second Boer War between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902 and who remained in service of the Republican forces until 31 May 1902, without surrendering or taking either parole or the oath of allegiance prior to 31 May 1902. [1] [4] [5] [6]

Since neither of the two Boer Republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State, had official honours systems of their own, the medal was created to afford Boer veteran officers and men, who were serving as members of the Union Defence Forces, parity with their fellow South Africans who had fought on the British side in the war. [1] [3] [4] [5]

South African Republic Former republic in southern Africa

The South African Republic, also referred to as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent and internationally recognised country in Southern Africa from 1852 to 1902. The country defeated the British in what is often referred to as the First Boer War and remained independent until the end of the Second Boer War on 31 May 1902, when it was forced to surrender to the British. After the war the territory of the ZAR became the Transvaal Colony.

Orange Free State independent Boer sovereign republic in southern Africa

The Orange Free State was an independent Boer sovereign republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeated and surrendered to the British Empire at the end of the Second Boer War in 1902. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province. Extending between the Orange and Vaal rivers, its borders were determined by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1848 when the region was proclaimed as the Orange River Sovereignty, with a seat of a British Resident in Bloemfontein.

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.

Notices did appear in the Transvaal Government Gazette in May 1900 about the eventual issue of a decoration for bravery for Republican soldiers, but as a result of the eventual British victory, this did not materialise. [1] [3] [4] [5]

The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912. In 1913, Colonel Skinner, Commandant of the Military School in Bloemfontein, remarked on the fact that some of the officers attending a course, who had fought valiantly in the Republican Forces, were without medal ribbons, whilst their brother officers who had served on the British side were all well decorated. Colonel Skinner made representations to Defence Headquarters to have this omission rectified but, due to the outbreak of the First World War, nothing was done about the matter until 1920, when the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst , the Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog and the Lint voor Verwonding were instituted. [1] [4]

Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst

The Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst, post-nominal letters DTD, is a South African military decoration. It was instituted in 1920 as a retrospective award for Boer officers of the 1899–1902 Second Boer War.

Lint voor Verwonding

The Lint voor Verwonding is a South African military campaign award. It was instituted on 21 December 1920 as a retrospective award for Boer veteran officers and men of the 1899–1902 Second Boer War who had been wounded in action.

Award criteria

The Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog was awarded, upon certified application, to veterans who had served in the Boer forces between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902 and who remained in service until 31 May 1902, without surrendering or taking either parole or the oath of allegiance. Recipients had to be serving members of the Union Defence Forces, or available to be called up for service in terms of the South African Defence Act of 1912. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Order of wear

Campaign medals and stars are not listed by name in the order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, but are all grouped together as taking precedence after the Queen's Medal for Chiefs and before the Polar Medals, in order of the date of the campaign for which awarded. [7]

However, even though the Republican awards for the Anglo-Boer War, the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst and the two campaign awards, the Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog and the Lint voor Verwonding , were instituted on behalf of King George V by His Royal Highness, the Governor General of the Union of South Africa, the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst is not listed in the British order of wear and the two campaign awards would therefore most likely also have been excluded. [7]

South Africa

In the South African order of wear, the Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog took precedence in wearing after the Queen's South Africa Medal and before the Lint voor Verwonding , which has the status of a campaign medal even though it has no accompanying medal. [6]

With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African orders, decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. Amongst the official British campaign medals which were applicable to South Africans, the Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog takes precedence as shown. [4] [8]

Queen's South Africa Medal.png Ribbon - SAR & OFS War Medal (SAR).png Lint voor Verwonding SAR.gif

Description

The medal was struck in silver and is a disk, 1 7⁄16 inches (37 millimetres) in diameter and 1⁄8 inch (3 millimetres) thick at the raised rim. It is affixed to a fixed bar suspender by means of claws and a pin through the upper edge of the medal. The rank, initials and surname of the recipient is impressed in block capitals on the rim. [1]

Equal sides

Neither side of the medal is considered as the reverse. Both sides depict an ornamental frame, encircled around the perimeter by the words "ANGLO-BOERE OORLOG" above and the years "1899 • 1902" below. One side has the Coat of Arms of the South African Republic in the centre of the frame and the other side has that of the Orange Free State. This enabled each recipient to wear the medal so as to display the coat of arms of the state under whose flag he had fought. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 1 1⁄4 inches (32 millimetres) wide and in the combined colours of the two former Republics. While these colours were gazetted as red, green, white, blue and orange, the orange appears as yellow on the actual ribbons. As worn by a South African Republic veteran, it has an 11½ millimetres wide green band, a 3 millimetres wide red band, a 3 millimetres wide white band, a 3 millimetres wide blue band and an 11½ millimetres wide orange band. An Orange Free State veteran would wear the ribbon and medal reversed, with the orange (yellow) band to the left. [2] [3] [6]

Recipients

The gazetted regulations, which stipulated actual service until 31 May 1902, excluded many men who had fought on the Boer side, such as the members of the various foreign units and potentially also the Natal and Cape rebels. Many early applications from overseas volunteers were unsuccessful, since the members were not actually in the field at the end of the war. The first medal was awarded on 28 October 1921. [5] [6]

In later years, these rules were interpreted more loosely and the eventual requirement for the award of the medal, was proof that the applicant had fought against the British without surrendering or taking either parole or the oath of allegiance prior to 31 May 1902. This resulted in medal awards to those previously excluded men. [5] [6]

While nearly one hundred thousand Burghers took up arms in the Republican Forces during the war, a relatively small percentage of those who had served were awarded the medal, probably due to the period of almost twenty years which had elapsed between the end of the war and the institution of the medal, as well as the fact that the medal had to be applied for. Only approximately 13,800 medals were awarded. [4] [6]

Of the medals which were eventually awarded to members of the various foreign units who fought on the Boer side, at least ninety went to members of the Hollander Corps, about forty to members of the Scandinavian Corps, more than twenty to the German Commando, ten to the Foreign Legion under General de Villebois-Mareuil and five to the Irish Brigade. Nineteen medals were awarded to women, of which two were school teachers who had served as voluntary nurses, while the rest were trained nurses. [5]

Discontinuation

The original closing date for applications was 30 June 1921, but this was not strictly adhered to. The last batch of twelve of the Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog was awarded in 1982, eighty years after the end of the war. One of these was awarded to Burgher Herman Carel Lubbe, who joined the Fauresmith Commando under Commandant Charles Nieuwoudt at the age of twelve years when his mother was taken to the concentration camp in Kimberley. It was presented to him on 24 January 1983 in his hometown of Carolina by Major General Neil Webster, Chairman of the Council of Military Veterans Organisations. [1] [4] [5]

Related Research Articles

Medalje vir Troue Diens

The Medalje vir Troue Diens - Medal for Loyal Service 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 whose character and conduct have been irreproachable and who have completed ten years of qualifying service.

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

Andries Brink South African general

Lieutenant General Andries Jacob Brink, was a South African military commander. An Afrikaner veteran of the Anglo-Boer War, he joined the Union Defence Forces (UDF) as a staff officer in 1912 and served in the First World War. He was Chief of the General Staff from 1920 to 1933, initially in command only of Defence HQ but, from 1922, of the whole UDF. He was also Secretary for Defence, head of the civil service Department of Defence, from 1922 to 1937. From 1937 to 1946 he was Commandant-in-Chief of the Burger Commandos, a home defence organisation.

Danie Theron Medal

The Danie Theron Medal, post-nominal letters DTM, is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1970 and which was in use until 1993. It was awarded for diligent service in the Commandos, the rural defence component of the South African Defence Force. Originally reserved for officers, it was available to all ranks from 1975.

Jack Hindon Medal

The Jack Hindon Medal, post-nominal letters JHM, is a South African military decoration which was instituted in the Republic of South Africa in 1970 and which was only in use until 1975. It was awarded to other ranks for diligent service in the Commandos, the rural defence component of the South African Defence Force.

De Wet Decoration

The De Wet Decoration, post-nominal letters DWD, is a military long service decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1965. It could be awarded to members of the Commandos, the rural civil defence component of the South African Defence Force, for twenty years of efficient service and good conduct. The decoration was initially reserved for officers, but it was made available to all ranks in 1986. A clasp could be awarded after thirty years service.

Queens South Africa Medal British Second Boer War medal

The Queen's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, and to civilians employed in an official capacity, who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Altogether twenty-six clasps were awarded, to indicate participation in particular actions and campaigns.

Kings South Africa Medal

The King's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to all British and Colonial military personnel who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa, and who were in the theatre on or after 1 January 1902 and who had completed 18 months service in the conflict prior to 1 June 1902.

Southern Africa Medal

The Southern Africa Medal is a military campaign medal which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for service in military operations in Southern Africa, outside the borders of South Africa and South West Africa, between 1 April 1976 and 21 March 1990.

National Cadet Bisley Grand Champion Medal

The National Cadet Bisley Grand Champion Medal is a military medal which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. Originally named the Cadet Corps Grand Champion Shot Medal, it was awarded to the Grand Champion of the annual National Cadet Bisley of the School Cadet Corps.

Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service

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.

De Wet Medal A military long service medal in the Republic of South Africa

The De Wet Medal is a military long service medal which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa 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 and good conduct.

Closure Commemoration Medal

The Closure Commemoration Medal is a military commemoration medal which was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in 2010, to commemorate the disbandment of the Commandos, the rural defence component of the South African National Defence Force.

The State President's Medal for Shooting was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1990, for award to champion shots.

Operational Medal for Southern Africa

The Operational Medal for Southern Africa was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in 1998. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army for operational service outside South Africa during the "struggle".

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.

Bronze Medal for Merit

The Bronze Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters BMM, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for service of a high order during the "struggle".

Kimberley Star

In the Colonies and Boer Republics which became the Union of South Africa in 1910, several unofficial military decorations and medals were instituted and awarded during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The Kimberley Star is an unofficial private campaign medal which was instituted by the Mayor of Kimberley in 1900. The medal was awarded to all who took part in the defence of the diamond mining town during the four months in 1899 and 1900 while Kimberley was besieged by Boer Republican Forces during the Second Boer War.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The South African Military History Society – Military History Journal, Vol 1 No 1, December 1967 – Dekoratie Voor Trouwe Dienst (the D.T.D.), by D. R. Forsyth (Retrieved 2015-01-28)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Alexander, E.G.M., Barron, G.K.B. and Bateman, A.J. (1986). South African Orders, Decorations and Medals. Human and Rousseau.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Monick, S, (1988). South African Military Awards 1912–1987. South African National Museum of Military History.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 South African Medal Website - Boer Republican Forces (Accessed 2 May 2015)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The Soldier's Burden – The Anglo Boer War 1899–1902 – Medals to men and woman on the Boer side, by Henk Loots (Retrieved 2015-01-29)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Soldier's Burden – The DTD, ABO and LvW – Awards to the Boer Side: Anglo Boer War 1899–1902, by Henk Loots (Retrieved 2015-01-29)
  7. 1 2 "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3352.
  8. ↑ Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.