Silver Service Medal

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Silver Service Medal
Silver Service Medal.jpg
TypeMilitary long service medal
Awarded forTwenty years exemplary service
Country Yellow star on green.png Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Presented bythe President
Eligibility Azanian People's Liberation Army cadres
Campaign(s)The "struggle"
StatusDiscontinued in 2003
Established1996
Ribbon - Silver Service Medal.png
Ribbon bar
APLA 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
APLA precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
APLA succession:

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. [1]

Contents

Azanian People's Liberation Army

The Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) was the para-military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). It was established in 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. On 27 April 1994, the Azanian People's Liberation Army was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). [1] [2] [3]

Institution

The Silver Service Medal was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the middle award of a set of three medals for long service, along with the Gold Service Medal and the Bronze Service Medal. [1] [4] [5]

The Azanian People's Liberation Army's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the South African Defence Force and these three medals are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Good Service Medal, Gold, the Good Service Medal, Silver and the Good Service Medal, Bronze. [4]

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army for twenty years exemplary service. [1]

Order of wear

The position of the Silver Service Medal in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003. [4] [6]

Azanian People's Liberation Army

Ribbon - Gold Service Medal.png Ribbon - Silver Service Medal.png Ribbon - Bronze Service Medal.png

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

Ribbon - Service Medal in Silver.png Ribbon - Silver Service Medal.png UMlint.gif

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003

Ribbon - Service Medal in Silver.png Ribbon - Silver Service Medal.png MTDlint.gif

Description

Obverse

The Silver Service Medal is an oval medallion with a raised edge, struck in silver and depicting the Azanian People's Liberation Army emblem. [1] [7] [8]

Reverse

The reverse is smooth and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms. [8]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 6 millimetres wide black band and a 3 millimetres wide yellow band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 14 millimetres wide green band in the centre. [1] [7]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Silver Service Medal was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003. [6]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star for Bravery in Silver</span> Award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conspicuous Leadership Star</span> Award

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

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa Service Medal</span> Award

The South Africa Service Medal 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 inside South Africa during the "struggle".

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

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

The Service Medal in Silver 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 twenty years service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Service Medal in Bronze</span> Award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Star for Bravery</span> Award

The Gold Star for Bravery, post-nominal letters GSB, 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, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by performing acts of exceptional bravery in great danger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bravery Star in Silver</span> Award

The Bravery Star in Silver, post-nominal letters BSS, 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, who had distinguished themselves during "the struggle" by performing acts of bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star for Conspicuous Leadership</span> Award

The Star for Conspicuous Leadership, post-nominal letters SCL, 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 distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Decoration for Merit</span> Award

The Gold Decoration for Merit, post-nominal letters GDM, 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 outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty during the "struggle".

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

The Silver Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters SMM, 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 exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronze Medal for Merit</span> Award

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".

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

The Gold Service Medal 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 thirty years service.

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

The Bronze Service Medal 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 ten years of exemplary service.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 South African Medal Website - Liberation armies (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  2. "Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe". African National Congress. 16 December 1961. Archived from the original on 17 December 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
  3. 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.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  5. 1 2 Presidential Warrant by the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of Honours for Bravery in the South African National Defence Force, Gazette no. 25213 dated 25 July 2003.
  6. 1 2 Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Azanian Peoples Liberation Army (APLA)
  7. 1 2 F S MK (sic) Service Medal Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine