Southern Cross Decoration

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Southern Cross Decoration
Southern Cross Decoration.jpg
TypeMilitary decoration for merit
Awarded forOutstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty
Country Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Presented bythe State President and, from 1994, the President
EligibilityOfficers
Post-nominalsSD
StatusDiscontinued in 2003
Established1975
First awarded1976
SDlint.gif
Ribbon bar
SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
SADF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
SADF succession:
SANDF succession:

The Southern Cross Decoration, post-nominal letters SD, is a South African military decoration for merit which was instituted by the Republic on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

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). [3] [6] [7]

Institution

The Southern Cross Decoration, post-nominal letters SD, was instituted by the State President on 1 July 1975. [1] [3]

Award criteria

The decoration could be awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty. A Bar was instituted in 1993, to be awarded in recognition of further similar displays of outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty. The equivalent award for other ranks was the Pro Merito Decoration (PMD). [1] [3] [4] [5]

Although not prescribed, the practice was generally that recipients must already have received the Southern Cross Medal (SM). [3]

The first recipient was Admiral Hugo Biermann SSA OBE GCIH, who received the decoration upon his retirement as Chief of the South African Defence Force in 1976. [3]

Order of wear

The position of the Southern Cross Decoration in the official order of precedence was revised three times, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force in 1994, again 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 upon the institution of a new set of awards in 2003, but it remained unchanged on all three occasions. [8] [9]

PVDlint.gif SDlint.gif PMDlint.gif

Official SANDF order of precedence
Official national order of precedence

Description

Obverse

The Southern Cross Decoration is a silver-gilt double Maltese cross, which fits in a circle 45 millimetres in diameter. The arms of the cross are in white enamel, with the stars of the Southern Cross on a framed roundel, in dark blue enamel, in the centre. A protea attaches the decoration to the ribbon hanger. [3] [10]

Reverse

The reverse has the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms in the centre, with the decoration number impressed above and the silver hallmark below. [10]

Southern Cross Decoration and Bar Ribbon - Southern Cross Decoration & Bar.png
Southern Cross Decoration and Bar
Bar

The Bar is silver-gilt and has an emblem, depicting a Protea, embossed in the centre. The same Bar was used to indicate multiple awards of the Pro Virtute Decoration, Southern Cross Decoration, Pro Merito Decoration and Ad Astra Decoration. [11]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark blue, with two 1 millimetre wide white bands in the centre, 4 millimetres apart. [10]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003, when the Southern Cross Decoration and the Pro Merito Decoration (PMD) were both replaced by the new iPhrothiya yeGolide (PG). [7] [12]

Related Research Articles

iPhrothiya yeGolide South African military decoration

The iPhrothiya yeGolide - Golden Protea, post-nominal letters PG, 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 distinguished themselves by exceptional leadership or exceptional meritorious service and the utmost devotion to duty. It is South Africa's highest existing military decoration for meritorious conduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Riebeeck Medal</span> Former South African military decoration

The Van Riebeeck Medal, post-nominal letters VRM, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted by the Union of South Africa in 1952. It was awarded to other ranks for distinguished service in the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Cross Medal (1952)</span> Award

The Southern Cross Medal of 1952, post-nominal letters SM, is a South African military decoration which was instituted by the Union of South Africa in 1952. It was awarded for outstanding devotion to duty and was originally available to all ranks, but from 1967 until July 1975, when it was discontinued, it was reserved for officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro Merito Medal (1967)</span> Award

The Pro Merito Medal of 1967, post-nominal letters PMM, is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1967. It was awarded to other ranks of the South African Defence Force for outstanding devotion to duty and was the non-commissioned officers' version of the Southern Cross Medal of 1952 (SM), which had earlier been available to all ranks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Merit Medal (South Africa)</span> Miliary award for service of high order

The Military Merit Medal, post-nominal letters MMM, is a military decoration which was instituted in the Republic of South Africa on 9 October 1974 as the Chief of the Defence Force's Commendation Medal. It could be awarded to all ranks of the South African Defence Force for service of a high order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro Merito Decoration</span> Former South African military decoration

The Pro Merito Decoration, post-nominal letters PMD, is a military decoration for merit which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to other ranks of the South African Defence Force for outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro Virtute Decoration</span> Former South African military decoration

The Pro Virtute Decoration, post-nominal letters PVD, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for distinguished conduct and exceptional leadership during combat operations in the field.

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

The Army Cross, post-nominal letters CM, is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Army for bravery. The Army Cross was discontinued in 2003, but backdated awards can still be made for acts of bravery during this period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical Service Cross</span> Award

The Medical Service Cross, post-nominal letters CC, is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Medical Service for bravery. The Medical Service Cross was discontinued in 2003, but backdated awards can still be made for acts of bravery during this period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ad Astra Decoration</span> Award

The Ad Astra Decoration, post-nominal letters AAD, was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1991, to reward South African Air Force aircrew members on board aircraft for excellent airmanship or outstanding ingenuity or skill during emergencies or critically unusual situations in the air. It was discontinued in 2003, but backdated awards can still be made for acts performed during the period in effect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Cross Medal (1975)</span> South African military meritorious service award

The Southern Cross Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters SM, is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro Merito Medal (1975)</span> Discontinued South African military decoration

The Pro Merito Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters PMM, is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to other ranks of the South African Defence Force for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty, and was the non-commissioned officers' version of the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 (SM).

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

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.

<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 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">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">Conspicuous Leadership Star</span> Award

The Conspicuous Leadership Star, post-nominal letters CLS, 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 have distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership.

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

The Decoration for Merit in Gold, post-nominal letters DMG, 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 outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty.

<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".

References

  1. 1 2 3 South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Retrieved 28 April 2015)
  2. SA Army - Uniform: Former Forces Medals - South African Defence Force (SADF)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003 (Retrieved 30 April 2015)
  4. 1 2 Alexander, E.G.M., Barron, G.K.B. and Bateman, A.J. (1986). South African Orders, Decorations and Medals. Human and Rousseau.
  5. 1 2 Monick, S, (1988). South African Military Awards 1912-1987. South African National Museum of Military History.
  6. South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975 (Retrieved 30 April 2015)
  7. 1 2 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 457, no. 25213, Pretoria, 25 July 2003
  8. 1 2 3 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
  9. 1 2 3 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  10. 1 2 3 Southern Cross Decoration (SD)
  11. Mussell, John W.; Editorial Team of Medal News (2004). Mackay, James (ed.). The Medal Yearbook 2004. Devon, UK: Token Publishing Ltd. p. 380. ISBN   978-1-870192-62-0.
  12. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 26778, Pretoria, 17 September 2004