Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver

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Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver
King's Medal for Bravery, Silver.jpg
TypeCivil decoration for bravery
Awarded forActs of conspicuous bravery
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  UK Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg South Africa
Presented by the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India
EligibilitySouth African citizens
StatusDiscontinued in 1952
Established1939
Total34
Ribbon - Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery.png
Ribbon bar
British & South African orders of wear
Next (higher)
SA precedence:
Equivalent Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery, Silver
Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg Woltemade Decoration for Bravery, Silver
Next (lower)

The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver is the lesser of two classes of a South African civil decoration for acts of bravery that was in use from 1939 to 1952, when the country was a constitutional monarchy in the British Commonwealth. The medal was instituted by King George VI on 23 June 1939. [1] [2]

Contents

Institution

The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver, the lesser of two classes of South Africa's highest civilian decoration for bravery, was instituted by Royal Warrant of 23 June 1939, published in Government Gazette no. 2671 dated 25 August 1939, and amended by Royal Warrants of 18 February 1947, 24 October 1949 and 17 October 1950. [1]

Award criteria

The medal was awarded to recognise gallantry performed in the face of imminent and obvious peril by those residents of the Union of South Africa or its dependent territories who endangered their own lives in the act of saving, or endeavouring to save, the lives of others. [1]

Although it was primarily a civilian award, it was also granted to military personnel for non-combatant acts of gallantry during the Second World War. [2] [3]

Order of wear

In the British order of precedence, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver ranks as a third level decoration, equivalent to the Queen's Gallantry Medal. It is preceded by the Indian Distinguished Service Medal and succeeded by the Distinguished Service Medal. [4]

In South Africa, the medal is ranked as a second level decoration and, despite its status, it has no post-nominal letters. It is preceded by the Louw Wepener Decoration and succeeded by the South African Police Cross for Bravery. [5]

Description

Obverse
The decoration is struck in silver and is a disk, 38 millimetres in diameter with a raised rim and a large ring suspender. The obverse depicts the crowned effigy of King George VI, facing left, surrounded by the words "GEORGIVS VI REX ET IMPERATOR".
Reverse
A public competition was held to find a suitable design for the reverse of the medal. The winning entry, by Miss Renee Joubert, depicts the 18th-century Cape hero Wolraad Woltemade on his horse, rescuing shipwreck survivors from a stormy sea. As a result, the medal became commonly referred to as the Woltemade Medal. The image is circumscribed with the words "FOR BRAVERY • VIR DAPPERHEID" around the top. [1] [3]
Ribbon
The ribbon is 44 millimetres wide and dark blue with 4½ millimetres wide orange edges. [1]

Discontinuation

Upon the accession to the British Throne of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver was discontinued and replaced by the Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery, Silver. [1]

Recipients

The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver was awarded to altogether thirty-four individuals, of whom eighteen were military personnel. [1] [2]

Title/
Rank
NameGazette
date
Action cited for
1MrDalling, William Tweeddale29 Dec 1939Tried to save a black man in a rock-burst, Rose Deep Mine
2MrNourse, Dennis9 Aug 1940Saved a man from being savaged by a shark, Warner Beach, Natal
3MrMoubray, Robert John31 Jan 1941Jumped down a 50 feet waterfall near Tzaneen to save a friend, who had fallen and struck his head, from drowning in the pool below
4MrVan den Berg, Michael Adriaan4 Apr 1941Saved an injured miner despite ignited dynamite fuses, Venterspost Gold Mine
5MrGivana, son of Siqwayini4 Apr 1941Assisted Mr. M.A. van den Berg in the aforementioned rescue, Venterspost Gold Mine
6MrSnell, Hendrik28 Aug 1942Tried to save the pilot in a crashed and burning aircraft, Landsdowne Road, Cape Town
7 Lt Rabe, Arnold (SAAF)30 Jul 1943Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft
8 T/F Sgt Brady, Martin Wilson Taylor Bellingham (SAAF)17 Dec 1943Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft, Youngsfield Base, Cape Town
9 Pupil Pilot De Jong, Daniel Nicholaas (SAAF)4 Feb 1944Saved his instructor from a burning aircraft, Standerton
10 T/2 Lt Fowles, Geoffrey Turner (SAAF)4 Feb 1944Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft, Pietersburg
11 A/M Botes, Rudolph Daniel (SAAF)4 Feb 1944Attempted to save the crew of a burning aircraft, Wingfield, Cape Town
12MrMpotu6 Apr 1944Saved a miner in the face of exploding dynamite, Venterspost Gold Mine
13 A/Cpl Faul, Joseph Piek (SAAF)21 Apr 1944Tried to save a man overcome by fumes in the fuel tank of a Catalina aircraft
14 T/Capt Fisher, H.S. (UDF)14 Sep 1945Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945 at the Grand Magazine, Pretoria
15 T/Capt Warner, A.L.H. (UDF)14 Sep 1945Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
16 T/Lt Solomon, H.I. (UDF)14 Sep 1945Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
17 T/WO2 Bruyns, H.C. (UDF)14 Sep 1945Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
18 WO2 Murcia, L. (UDF)14 Sep 1945Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
19 T/S Sgt Du Plessis, P.F. (UDF)14 Sep 1945Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
20 Sgt Pentz, C. (UDF)14 Sep 1945Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
21 L Cpl Seholi, Peter (UDF)7 Dec 1945Rescued two men, gassed in a sewer, Maitland, Cape Town
22 Sgt Ferreira, I.M. (UDF)8 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
23 Sgt Bronkhost, N.J. (UDF)8 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
24 T/Cpl Breet, W.S. (UDF)8 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
25MrTheron, Marthinus Jacobus15 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
26MrHall, John Bassett15 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
27MrSehlogo, Andries15 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
28MrNel, Frederick15 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
29MrClark, Edward George15 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
30MrSnyder, Erle Snider15 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
31MrMpye, Amos15 Feb 1946Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
32 AB Adlam, H.S.J. (SANF (V))12 Apr 1946Saved a black man from the sea and sharks, Durban
33MrLewis, Peter Thomas23 Jan 1948Saved a child from the path of a railway locomotive, Pretoria
34MasterHart, Jack Jacobus22 Oct 1948At age 14, rescued a child from a burning garden hut, Johannesburg

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Monick, S (1990). South African Civil Awards. South African National Museum of Military History. pp. 89–93.
  2. 1 2 3 South African Medal Website - Union of South Africa (Accessed 1 May 2015)
  3. 1 2 Abbott, P.E. and Tamplin, J.M.A. (1971). British Gallantry Awards. Guinness Superlatives.
  4. "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3351.
  5. Government Gazette of the Republic of South Africa No 27376 (11 March 2005)