Defence Force Commendation Medal
Defence Force Commendation Medal | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Type | Military decoration for merit |
Awarded for | Service of a high standard |
Country | ![]() |
Presented by | the State President |
Eligibility | All Ranks |
Status | Discontinued in 1994 |
Established | 1982 |
![]() Ribbon bar | |
BDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear | |
Next (higher) | BDF precedence: SANDF precedence:
|
Next (lower) | BDF succession: SANDF succession: |
The Defence Force Commendation Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982. It could be awarded to all ranks for service of a high standard.[1][2][3]
The Bophuthatswana Defence Force
The Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) was established upon that country's independence on 6 December 1977. The Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Bophuthatswana Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[4][5][6]
Institution
The Defence Force Commendation Medal was instituted by the State President of Bophuthatswana in 1982. It is the junior award of a set of three decorations for merit, along with the Defence Force Merit Decoration and the Defence Force Merit Medal.[1][3]
Bophuthatswana's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the Republic of South Africa and these three decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Southern Cross Decoration and Pro Merito Decoration, the Southern Cross Medal (1975) and Pro Merito Medal (1975), and the Military Merit Medal.[1]
Award criteria
The medal could be awarded to all ranks for service of a high standard.[1][3]
Order of wear
Since the Defence Force Commendation Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date.[1][7]
- Bophuthatswana Defence Force until 26 April 1994
- Official BDF order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Marumo Medal, Class I.
- Succeeded by the Marumo Medal, Class II.[1]
- Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Medal of the Order of the Leopard.
- Succeeded by the Marumo Medal, Class II.[1]
- South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994
- Official SANDF order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Military Merit Medal (MMM) of the Republic of South Africa.
- Succeeded by the Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Venda.[1]
- Official national order of precedence:
- Preceded by the National Intelligence Service Decoration, Bronze of the Republic of South Africa.
- Succeeded by the Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Venda.[1]
The position of the Defence Force Commendation Medal in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, 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 when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003.[1]
Description
- Obverse
The Defence Force Commendation Medal is a medallion struck in bronze, 38 millimetres in diameter, with an encircled leopard head in the centre and four double-ended arrow symbols around the perimeter. The undecorated suspender is attached to the medal by a double-ended arrow symbol beneath four converging lines.[3][8][9]
- Reverse
The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
- Ribbon
The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and cobalt blue, with two 4 millimetres wide yellow bands in the centre, spaced 8 millimetres apart.[9]
Discontinuation
Conferment of the Defence Force Commendation Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
- ^ Republic of Bophuthatswana Constitution Act, 1977
- ^ a b c d South African Medal Website - Bophuthatswana Defence Force (Accessed 30 April 2015)
- ^ South Africa Homeland Militaries, May 1996 (Accessed 1 May 2015)
- ^ Peled, Alon (1998), A Question of Loyalty: Military Manpower Policy in Multiethnic States, Cornell Studies in Security Affairs, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 50f, ISBN 0-8014-3239-1
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
- ^ "Bop Defence force comendation (sic) medal". Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF)". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- v
- t
- e
![South Africa](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Red_Ensign_of_South_Africa_%281910%E2%80%931912%29.svg/23px-Red_Ensign_of_South_Africa_%281910%E2%80%931912%29.svg.png)
Pre-Union
until 6 April 1952
Victoria Cross
Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Cross
Military Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Force Cross
Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal (Natal)
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying)
Distinguished Service Medal
Military Medal
Distinguished Flying Medal
Air Force Medal
British Empire Medal (Military)
South Africa Medal (1853)
South Africa Medal (1880)
Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
Medalje voor de Anglo-Boere Oorlog
Lint voor Verwonding
King's South Africa Medal
Natal Native Rebellion Medal
1914–15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal (South Africa)
Mercantile Marine War Medal
1939–1945 Star
Atlantic Star
Arctic Star
Air Crew Europe Star
Africa Star
Pacific Star
Burma Star
Italy Star
France and Germany Star
Defence Medal
War Medal
Africa Service Medal
King George V Coronation Medal
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
King George VI Coronation Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)
Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
Meritorious Service Medal (Natal)
Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa)
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope)
Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)
Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (South Africa)
Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies
Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal
Efficiency Decoration (South Africa)
Efficiency Medal (South Africa)
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Air Efficiency Award
King's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces
Union of South Africa Commemoration Medal
South African Medal for War Services
Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry (Unofficial)
Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps Medal (Unofficial)
Kimberley Star (Unofficial)
Cape Copper Company Medal for the Defence of O'okiep (Unofficial)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928-1982%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_South_Africa_%281928-1982%29.svg.png)
1952–1994
Honoris Crux Gold
Star of South Africa, Gold
Star of South Africa, Silver
Star of South Africa (1952)
Louw Wepener Decoration
Honoris Crux (1952)
Honoris Crux Silver
Van Riebeeck Decoration
Honoris Crux (1975)
Pro Virtute Decoration
Southern Cross Decoration
Pro Merito Decoration
Van Riebeeck Medal
Louw Wepener Medal
Ad Astra Decoration
Army Cross
Air Force Cross
Navy Cross
Medical Service Cross
Southern Cross Medal (1952)
Pro Merito Medal (1967)
Southern Cross Medal (1975)
Pro Merito Medal (1975)
Danie Theron Medal
Jack Hindon Medal
Military Merit Medal
Korea Medal
Pro Patria Medal
Southern Africa Medal
General Service Medal (South Africa)
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service
Good Service Medal, Gold
John Chard Decoration
De Wet Decoration
Cadet Corps Medal
Good Service Medal, Silver
Union Medal
Permanent Force Good Service Medal
John Chard Medal
Good Service Medal, Bronze
De Wet Medal
Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces
Commandant General's Medal
SADF Champion Shot Medal
National Cadet Bisley Grand Champion Medal
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Transkei.svg/23px-Flag_of_Transkei.svg.png)
Transkei
Cross for Bravery
Transkei Defence Force Medal
Independence Medal (Transkei)
Military Rule Medal
Faithful Service Medal
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Flag_of_Bophuthatswana_%281972%E2%80%931994%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Bophuthatswana_%281972%E2%80%931994%29.svg.png)
Bophuthatswana
Order of the Leopard, Commander
Distinguished Gallantry Cross
Defence Force Merit Decoration
Distinguished Gallantry Medal
Defence Force Merit Medal
Marumo Medal, Class I
Defence Force Commendation Medal
Marumo Medal, Class II
Nkwe Medal
General Service Medal
Independence Medal
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Silver
Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Bronze
State President's Medal for Shooting
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Flag_of_Venda_%281973%E2%80%931994%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Venda_%281973%E2%80%931994%29.svg.png)
Venda
Gallantry Cross, Gold
Gallantry Cross, Silver
Distinguished Service Medal, Gold
Distinguished Service Medal, Silver
Venda Defence Force Medal
General Service Medal (Venda)
Independence Medal (Venda)
Long Service Medal, Gold
Long Service Medal, Silver
Long Service Medal, Bronze
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Flag_of_Ciskei.svg/23px-Flag_of_Ciskei.svg.png)
Ciskei
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Flag_of_the_African_National_Congress.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_African_National_Congress.svg.png)
Umkhonto
we Sizwe
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Yellow_star_on_green.svg/23px-Yellow_star_on_green.svg.png)
Azanian People's
Liberation Army
![South Africa](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Flag_of_South_Africa.svg/23px-Flag_of_South_Africa.svg.png)
From 1994