Good Service Medal, Silver
Good Service Medal, Silver | |
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Type | Military long service medal |
Awarded for | Twenty years of good service |
Country | ![]() ![]() |
Presented by | the State President and, from 1994, the President |
Eligibility | All ranks |
Status | Discontinued in 2003 |
Established | 1975 |
![]() ![]() ![]() Original PF, CF and Commando ribbon bars ![]() Ribbon bar from 1993 | |
SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear | |
Next (higher) | SADF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
|
Next (lower) | SADF succession:
SANDF succession: |
The Good Service Medal, Silver, originally named the South African Defence Force Good Service Medal, Silver, is the middle member of a set of three military medals which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was initially awarded to members of all elements of the South African Defence Force for twenty years of exemplary service, but was restricted to Permanent Force personnel from 1993.[1]
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).[1][2][3]
Institution
The Good Service Medal, Silver was instituted by the State President on 1 July 1975 and was named the South African Defence Force Good Service Medal, Silver, until 1993. The medal is the middle member of a set of three military medals for good service, along with the Good Service Medal, Gold for thirty years of good service and the Good Service Medal, Bronze for ten.[1][4]
Award criteria
The medal was initially awarded to Permanent Force, Citizen Force and Commando members of the South African Defence Force for twenty years of good service, but was restricted to Permanent Force personnel from 1993 and renamed.[1]
Order of wear
The position of the Good Service Medal, Silver in the official order of precedence was revised three times after 1975, 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 finally when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted on 27 April 2003. Its position remained unchanged upon the latter two occasions.[5]
- South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994
- Official SADF order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Cadet Corps Medal.
- Succeeded by the Union Medal.[6]
- Official national order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Cadet Corps Medal.
- Succeeded by the Police Star for Faithful Service.[6]
- South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994
- Official SANDF order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Cadet Corps Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
- Succeeded by the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Silver of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.[5]
- Official national order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Cadet Corps Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
- Succeeded by the Police Star for Faithful Service of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.[5]
Description
Initially all South African military orders, decorations and medals were minted by the South African Mint, but from c. 1980, the manufacturing of all new awards as well as the further production of older awards were put out to tender by private enterprises. Since the tooling of the older awards was retained by the Mint, private manufacturers had to manufacture their own tooling, which resulted in several variations in appearance. Poor quality control and cost cutting by manufacturers resulted in the acceptance and award of a large number of medals which were only 2 millimetres thick, with no raised rim and an undecorated ribbon suspender on the reverse, such as the one depicted alongside.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/86/Good_Service_Medal%2C_Silver_b.jpg/220px-Good_Service_Medal%2C_Silver_b.jpg)
Medals minted from 1991 were once again compliant with the description in the warrant in terms of which the medal was instituted, but they were struck in one piece with the ribbon suspenders. The suspenders were shaped slightly differently than before and the bottom arms of the suspender met the medal inside two of the scalloped valleys on the rim, instead of on two of the apexes as before.
- Obverse
The Good Service Medal, Silver is a medallion with a scalloped edge and a raised rim, struck in silver, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, depicting the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms. The ribbon suspender is decorated with proteas and leaves. The obverse is identical to that of the Permanent Force Good Service Medal of 1961.[1]
- Reverse
The reverse is inscribed "VIR TROUE DIENS" and "FOR GOOD SERVICE" and the original medals, minted by the South African Mint, have a raised rim and decorated ribbon suspender, similar to those of the obverse. The medals and ribbon suspenders were minted separately and soldered together. The medal number was impressed at the bottom on the rim.[1]
- Ribbons
When it was instituted as the South African Defence Force Good Service Medal, Silver for award to all elements of the South African Defence Force, three separate ribbons were used for the three elements of the Force. They were all 32 millimetres wide and green, with two 1 millimetre wide bands, 2 millimetres from each side and spaced 1 millimetre apart, in white to indicate Permanent Force service, in dark blue to indicate Citizen Force service or in orange to indicate Commando service. Orange, white and blue are the colours of the pre-1994 national flag.[1]
These three ribbons were replaced by a single new ribbon in 1993, when the award of the medal was restricted to Permanent Force personnel and it was renamed the Good Service Medal, Silver. The new ribbon was 32 millimetres wide and white, with two dark green bands in the centre, each 6 millimetres wide and spaced 6 millimetres apart.[1]
Discontinuation
Conferment of the Good Service Medal, Silver was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003.[3][7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
- ^ South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
- ^ a b "Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 457, no. 25213, Pretoria, 25 July 2003" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ^ South African Medal Website - Legal aspects - Fount of Honour (Accessed 1 May 2015)
- ^ a b c Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
- ^ a b Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
- ^ Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 26778, Pretoria, 17 September 2004
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Pre-Union
until 6 April 1952
Victoria Cross
Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Cross
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Air Force Cross
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Distinguished Service Medal
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South Africa Medal (1853)
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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
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Efficiency Medal (South Africa)
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Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Air Efficiency Award
King's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces
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Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps Medal (Unofficial)
Kimberley Star (Unofficial)
Cape Copper Company Medal for the Defence of O'okiep (Unofficial)
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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
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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
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Transkei
Cross for Bravery
Transkei Defence Force Medal
Independence Medal (Transkei)
Military Rule Medal
Faithful Service Medal
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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
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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
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Ciskei
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Umkhonto
we Sizwe
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Azanian People's
Liberation Army
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From 1994