Southern Cross Decoration
Southern Cross Decoration | |
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Type | Military decoration for merit |
Awarded for | Outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty |
Country | ![]() ![]() |
Presented by | the State President and, from 1994, the President |
Eligibility | Officers |
Post-nominals | SD |
Status | Discontinued in 2003 |
Established | 1975 |
First awarded | 1976 |
![]() 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]
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]
- 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]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Ribbon_-_Southern_Cross_Decoration_%26_Bar.png/121px-Ribbon_-_Southern_Cross_Decoration_%26_Bar.png)
- 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]
References
- ^ a b c South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Retrieved 28 April 2015)
- ^ SA Army - Uniform: Former Forces Medals - South African Defence Force (SADF)
- ^ a b c d e f g South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003 (Retrieved 30 April 2015)
- ^ a b Alexander, E.G.M., Barron, G.K.B. and Bateman, A.J. (1986). South African Orders, Decorations and Medals. Human and Rousseau.
- ^ a b Monick, S, (1988). South African Military Awards 1912-1987. South African National Museum of Military History.
- ^ South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975 (Retrieved 30 April 2015)
- ^ a b Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 457, no. 25213, Pretoria, 25 July 2003
- ^ a b c Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
- ^ a b c Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
- ^ a b c Southern Cross Decoration (SD)
- ^ 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.
- ^ Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 26778, Pretoria, 17 September 2004
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Pre-Union
until 6 April 1952
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Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal
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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
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Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
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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
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
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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
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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