Permanent Force Good Service Medal

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Permanent Force Good Service Medal
File:Permanent Force Good Service Medal.jpg
TypeMilitary long service medal
Country South Africa
EligibilityPermanent Force, all ranks
Clasps30 years of good service
StatusDiscontinued in 1975
Established1961
File:PF Good Service Medal.jpg
Ribbon bar
Precedence
Next (higher)
SADF precedence:[1]
SANDF precedence:[2]
Next (lower)
SADF succession:[1]
SANDF succession:[2]
RelatedUnion Medal

The Permanent Force Good Service Medal was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1961, when South Africa became a republic, to replace the Union Medal. It was awarded to Permanent Force members of the South African Defence Force for eighteen years of service and good conduct.[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]

Orders, decorations and medals

In April 1952 a series of military decorations and medals was instituted, consisting of substitutes for many of the British and Commonwealth awards which had earlier been used. More decorations and medals, as well as an emblem for being mentioned in dispatches, were added between 1953 and 1970. In July 1975 the military decorations and medals of the Republic were revised. Some decorations and medals were carried over from the earlier series of 1952-1975 and new awards were instituted, followed by more between 1987 and 1991. Finally, all but one of these earlier awards were discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003, when a new set of nine decorations and medals was instituted to replace them.[3][6][7][8][9]

Fount of Honour

Until 1958 the top three awards were reserved for conferment by the Queen while the rest were awarded by the Governor-General, but in 1958 the Governor-General was authorised to also award the top three. In 1961 the State President became the Fount of Honour, and in 1994 the President.[3]

Award criteria for the Permanent Force Good Service Medal

The Permanent Force Good Service Medal was instituted in 1961 and replaced the Union Medal when South Africa became a republic. It was awarded to Permanent Force members of the South African Defence Force for eighteen years of good service. A clasp could be awarded after thirty years of service.[3][4][5]

Order of precedence

Main article: South African military decorations order of precedence § Order of precedence

The position of the Permanent Force Good Service Medal in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1975 to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first with the integration into the South African National Defence Force in 1994 and again with the institution of a new set of awards in 2003.

South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994
  • Official national order of precedence. This national precedence was in error in respect of both the next higher and next lower medals as determined according to their dates of institution. It was corrected by 1994:[1][2]
    • Preceded by the Union Medal. (It should be the Railway Police Good Service Medal of 1960.)[1][2]
    • Succeeded by the Railway Police Good Service Medal of 1960. (It should be the Police Medal for Faithful Service of 1963.)[1][2]
South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

The position of the Permanent Force Good Service Medal in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted on 27 April 2003.[2]

Description

Obverse

The Permanent Force Good Service Medal is a medallion with a scalloped edge and a raised rim, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim and struck in silver, depicting the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms. The ribbon suspender is decorated with proteas and leaves.[3][10]

Reverse

The reverse is inscribed "VIR LANGDURIGE DIENS EN GOEIE GEDRAG" and "FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT" and has 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 stamped or engraved at the bottom on the rim.[3]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with three bands of orange, white and blue repeated three times, the outer orange and blue bands each 4 millimetres wide and the seven inner bands all approximately 3½ millimetres wide. Orange, white and blue are the colours of the pre-1994 national flag.[3][10]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Permanent Force Good Service Medal was discontinued in 1975, when it was replaced by a new set of three good service medals, the Good Service Medal, Gold, Good Service Medal, Silver and the Good Service Medal, Bronze.[1][9][11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h South African Medals Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975
  4. ^ a b Alexander, E.G.M., Barron G.K.B. and Bateman, A.J. (1986). South African Orders, Decorations and Medals. Human and Rousseau.
  5. ^ a b Monick, S, (1988). South African Military Awards 1912-1987. South African National Museum of Military History.
  6. ^ South African Medals Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003
  7. ^ Suid-Afrikaanse militêre dekorasies: 1952-1975
  8. ^ Suid-Afrikaanse militêre dekorasies: 1975-2003
  9. ^ a b Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 457, no. 25213, Pretoria, 25 July 2003
  10. ^ a b SA Army - Uniform: Former Forces Medals: South African Defence Force
  11. ^ Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 26778, Pretoria, 17 September 2004
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