Country Bophuthatswana Status Discontinued in 1994 | Eligibility All Ranks Established 1982 | |
Type Military decoration for bravery Awarded for Extraordinary gallantry |
The Distinguished Gallantry Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks for extraordinary gallantry.
Contents
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).
Institution
The Distinguished Gallantry Medal was instituted by the State President of Bophuthatswana in 1982. It is the junior award of a set of two decorations for bravery, along with the Distinguished Gallantry Cross.
Bophuthatswana's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the Republic of South Africa and these two decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Louw Wepener Decoration and Louw Wepener Medal.
Award criteria
The medal could be awarded to all ranks for extraordinary gallantry.
Order of wear
Since the Distinguished Gallantry 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. The position of the Distinguished Gallantry Medal in the official order of precedence was revised on 27 April 2003, to accommodate the institution of a new set of honours.
Description
The Distinguished Gallantry Medal is a silver-gilt medallion, 38 millimetres in diameter, with a 4 millimetres wide rim and a leopard head on a roundel in the centre, framed in a decorated circle. The suspender is in the shape of buffalo horns.
The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and red, with an 8 millimetres wide green band in the centre.
Discontinuation
Conferment of the Distinguished Gallantry Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.