Gallantry Cross, Silver

Last updated

Gallantry Cross, Silver
VDF Gallantry Cross, Silver.jpg
TypeMilitary decoration for bravery
Awarded forCourage or bravery or valour beyond the normal call of duty
Country Flag of Venda (1973-1994).svg Venda
Presented bythe President
EligibilityAll Ranks
Post-nominalsGCS
StatusDiscontinued in 1994
Established1985
Ribbon Gallantry Cross, Silver.png
Ribbon bar
VDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
VDF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
SANDF succession:

The Gallantry Cross, Silver, post-nominal letters GCS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for courage or bravery or valour beyond the normal call of duty. [1] [2]

Contents

The Venda Defence Force

The 900 member Venda Defence Force (VDF) was established upon that country's independence on 13 September 1979. The Republic of Venda ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Venda Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). [3] [4] [5]

Institution

The Gallantry Cross, Silver was instituted by the President of Venda in 1985. It is the junior award of a set of two decorations for bravery, along with the Gallantry Cross, Gold. [1] [2]

Venda's military decorations and medals were modeled on those of the Republic of South Africa and these two decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Louw Wepener Decoration and the Honoris Crux (1975). [1]

Award criteria

The cross could be awarded to all ranks for courage or bravery or valour beyond the normal call of duty. [2]

Order of wear

Since the Gallantry Cross, Silver 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]

Venda Defence Force until 26 April 1994

Ribbon Gallantry Cross, Gold.png Ribbon Gallantry Cross, Silver.png Ribbon - Distinguished Service Medal, Gold.png

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

HC2lint.gif Ribbon Gallantry Cross, Silver.png Rbn TDF Cross for Bravery.GIF

The position of the Gallantry Cross, Silver in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1994, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first in April 1996 when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted 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 honours on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged on both occasions. [1]

Description

Obverse

The Gallantry Cross, Silver is a cross pattee, struck in silver, which fits in a circle 45 millimetres in diameter, with a silver hare's bobtail within a red circlet in the centre. [2] [6]

Reverse

The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Venda.

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark brown, with 4 millimetres wide dark blue edges and a 4 millimetres wide white band in the centre. [6]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Gallantry Cross, Silver was discontinued when the Republic of Venda ceased to exist on 27 April 1994. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honoris Crux (1952)</span> Former South African military decoration

The Honoris Crux of 1952, post-nominal letters HC, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted by the Union of South Africa in 1952. It was in use from 1952 to 1975 and was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for gallantry in action against the enemy in the field. It was discontinued on 1 July 1975, when it was replaced by a new set of four Honoris Crux decorations, in four classes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Riebeeck Decoration</span> Award

The Van Riebeeck Decoration, post-nominal letters DVR, is a South African military decoration for bravery which was instituted by the Union of South Africa in 1952. It was awarded to officers for distinguished service in the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro Virtute Decoration</span> Former South African military decoration

The Pro Virtute Decoration, post-nominal letters PVD, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for distinguished conduct and exceptional leadership during combat operations in the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honoris Crux (1975)</span> Former South African military decoration

The Honoris Crux of 1975, post-nominal letters HC, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. The decoration was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for bravery in dangerous circumstances. It was the junior in a set of four Honoris Crux decorations in four classes, which together replaced the discontinued Honoris Crux of 1952.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross for Bravery</span> Award

The Cross for Bravery was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Transkei, for award to all ranks as a decoration for bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Force Merit Decoration</span> Award

The Defence Force Merit Decoration was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to officers for distinguished service of high quality and utmost devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Gallantry Medal</span> Award

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Gallantry Cross</span> Award

The Distinguished Gallantry Cross was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks for hair-raising deeds of distinguished heroism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gallantry Cross, Gold</span> Award

The Gallantry Cross, Gold was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for extreme courage or supreme bravery or valour beyond the normal call of duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Service Medal, Gold</span> Award

The Distinguished Service Medal, Gold was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinguished Service Medal, Silver</span> Award

The Distinguished Service Medal, Silver was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for outstanding service and devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venda Defence Force Medal</span> Award

The Venda Defence Force Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1984, for award to all ranks for service of a high standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Service Medal (Venda)</span> Award

The General Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for service in defence of Venda or in the prevention or suppression of terrorism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Medal (Venda)</span> Award

The Independence Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1979, for award to all ranks in commemoration of the independence of Venda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Service Medal, Gold</span> Award

The Long Service Medal, Gold was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for thirty years exemplary service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Service Medal, Silver</span> Award

The Long Service Medal, Silver was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for twenty years exemplary service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Service Medal, Bronze</span> Award

The Long Service Medal, Bronze was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for ten years exemplary service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandile Decoration</span> Award

The Sandile Decoration, post-nominal letters SD, was instituted by the President of the Republic of Ciskei in 1988, for award to all ranks for meritorious service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star for Bravery in Silver</span> Award

The Star for Bravery in Silver, post-nominal letters SBS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by performing acts of bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bravery Star in Silver</span> Award

The Bravery Star in Silver, post-nominal letters BSS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, who had distinguished themselves during "the struggle" by performing acts of bravery.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  2. 1 2 3 4 South African Medal Website - Venda Defence Force (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  3. South Africa Homeland Militaries, May 1996 (Accessed 1 May 2015)
  4. 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
  5. 1 2 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.
  6. 1 2 "Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Venda Defence Force (BDF)". Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2014.