Union Medal

The Union Medal was instituted by the Union of South Africa in 1952. It was awarded to Permanent Force members of the South African Defence Force for eighteen years of service and good conduct.

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).

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.

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.

Award criteria for the Union Medal
The Union Medal was instituted in 1952 and 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.

Order of precedence
The position of the Union 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 on 27 April 1994 and again with the institution of a new set of awards on 27 April 2003.


 * South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
 * Official SADF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Good Service Medal, Silver.
 * Succeeded by the Permanent Force Good Service Medal.


 * Official national order of precedence. This national precedence was in error in respect of the next lower medal as determined according to their dates of institution. It was corrected by 1994:
 * Preceded by the Railways and Harbours Police Medal for Faithful Service.
 * Succeeded by the Permanent Force Good Service Medal of 1961. (This is an error and should be the Railway Police Good Service Medal of 1960.)


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Long Service Medal, Silver of the Republic of Venda.
 * Succeeded by the Permanent Force Good Service Medal of the Republic of South Africa.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Railways and Harbours Police Medal for Faithful Service of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Railway Police Good Service Medal of the Republic of South Africa.


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 20 years of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Permanent Force Good Service Medal of the Republic of South Africa.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Railways and Harbours Police Medal for Faithful Service of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Railway Police Good Service Medal of the Republic of South Africa.

Description
The Union 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 and inscribed "UNIE-MEDALJE • UNION MEDAL" around the Coat of Arms. The ribbon suspender is decorated with proteas and leaves.
 * Obverse

The reverse depicts Queen Elizabeth's royal cipher "E II R" 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.
 * Reverse

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.
 * Ribbon

Discontinuation
Conferment of the Union Medal was discontinued on 31 May 1961 when South Africa became a republic and it was replaced by the Permanent Force Good Service Medal.