Pro Patria Medal (South Africa)

The Pro Patria Medal is a military campaign medal that was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1974. It was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for service in an operational area as designated by the Minister of Defence.

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 Pro Patria Medal
The Pro Patria Medal was awarded to serving members of all ranks of the South African Defence Force. The conditions for award stipulated that the recipient had to have:
 * been involved in combat or a skirmish or combat situation or an incident caused by enemy activities, or
 * participated in a specific operation acknowledged by the Minister of Defence, or
 * served for a continuous period of 55 days or 90 days non-continuous duty in an operational area as designated by the Minister of Defence.

The wording on the certificate of award reads that the Pro Patria Medal was awarded for service in the defence of the Republic or for the prevention or suppression of terrorism.

Order of precedence
The position of the Pro Patria Medal in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1975 to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals.


 * South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
 * Official SADF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Korea Medal.
 * Succeeded by the Southern Africa Medal.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the South African Police Medal for Combating Terrorism.
 * Succeeded by the South African Railways Police Medal for Combating Terrorism.


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Korea Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the General Service Medal of the Republic of Venda.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the South African Police Medal for Combating Terrorism of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Bophuthatswana Police Medal for Combating Terrorism of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.

The position of the Pro Patria Medal in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, 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 when a new series of military decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003.

Description
The Pro Patria Medal is an octagonal medallion struck in bronze and gilted, to fit in a circle 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the centre, with a golden aloe emblem in the centre on a blue roundel, 22 millimetres in diameter.
 * Obverse

The pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms is on the reverse, with the medal number stamped underneath.
 * Reverse

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide with a 3 millimetres wide orange band, a 1½ millimetres wide white band, a 5 millimetres wide orange band and a 6 millimetres wide dark blue band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 1 millimetre wide orange band in the centre.
 * Ribbon

The original medals and ribbon suspenders were minted separately and attached to each other with rings that enabled the medal to swing. The roundel on the obverse was also minted separately. The earliest version of the medal was minted by the South African Mint, but from c. 1980 further production of the medal was put out to tender by private enterprises. As a result several versions appeared, all minted with the ribbon suspender as an integral part of the medal and some still with a separately minted roundel, some without the gilting, and some minted with both the ribbon suspender and the roundel as an integral part of the medal.
 * Versions

Mentioned in dispatches
A recipient of the Pro Patria Medal that was mentioned in dispatches during the 1966-1989 Border War was entitled to wear a miniature Coat of Arms on the medal ribbon and ribbon bar.

Clasps and Bars
Only the Cunene clasp was awarded, to members who served in Angola during Operation Savannah in 1975-1976. Recipients of the clasp wore a button with the letter C on the ribbon bar.
 * Clasps

Although the 1974 warrant made provision for bars, none were issued.
 * Bars

Discontinuation
Conferment of the Pro Patria Medal was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003.