Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service

The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service is a military medal that was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for forty years of loyal service and distinguished 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
The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service was instituted in 1987. It was awarded to Permanent Force, Citizen Force and Commando members of the South African Defence Force for forty years of loyal service and distinguished conduct.

Order of precedence
The position of the Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service in the official order of precedence was revised twice 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 SADF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal of the United Kingdom.
 * Succeeded by the Good Service Medal, Gold.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Police Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Commemorative Medal.
 * Succeeded by the Police Star for Merit.


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


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Police Service Amalgamation Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Police Faithful Service Medal of the Republic of Transkei.


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 50 years of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 40 years of the Republic of South Africa.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 50 years of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 40 years of the Republic of South Africa.

Description
The Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Loyal Service is a medallion struck in 9 carat gold, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the centre, depicting the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.
 * Obverse

The reverse has the Roman numeral "XL" surrounded by a wreath of leaves, with the medal number stamped or engaved above.
 * Reverse

The original ribbon was 32 millimetres wide and green, with a single multicoloured band in the centre consisting of a 1 millimetre wide white band, three bands in orange, white and blue, all three 4 millimetres wide, and a 1 millimetre wide white band. Orange, white and blue are the colours of the pre-1994 national flag.
 * Ribbons

A second version exists, with the orange and blue bands now both 4 millimetres wide and all three white bands 2 millimetres wide. These ribbons were replaced when the new national flag was instituted.

The new ribbon was also 32 millimetres wide and green, with a single multicoloured band in the centre consisting of red, white, black, yellow and blue bands, all five bands 2 millimetres wide. Green, red, white, black, yellow and blue are the colours of the post-1993 national flag.

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