Africa Service Medal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Africa Service Medal |
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| Country |  Union of South Africa |
| Type | Military Campaign medal |
| Eligibility | South African forces |
| Awarded for | Campaign service |
| Campaign(s) | Second World War, 1939–1945 |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1943 |
| Order of wear | |
| Next (higher) | War Medal 1939–1945 |
| Next (lower) | King George V Coronation Medal |
  Ribbon bars without and with the King's Commendation |
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The Africa Service Medal is a special medal from South Africa. It was given to people who served in the military during the Second World War. This includes members of the Union Defence Forces, the South African Police, and the South African Railways Police.
The medal was first meant for service in Africa. But later, it was given to those who served anywhere in the world.
Contents
Why the Medal Was Created
During the Second World War, many countries in the British Commonwealth created their own special medals. These were given in addition to the medals from Britain.
South Africa's Africa Service Medal was started on 23 December 1943. It was created by King George VI, who was South Africa's head of state at the time. This medal was an extra award for South African soldiers.
Who Received the Medal
The Africa Service Medal was given to members of the Union Defence Forces, the South African Police, and the South African Railways Police.
To get the medal, a person had to volunteer for war service outside South Africa. They also had to serve between 6 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. This service could be for 30 days straight, or at least 18 hours of part-time training.
At first, the medal was only for service in Africa. This was until the enemy forces were defeated in North Africa in 1943. Later, the medal was given for service anywhere in the world. This included service until the war ended in the Pacific on 2 September 1945.
South African soldiers fought in many places.
- Land forces served in East Africa (1940-1941) and North Africa (1941-1943). They also fought in Madagascar (1942) and Italy (1944-1945).
- The South African Air Force flew in these campaigns too. They also served in West Africa (1943-1945), Sicily (1943), and South-East Europe (1943-1945). They even helped with the Warsaw uprising in 1944.
- Naval forces and other personnel served in the Mediterranean (1941-1945) and Greece (1941). They were part of the Arctic convoys (1941-1945) and fought in the Java Sea (1942). They also helped with the D-Day invasion (1944) and served in the Pacific (1945).
Another medal, the South African Medal for War Services, was created in 1946. This medal was for people who volunteered their time without pay to help with the war effort.
What the Medal Looks Like
The medal is made of silver. Its design was suggested by Field Marshal Jan Smuts. It is about 3.6 centimetres wide and 3 millimetres thick. The person's name, rank, unit, and number were carved onto the edge of the medal.
Front of the Medal (Obverse)
The front of the medal shows a map of Africa. Around the map, the medal's name is written in both English and Afrikaans. It says "AFRICA SERVICE MEDAL" on the left and "AFRIKADIENS-MEDALJE" on the right.
Back of the Medal (Reverse)
The back of the medal shows a springbok jumping in a landscape. There are no words on this side.
The Ribbon
The ribbon for the medal is 3.2 centimetres wide. It is orange-red in colour. This colour was used for the shoulder patch worn by South African volunteers. The edges of the ribbon have green and yellow stripes, each about 3.5 millimetres wide. Green and gold are the colours of the Springbok Rugby team. These colours were also used by the defence force.
South African soldiers who served in the Second World War had a nickname for this ribbon: Ouma's Garter. "Ouma Smuts" (Granny Smuts) was the nickname for the wife of the South African prime minister, Field Marshal Jan Smuts. This nickname showed how much they appreciated her efforts to send comforts from home to the troops.
King's Commendation (1939–45)
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The King's Commendation (South Africa) (1939–45) was a special honour. It was shown by a bronze King Protea flower emblem worn on the Africa Service Medal ribbon. This award was for valuable services related to the Second World War.
It could be given even after a person had died (posthumously). It was like a Mention in Despatches, but for services done away from the battlefield. The full-size emblem is 1.9 centimetres tall. A smaller one, 9 millimetres tall, is worn on the ribbon bar.
How Medals Are Worn (Order of Wear)
Medals are worn in a specific order. The Africa Service Medal is worn after the British campaign medals from the Second World War.
South Africa
In South Africa, new medals were created on 6 April 1952. These new South African awards are worn before most older British medals. However, the Victoria Cross is still worn first.
For South Africans, the Africa Service Medal is worn in this order:
- It comes after the War Medal 1939–1945.
- It comes before the King George V Coronation Medal.
