Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst |
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SAR and OFS sides
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| Country |  South Africa |
| Type | Military decoration for merit |
| Eligibility | Boer military veteran officers |
| Awarded for | Distinguished and meritorious service |
| Campaign(s) | 1899–1902 Second Boer War |
| Status | Discontinued in 1946 |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1920 |
| SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear | |
| Next (higher) |
SADF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
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| Next (lower) |
SADF succession:
SANDF succession:
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.png){kind=small} .png){kind=small} SAR and OFS ribbon bar orientations |
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The Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst, also known as the DTD, is a special military award from South Africa. It was created in 1920 to honor Boer officers who showed great bravery and service during the Second Boer War, which happened between 1899 and 1902.
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What is the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst?
The Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst means "Decoration for Devoted Service." It was officially started in December 1920. This award was created to look back and honor Boer officers who had served with great distinction during the Second Boer War. This war took place from October 1899 to May 1902.
Why Was This Award Created?
Before this award, the two Boer Republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State, didn't have their own official awards. So, the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst was made to give Boer officers who fought in the war the same recognition as South Africans who fought on the British side.
During the Second Boer War, Boer commanders were supposed to write down the names of soldiers who fought bravely. The idea was to give them a medal after the war. However, because the Boer forces lost the war, this medal was never actually given out.
In 1912, the Union Defence Forces (UDF) were formed. In 1913, a military officer noticed that some Boer officers who had fought bravely didn't have any medals. But their fellow officers who had fought for the British side had many. This seemed unfair. So, efforts were made to fix this. However, the First World War started, and nothing happened until 1920. That's when King George V approved the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst and two other related awards.
Who Could Receive the DTD?
The Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst could be given to officers from the military forces of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. Their service during the Second Boer War had to be very distinguished and deserving of special recognition. To receive the award, they also had to be serving in the Union Defence Forces or be available to join if called upon.
It's important to know that the rules for the award meant that some people who fought for the Boer side, like foreign fighters or rebels from Natal and the Cape, were not eligible.
How Was the DTD Worn?
Even though King George V approved the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst, it was never officially listed in the British order of awards. However, in South Africa, this decoration was considered very important. It was worn before the British Distinguished Service Order.
After 1952, when South Africa started its own set of military awards, older awards like the DTD were still worn. But they were worn after most of the new South African awards, except for the Victoria Cross.
Order of Wear in South Africa
The way medals are worn in South Africa changed in 1994. This was when the defense forces of the former Republics of Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, and Ciskei joined with the South African Defence Force (SADF) to form the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
- South African Defence Force (before April 26, 1994)
- The DTD was worn after the National Cadet Bisley Grand Champion Medal.
- It was worn before the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) from the United Kingdom.
- South African National Defence Force (from April 27, 1994)
- The DTD was worn after the State President's Medal for Shooting from the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
- It was still worn before the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) from the United Kingdom.
The DTD's position in the order of wear stayed the same even when new awards were created in 1996 and 2003.
What Does the DTD Look Like?
The decoration is made of silver and is shaped like a disk. It's about 3.65 centimeters (1.4 inches) across and 0.3 centimeters (0.125 inches) thick. It has a raised edge. The medal hangs from a bar at the top. The rank and name of the person who received it are carved onto the edge.
Two Sides of the Medal
Both sides of the medal are equally important. They both show a coat of arms inside a cross shape, surrounded by the words "VOOR TROUWE DIENST" (For Devoted Service) at the top and the years "1899 • 1902" at the bottom. One side has the coat of arms of the South African Republic, and the other side has the coat of arms of the Orange Free State. This design allowed the person wearing the medal to show the coat of arms of the state they fought for.
The Ribbon
The ribbon is about 3.2 centimeters (1.25 inches) wide. It has the combined colors of the two former Republics: red, green, white, blue, and orange. However, the orange color on the actual ribbons often looks more like yellow.
- If a veteran from the South African Republic wore it, the ribbon had a 12mm wide blue band in the middle. On the left, it had a 3mm red band and a 7mm green band. On the right, it had a 7mm orange band and a 3mm white band.
- If a veteran from the Orange Free State wore it, the ribbon was worn the other way around, with the white band on the left.
Who Received the DTD?
In total, 655 Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst awards were given out between 1921 and 1946. Almost all of them went to officers. There was only one exception: Burgher A. Kuit received the award for his service as the "Inspector of Field Post."
A full list of everyone who received the DTD was published in the Military History Journals of the South African Military History Society in 1967 and 1968.
When Did the DTD Stop Being Awarded?
Originally, people had to apply for the award by June 30, 1921, but this deadline wasn't strictly followed. The award of the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst officially stopped on December 31, 1946. The very last decoration was sent out on January 22, 1947, to Kaptein M. C. Avis.
Images for kids
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National Cadet Bisley Grand Champion Medal ribbon
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Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst ribbon (SAR)
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Distinguished Service Order ribbon
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State President's Medal for Shooting ribbon
