The Distinguished Gallantry Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks for extraordinary gallantry.Republic of Bophuthatswana Constitution Act, 1977
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(Accessed 30 April 2015)

The Bophuthatswana Defence Force

The Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) was established upon that country's independence on 6 December 1977. The Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Bophuthatswana Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).Warrant of the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of the "UNITAS MEDAL-UNITAS-MEDALJE", Gazette no. 16087 dated 25 November 1994.

Institution

The Distinguished Gallantry Medal was instituted by the State President of Bophuthatswana in 1982. It is the junior award of a set of two decorations for bravery, along with the

Distinguished Gallantry Cross The Distinguished Gallantry Cross was instituted by the State President of the Bophuthatswana, Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks for hair-raising deeds of distinguished heroism.

. Bophuthatswana's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the Republic of South Africa and these two decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Louw Wepener Decoration and Louw Wepener Medal.

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to all ranks for extraordinary gallantry.

Order of wear

Since the Distinguished Gallantry Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of the

South African National Defence Force The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The Chief of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of ...

on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date. The position of the Distinguished Gallantry Medal in the official order of precedence was revised on 27 April 2003, to accommodate the institution of a new set of honours.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993 ;Bophuthatswana Defence Force until 26 April 1994: Ribbon Defence Force Merit Decoration

*Official BDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Defence Force Merit Decoration. ** Succeeded by the Defence Force Merit Medal. *Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Order of the Leopard Class IV, Member. ** Succeeded by the Medal for Valour in the Prisons Service. ;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994: Ad Astra Decoration

*Official SANDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Louw Wepener Medal (LWM) of the

Republic of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. ** Succeeded by the Ad Astra Decoration (AAD) of the Republic of South Africa. *Official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Louw Wepener Medal (LWM) of the Republic of South Africa. ** Succeeded by the Medal for Valour in the Prisons Service of the Republic of Bophuthatswana. ;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003: *Official SANDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Louw Wepener Medal (LWM) of the Republic of South Africa. ** Succeeded by the Nkwe ya Boronse (NB) of the Republic of South Africa. *Official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Louw Wepener Medal (LWM) of the Republic of South Africa. ** Succeeded by the Medal for Valour in the Prisons Service of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.

Description

;Obverse The Distinguished Gallantry Medal is a silver-gilt medallion, 38 millimetres in diameter, with a 4 millimetres wide rim and a leopard head on a roundel in the centre, framed in a decorated circle. The suspender is in the shape of buffalo horns. ;Reverse The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bophuthatswana. ;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and red, with an 8 millimetres wide green band in the centre.

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Distinguished Gallantry Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.

References

{{South African military decorations and medals Military decorations and medals of Bophuthatswana Awards established in 1982 Awards disestablished in 1994 1982 establishments in Africa 1994 disestablishments in Africa