The Southern Cross Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters SM, is a

military decoration Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medallion. Civil decorations award ...

which was instituted by 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 ...

on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters
(Accessed 28 April 2015)

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).
(Accessed 30 April 2015)
(Accessed 30 April 2015)Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 457, no. 25213, Pretoria, 25 July 2003
/ref>

Institution

The Southern Cross Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters SM, was instituted by the State President on 1 July 1975 and replaced the Southern Cross Medal of 1952.

Award criteria

It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty. The use of post-nominal letters by all recipients was allowed from 1993. A bar, instituted in 1993 as well, could be awarded in recognition of further similar displays of meritorious service and devotion to duty. While not prescribed, the practice was generally that recipients must already have received the Military Merit Medal. The equivalent award for other ranks was the Pro Merito Medal of 1975. Although a rare occurrence, some officers were awarded both versions of the Southern Cross Medal, one such example being Vice-Admiral

Lambert Jackson Woodburne Vice Admiral Lambert Jackson Woodburne (13 July 1939 – 5 July 2013) was Chief of the South African Navy from 1 July 1990 to 31 August 1992. He is one of only two people to have been awarded the Van Riebeeck Decoration, which he received for ...

DVR, SD, SM, former Chief of the Navy. In such cases, the post-nominal letters "SM" are used once only.

Order of wear

The position of the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 in the official order of precedence was revised three times after 1975, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, again when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted in April 1996 for the two former non-statutory forces, the

Azanian People's Liberation Army The Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA), formerly known as Poqo, was the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, an African nationalist movement in South Africa. In the Xhosa language, the word 'Poqo' means 'pure'. After attacks ...

and

Umkhonto we Sizwe uMkhonto weSizwe (; abbreviated MK; ) was the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC), founded by Nelson Mandela in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. Its mission was to fight against the South African government to brin ...

, and again when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003. Its position remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, upon the latter two occasions. ;South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994: *Official SADF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Pro Merito Medal (1967) (PMM). ** Succeeded by the

Pro Merito Medal (1975) The Pro Merito Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters PMM, is a South African military decorations, military decoration which was instituted by the South Africa, Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to other ranks of the South A ...

(PMM). *Official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Medal for Merit in the South African Prisons Service. ** Succeeded by the

(PMM).Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993 ;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994: *Official SANDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver of the Republic of Venda. ** Succeeded by the

(PMM) of the

. *Official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Medal for Merit in the Prisons Service of the

. ** Succeeded by the

(PMM) of the

.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,

Description

;Obverse The Southern Cross Medal of 1975 is struck in silver, to fit in a circle 38 millimetres in diameter, and is 3 millimetres thick at the centre. It depicts the stars of the

Southern Cross CRUX is a lightweight x86-64 Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users and delivered by a tar.gz-based package system with BSD-style initscripts. It is not based on any other Linux distribution. It also utilizes a ports system to ...

against a dark blue enameled background, on a framed roundel in the centre of a starburst of radiating points. ;Reverse The reverse has the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms, with the decoration number impressed underneath. ;Bar The bar was struck in silver and has a

Protea ''Protea'' () is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: ''suikerbos''). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family. About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mo ...

emblem embossed in the centre. The same bar was used to indicate multiple awards of the Pro Virtute Medal,

Army Cross The Army Cross, post-nominal letters CM (Crux Militaria), is a South African military decorations, military decoration which was instituted by the South Africa, Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Arm ...

, Air Force Cross,

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

Medical Service Cross The Medical Service Cross, post-nominal letters CC (Crux Curationis), is a South African military decorations, military decoration which was instituted by the South Africa, Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the Sout ...

, Southern Cross Medal (1975) and

. ;Ribbons The original ribbon was 32 millimetres wide, with a 2 millimetres wide white band, an 11½ millimetres wide dark blue band and a 1 millimetre wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 3 millimetres wide white band in the centre. It was replaced by a new ribbon in 1986, 32 millimetres wide with a 4½ millimetres wide white band, a 9 millimetres wide dark blue band and a 1 millimetre wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 3 millimetres wide dark blue band in the centre.

Discontinuation

Conferment of the decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003, when the Southern Cross Medal was replaced by the

iPhrothiya yeSiliva The iPhrothiya yeSiliva - Silver Protea, post-nominal letters PS, was instituted by the President of the South Africa, Republic of South Africa on 16 April 2003 and came into effect on 27 April 2003. It can be awarded to all ranks who have dis ...

(PS).

References

{{South African military decorations and medals Military decorations and medals of South Africa 1975 establishments in South Africa Awards established in 1975 2003 disestablishments in South Africa Awards disestablished in 2003