The Police Decoration for Gallantry was a

Rhodesia Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...

n gallantry award. A handful were awarded for conspicuous gallantry to members of the British South Africa Police, Police Support Unit and Police Reserve.

Institution

The award was instituted in 1970 by Presidential Warrant, the first award being made in June 1975. The last award was made in September 1978. The award was the police equivalent of the

Silver Cross of Rhodesia The Silver Cross of Rhodesia was Rhodesia's second-highest military decoration for conspicuous gallantry. It was the equivalent of the Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Conduct Medal and Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, with all ranks elig ...

and, because of the BSAP's seniority, ranked ahead it in the official order of precedence.

Medal

The medal was a gold-plated sterling silver cross, enamelled in Oxford blue, bearing a roundel in the centre struck with the gold "wounded lion" device of the BSAP on a white field. The cross was suspended from an Oxford blue ribbon with two narrow stripes of scarlet, edged with silver , very similar to that of the British

Queen's Police Medal The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, most of whic ...

, which it replaced. The medal was impressed in small capitals with the recipient's name on the reverse, and was awarded with a case of issue, miniature medal for wear, and an illuminated certificate.

Recipients

Five awards were made.Saffery, D., 2006. ''The Rhodesia Medal Roll'', p. 27
Jeppestown Press
United Kingdom. Notable awards included that made to Patrol Officer Derrick Edwards, who was awarded the medal in 1977. During an insurgent attack Edwards rescued a wounded officer and his group's radio under heavy fire, despite being shot in the right thigh and twice in the left leg. While indicating that

morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a analgesic, pain medication, and is also commonly used recreational drug, recreationally, or to make ...

should be given to the other wounded officer, P.O. Edwards insisted on using the radio himself to summon assistance. Recipients were entitled to the post-nominal letters P.C.G.

Zimbabwe

The Conspicuous Gallantry Decoration was superseded in October 1980 by the Silver Cross of

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

, which is awarded for conspicuous bravery in perilous conditions, but which is open for award to civilians as well as military personnel.

References

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External links