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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)
*Official BDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the
/ref>
(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. 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, theLouw Wepener Decoration
The Louw Wepener Decoration, post-nominal letters LWD, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted by the Union of South Africa in 1952. It was awarded to members of the South African Defence Force for acts of the most conspicuous ...
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 theSouth African National Defence Force
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The commander 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 ...
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:
*Official BDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Defence Force Merit Decoration
The Defence Force Merit Decoration was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to officers for distinguished service of high quality and utmost devotion to duty.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:
*Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Louw Wepener Medal (LWM) of the Republic of South Africa.
** 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.
/ref> ;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.
*Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Louw Wepener Medal (LWM) of the Republic of South Africa.
** 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.Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF)/ref> ;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