In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local permanent military forces. The

Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is ...

and

Colony of Natal The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on 4 May 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Natalia Republic, Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three o ...

instituted their own territorial versions of the Meritorious Service Medal in terms of this authority. These two medals remained in use in the respective territories until after the establishment of the

Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa ( nl, Unie van Zuid-Afrika; af, Unie van Suid-Afrika; ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, Natal, Tr ...

in 1910.South African Medal Website – Colonial Military Forces
(Accessed 6 May 2015) In 1914, the Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) was instituted for the Union of South Africa, for award to selected senior non-commissioned officers of the Permanent Force of the newly established Union Defence Forces who had completed twenty-one years of meritorious service.South African Medal Website – Union Defence Forces (1913–1939)
(Accessed 9 May 2015)

Origin

The United Kingdom's

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: * Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Me ...

was instituted by

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

on 19 December 1845 to recognise meritorious service by

non-commissioned officers A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

of the British Army. Recipients were also granted an annuity, the amount of which was based on rank. After Queen Victoria authorised Dominion and Colonial governments on 31 May 1895 to adopt the Meritorious Service Medal, as well as the

Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military decoration, ranki ...

and the

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal The Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was instituted by King William IV in 1830. The medal remained in use for 100 years, until it was replaced by the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) in 1930. During that time the rever ...

, and to award them to their local military forces, the

and Natal instituted their own versions of the Meritorious Service Medal.Stephen Stratford Medals site - British Military & Criminal History - 1900 to 1999 - Army MSM
(Accessed 20 June 2015) Other territories which took advantage of the authorisation include Canada, India, New South Wales,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and, from 1901, the

Commonwealth of Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

.New Zealand Defence Force – New Zealand Long Service and Good Conduct Medals - The New Zealand Meritorious Service Medal
(Access date 21 June 2015)Australian Government - It's an Honour - Imperial Awards - Meritorious Service Medal (1902-1975)
(Access date 21 June 2015)

Union Defence Forces

The

was established on 31 May 1910 in terms of the

South Africa Act, 1909 The South Africa Act 1909 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which created the Union of South Africa from the British Cape Colony, Colony of Natal, Orange River Colony, and Transvaal Colony. The Act also made provisions for pot ...

, enacted by the Parliament of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

. The Union Defence Forces were established in 1912 in terms of the Union Defence Act, no. 13 of 1912, enacted by the Parliament of the Union of South Africa. South Africa Act, 1909, enacted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 20 September 1909''The South African Railways - Historical Survey''. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978, p. 25.

Adoption

The Meritorious Service Medal was adopted by the Union as the Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) in 1914, but unlike the earlier

Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope) In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to members of their local permanent military forces. The Cape of Good Hope introduced this system in September 1895 and, in 18 ...

and

Meritorious Service Medal (Natal) In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to members of their local permanent military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, i ...

, the name of the country was not inscribed on this medal's reverse. Instead, the South African medal is identical to the United Kingdom's Meritorious Service Medal, but with a ribbon exclusive to South Africa.

Award criteria

Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) were usually already holders of a long service and good conduct medal such as the

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope) In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Cape of Good Hope introduced this system in September 1895 and, in 1896, instituted the A ...

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal) In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, instituted the Army ...

Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Medal is a long service and good conduct medal, instituted for award to other ranks of the Permanent Forces of the Dominions and Colonies of the British Empire. The medal, also known as the Perm ...

. Until 1920, the award of the medal was coupled to a Meritorious Service Annuity. It could be awarded to selected warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers of the Permanent Force who had completed twenty-one years of meritorious service. The medal and annuity were awarded sparingly and only to selected candidates, usually upon retirement as a reward for long and valuable service, upon recommendation by their commanding officers and selected from a list by the Commander-in-Chief of the Union Defence Forces, the

Governor-General of the Union of South Africa The governor-general of the Union of South Africa ( af, Goewerneur-generaal van Unie van Suid-Afrika, nl, Goeverneur-generaal van de Unie van Zuid-Afrika) was the highest state official in the Union of South Africa between 31 May 1910 and 31 ...

Gallantry

During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, as approved by Royal Warrant on 4 October 1916, non-commissioned officers below the rank of Sergeant and men also became eligible for the award of the Meritorious Service Medal, without the annuity, for acts of gallantry in the performance of military duty, not necessarily on active service, or in saving or attempting to save the life of an officer or soldier. For acts of gallantry, however, only the Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom) was awarded, irrespective of the recipient's nationality, and recipients were entitled to use the post-nominal letters "MSM". A Bar to the medal was instituted by Royal Warrant on 23 November 1916, which could be awarded to holders of the Meritorious Service Medal for subsequent acts of gallantry.Australian Government - It's an Honour - Imperial Awards - Meritorious Service Medal (1916-1928) (for non-operational bravery or meritorious service directly connected with the war effort)
(Access date 25 June 2015)

Order of wear

In the order of wear prescribed by the British

Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain’s department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of ...

, the Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) ranks on par with the Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom). It takes precedence after Queen Elizabeth II's Long and Faithful Service Medal and before the

Accumulated Campaign Service Medal The Accumulated Campaign Service Medal and the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 2011 are medals awarded by King Charles III to members of his Armed Forces to recognise long campaign service. The original Accumulated Campaign Service Medal, inst ...

South Africa

With effect from 6 April 1952, when a new South African set of decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used to date, the older British decorations and medals applicable to South Africa continued to be worn in the same order of precedence but, with the exception of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

, took precedence after all South African orders, decorations and medals awarded to South Africans on or after that date. Of the official British medals which were applicable to South Africans, the Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) takes precedence as shown.Government Notice no. 1982 of 1 October 1954 - ''Order of Precedence of Orders, Decorations and Medals'', published in the Government Gazette of 1 October 1954.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, Ribbon - Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Natal)

Ribbon - Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Natal)

* Preceded by the

. * Succeeded by the

Description

The medal was struck in silver and is a disk, 36 millimetres in diameter and with a raised rim on both sides. The suspender is an ornamented scroll pattern swiveling type, affixed to the medal by means of a single-toe claw and a pin through the upper edge of the medal. ;Obverse The obverse has the effigy of

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...

, bareheaded and in Field Marshal's uniform, and is inscribed "GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:" around the perimeter.Veterans Affairs Canada - British Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)
(Access date 25 June 2015) ;Reverse The reverse has the words "FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE" in three lines, encircled by a laurel wreath and surmounted by the Imperial Crown. ;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 5 millimetres wide dark blue band, a 6½ millimetres wide crimson band and a 2½ millimetres wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 4 millimetres wide dark blue band.

Discontinuation

The Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) was awarded to only 46 individuals. Award of the medal was discontinued in 1940.

References

{{Efficiency and long service decorations and medals Military decorations and medals of South Africa Military decorations and medals of South Africa pre-1952 Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth