Unitas Medal

The Unitas Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa on 4 November 1994. It was awarded to all ranks who were on the active strength of all seven constituent military forces from 27 April 1994 to 10 May 1994, to commemorate their amalgamation into the South African National Defence Force. It was also awarded to personnel of the British Military Advisory and Training Team which served in South Africa at the time.[1][2][3]

Unitas Medal
Awarded by the President
Country South Africa
TypeMilitary commemorative medal
EligibilityAll ranks on active SANDF strength on 27 April 1994, BMATT personnel
Awarded forCommemoration of the establishment of the SANDF
StatusDiscontinued in 1994
Statistics
Established1994
First awarded1994
Last awarded1994
Order of wear
Next (higher) Military Rule Medal
Next (lower) Closure Commemoration Medal

Ribbon bar

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).[4]

Institution

The Unitas Medal was instituted by the President on 4 November 1994 to commemorate the unification of defence forces and armed forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on 27 April 1994. The seven constituent military forces were:

Award criteria

The Unitas Medal was awarded to all ranks who were on the active strength of these seven constituent military forces on 27 April 1994 and until at least 10 May 1994, and also to the President, the Minister of Defence and the Deputy Minister of Defence. Personnel of the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) who were serving in South Africa at the time, were subsequently also awarded the Unitas Medal.[1][2][3]

Order of wear
Main article: South African military decorations order of wear § Order of wear

The position of the Unitas Medal in the official order of precedence was revised on 27 April 2003, when a new set of awards was instituted.[6] It changed again in 2010, when the Closure Commemoration Medal was instituted.[7]

From 27 April 1994

From 27 April 2003

  • Official military order of precedence:
  • Official national order of precedence:
    • Preceded by the Military Rule Medal of the Republic of Transkei.
    • Succeeded by the Police Service Amalgamation Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
From 2010

  • Official military order of precedence:
    • Preceded by the Military Rule Medal of the Republic of Transkei.
    • Succeeded by the Closure Commemoration Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
  • Official national order of precedence:
    • Preceded by the Military Rule Medal of the Republic of Transkei.
    • Succeeded by the Police Service Amalgamation Medal of the Republic of South Africa.

Description
Obverse

The Unitas Medal is a medallion struck in bronze, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, displaying a seven-pointed star, charged with an embossed Greek lower case letter alpha within a circle. The star represents the seven constituent forces which formed the South African National Defence Force.[1][2]

Reverse

The reverse displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms above the year inscription "1994" and the word "Unity" in ten official languages around the perimeter, from the top, "BONGWE", "BOTEE", "BUNYE", "EENHEID", "KOPANO", "UBUNYE", "UMANYANO", "UNITY", "VHUTHIHI" and "VUN'WE", all in relief. The medal number is impressed below the Coat of Arms and the year inscription.[1]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with an 8 millimetres wide arctic blue band and a 4 millimetres wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by an 8 millimetres wide spectrum green band.[1][2]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Unitas Medal was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 10 May 1994 and the medal was officially discontinued on 27 April 2003.[1][8]

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References
  1. 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.
  2. South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  3. Ministry of Defence (May 2008). JSP761 - Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces (Adobe Acrobat) (2nd ed.). London: UK Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  4. South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  5. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  6. 61 Mech Battalion Group Veterans Association - RFCA - Closure Commemoration Medal
  7. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 26778, Pretoria, 17 September 2004
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