Cross for Bravery

Cross for Bravery
Awarded by the State President
Country Transkei
Type Military decoration for bravery
Eligibility All ranks
Awarded for Bravery
Status Discontinued in 1994
Statistics
Established 1976
TDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
TDF succession:
SANDF succession:

Ribbon bar

The Cross for Bravery was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Transkei for award to all ranks as a decoration for bravery.[1][2]

The Transkei Defence Force

The Transkei Defence Force (TDF) was established upon that country's independence on 26 October 1976 and initially consisted of an infantry battalion and an air wing with two light transport aircraft and two helicopters. Initial training was provided by the South African Defence Force.[3][4]

The Fount of Honour for all Transkeian military decorations and medals was the State President of Transkei.[2][5]

The Republic of Transkei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Transkei Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The seven constituent military forces were:

Institution

The Cross for Bravery was instituted by the State President to be awarded to all ranks as a military decoration for bravery. While the decoration is known to have been instituted and possibly awarded, no warrant has yet been traced and as a result, the exact date of institution is not known.[7][1]

Order of precedence

Since the Cross for Bravery was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces that came to be part of the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date. The order of precedence was revised in April 1996 when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe.[7]

Transkei Defence Force until 26 April 1994

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

South African National Defence Force from April 1996

The position of the Cross for Bravery in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was in April 1996, when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003.[7]

Description

Obverse

The Cross for Bravery is a convex cross struck in silver, 38 millimetres in diameter, displaying in the centre a blue crane inside a red roundel inscribed "FOR BRAVERY" at the top and with a wreath of leaves at the bottom.[1]

Reverse

The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Transkei.[1]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and red with a 2 millimetres wide white band 2 millimetres from each edge.[1][8]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Cross for Bravery was discontinued when the Republic of Transkei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 South African Medals Website - TBVC States Defence Forces - Transkei Defence Force
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Republic of Transkei Constitution Act, 1976, Act no. 15 of 1976
  3. ↑ South Africa Homeland Militaries, May 1996
  4. ↑ Peled, Alon (1998), A Question of Loyalty: Military Manpower Policy in Multiethnic States, Cornell Studies in Security Affairs, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 50f, ISBN 0-8014-3239-1
  5. ↑ 6.0 6.1 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.
  6. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  7. ↑ Ciskei (sic) Medal for Bravery Full size