Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa)
| Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa) | |
|---|---|
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|
| Awarded by the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India | |
| Country |
.svg){kind=small} .svg){kind=small} Union of South Africa
|
| Type | Military long and meritorious service medal |
| Eligibility | Warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers |
| Awarded for | 21 years meritorious service |
| Status | Discontinued in 1940 |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1914 |
| Total awarded | 46 |
| Order of wear | |
| Next (higher) |
 Queen Elizabeth II's Long and Faithful Service Medal |
| Equivalent |
Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom) Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope) Meritorious Service Medal (Natal) Meritorious Service Medal (New Zealand)
|
| Next (lower) |
Accumulated Campaign Service Medal
|
.png){kind=small} Ribbon bar |
|
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 and Colony of Natal 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 in 1910.
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.
The United Kingdom's Meritorious Service Medal was instituted by Queen Victoria on 19 December 1845 to recognise meritorious service by non-commissioned officers 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 and the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and to award them to their local military forces, the Cape of Good Hope and Natal instituted their own versions of the Meritorious Service Medal.
Other territories which took advantage of the authorisation include Canada, India, New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and, from 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia.
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