Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold

Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold
Silver medal depicted
Awarded by the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India
Country	UK South Africa
Type	Civil decoration for bravery
Eligibility	South African citizens
Awarded for	Acts of conspicuous bravery
Status	Discontinued in 1952
Statistics
Established	1939
Total awarded	1
British & South African orders of wear
Next (higher)	UK precedence: Venerable Order of Saint John SA precedence: Honoris Crux Gold
Equivalent	Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery, Gold Woltemade Decoration for Bravery, Gold
Next (lower)	UK succession: Distinguished Conduct Medal SA succession: Woltemade Cross for Bravery, Gold
Ribbon bar

The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold was the highest South African civilian decoration during the period between 1910 and 1961, when the country was a constitutional monarchy in the British Commonwealth. The medal was instituted by King George VI on 23 June 1939.

The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold, the senior of two classes of South Africa's highest civilian decoration for bravery, was instituted by Royal Warrant of 23 June 1939, published in Government Gazette no. 2671 dated 25 August 1939, and amended by Royal Warrants of 18 February 1947, 24 October 1949 and 17 October 1950.

The medal is unique insofar, at the time it was instituted, there was no equivalent British award. It predated the institution of the George Cross and George Medal in 1940 and, since South Africans were not eligible for the award of these latter two decorations, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold was not superseded by them.

The medal was awarded to recognise great and exceptional gallantry performed in the face of imminent and obvious peril by residents of the Union of South Africa or its dependent territories who endangered their lives in the act of saving, or endeavouring to save, the lives of others.

In the British order of precedence, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold ranks as a second level decoration, equivalent to the George Medal. It is preceded by the Venerable Order of Saint John and succeeded by the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

In South Africa, the medal is ranked as a first level decoration but, despite its status, it has no post-nominal letters. It is preceded by the Honoris Crux Gold and succeeded by the Woltemade Cross for Bravery, Gold.

The decoration is silver-gilt and is a disk, 38 millimetres in diameter with a raised rim and a large ring suspender. The obverse depicts the crowned effigy of King George VI, facing left, surrounded by the words "GEORGIVS VI REX ET IMPERATOR" around the upper perimeter.