General Service Medal (Rhodesia)

for service on operations undertaken for the purpose of combating terrorists or enemy incursions into Rhodesia.

Institution

The medal was instituted in 1968. The medals appear to have been last issued in June 1980, although in 2002 the Zimbabwe National Army advertised their intention to dispose of 9,000 unclaimed medals, and invited recipients to claim them ["Flame Lily Foundation", 28 Jan 2002] .

Medal

The medal was struck in cupro-nickel by Matthews Manufacturing of Bulawayo ["Guide to Rhodesian General Service Medals"] , and bore a relief portrait of Cecil Rhodes on the obverse and the arms of Rhodesia on the reverse. The ribbon of the medal represented the British South Africa Police (central stripes of Oxford blue and old gold); the Rhodesian Army (guardsman red) and the Rhodesian Air Force (Cambridge blue). The medal was impressed in small capitals with the recipient's name, rank and service number on the rim.

Recipients

"Tens of thousands" of Rhodesian General Service Medals were issued ["Rhodesia Medal Roll", p7] . Awards were not gazetted, and no full roll of recipients has ever been published.

Zimbabwe

The General Service Medal was superseded in 1982 ["Zimbabwe Government Statutory Instrument Nos. 74-75 of 1982".] by the Zimbabwe Service Medal, which is awarded to members or former members of the armed forces of Zimbabwe on completion of ten years' service.

ee also

[http://www.medals.org.uk/zimbabwe/zimbabwe.htm Orders, Medals and Decorations of Zimbabwe]

References

*Saffery, D., 2006. "The Rhodesia Medal Roll", [http://www.jeppestown.com Jeppestown Press] , United Kingdom. ISBN 0-9553936-0-4
* [http://lists.topica.com/lists/RWW/read/message.html?mid=903266176&sort=d&start=0 Flame Lily Foundation announcement regarding unclaimed medals]
* [http://www.rhodesianmilitaria.com/index.php?page=medals_other Guide to Rhodesian General Service Medals]