South African Republic & Orange Free State War Medal

Infobox Military Award
name= South African Republic and Orange Free State War Medal


caption= Ribbon: 32mm, green, red, white, blue, yellow.
awarded_by= South Africa
type= Campaign medal
eligibility= Boer military veterans.
for= Campaign service.
campaign= Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902.
status=
description= Silver disc, 36mm diameter.
clasps= None.
established= 1920.

The South African Republic and Orange Free State War Medal, commonly referred to as the "Anglo-Boere Oorlog Medal", was a South African military campaign medal. It was authorised on 21 December 1920, as a retrospective award for Boer veterans of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

The medal was awarded, on application, to veterans who had served in the Boer forces between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. As neither of the Boer republics (the Orange Free State and the South African Republic) had had official honours systems of their own, this medal was created to give the Boer veterans parity with their fellow-South Africans who had fought on the British side in the war.

The medal is silver. Both sides depict an ornamental frame, encircled by the words "Anglo-Boere Oorlog 1899-1902". One side has the arms of the SAR in the centre of the frame, and the other side has the OFS arms. This enabled each recipient to wear the medal so as to display the arms of the state for which he had fought.

The ribbon, as worn by an SAR veteran, is green, red, white, blue, and yellow. An OFS veteran would have reversed the ribbon so that the yellow stripe was on the left.

References

* Alexander, E. G. M., Barron G. K. B. and Bateman, A. J. (1986). "South African Orders, Decorations and Medals". Human and Rousseau.

* Monick, S. (1988). "South African Military Awards 1912-1987". South African National Museum of Military History.

ee also

* British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
* South African military decorations

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/militaf/ South African Medals Website]