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


The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver is the lesser of two classes of a South African civil decoration for acts of bravery that was in use from 1939 to 1952, when the country was a constitutional monarchy in the British Commonwealth. The medal was instituted by King George VI on 23 June 1939.

Institution

The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver, the lesser 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.

Award criteria

The medal was awarded to recognise gallantry performed in the face of imminent and obvious peril by those residents of the Union of South Africa or its dependent territories who endangered their own lives in the act of saving, or endeavouring to save, the lives of others.
Although it was primarily a civilian award, it was also granted to military personnel for non-combatant acts of gallantry during the Second World War.

Order of wear

In the British order of precedence, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver ranks as a third level decoration, equivalent to the Queen's Gallantry Medal. It is preceded by the Indian Distinguished Service Medal and succeeded by the Distinguished Service Medal.
In South Africa, the medal is ranked as a second level decoration and, despite its status, it has no post-nominal letters. It is preceded by the Louw Wepener Decoration and succeeded by the South African Police Cross for Bravery.

Description

;Obverse
The decoration is struck in silver 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".
;Reverse
A public competition was held to find a suitable design for the reverse of the medal. The winning entry, by Miss Renee Joubert, depicts the 18th-century Cape hero Wolraad Woltemade on his horse, rescuing shipwreck survivors from a stormy sea. As a result, the medal became commonly referred to as the Woltemade Medal. The image is circumscribed with the words "FOR BRAVERY • VIR DAPPERHEID" around the top.
;Ribbon
The ribbon is 44 millimetres wide and dark blue with 4½ millimetres wide orange edges.

Discontinuation

Upon the accession to the British Throne of Queen Elizabeth II on 15 December 1952, the Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver was discontinued and replaced by the Union of South Africa Queen's Medal for Bravery, Silver.

Recipients

The Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver was awarded to altogether thirty-four individuals, of whom eighteen were military personnel.
Title/
Rank		NameGazette
date		Action cited for
1MrDalling, William TweeddaleTried to save a black man in a rock-burst, Rose Deep Mine
2MrNourse, DennisSaved a man from being savaged by a shark, Warner Beach, Natal
3MrMoubray, Robert JohnJumped down a 50 feet waterfall near Tzaneen to save a friend, who had fallen and struck his head, from drowning in the pool below
4MrVan den Berg, Michael AdriaanSaved an injured miner despite ignited dynamite fuses, Venterspost Gold Mine
5MrGivana, son of SiqwayiniAssisted Mr. M.A. van den Berg in the aforementioned rescue, Venterspost Gold Mine
6MrSnell, HendrikTried to save the pilot in a crashed and burning aircraft, Landsdowne Road, Cape Town
7LtRabe, Arnold Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft
8T/F SgtBrady, Martin Wilson Taylor Bellingham Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft, Youngsfield Base, Cape Town
9Pupil PilotDe Jong, Daniel Nicholaas Saved his instructor from a burning aircraft, Standerton
10T/2 LtFowles, Geoffrey Turner Saved a pilot from a burning aircraft, Pietersburg
11A/MBotes, Rudolph Daniel Attempted to save the crew of a burning aircraft, Wingfield, Cape Town
12MrMpotuSaved a miner in the face of exploding dynamite, Venterspost Gold Mine
13A/CplSaul, Joseph Pick Tried to save a man overcome by fumes in the fuel tank of a Catalina aircraft
14T/CaptFisher, H.S. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945 at the Grand Magazine, Pretoria
15T/CaptWarner, A.L.H. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
16T/LtSolomon, H.I. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
17T/WO2Bruyns, H.C. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
18WO2Murcia, L. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
19T/S SgtDu Plessis, P.F. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
20SgtPentz, C. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
21L CplSeholi, Peter Rescued two men, gassed in a sewer, Maitland, Cape Town
22SgtFerreira, I.M. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
23SgtBronkhost, N.J. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
24T/CplBreet, W.S. Gallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
25MrTheron, Marthinus JacobusGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
26MrHall, John BassettGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
27MrSehlogo, AndriesGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
28MrNel, FrederickGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
29MrClark, Edward GeorgeGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
30MrSnyder, Erle SniderGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
31MrMpye, AmosGallantry displayed on the occasion of an explosion on 14 March 1945
32ABAdlam, H.S.J. Saved a black man from the sea and sharks, Durban
33MrLewis, Peter ThomasSaved a child from the path of a railway locomotive, Pretoria
34MasterHart, Jack JacobusAt age 14, rescued a child from a burning garden hut, Johannesburg