- Time Period: Post-WW2
- Institution: 1952
- Country: South Africa
The Southern Cross Medal of 1952, known by the post-nominal letters SM, is a South African military honor established by the Union of South Africa in 1952. Initially, it was granted for exceptional devotion to duty and was accessible to all ranks. However, from 1967 until its discontinuation in July 1975, the award was exclusively reserved for officers.
Originally, the Southern Cross Medal could be bestowed upon members of the South African Defence Force for exceptional dedication to duty. Between 1952 and 1967, eligibility extended to all ranks. However, in 1967, an equivalent award for other ranks, the Pro Merito Medal, was introduced, leading to the restriction of the Southern Cross Medal’s presentation to officers. The inaugural awards were conferred on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Union of South Africa in 1960.
The South African Southern Cross Medal Design
The Southern Cross Medal of 1952 is a silver medallion measuring 38 millimeters in diameter and 3 millimeters thick. It features the stars of the Southern Cross set against a dark blue enameled background, encircled by a ring of oak leaves.
On the reverse side, the decoration displays the pre-1994 South African coat of arms. Versions minted before South Africa became a republic in 1961 include Queen Elizabeth’s royal cypher (E II R) positioned above the coat of arms. The decoration number is impressed at the bottom of the medallion on the rim.
The ribbon measures 32 millimeters in width and consists of a dark blue band measuring 13 millimeters wide, flanked by one orange and one white band, both 3 millimeters wide, followed by another 13-millimeter-wide dark blue band.
