The King’s South Africa Medal

• Time Period: Pre-WW1
• Year of Institution: 1902
• Country: Great Britain, Australia

The King’s South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to all British and Colonial military personnel who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa, who were in the theatre on or after 1 January 1902 and who had completed 18 months service in the conflict prior to 1 June 1902.

Poor logistics, long logistics lines, disease and having to fight against a disciplined and capable enemy of excellent horsemen and marksmen made this a hard-won medal. Men often having had to go without basics such as food and water, enteric fever killed several thousand and was a constant drain on manpower. Published casualty rolls run to over 50,000 names, while contemporary studies put the actual figure for all casualties at 97,000. The King’s South Africa Medal was awarded only to those troops who fought in 1902, and who had served for 18 months.

Two date clasps were awarded for service in 1901 and 1902, but nurses did not qualify to receive either clasp.

The King’s South Africa Medal Design

The King’s South Africa Medal is struck in silver and measures 38 millimetres (1.5 inches) in diameter and 3 millimetres (0.12 inches) thick.

The obverse displays King Edward VII, in Field Marshal’s uniform and facing left, with the legend “EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR” around the upper perimeter. The reverse shows Britannia holding the Union Flag in her left hand and a laurel wreath in her right hand. In the right background are troops marching inland from the coast. In the left background are two men-of-war, with Neptune’s Trident and Britannia’s shield on the ground in the foreground. Around the top perimeter are the words “SOUTH AFRICA”.

The clasps were attached to the suspender and to each other in roller chain fashion with rivets. The ribbon measures 32 millimetres wide, with an 11 millimetres wide green band, a 10 millimetres wide white band and an 11 millimetres wide orange band.