Africa Service Medal

• Name — Africa Service Medal • Presenter — the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India • Country — South Africa Union of South Africa • Type — Military Campaign medal • Eligibility — South African forces • Awarded For — Campaign service • Campaign — Second World War, 1939–1945 • Established — 1943 • Total Awarded — 192,000 • Precedence Label — Order of wear • Higher — War Medal 1939–1945 • Lower — King George V Coronation Medal • Image2 — * Illustration — x29px • Illustration — x29px • Image2 Size — x29px • Caption2 — Ribbon bars without and with the King's Commendation

In addition to the British Second World War campaign medals awarded to combatants from all members of the British Commonwealth, several Commonwealth nations established their own service medals, all distinctive in design, purpose and criteria. For South Africa, the Africa Service Medal was instituted on 23 December 1943 by King George VI in his capacity as South African head of state, and was awarded in addition to the British campaign stars and medals awarded for the war.

• Illustration — x90px The King's Commendation (South Africa) (1939–45), denoted by a bronze King Protea flower emblem, was authorised to be worn on the ribbon of the Africa Service Medal and could be awarded for valuable services in connection with the Second World War. The Commendation could be awarded posthumously and was the equivalent of a Mention in Despatches, but for services rendered away from the battlefield. The full-size emblem, worn on the ribbon with the medal, is 19 millimetres high, and the miniature to be worn on the ribbon bar is 9 millimetres high.

Campaign medals and stars are not listed by name in the order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, but are grouped together as taking precedence after the Queen's Medal for Chiefs and before the Polar Medals, in order of the date of the campaign awarded. In the order of wear of the Second World War campaign medals, the two British campaign medals and the Africa Service Medal take precedence after the nine campaign stars, of which the order of wear was determined firstly by their respective campaign start dates, secondly by the campaign's duration and thirdly by their dates of institution. • The 1939–1945 Star, from 3 September 1939 to 2 September 1945, the full duration of the Second World War. • The Atlantic Star, from 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the Battle of the Atlantic and the War in Europe. • The Arctic Star, from 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the Battle of the Atlantic and the War in Europe. • The Air Crew Europe Star, from 3 September 1939 to 5 June 1944, the period until D-Day minus one. • The Africa Star, from 10 June 1940 to 12 May 1943, the duration of the North African Campaign. • The Pacific Star, from 8 December 1941 to 2 September 1945, the duration of the Pacific War. • The Burma Star, from 11 December 1941 to 2 September 1945, the duration of the Burma Campaign. • The Italy Star, from 11 June 1943 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the Italian Campaign. • The France and Germany Star, from 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945, the duration of the Northwest Europe Campaign. • The Defence Medal, from 3 September 1939 to 2 September 1945, the full duration of the Second World War. • The War Medal 1939–1945, from 3 September 1939 to 2 September 1945, the full duration of the Second World War. The war service medals established by individual Commonwealth nations to augment the British Second World War campaign medals, all take precedence after the War Medal 1939–1945 in the respective orders of wear of those countries. These medals are, in order of date of institution: • The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, instituted on 22 October 1943. • The Africa Service Medal, instituted on 23 December 1943. • The India Service Medal, instituted on 6 June 1946. • The New Zealand War Service Medal, instituted on 6 June 1946. • The Australia Service Medal 1939–1945, instituted in November 1949. • The Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal, instituted on 6 November 6, 1981.

On 6 April 1952 a new set of South African decorations and medals was instituted to replace the British awards used previously. The older British decorations and medals continued to be worn in the same order but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, took precedence after all South African orders, decorations and medals. Of the British medals applicable to South Africans, the Africa Service Medal takes precedence as shown below. • Illustration — War Medal • Illustration — Africa Service Medal • Illustration — King George V Coronation Medal • Preceded by the War Medal 1939–1945. • Succeeded by the King George V Coronation Medal.

Africa Service Medal is associated with Union of South Africa.