Kimberley Star

• Name — Kimberley Star • Presenter — the Mayor of Kimberley • Country — Cape of Good Hope • Type — Campaign medal • Eligibility — Defenders of Kimberley • Awarded For — the Siege of Kimberley • Campaign — Second Boer War • Status — Unofficial • Established — 1900 • Total Awarded — 5,000 • Related — Queen's South Africa Medal • Image2 — * Illustration — x29px • Caption2 — Ribbon bar

The Second Boer War between the United Kingdom and the allied Boer Republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, broke out on 11 October 1899. In the first phase of the war, the Boer Republican Forces mounted pre-emptive strikes into British-held territories in Natal and the Cape of Good Hope, and besieged the British garrisons at Ladysmith in Natal and at Mafeking and Kimberley in the Cape of Good Hope. The siege of Kimberley began on 14 October 1899 and lasted four months, until the town was relieved on 15 February 1900. Official military recognition for the defence and relief of Kimberley took the form of two clasps to the Queen's South Africa Medal, the British campaign medal which was awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents, who served in the Second Boer War. • "DEFENCE OF KIMBERLEY" - This clasp was awarded to all troops in the garrison of Kimberley between 14 October 1899 and 15 February 1900 inclusive. • "RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY" - This clasp was awarded to all troops in the relief column under Lieutenant General French who marched from Klipdrift on 15 February 1900, and all the 6th Division troops under Lieutenant General Thomas Kelly-Kenny who were within 7,000 yards of Klipdrift on 15 February 1900.

In addition to the military honours and to also honour non-military townsfolk who took part in the defence of the town during the siege, Mayor of Kimberley H.A. Oliver instituted the Kimberley Star in 1900. The medal was awarded to all men who were engaged in the defence of Kimberley as well as to members of the British Forces in the Kimberley Garrison. These included, amongst others, the Kimberley Town Guard, the Kimberley Regiment, the De Beers Maxim Battery, the Cape Police, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and the Diamond Fields Artillery. Since the medal did not enjoy official status, however, the military recipients were not allowed to wear the medal in uniform.

Approximately 5,000 Kimberley Stars were awarded, but there is no roll of recipients.

While privately instituted military decorations and medals do not enjoy official status as a result of not having been formally instituted or sanctioned by the fount of honour at the time, and while none of them were therefore allowed to be worn with military uniform, some have become well-known and have acquired recognition in South Africa's military medal history. Four of these decorations and medals are considered to be significant. • Sir Harry Smith's Medal for Gallantry of 1851. • The Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps Medal of 1899. • The Kimberley Star of 1900. • The Cape Copper Company Medal for the Defence of O'okiep of 1902.