Natal Native Rebellion Medal

• Name — Natal Native Rebellion Medal • Presenter — the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India • Country — United Kingdom Colony of Natal • Type — Military campaign medal • Eligibility — Military and police forces • Awarded For — Campaign service • Campaign — Bambatha Rebellion, 1906 • Clasps — 1906 • Established — 1907 • Firstawarded — 1907 • Total Awarded — 9,979 • Precedence Label — Order of wear • Higher — Tibet Medal • Lower — India General Service Medal (1909) • Image2 — * Illustration — x29px • Caption2 — Ribbon bar

In the years following the Second Boer War, British employers in Natal found it difficult to recruit sufficient Zulu farm workers because of increased competition from the gold mines on the Witwatersrand. To coerce more Zulu men to enter the labour market, the Natal Colonial government introduced a £1 head tax, in addition to the existing hut tax. The revolt, led by Chief Bambatha kaMancinza, leader of the amaZondi clan of the Zulu people who lived in the Mpanza Valley, a district near Greytown, was sparked in February 1906, when two British tax collectors were killed near Richmond. Martial law was declared and Bambatha embarked on a series of guerrilla attacks, using the Nkandla forest as a base. The revolt continued until colonial troops managed to surround the rebels at Mome Gorge. Between 3,000 and 4,000 Zulus were killed during the revolt, some of whom died fighting on the side of the Natal government. More than 7,000 were imprisoned, and 4,000 flogged. King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo, who gave tacit support to Bambatha, was arrested and sentenced to four years imprisonment for treason.

The Natal Native Rebellion Medal and the 1906 Clasp to the medal were authorised by King Edward VII on 9 May 1907, as a campaign medal to be issued by the Natal Government for service during the Bambatha Rebellion in Natal in 1906.

Campaign medals 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 for which awarded.

On 6 April 1952 the Union of South Africa instituted its own range of military decorations and medals. These new awards were worn before all earlier British decorations and medals awarded to South Africans, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, which still took precedence before all other awards. Of the British campaign medals applicable to South Africans, the Natal Native Rebellion Medal takes precedence as shown. • Illustration — King's South Africa Medal • Illustration — Natal Native Rebellion Medal • Illustration — 1914–15 Star • Preceded by the King's South Africa Medal. • Succeeded by the 1914–15 Star.