Union Defence Forces 1939 - 1945

Members of the Commonwealth forces who served in the Second World War, 1939—45, were eligible under identical conditions for all the various campaign stars and medals awarded by the British government to citizens of the United Kingdom. In addition the various Dominion governments struck national medals for award to their own forces — the Union government, in fact, gained royal approval for the award of two such domestic medals:Africa Service Medal.
This shows on the obverse a relief map of the African continent with the inscription AFRICA SERVICE MEDAL * AFRIKADIENSMEDALJE. On the reverse is a leaping springbok against a background of the Karoo. This silver medal was given to all members, male and female, of the uniformed services of the Union Defence Force who served for 30 days and who signified under oath their willingness to serve either anywhere in Africa or in any theatre of war. The ribbon is of orange, edged on either side with the Springbok colours, green and gold. The wide orange stripe commemorated the ‘orange flash’ worn by all South African servicemen who had signed the oath for service anywhere in Africa. Each medal bears the regimental number and name of the recipient. (All British stars and medals of the Second World War given to South Africans were similarly named, although citizens of Great Britain and other Commonwealth countries received unnamed medals.)