Pro Patria Medal

South Africa · instituted 1974 · discontinued 2003

A South African campaign medal originally instituted by Presidential Warrant, 23 October 1974 (Government Gazette No. 4490, 8 November 1974) -- the sole criterion then was 6 months' cumulative anti-terrorism service plus "exemplary manner", with no combat exception. GG No. 4932 (19 December 1975) added a combat/skirmish-with-terrorists exception. The whole 1974 Warrant was then repealed and the medal re-instituted afresh by Presidential Warrant, 8 June 1976 (Government Gazette No. 5171, 25 June 1976), for members of the South African Defence Force (or other armed forces attached to/serving with it) who, in defence of the Republic or in the prevention/suppression of terrorism: (a) were involved in combat or a skirmish or a combat situation or an incident caused by enemy activities; or (b) participated in a specific operation acknowledged by Ministerial order (medal and clasp naming the operation) -- in practice this was only ever done once, the Cunene clasp for Operation Savannah, 1975-76; or (c) rendered at least 60 continuous days' service in a designated operational area. Rule 5(c) was amended by GG No. 5575 (3 June 1977) to 55 continuous days OR 90 non-continuous days. The medal may be awarded posthumously (Rule 7) if already earned under (a), (b), or (c) -- dying before completing the qualifying period does not by itself satisfy it. Conferment discontinued for service on or after 27 April 2003 (GG No. 25213, 25 July 2003, a general warrant covering many SANDF honours; its Schedule was corrected by GG No. 26778, 17 September 2004).

Clasps issued with this medal:
Cunene

Wikipedia

Period	Rule 5 (qualifying criteria)
23 Oct 1974 – 18 Dec 1975	6 months cumulative service + exemplary manner only
19 Dec 1975 – 7 Jun 1976	combat/skirmish with terrorists (new), or 6 months cumulative + exemplary manner
8 Jun 1976 – 2 Jun 1977	combat/enemy activity, or named operation, or 60 continuous days
3 Jun 1977 – 26 Apr 2003	combat/enemy activity, or named operation, or 55 continuous/90 non-continuous days

Supporting documents

Extract from GG 4490, p.1 (original institution warrant, 23 Oct 1974, signed by State President J.J. Fouche -- superseded by GG 5171, 8 Jun 1976)

Extract from GG 4490, p.2 (original Rule 5, 23 Oct 1974: 6 months' cumulative anti-terrorism service + exemplary manner -- the ONLY criterion; no combat exception existed until the Dec 1975 amendment)

Extract from GG 5171, p.30 (institution warrant, 25 Jun 1976)

Extract from GG 4932, p.1 (19 Dec 1975 amendment to the ORIGINAL 1974 Pro Patria Medal warrant, dated 23 Oct 1974 -- superseded when GG 5171 repealed and re-instituted the medal, 8 Jun 1976; this amendment added a combat-with-terrorists exception alongside the existing 6-month cumulative service + exemplary manner rule)

Extract from GG 5171, p.31 (Rules for the award, Rule 5: 60 continuous days)

Extract from GG 5171, p.32 (Regulations: grant, annulment, restoration)

Extract from GG 5171, p.33 (Regulations continued; definitions)

Extract from GG 5575, p.1 (1977 amendment: Rule 5 changed to 55 continuous / 90 non-continuous days)

Extract from GG 25213, p.2 (2003 discontinuation warrant -- applies to many SANDF honours, not only this one)

Extract from GG 25213, p.3 (signed 16 Apr 2003, published 25 Jul 2003; discontinues conferment for service on/after 27 Apr 2003)

Extract from GG 26778, p.6 (17 Sep 2004 correction notice to GG 25213 -- re-lists the Schedule of medals covered, confirming Pro Patria Medal is included)

P.F. Roos, "Pro Patria Medal: Types, Variants, Ribbon Accoutrements and Selected Recipients of Interest" -- book cover

Roos, Section II Part One: the first 48 posthumous Pro Patria recipients, Roll of Honour (deaths 23 Jun 1974 - 7 Aug 1976)

Roos: Pro Patria Medal PPM #58737 awarded to Pte Robert Wilson, SADF POW held in Angola during Operation Savannah (Oct 1975 - Jan 1976)

Recipients 966

#	Last Name	First Name	Initials	Rank	Regiment	Date of Death
33052	Sophia	Ernesto	E	Lance Corporal	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1980-09-05
33053	Spangenberg	Leonardus Dirk Hugo	L D H	Corporal		1980-06-02
33058	Spies	Wynand	W	Lance Corporal	5 Reconnaissance Regiment	1981-08-14
33063	Stacey	Clifton	C	Sergeant	South African Air Force (Corps)	1981-08-25
33075	Stapa	Andre Anthony	A A	Captain	South African Air Force (Corps)	1987-11-14
33077	Stapelberg	Martinus Godfried	M G	Rifleman	1 South African Infantry Battalion	1981-08-24
33089	Steenkamp	Wouter Theron	W T	Lance Corporal	4 South African Infantry Battalion	1984-01-04
33098	Steward	Anthony	A	Private	4 South African Infantry Battalion	1987-11-09
33100	Stewart	Phillip Thomas	P T	Corporal	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1982-03-13
33107	Steyn	Erasmus Albertus	E A	Sapper	101 Battalion	1987-10-31
33120	Steytler	George Louis	G L	Corporal	3 South African Infantry Battalion	1983-06-24
33124	Stols	Johannes Jacobus Christoffel	J J C	Rifleman	3 South African Infantry Battalion	1983-08-05
33143	Strydom	Anthonie Christoffel	A C	Sapper	South African Engineer Corps (Corps)	1981-05-20
33148	Strydom	Hector Lucas	H L	Corporal	101 Battalion	1987-02-23
40400	Strydom	Johannes Jacobus	J J	Captain (Flight Lieutenant)	South African Air Force (Rhodesian Air Force)	1979-10-03
33158	Stumbo	Simon	S	Rifleman	5 Reconnaissance Regiment	1979-04-20
33162	Suter	Michael Colin	M C	Sapper	25 Field Engineers Regiment	1988-02-04
33163	Suttill	Ian	I	Sergeant	5 Reconnaissance Regiment	1981-01-30
33166	Swanepoel	Gregory Grant	G G	Captain	South African Armoured Corps (Corps)	1975-11-01
33167	Swanepoel	Christo	C	Rifleman	6 South African Infantry Battalion	1980-02-06
33171	Swanepoel	Pieter	P	Lance Corporal	South African Infantry Corps (Corps)	1981-01-05
33177	Swanepoel	Willem Christoffel (skillie)	W C	Lance Corporal	2 Parachute Battalion	1976-03-25
33178	Swart	Christiaan Johan	C J	Second Lieutenant	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1976-12-23
33181	Swart	Hendrik	H	Lance Corporal	South African Infantry Corps (Corps)	1979-06-06
33188	Swartbooi	Willem Petrus	W P	Lance Corporal	41 Battalion	1978-11-07
33200	Taljaard	Daniel Jakob (tallies)	D J	Captain	8 South African Infantry Battalion	1975-11-25
33203	Taljaard	Jochemus Jacobus	J J	Corporal	South African Armoured Corps (Corps)	1975-11-23
33209	Tamsen	Emil	E	Lance Corporal	South African Medical Corps (Corps)	1987-01-08
33221	Tchinguar	Rupert William	A C	Lance Corporal	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1985-05-29
33222	Tchinongo	Antonio	A	Rifleman	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1977-08-02
33223	Tchipango	Waite	W	Lance Corporal	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1987-09-13
33224	Tchizonda	Waite	A M	Rifleman	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1979-04-23
33226	Teffo		A L	Corporal	5 Reconnaissance Regiment	1985-07-10
33240	Tesnar	Christiaan Michael Albert	C M A	Rifleman	South African Commandos	1977-07-16
33242	Teteko	Rumai	R	Private	South West African Territory Force (Corps)	1975-06-15
33257	Theunissen	Johannes Christiaan	J C	Corporal	7 South African Infantry Battalion	1984-06-23
33258	Theunissen	Karel	K	Rifleman	Cape Corps	1981-12-24
33259	Theunissen	Matthys Jacobus	M J	Gunner	14 Field Regiment	1975-12-23
33265	Thom	Adrian Murray	A M	Rifleman	4 South African Infantry Battalion	1987-11-09
33266	Thomas	Adrian Murray	F	Rifleman	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1979-08-16
33272	Thomas	Nandago	N	Rifleman	101 Battalion	1986-02-16
48710	Thomas		L A	Rifleman	911 Battalion	1981-05-04
33275	Thompson	Eric Brian	E B	Second Lieutenant	11 Squadron	1975-11-25
33283	Timaim	A Soneka	A S	Rifleman	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1986-10-02
33287	Tinda	Timmy	J	Rifleman	102 Battalion	1983-09-16
33288	Tippett	Dave	D	Warrant Officer Class I	Special Forces	1990-01-01
33290	Tito	Leon Johann	B C	Rifleman	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1987-11-03
33296	Tjenda	Benjamin	B	Rifleman	201 Battalion	1986-03-04
33298	Tjihinga	Katopora	F	Rifleman	32 (Buffalo) Battalion	1982-06-14
41516	Tjihote	Manuel	K	Rifleman	102 Battalion	1987-06-20