Africa Service Medal

Discussion in 'South African' started by Robenrose, Apr 8, 2012.

Tags:
  1. Robenrose

    Robenrose Junior Member

    I have a South Africa Service Medal in my possession - there is an inscription on the edge: "43066 A.C. Janes"

    Does anyone know how I can trace who this was issued to ... It does not belong to any family of mine?
     
  2. Red Goblin

    Red Goblin Senior Member

    Hi & welcome,

    I may be well wide of the mark but will give it a shot on what little I do know. As you've identified the medal, Megan C. Robertson's 'Medals of the World' image collection may not be all that useful to you but the 'Medals Gone Missing' worldwide medals register could well be just the ticket. You don't say which version you have but MGM's 'Medals' tab shows 3 singles:

    1 [​IMG], 2 [​IMG] & 3 [​IMG]
    • Pre-WW1 'Queen's South Africa Medal' "Awarded to Commonwealth Troops who served in South Africa between October 11th, 1899 and May 31st, 1902."
    • Pre-WW1 'King's South Africa Medal' "Awarded to Commonwealth Troops who participated in the Boer War in South Africa and completed 18 months service before June 1st, 1902"
    • Commonwealth WW2 '1939-1945 Africa Service Medal' (AKA 'South African War Medal' as part of the 'South African Five (Africa & Italy)' to its right) "Awarded for voluntary service outside the Republic of South Africa during the 1939-1945 War." [Pinch of salt obviously required for "Republic" reference since you were a 'Union' from 1910-1961. Nor am I quite sure what to make of the "outside" reference as contradicting the AKA reference.]
    Re Janes' service #, assuming you have the WW2 version, the 1920 renumbering of the British Army may apply to identify 43066 as RASC.

    BTW, please take care lest the family still not wish to be reminded of this but good luck all the same.

    Rgds, Steve

    PS: CWGC only have one, apparently irrevant, A C Janes so your man presumably survived

    PPS: Just noticed this apparent 'spanner in the works' on the 1920 renumbering page - "Generally the new numbers did not have prefixes but the Royal Army Service Corps was an exception. RASC numbers were prefixed S (Supplies), T (Transport), M (Mechanical Transport) or R (Remounts)."
     
  3. Springbok

    Springbok Junior Member

    Hi Robenrose and welcome.

    The medal you have is most likely number 3 listed by Steve in his reply.
    As far as I am aware only Canada, Australia and South Africa of the Commonwealth forces (and possibly India) inscribed the persons force number and name on the medal. Also the absence of a letter before the number indicates this person was a volunteer and not in the permanent forces.

    So, being a Campaign Medal for South African volunteers the recipient is most likely South African, and an approach to the South African Defence Force Archives may give up some more information.

    Regards.
     
  4. w407594f

    w407594f Junior Member

    All South African World War II medals are named and with service number.

    All South Africans were also volunteers, so no conscription was used.

    The red in the middle of the medal ribbon is the Red Tab that all South African Service personnel wore on their eppaulettes to show they had taken the Oath to serve outide of South Africa.

    The green and gold are the colours of South Africa and date back to the old ZAR days.
     

Share This Page