Navy Cross (South Africa) Explained

Navy Cross
Presenter:the State President and, from 1994, the President
Country: South Africa
Type:Military decoration for bravery
Eligibility:South African Navy members
Awarded For:Exceptional courage, leadership, or skill in dangerous or critical situations
Status:Discontinued in 2003
Post-Nominals:CN
Established:1987
Firstawarded:1991
Precedence Label:SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Higher:
Lower:

The Navy Cross (Vlootkruis in Afrikaans), post-nominal letters CN (Crux Navalis) is a military decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1987. It was awarded to members of the South African Navy for bravery. It was discontinued in 2003, but backdated awards can still be made for acts of bravery during this period.[1]

The first award was made by the then Chief of the Navy Vice Admiral Robert Simpson-Anderson on 15 August 1994.[2]

The South African military

The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[3] [4] [5]

Institution

The Navy Cross, post-nominal letters CN (Crux Navalis), was instituted by the State President in 1987.[3] [6]

Award criteria

The cross was initially awarded for exceptional ingenuity, resourcefulness and skill, and extraordinary leadership, dedication, sense of duty and personal example and courage in mortal danger in non-combatant situations. After 1993 it was awarded for exceptional courage, leadership, skill, ingenuity or tenacity in dangerous or critical situations. A Bar, instituted in 1993, could be awarded in recognition of further similar displays of courage, leadership, skill, ingenuity or tenacity in danger.[5]

Order of wear

The position of the Navy Cross in the official order of precedence was revised three times, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, again when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted in April 1996 for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again when a new series of military decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged on all three occasions.[7] [8]

Official SANDF order of precedence:
Official national order of precedence:

Description

ObverseThe Navy Cross is a pointed cross, struck in silver, to fit in a circle 45 millimetres in diameter, with the South African Navy emblem in the centre on a navy blue roundel, 18 millimetres in diameter.[5]
ReverseThe reverse has the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms, with the decoration number impressed underneath.[5]
BarThe Bar was struck in silver and has a Protea emblem embossed in the centre. The same Bar was used to indicate multiple awards of the Pro Virtute Medal, Army Cross, Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, Medical Service Cross, Southern Cross Medal (1975) and Pro Merito Medal (1975).[9]
RibbonThe ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and white, with a 12 millimetres wide Navy blue centre band.[5]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003.[4]

Recipients

Since inclusion in the table itself is impractical, the actions cited for follow below the table. The Ranks reflected are the final rank held by the recipient.

CN no.NameRankUnitDate awarded
Barnard, LJWO2
Doult, ALS
Minnaar, SLT CDR
Wooding, LS LT
Tancrel, CDWO1
Norman, DJHCDR
Motsoenyane, FPO
Swart, WPLS
Palmer, JRLT CDR
Stephenson, JDWO2
Hicks, NMCPO
Jacobs, PLCPO
Marnitz, RBCPO
Nel, MFJCPO
Zarry, WSCPO
Buys, ACLS
Ferguson, SCLS
Price, LLS
Henderson, RWCdrOC Diving School
Uys, JCIS LT
Engelbrecht, JHWO1
Smith, NCCPODiving School
Schoultz, CFLS
Van wyk, HLS
0013Schoeman, MFLT CDR
Stander, AWO1
Prinsloo, AWO2
Jaffar, MNCPO
Pronk, TPCPO
Mahlwele, MDPO
Hughes, RPWO2
Combrink, WW Cdr
Lewis, GSMWO2SAS Protea
-Frieslaar, J.M CPO
Williams, DCCPO

Actions cited for

Notes and References

  1. http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/sapnls.htm South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters
  2. Web site: BRAVERY REWARDED – THE NAVY CROSS & NKWE YA BORONSE . SA Navy Museum . April 10, 2019 . April 11, 2019 . Steyn, L.
  3. http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/mil52.htm South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975
  4. http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets/articles/attachments/00893_presidentialwarrant.pdf Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 457, no. 25213, Pretoria, 25 July 2003
  5. http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/mil75.htm South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003
  6. http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/legal.htm South African Medal Website - Legal aspects - Fount of Honour
  7. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
  8. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,
  9. Book: Mackay. James. The Medal Yearbook 2004. 2004. Token Publishing Ltd.. Devon, UK. 978-1-870192-62-0. 380. Mussell, John W.. Editorial Team of Medal News.