The SAAF Forum

I ve been wandering whether the Honoris Crux was still the highest award for bravery but then I found that a new medal had replaced it, Nkwe ya Boronse. Why? On wikipedia it says for 'transformation' reasons but from what I can see It doesnt seem to represent anything to do with Apartheid, its not named after any former presidant etc. So why do they change it, is just because its an ANC policy it get rid of anything ever done by the past goverment because I think this is a really low blow to people who were awared it but are now seen almost as traitors by the new goverment.

It was politics, the same reason so much else has changed. The ANC wanted to assert its identity and control over the defence force, which is why they brought in a series of decorations which drew their inspiration from MK/APLA/etc medals. Not much to say really, and little point getting worked up about it. It's done.

For what it's worth though, the Nkwe ya Gauta (Golden Leopard) is the highest award for bravery, followed by the Nkwe ya Selefera (Silver Leopard) and Nkwe ya Boronse (Bronze Leopard).

Before 2003 it was the Castle of Good Hope Decoration, not the Honoris Crux, that was South Africa's highest award for bravery. The CGH was never awarded. In descending order, the other awards were the Honoris Crux Diamond (also never awarded), Honoris Crux Gold, Honoris Crux Silver and Honoris Crux.

If you look at the HC series and then at the German Knight Cross (Ritterskreuz) and Iron Cross series of 1939 - 1945 there are similarities in that there are different grades of one award. The first HC was worn at the throat just like the Ritterskreuz

The first HC was from 1952 - 1975 and then the 1975 - 2004 HCseries that had the decoration in four classes.

The HC design is said to have been influenced by the Order of the Golden Eagle that was proposed around 1894 in the then ZAR but was rejected by the Volksraad

Then the ANC is doing alot of what the NP and British (1902) did once in power, but on a larger scale. The wheel turns.

Comparing 1948 to 1994, just a few examples

Robert's Heights became Voortrekkerhoogte
OBW members released form jail
In 1902 when the British forced the Boer children to learn in English and not Dutch it resulted in anger, then the NP tried the same thing by pushing Afrikaans on to the blacks resulting in the 1976 Soweto riots.

MK and such released
Names changed on a large scale

Its all just politics and best avoided, but historys lessons should be learnt from and not repeated but sadly they are repeated.

I wonder if any medals for CGH decoration were ever struck? I imagine that if they were, it would be a prize collector's item.

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

As none were issued they will not be worth much.

Base metal-gilt plated specimens for museums etc are available and retail for around £60-80.00

HC Gold go for around £2000.00 if it can be proved to whom it was awarded too. Price would depend on buyer and seller.

VC's go for £80,000.00 and upwards. Lord Ashcroft owns around one third of all VC's awarded.

I don't know if its true but I read somewhere that in the US it is illegal to sell a Medal of Honor.

True. Don't know why though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_honor

Definitely fails in the aesthetic appeal department.

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

What fails...?

The Medal of Honour.

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A plan is simply a basis for change.