Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal

Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal
File:Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal ribbon.svg Ribbon bar of the medal
Awarded by Cape Colony
Type	Campaign medal
Eligibility	Cape Colonial Forces.
Awarded for	Campaign service.
Campaign	Transkei 1880-81, Basutoland 1880-81, Bechuanaland 1896-97.
Description	Silver disc, 36 mm diameter.
Clasps	"Transkei", "Basutoland", "Bechuanaland".
Statistics
Established	1900

The Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal was a British campaign medal awarded to South African Cape Colonial Forces. It was authorised in December 1900, as a retrospective award for veterans of three campaigns fought in South Africa between 1880 and 1897.

The medal was issued, on application, to veterans who had served in the Cape Colonial Forces in the Transkei Campaign (1880-1881), the Basutoland Gun War (1880-1881), and the Bechuanaland Campaign (1896-1897).

The medal is silver. The obverse depicts the crowned head of Queen Victoria, surrounded by her name, style, and titles. The reverse displays the Province of the Cape of Good Hope coat of arms, with a spray of protea flowers, and the name "Cape of Good Hope". The ribbon is dark blue with a gold centre band (these being the colours of earlier campaign medals for service in southern Africa).

Clasps were issued to indicate the campaigns in which recipients had served: "Transkei", "Basutoland", and "Bechuanaland". The published medal roll shows that 5252 medals were issued, nearly half of them for the Bechuanaland campaign.

References

• Alexander, E. G. M., Barron G. K. B. and Bateman, A. J. (1986). South African Orders, Decorations and Medals. Human and Rousseau.

• Forsyth, D.D. Medal Roll: Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal.

See also

• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
• South African military decorations

External links

• South African Medals Website

• Transcribed Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal Roll updated with extant medals