Closure Commemoration Medal

The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. It consisted of three components, the full-time Permanent Force, the part-time Citizen Force and the rural defence Commandos. On 27 April 1994, the SADF was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).^[4][5]

The 183 South African Commando units, consisting of 52,000 serving members, were disbanded in 2003 and members were given the opportunity to join the conventional Citizen Force Regiments or the Sector Policing Forums of the South African Police Service, or to demobilise. The Closure Commemoration Medal was instituted by the President in 2010 to commemorate the disbandment of the Commandos.^[1][2][3][6]

The medal could be awarded to Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks who have served in the Commandos, as well as to the Honorary Colonels, who had completed at least five years service on or after 27 April 2003. The first medals were presented to former Commando members on 30 November 2011.^[2][3]

The Closure Commemoration Medal was instituted subsequent to the publication of the most recent revision of the "South African Consolidated Official Table of Precedence : Orders, Decorations and Medals" on 11 March 2005. As a newly instituted commemoration medal, its logical position in the order of precedence is between the lowest ranked commemoration award and the highest ranked award for loyal service and good conduct.^[7]

• Official military order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Unitas Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
  • Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 50 years of the Republic of South Africa.
• Official national order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Police Service Amalgamation Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
  • Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 50 years of the Republic of South Africa.