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Date	Original Topic
6th October 2001	John Chard Medal By Scott Chapman Hi all, I was searching through the internet recently and i discovered that the South African's have dedicated a medal to John Chard. I wondered if anybody had an image or any more information on this medal(s). Thank you, Scott
Date	Replies
7th October 2001	Ian Woodason I got the following off the web a while ago - the page does not appear to exist anymore. "My source for the following information, "The Official Yearbook for the Republic of South Africa 1986" is undoubtedly somewhat out of date, but for what it's worth: The John Chard Decoration (JCD) was awarded for "20 years' long and efficient service in the Citizen Force" The John Chard Medal was awarded for "12 years' long and efficient service in the Citizen Force". Both could be awarded to all ranks of the Citizen Force. The Citizen Force is described as being made up of non-career members of the Defence Force, and as a supplement to the permanent force. I may be able to find some more information, but will need to search for it. Some further information, this from "Ribbons and Medals" by Capt. H. Taprell Dorling, DSO, RN (1970 reprint of 1963 edition) I'm just going to quote directly. "THE JOHN CHARD DECORATION AND JOHN CHARD MEDAL (JOHN CHARD-DEKORASIE EN JOHN CHARD-MEDALJE) "The decoration is of silver and is awarded to all ranks of the Union Defence Forces already awarded the John Chard Medal (see below) or the Efficiency Medal for twelve years service, and have, in addition, completed another eight years on the active list, i.e. twenty years in all. The award entitles the holder to the letters J.C.D. after his name. The decoration is oval, 1 1/2 inches wide and 2 inches long, and has on the obverse a scene shoing the house at Rorke's Drift with a drift and a tree in the foreground. Inscribed at the top are the words 'JOHN CHARD' and below 'DECORATION-DEKORASIE'. the arm of the forces in which the recipient has served is distinguished by a silver miniature brooch on the ribbon - crossed swords for the Army, an eagle for the Air Force, and an anchor for the Navy. The reverse has the Royal cypher with the arms of the Union. When the ribbon is worn alone it has a silver button bearing the letters 'J.C.D.' A bar may be awarded for any further period of service. "The John Chard Medal, awarded for twelve years' service in the Armed Forces, is the same design as the decoration, but in bronze, and with the words 'MEDAL-MEDALJE' on the obverse. Decoration and Medal may not be worn together. The ribbon of both is the same. "(The hospital at Rorke's Drift, on the Tugela, was successfully defended by Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead with a slender British force against an overwhelming horde of Zulus on 22 January 1879)." (page 149) The illustration of the medal on the same page show the words 'Rorke's Drift 1879' below the scene described above, and just above the words 'MEDAL-MEDALJE'. The illustration of the ribbon (Plate 7 #253) show it to be vertically striped thus: narrow dark blue, very narrow white, very broad dark red, very narrow white, narrow dark blue." Ian Woodason www.keynshamlighthorse.com - dedicated to the pursuit of memorials to those involved in the Anglo Zulu War of 1879
7th October 2001	Martin Everett Dear Scott, Just to add the John Chard Decoration and the John Chard Medal replaced the South African equivalent of the British Territorial Decoration and Territorial Efficiency Medal when South Africa became a republic. It is great honour to John Chard that he is remembered in this way particularly by other country's armed forces. I do have examples of both in the museum if you are ever in Brecon. Martin Everett SWB Museum Brecon