32 BATTALION VETERANS ASSOCIATION

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1 For Publication on our web page Contact: Roelof van Rensburg Website: Preamble: When 32 Battalion Veterans Association members congregate in public, whether for a casual chat or parade it is essential that we reflect a professional soldier-like bearing associated with our former unit - 32 Battalion. Remember it is more than likely that you could appear in photographs and/or social media pages! Therefore, it is extremely important to always dress the part, which is most appropriate for the occasion, be it a Parade or skouerskuur. A uniform look always creates an impression of esprit de corps. Organizers or Focal Points for an event where 32 Battalion Veterans Association members will be present; must ensure that the correct dress is communicated to those members in attendance. The regulations have been adopted from CMVO guidelines and adapted to suite our unique Esprit de Corps. Those members of 32 Battalion Veterans Association who are not in possession of the approved Association Dress are encouraged to make their best efforts to procure this as soon as possible. General: When on parade, addressing an event or when official photos or group photos are taken: PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE BLAZER BUTTONS ARE DONE UP! When wearing a tie, please ensure that it is properly tied and hoisted, and not relaxed half way down your chest. Your personal discipline should ensure that you continue to observe these rules. The 32 Battalion Veterans Association Executive have the sole authority to amend and modify these Dress Regulations. It is accepted that by joining 32 Battalion Veterans Association, members will abide by our Dress Regulations. Important Notes: 1. When not in military uniform, the correct gesture of respect for The Fallen is, after bowing the head, one s medals are covered with the right hand (or head dress). This is called the Veterans Salute. This is also entirely appropriate for non-veterans (family members) who are wearing medals. 2. When wearing official 32 Battalion Veterans Association Dress, including our 32 Battalion Beret, we will perform the normal hand salute. 3. For the purpose of these Dress Regulations right and left are your left and right Battalion Beret: Only as per the 32 Battalion Veterans Association Dress Regulations, never, never with other clothing! 5. Only Airborne qualifications and aircrew proficiency wings are worn centred above the medals. 6. The only tie that may be worn with the 32Bn Jacket/blazer is a 32Bn tie. 7. Any other Service Branch, Corps, Unit or Regimental Parent unit tie. Must be worn with the appropriate jacket; not 32 Bn Jacket/blazer. 8. Nameplate: a. Only the Official 32BnVA nameplate may be worn. It is placed on the right lapel of the Jacket/blazer with the bottom of the nameplate aligned with the top of the Jacket/blazer pocket. If a tiepin is worn is should be positioned in line with the top of the Jacket/blazer/shirt pocket. b. MOTH Name plate not to be worn with 32Bn Dress. 9. Black Jerseys may be worn under the 32 Bn Jacket/blazer. 10. Clean-shaven or beards neatly trimmed. Wearing Badges Lately South Africans attending memorial services and parades have been plastering their jackets with qualification, proficiency, unit, veteran association and other badges. Of course, one is proud of what some badges indicate. However, cluttering civilian dress with badges makes them look like cheap tourist pins. Several badges are meant for wearing in uniform not on civilian dress. Wearing an array of badges, including, qualification and proficiency badges, makes the wearer look so unprofessional and unmilitary. Badges are not the equivalent of decorations and medals. Wearing several detracts from the dignity and significance of the decorations and medals you are wearing. Instead of wearing everything select what is the single the most important to you your regimental association badge, unique proficiency badge or other veterans association badge - something special for you. Maximum of two is preferable. If you wear medals as described above, place the badge high up on the lapel or on the right lapel. Being a civilian should not make you lose your respect for the Service in which you served and of which you were proud and its traditions. Your personal discipline should ensure you continue to observe the rules.

2 This Veterans Salute tradition explained: It will be noticed at any Remembrance Day Service or when passing a Cenotaph that Veterans will place their Right Hand over their Left Side (many believing they are placing their Hand over their Heart ) as a mark of Respect or in Remembrance of their Fallen Comrades this is not so. The Veterans Salute to their Fallen Comrades originated in London on Armistice Day in 1920, during the ceremony to unveil and dedicate the Cenotaph in Whitehall. At the same time, a funeral procession accompanying the remains of the Unknown Soldier halted at the Cenotaph during the ceremony before proceeding to Westminster Abbey for internment. Those present included the senior Sailor, Soldier and many Victoria Cross recipients. The ceremony concluded with a march past. The Regimental Sergeant Major of the Guards Regiment conducting the ceremony, faced with a gathering of highly decorated and high ranking men (including the VC holders), all of whom were wearing rows of medals, decreed that all personnel would salute the Cenotaph as they marched past by placing their hand over their medals, signifying that No matter what honours we may have been awarded they are nothing compared with the honour due to those who made the supreme sacrifice. Medal Maintenance & Storage Medals should always be treated with respect, be safeguarded, and maintained in a clean but ORIGINAL condition this condition is reflective of any medals history, particularly those of WW2 vintage or earlier (much like the patina of an antique). NEVER clean medals with any type of metal polish! If medals require cleaning, e.g. medals that have a silver content may need polishing to remove the dark tarnishing only use a proprietary impregnated polishing cloth that has been especially prepared for cleaning such metals. Bronze and the more modern nickel-plated medals need only be cleaned with a warm water dampened cloth and then polished with a soft, dry cloth (bronze medals are not designed to be shiny!). If unsure, seek the advice of a professional as permanent damage may result. Keep the medal ribbons in good repair and store medals in a purpose made container. This in turn needs to be kept in a warm, dry place. Always dry medals off that have been dampened by rain and give them a buff up with a dry, soft cloth. Lastly, always keep medals in a secure location when not in use keep them either in your possession, or under lock or key, as they are very attractive items and eagerly sought by thieves. 32 Battalion Veterans Association Dress Regulations: All ceremonial parades Dedication and thanksgiving services All wreath-laying ceremonies Church Service Memorial and Remembrance Day celebrations Official Garden Party Unveiling of War Memorials Official Reception during the day Official openings of Military buildings/establishments Official Gala or Black tie events during the evening (After 18H00) NO Inaugurations BERET Dress Footwear Trousers Shirt Jacket Headgear Meds & Decks Other/Notes 1A Black leather shoes. Black or grey socks. Long grey trousers. Black or grey leather belt. White-collar shirt; short or long sleeves. 32Bn tie. Black Blazer. 32Bn embroided badge on left pocket. 32Bn. Beret with Buffelkop and Corps Balkie. No Beret (After 18H00) Full size mounted medals in the correct order of precedence. Miniature mounted medals in the correct order of precedence (After 18H00) Appropriate Tiepin if required. Medals: Court mounted or Swing mounted 32Bn VA Lapel pin or 40-year Lapel Pin on left lapel Miniature Poppy on left lapel Name plate on right breast Maximum 2 Proficiency badges on right breast (Excludes Parachute wings) Parachute wings on left of jacket above medals Next-of-kin's medals on right of jacket one set only. Maximum 2 miniature Proficiency badges (After 18H00) Guides to Wearing Honours. This note is a summary of principles to help when you want to know what to wear and when. Various regulations and instructions regulating the acceptance and wearing of honours apply to members in all the Services and others. Once you are a civilian, your respect for the Presidential office and for tradition and your personal discipline should ensure you continue to observe the rules. Source of Honours. South African honours (Orders decorations and medals) are awarded by the President as head of state in accordance with the provisions Section 84 (2) (k) of the Constitution, 1996, not by Ministers or Heads of Departments. Only official decorations and medals, South African or foreign, may be worn. 2 P a g e

3 Discretion as to Wearing. Military personnel do not have the discretion as to whether or not to wear honours bestowed on them. They must wear the ribbons and the insignia as the occasion warrants. Only Full-size Insignia. The Presidential Warrants leave no doubt that only the full-size badges of orders, decorations and medals are the authentic insignia of honours. Unless the dress ordered is Mess Dress or black tie, the full-size badges (insignia) must be worn for all ceremonies, e.g., parades or commemoration services. Full-size insignia are presented at investitures. Full-size insignia are marked with serial numbers or the names of recipients. Order of Precedence. The correct order of precedence is from the centre of the wearer s chest to the left shoulder. The first or senior honour must be fully visible. Medals are worn to show the obverse i.e., face or front. Except for Die Medalje vir Troue Diens - Medal for Loyal Service our medals for the SANDF have the coat of arms on the reverse. This seniority of all official South African honours is published in one consolidated list, known as the Official Table of Precedence, in the Government Gazette. The current Consolidated Official Table of Precedence was published in Government Notice No dated 11 March All medals from the President must be worn as indicated in the Table - whether or not they were earned in different Services. Miniatures. Miniature badges of orders, decorations and medals and buttonhole replicas are not the insignia proper. They are not named or numbered. In the past, they had to be bought by recipients. They are concessions for convenience in wearing on mess dress or in civilian evening dress and their separate status is implied in Presidential Warrants. Miniature decorations and medals are only worn during evening functions, i.e., after 18:00. They may be worn at a suitable formal civilian event when the invitation specifies formal or dinner jacket: decorations (i.e., dinner jacket and black tie for civilians). Mounting Styles. In South Africa there are two styles of mounting decorations and medals - court mounting and standard mounting. Court mounting of medals means fixing the medals to a backing. The backing is itself covered with the medal ribbons and looks very attractive while keeping medals firm and prevents damage from their banging against each other. Behind the medal, you can see the ribbon extending to the middle of the medal. Standard or swing mounting of medals means they are threaded through the medal brooch hanger or ring and then hang loosely from the medal brooch. They may then bang against one another, as they swing free. Some people prefer the look of ordinary mounting and it is very much a case of personal choice except in the SANDF. Manner of Mounting. Decorations and medals are to be worn side by side, suspended on the left breast from a single line brooch. Brooches vary from one to five ribbons width. The standard and court methods of mounting are customary in South Africa. When mounted, the ribbon and medals should measure 100 mm from the top of the ribbon to the bottom of each medal (the drop). For miniatures, the drop is 55 mm. Width. The custom for South African and Commonwealth medals is that the group is no more than five (5) medals wide. Miniatures are generally 10 medals wide. If you have more medals than those to mount, then the medals overlap from first to last, with the first entirely visible. Width of Brooch. The width of the brooch depends on the number of medals worn, but the maximum width is 160 mm, i.e., the width of five ribbons of 32 mm each. It must not extend under the left lapel, nor cross over the shoulder seam of the jacket. Overlapping. When insignia exceed five they are to overlap one another with the senior honour completely visible, i.e., the first over the second, the second over the third. Bottom Edges. When two or more decorations or medals are worn, they must be arranged so that their bottom edges are in line. Lounge suit. Standard size decorations and medals are worn when members attend mess dinners in a civilian lounge suit. Wearing Miniatures. Wear miniature decorations and medals, on a medal brooch, on the left lapel in a horizontal line through the point of the lapel of a dinner jacket. Beckets (loops) may be sewn to the lapel for convenience. Emblems. The various emblems of Bars, Miniature Replicas, Rosettes and Clasps are affixed so that they are equidistant from the top and bottom of the ribbon. The first bar or clasp awarded is nearest to the medal. There is no restriction on the number of bars or clasps worn with a medal. Hints for Wearing Decorations and Medals. When you are invited to attend dinners, wreath laying and other ceremonies or reunions arranged by veterans associations or the members of a particular unit the following may help. Occasions for Wearing. Occasions for wearing honours are determined by the type of event, i.e., formal ceremonial parades or other ceremonies. Invitations should specify dress and the wearing of decorations and medals to avoid embarrassment. Which Medals on Ceremonial Occasions? Former members and members of veterans associations, e.g., the SA Legion, SAMVA or the Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTHs), wear their standard size decorations and medals, on 3 P a g e

4 appropriate civilian dress when attending ceremonial occasions, memorial and wreath-laying services. Miniature insignia may not be worn as an alternative at such occasions. Wearing Medal Ribbons. Do not wear medal ribbons alone on civilian dress on formal occasions. Order Rosettes. When decorations and medals are not being worn people admitted to orders may wear the rosette of the senior order in the buttonhole of the left lapel of a civilian suit jacket. Wearing on Civilian Jackets. Often people complain about the difficulty of wearing medals on civilian jackets because the medals distort the cloth. The problem arises from wearing medals above the pocket as on tunics. It is much easier to use the previous style of pinning the medal brooch along a line through the lapel to the shoulder. The strain is then taken by the stronger part of the jacket, which is braced by the shoulder padding. A useful alternative to holes in the cloth is to sew three or four beckets (small loops) onto the jacket through which to pass the brooch pin. Next-of-kin's medals. The next-of-kin of the fallen or any other heirs are only permitted to wear the decorations or medals of deceased personnel at commemoration parades and services, e.g., on Remembrance Sunday in November each year. On those occasions only, the direct next-of-kin may wear the awards on the right breast to commemorate their dead. The decorations and medals of only one person may be worn in this way. Foreign Honours. No foreign honours may be accepted and worn until permission has first been obtained from the President. Permission. Permission for acceptance and wearing will only be considered if the honours have been offered by foreign heads of state or governments, according to the particular country s usage, or by recognised international, e.g., the United Nations, the African Union or NATO. Serving Personnel. If you are in the Services ask for permission through official channels. Retired or Resigned Personnel. If you are out of the Services write to the Chancellor of Orders, The Presidency, Union Buildings, Pretoria asking for permission. Unauthorised Medals Private Organisations Medals. Medals awarded by private organisations may not be worn on a military uniform or with official honours. However, the medals of some Life-Saving Societies have been given limited official recognition, enabling recipients to wear them when official honours were worn, usually on the right breast - after permission has been granted through official channels. Two examples are the Medal of the Royal Humane Society and the Medal for Life Saving at Sea of the German Society for Saving the Shipwrecked. Medals awarded by recognised private associations, such as the Scouts or military veterans associations, are not to be worn in uniform. If they are worn in civilian dress or the association uniform they are worn them after official SA honours or on the right breast as prescribed. False Orders. There are numerous false orders on sale. Many resemble genuine orders whose names have been adopted wrongly or illegally. The only orders recognized are those subordinate to heads of state or governments. They are not to be worn with official honours. Commercial Medals. Various commercial ventures sell medals called commemorative medals. These have private origins and have no official sanction. Many are advertised and sold. They include medals for former Prisoners of War, for various campaigns and engagements for which no official medals have ever been instituted or for National Service. Periodically rumours are put out that they have been accorded official recognition. It is essential to be aware of these spurious medals. To wear them with official honours lowers the status of earned South African honours. Do not wear them with official honours in any circumstances. 4 P a g e

5 ABBREVIATED PRECEDENCE TABLE OF ORDERS & MILITARY HONOURS Serial No. Name of Honour Post-Nominal Abbreviation 1/1 Order of Mapungubwe (Platinum) OMP 2/5 Gold Star for Bravery (MK) GSB 3/6 Star for Bravery in Gold (APLA) SBG 4/7 Nkwe ya Gauta Golden Leopard NG 5/8 Mendi Decoration for Bravery (Gold) MDG 6/10 Grand Cross of Order of the Star of South Africa (Class 1) GCSSA or SSA 7/15 Order of Mapungubwe (Gold) OMG 8/16 Order of Baobab- Supreme Counsellor SCOB 9/17 Order of Luthuli (Gold) OLG 10/18 Order of Ikhamanga (Gold) OIG 11/20 Order of the Companions of OR Tambo (Supreme Companion) SCOT 12/22 Grand Officer of Order of SA (OSSA - SSAS) (Class 2) GOSSA or SSAS 13/29 Order of Baobab- Grand Counsellor GSOB 14/30 Order of Luthuli (Silver) OLS 15/31 Order of Ikhamanga (Silver) OIS 16/33 Order of the Companions of OR Tambo (Grand Companion) GCOT 17/34 Commander of the OSSA (Class3) CSSA 18/43 Order of Mapungubwe (Bronze) OMB 19/44 Order of Baobab (Counsellor) COB 20/45 Order of Luthuli (Bronze) OLB 21/46 Order of Ikhamanga (Bronze) OIB 22/48 Order of the Companions of OR Tambo (Companion) COT 23/85 Honoris Crux Silver HCS 24/96 Honoris Crux HC 25/108 Bravery Star in Silver (APLA) BSS 26/109 Star for Bravery in Silver (MK) SBS 27/110 Nkwe ya Selefera Silver Leopard NS 28/111 Mendi Decoration for Bravery (Silver) MDS 29/112 Pro Virtute Decoration PVD 30/113 Southern Cross Decoration SD 31/114 Pro Merito Decoration PMD 32/115 Conspicuous Leadership Star (MK) CLS 33/116 Star for Conspicuous Leadership (APLA) SCL 34/136 Decoration for Merit in Gold (MK) DMG 35/137 Gold Decoration for Merit (APLA) GDM 36/138 iphrothiya yegolide Golden Protea PG 37/139 Officer of the Order of the Star of SA (Class IV) OSSA 38/146 Member of the Order of the Star of SA (Class V) MSSA 39/156 Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard (NB) 40/157 Mendi Decoration for Bravery (Bronze) MDB 41/158 Ad Astra Decoration (AAD 42/159 Army Cross CM 43/160 Air Force Cross CA 44/161 Navy Cross CN 45/162 South African Medical Service Cross CC 5 P a g e

6 46/180 Southern Cross Medal SM 47/181 Pro Merito Medal PMM 48/193 Merit Medal in Silver (MK) MMS 49/194 Silver Medal for Merit (APLA) SMM 50/196 iphrothiya yesiliva - Silver Protea PS 51/199 Danie Theron Medal DTM 52/201 Military Merit Medal MMM 53/211 Bronze Medal for Merit (APLA) BMM 54/212 Merit Medal in Bronze (MK) MMB 55/213 iphrothiya yebhronzi Bronze Protea PB 6 P a g e

7 Visual/Pictorial Aid Typical Medals 5 Court Mounting more than 5 Swing Mounting We used various persons proficiency badges to demonstrate the placing of the medals/badges etc. The pictures do not imply that the person has achieved those qualifications. Notes: Spacing is 6mm in all instances. 1. Bottom of name plate is aligned with top of pocket. Proficiency badges (Maximum 2) are spaced 6mm above name plate and not on lapel. 2. If no name plate is worn, the bottom of first proficiency badge is aligned with the top of the pocket. 3. Own medals are worn on left, top of medal mount 6 mm above top of pocket. 4. Wings are worn on left of jacket, if no medals are worn; wings are place centre and 6mm above top of pocket BN VA lapel pin or 40-year Lapel Pin is worn on left of jacket in line with the top of the lapel as illustrated. 6. Metal poppy to be worn 6mm below the 32BN VA lapel pin or 40-year Lapel Pin. 7. When miniatures are worn (After 18H00) then it can be worn on the lapel or above the pocket as normal medals as worn. Dress with miniatures after 18H00 7 P a g e