The Meritorious Conduct Medal was a Rhodesian military decoration for brave and gallant conduct.
| Meritorious Conduct Medal | |
|---|---|
 Ribbon of the medal | |
| Type | Medal |
| Awarded for | Brave and gallant conduct over and above the call of duty in a non-combatant capacity. |
| Description | Bronze medal bearing a portrait of Cecil Rhodes. |
| Eligibility | Members of the Rhodesian police, security forces and civilians. |
| Post-nominals | M.C.M. |
| Campaign(s) | Rhodesian Bush War. |
| Clasps | Bronze clasp awarded for second award. No clasp ever awarded. |
| Status | Abolished in 1981. |
| Established | 1970 |
| First awarded | 1970 |
| Last awarded | 1979 |
| Total | 93 |
| Total awarded posthumously | 13 |
| Total recipients | 92 + City of Umtali (now Mutare) |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Bronze Cross of Rhodesia |
| Next (lower) | Rhodesia Prison Medal for Gallantry |
Institution
editThe award was instituted in 1970 by Presidential Warrant, the first awards being made the same year. The last awards were made in December 1979.
Medal
editThe medal was a medal whose obverse was identical to the relief portrait of Cecil Rhodes on the Rhodesian General Service Medal but struck in bronze rather than cupro-nickel, with a blank reverse. The ribbon was purple.
The medal was impressed in small capitals with the recipient's name on the rim, and was awarded with a case of issue and miniature medal for wear.
Recipients
editA total of 93 awards of the Meritorious Conduct Medal were made, thirteen posthumously.[1]: 48–50 Notable recipients included
- The city of Umtali (now Mutare).
- The crew members of Air Rhodesia Flight 825.
- A police officer and three NCOs from the Rhodesian SAS killed when the explosive device they were transporting blew up prematurely.[2]
- John M Harvey British South Africa Police
Recipients are entitled to the post-nominal letters M.C.M.
Zimbabwe
editThe Meritorious Conduct Medal was abolished in September 1981.[3] Its status as the most junior of the Republic of Zimbabwe's awards for gallantry was taken by the Bronze Cross of Zimbabwe, which is also awarded to civilians and members of the Zimbabwean armed forces and police officers, and has an identical plain purple ribbon.
References
edit- ^ Saffery, David, ed. (2006). The Rhodesia Medal Roll. Chris Eason (Designer). United Kingdom: Jeppestown Press. ISBN 978-0955393600.
- ^ "A rare posthumous Rhodesian Meritorious Conduct Medal pair awarded to Colour-Sergeant J. "Geordie" Wright, 'C' Squadron, Rhodesian Special Air Service Regiment". Dix Noonan Webb web site. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
- ^ Zimbabwe Government Statutory Instrument No. 677 of 1981, 14 September 1981.