Legion of Merit (Rhodesia)

Order of the Legion of Merit


Legion Of Merit (civil division)

Legion Of Merit (military division)
Awarded by  Rhodesia  Zimbabwe-Rhodesia
Type order
Eligibility civilians and military personnel
Awarded for outstanding service to Rhodesia
Status defunct
Post-nominals Dependent on grade
Statistics
Established 4 November 1970
First awarded 1970
Last awarded April 1981
Precedence
Next (higher) Conspicuous Gallantry Decoration
Next (lower) Independence Decoration

Ribbon bar of the civil order

Ribbon bar of the military order

The Legion of Merit was a Rhodesian order of merit awarded to both civilian and military recipients for service to Rhodesia.

Institution

The award was instituted in 1970 by Presidential Warrant, the first awards being made the same year. The last awards were made in June 1980. The civil class was suspended from a green and gold ribbon. The military class differed by featuring a red stripe on the green and gold ribbon.

Classes

There were five classes of the order:

The incumbent President of Rhodesia served as Grand Master of the Legion of Merit. Recipients of the order were entitled to the post-nominal letters indicated above. It was retained by the government of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia as well, the President of that state also serving as Grand Master.

Zimbabwe

The Legion of Merit was superseded in April 1981[1] by the Zimbabwe Order of Merit, which is awarded to civilians as well as military personnel for eminent achievement and services to Zimbabwe.

Notable recipients

While the higher grades of the order were used almost exclusively by Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front government to reward political service, recipients of the lower and middle grades included a number of notable military leaders, community leaders and civil servants.

There were only 4 GCLMs:

RecipientOffice
Ian SmithPrime Minister of Rhodesia
Clifford DupontPresident of Rhodesia. Automatically awarded GCLM on retirement from office.
Gerald ClarkeCabinet Secretary;
Josiah GumedePresident of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. Automatically awarded GCLM on retirement from office.

No GCLMs were ever awarded in the Military Division.

There were 28 GLMs (Civil Division):

RecipientOffice
Morris S.E. Chief Native Commissioner, Senator;
Nicolle W.H.H. Secretary for Internal Affairs;
Stumbles A.R.W. Speaker of the House;
Bruce N.H.B. Governor of the Reserve Bank of Rhodesia;
Jack Howman Minister, Information & Defence;
Ross L.C. Secretary for Information, Immigration and Tourism;
Smith L.B. Minister;
Young D.W. Secretary to the Treasury;
Lardner-Burke D.W. Minister of Law and Order;
Lilford D.C. Chairman, Rhodesia Front Party;#
Smith E.A.T. Secretary for Justice;
Bosman T.A.T Attorney General;
Hawkins H. Commander RhAF, Ambassador to South Africa;
Hawkins R.T.R. Minister;
Mussett B.H. Minister of Transport;
Whetmore C.N. Secretary;
Gaylard J.F. Secretary;
Smith A.P. Minister;
Smith D.C. Minister of Finance;
Van der Byl P.K.F.V Minister of Defence;
Sherren P.D.W.R Commissioner of Police;
Cambitizis N.H.B. Rhodesia Front Party;
Hartley G.H. Speaker of the House, Rhodesia Front Party;
Partridge M.H.H. Minister for Natural Resources;
Pithey J.W. Secretary of Justice, Acting President;
Everard H.B. Acting President;
Irvine W.M. Minister, Transport and Power;
Flower K. Head, Central Intelligence Organization;

There was only 1 GLM (Military Division): Lieutenant-General Peter Walls.

There were 32 CLMs (Civil Division), one of whom one was Janet Smith, wife of Prime Minister Ian Smith.

There were 4 CLMs (Military Division), one of whom was Colonel Ronald Reid-Daly, commanding officer of the Selous Scouts.

There were 126 OLMs (Civil Division).

There were 35 OLMs (Military Division) and 10 OLMs (Military Division) (Combatant).

There were 300 MLMs (Civil Division), 55 MLMs (Military Division) and 10 MLMs (Military Division) (Combatant).

References

  1. Zimbabwe Government Statutory Instrument No. 197A of 1981, 17 April 1981.

External links

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