Legion of Merit (Rhodesia)
Encyclopedia
The Legion of Merit was a Rhodesia
n order of merit awarded to both civilian and military recipients for service to Rhodesia.
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
shown above.
Order of Merit, which is awarded to civilians as well as military personnel for eminent achievement and services to Zimbabwe.
'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 was a strong sex bias apparent in the award of the Rhodesian Legion of Merit; no women were ever made Grand Commander or Grand Officer; only one woman (Janet Smith, the wife of Prime Minister Ian Smith
) was awarded the honour of Commander, and just two women became Officers.
There were only 4 GCLMs awarded: Prime Minister Ian Douglas Smith, President Clifford Dupont
President John Wrathall and Cabinet Secretary Gerald Clarke
There were 28 GLM's (Civil Division) Awarded:
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 Reserve Bank;
Howman J.H. 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. 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) which was awarded to Lieutenant-General Peter Walls
.
There were 32 CLM (Civil Division) of which one was awarded to Janet Smith (Wife of Ian Smith).
There were 4 CLM (Military Division)of which one was awarded to Colonel Ronald Reid-Daly
commanding officer of the Selous Scouts
.
There were 126 OLM Civil Division awarded.
There were 35 OLM Military Division and 10 OLM Military Division (Combatant) awarded.
There were 300 MLM Civil Division, 55 MLM Military Division and 10 MLM Military Division (Combatant) awarded.
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
n 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:- Grand Commander (GCLM)
- Grand Officer (GLM)
- Commander (CLM)
- Officer (OLM)
- Member (MLM)
The incumbent President of Rhodesia
President of Rhodesia
The position of President of Rhodesia was the nominal head of state of Rhodesia from 1970 to 1979. As with Rhodesia itself, the position lacked international recognition for the entire period. The position of president, however, was mostly symbolic, and Rhodesia never had a presidential system of...
served as Grand Master of the Legion of Merit. Recipients of the order were entitled to the post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
shown above.
Zimbabwe
The Legion of Merit was superseded in April 1981 by the ZimbabweZimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
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 SmithIan Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
's Rhodesian Front
Rhodesian Front
The Rhodesian Front was a political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under white minority rule. Led first by Winston Field, and, from 1964, by Ian Smith, the Rhodesian Front was the successor to the Dominion Party, which was the main opposition party in Southern Rhodesia during the...
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 was a strong sex bias apparent in the award of the Rhodesian Legion of Merit; no women were ever made Grand Commander or Grand Officer; only one woman (Janet Smith, the wife of Prime Minister Ian Smith
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
) was awarded the honour of Commander, and just two women became Officers.
There were only 4 GCLMs awarded: Prime Minister Ian Douglas Smith, President Clifford Dupont
Clifford Dupont
Clifford Walter Dupont, GCLM ID was a British-born Rhodesian politician who served in the internationally unrecognised positions of Officer Administrating the Government and President...
President John Wrathall and Cabinet Secretary Gerald Clarke
There were 28 GLM's (Civil Division) Awarded:
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 Reserve Bank;
Howman J.H. 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. 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) which was awarded to Lieutenant-General Peter Walls
Peter Walls
Lieutenant General George Peter Walls MBE GLM served as the Commander of the Combined Operations Headquarters of the Military of Rhodesia, and later Zimbabwe, from 1977 until his retirement on 29 July 1980 during the Rhodesian Bush War...
.
There were 32 CLM (Civil Division) of which one was awarded to Janet Smith (Wife of Ian Smith).
There were 4 CLM (Military Division)of which one was awarded to Colonel Ronald Reid-Daly
Ronald Reid-Daly
Lieutenant Colonel Ronald "Ron" Francis Reid-Daly founded and commanded the elite Selous Scouts special forces unit that fought during the Rhodesian Bush War.-Career:...
commanding officer of the Selous Scouts
Selous Scouts
The Selous Scouts was a special forces regiment of the Rhodesian Army, which operated from 1973 until the introduction of majority rule in 1980. It was named after British explorer Frederick Courteney Selous , and their motto was pamwe chete, which, in the Shona language, roughly means "all...
.
There were 126 OLM Civil Division awarded.
There were 35 OLM Military Division and 10 OLM Military Division (Combatant) awarded.
There were 300 MLM Civil Division, 55 MLM Military Division and 10 MLM Military Division (Combatant) awarded.