OnceRetired

The South Africa Decoration for Meritorious Service:

This was an honour conferred by the Government of the Republic of South Africa for exceptionally distinguished service to South Africa.  Service usually were for political, but also in other areas of civic contributions to the country including cabinet ministers, judges, captains of commerce and industry, Afrikaner academics and church leaders, prominent figures in the arts and medical communities. The appointments were made by the State President of South Africa.  Instituted in 1970 a total of 109 decorations were awarded until superseded by the Order for Meritorious Service in 1986.

There were men's and woman's variations (neck and bow) which was normally worn around the neck on a ribbon or the left shoulder on a ribbon bow in the national colours on formal and State occasions.  The insignia is a made of 18kt gold and silver with five diamonds which are set on the points of the lower of two gold five-pointed stars in the center of the obverse.  It is a large decoration measuring approximately 80 cm in diameter and over 200 gm in 18kt gold.  The weight of these decorations varied over the years it was manufactured with the later awards being lighter.  All decorations are named, numbered dated and appropriately mint marked.

This honour came with the post-nominal letters DMS (English) or DVD (Afrikaans).

Two are known to have been sold at auction.  One at Dix Noonan & Webb (now Noonan's) on 8 Dec 2016 https://www.noonans.co.uk/auctions/archive/lot-archive/results/285020/?keywords=Decoration+for+Meritorious+Service&x=0&y=0

and another at City Coins (auction ref unavailable at this time).

reference articles:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoration_for_Meritorious_Services

https://web.archive.org/web/20140315042108/http://samw.hwmw.net46.net/civ67.htm

and the book South African Orders, Decorations and Medals by Alexander, Baron and Bateman, 1986 Cape Town

This is a very impressive thread.  A lot to absorb without doubt.

Though it has been a while since you posted your thread I just discovered it.  I wouldn't buy into he idea that the RAF wings have some long and winded story.  They are most likely incorrect to the uniform.  Secondly the ribbons are pretty much completely wrong.  He's not on the SA roll for the 1935 Jubilee medal nor the 1937 Coronation medal.  If he received the Africa Service Medal he would have had to have been awarded the War Medal.  He's also not on any South African roll for WWII for an MBE, OBE or CBE and there isn't anyone with this name for WWII in the Air Force for any decoration (book Honour the Air Force).  Search his name in the London Gazette and you'll probably not find anything.

You could request His service card, but without a service number it could be a long shot and a lot of effort for nothing.  The number in the uniform, 1033, would have been used for a man serviing with the 1st Natal Mounted Rifles, not the SAAF.  Perhaps it is the same.  I guess it's worth a check.  That being said, I have a set of medals to a enlisted man who was in North Africa with the Tank Corps who later served as a Pilot in Italy.  So it's technically possible, it's just the ribbons and wings are not authentic to the uniform.

Uniforms are very tricky and unless they are coming from a VERY reliable source I'd be very suspect.

Sorry to be the bearer of such news.

Jeff

PS: Nothing on Ancestry, The National Archives (UK) or nothing that seems to be relevant in the London Gazette from 1920-1980