Somalia Medal
Encyclopedia
The Somalia Medal was a campaign medal
created in 1992 by the Canadian monarch-in-Council
to recognize members of the Canadian Forces
who had directly participated in the United Nations effort to stabilize Somalia following the outbreak of its civil war
. It is, within the Canadian system of honours, the fourth highest of the war and operational service medals.
, the Somalia Medal is in the form of a 36 millimetres (1.4 in) diameter gold
plated bronze
medal with, on the obverse, three overlapping maple leaves between the word CANADA above (which the original design did not include) and two sprigs of laurel leaves
below. On the reverse is the Royal Cypher
of Queen Elizabeth II surmounted by a St. Edward's Crown
symbolizing the sovereign's roles as both fount of honour
and Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces circumscribed by the words SOMALIA • 1992-93 • SOMALIE.
This medallion is worn at the left chest, suspended on a 31.8mm wide ribbon coloured with vertical stripes with two in the shade of blue used by the United Nations
flanking a series in white (representing peace), sand (recalling the physical features of the theatre of operations), light blue (representing the Air Command
), scarlet (representing the Land Force Command
), and dark blue (recalling the Maritime Command
).
-in-Council did not originally intend to issue a medal for the Somalia campaign, due to the scandal that had taken place
there, on 8 April 1997, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her Cabinet
under Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien
, created the Somalia Medal to recognize members of the Canadian Forces
who had served in the theatre
of the Somali Civil War
. To qualify for the medal, individuals had to have served for 90 days between 16 November 1992 and 30 June 1993 in Somalia
, or within 200 kilometers of the Somali coast, as a part of the operation to stabilize the country and offer humanitarian aid. However, the requirements for the Somalia Medal were the first to specifically demand "honourable service", meaning that those members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment
involved in the recorded murder of a Somali teenager were not among the total 1,408 medals that were issued.
Campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...
created in 1992 by the Canadian monarch-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
to recognize members of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
who had directly participated in the United Nations effort to stabilize Somalia following the outbreak of its civil war
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
. It is, within the Canadian system of honours, the fourth highest of the war and operational service medals.
Design
Designed by Bruce W. BeattyBruce W. Beatty
Bruce W. Beatty, CM, CD, FRHSC is a Canadian graphic designer best known as being chiefly responsible for designing the emblems of the Canadian Honours System, starting with the badge of the Order of Canada in 1967. The emblem is the shape of a snowflake - just as every snowflake is different, so...
, the Somalia Medal is in the form of a 36 millimetres (1.4 in) diameter gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
plated bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
medal with, on the obverse, three overlapping maple leaves between the word CANADA above (which the original design did not include) and two sprigs of laurel leaves
Laurales
The Laurales are an order of flowering plants. They are magnoliids, related to the Magnoliales.The order includes about 2500-2800 species from 85-90 genera, which comprise seven families of trees and shrubs. Most of the species are tropical and subtropical, though a few genera reach the temperate...
below. On the reverse is the Royal Cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
of Queen Elizabeth II surmounted by a St. Edward's Crown
St. Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
symbolizing the sovereign's roles as both fount of honour
Fount of honour
The fount of honour refers to a nation's head of state, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry to other persons.- Origin :...
and Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces circumscribed by the words SOMALIA • 1992-93 • SOMALIE.
This medallion is worn at the left chest, suspended on a 31.8mm wide ribbon coloured with vertical stripes with two in the shade of blue used by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
flanking a series in white (representing peace), sand (recalling the physical features of the theatre of operations), light blue (representing the Air Command
Canadian Forces Air Command
The Royal Canadian Air Force , formerly Canadian Forces Air Command, is one of three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
), scarlet (representing the Land Force Command
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
), and dark blue (recalling the Maritime Command
Canadian Forces Maritime Command
The Royal Canadian Navy , is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Forces. Operating 33 warships and several auxiliary vessels, the Royal Canadian Navy consists of 8,500 Regular Force and 5,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by...
).
Eligibility and presentation
Though the Governor GeneralGovernor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
-in-Council did not originally intend to issue a medal for the Somalia campaign, due to the scandal that had taken place
Somalia Affair
The Somalia Affair was a 1993 military scandal later dubbed "Canada's national shame". It peaked with the brutal beating death of a Somali teenager at the hands of two Canadian soldiers participating in humanitarian efforts in Somalia. The crime, documented by grisly photos, shocked the Canadian...
there, on 8 April 1997, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
under Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, created the Somalia Medal to recognize members of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
who had served in the theatre
Theater (warfare)
In warfare, a theater, is defined as an area or place within which important military events occur or are progressing. The entirety of the air, land, and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations....
of the Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
. To qualify for the medal, individuals had to have served for 90 days between 16 November 1992 and 30 June 1993 in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, or within 200 kilometers of the Somali coast, as a part of the operation to stabilize the country and offer humanitarian aid. However, the requirements for the Somalia Medal were the first to specifically demand "honourable service", meaning that those members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment
The Canadian Airborne Regiment
The Canadian Airborne Regiment was a Canadian Forces formation created on April 8, 1968. It was not an administrative regiment in the commonly accepted British Commonwealth sense, but rather a tactical formation manned from other regiments and branches...
involved in the recorded murder of a Somali teenager were not among the total 1,408 medals that were issued.