The Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal was first authorized in December of 1900 as one of the South African campaign medals awarded. The Cape of Good Hope medal was offered to all veterans who qualified from the three wars that were fought in the cape of South Africa between the years of 1880 and 1897.
The medal was given on application to every veteran that served as part of the Cape Colonial Forces in the Basutoland Gun War, which took place between 1880 and 1881, the Transkei Campaign which likewise took place between 1880 and 1881, and the Bechuanaland Campaign which took place between the years of 1896 and 1897.
The Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal is made of sterling silver with an observed side that shows the crowned head of Queen Victoria carved into. The crowned head has her name, titles, and style surrounding it. On the flip side of the medal is the Cape of Good Hope coat of arms, which is adorned with protea flowers and the inscription ‘Cape of Good Hope.’
There is a ribbon across it in dark blue that features a centre gold band since those were the official colours of the campaign medals that were used during the African wars. Clasps were given out to show which campaigns that the medal recipients were a part of with the names of the bands written across the clasps.
