[1][2][3] The John Chard Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on 6 April 1952, during the Tercentenary Van Riebeeck Festival, to replace the Efficiency Medal and the Air Efficiency Award which had been awarded to members of the Citizen Force between 1939 and 1952.

It was named after John Chard VC, the lieutenant in command of the supply depot at Rorke's Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War, when it was attacked by Zulus in January 1879.

[1][4] The medal was awarded to all ranks of the Citizen Force for twelve years efficient service, not necessarily continuous.

In addition, the choice entailed that a member who qualified for the award of a Good Service Medal, Bronze after ten years service would have to elect to wait another two years for recognition, should the John Chard series of awards be preferred.

[1] The reverse has the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms and the original medals, minted by the South African Mint, have a raised rim and a separately struck suspender which is soldered to the top of the medal, such as the one depicted at the top of the page.

Medals awarded before the advent of the Republican era on 31 May 1961, had Queen Elizabeth II's royal cypher, the crown above "EIIR", above the coat of arms.