▁was ▁instit uted ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁as ▁a ▁ret ros pective ▁award ▁for ▁Bo er ▁officers ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 9 – 1 9 0 2 ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War . ▁ ▁Institution ▁The ▁De kor atie ▁voor ▁Tr ou we ▁Dienst ▁( Dec oration ▁for ▁Dev oted ▁Service ), ▁post - nom inal ▁letters ▁D TD , ▁was ▁instit uted ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁Government ▁Notice ▁no . ▁ 2 3 0 7 ▁dated ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁and ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁Union ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ▁Government ▁Gazette ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁December ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁ret ros pective ▁award ▁for ▁distinguished ▁and ▁especially ▁mer itor ious ▁service ▁by ▁Bo er ▁veter an ▁officers ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War ▁between ▁ 1 1 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁and ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁ ▁Since ▁neither ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁Bo er ▁Republic s , ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic ▁( Trans va al ) ▁and ▁the ▁Orange ▁Free ▁State , ▁had ▁official ▁hon ours ▁systems ▁of ▁their ▁own , ▁the ▁decor ation ▁was ▁created ▁to ▁afford ▁Bo er ▁veter an ▁officers ▁who ▁were ▁serving ▁as ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁Def ence ▁Forces ▁par ity ▁with ▁their ▁fellow ▁South ▁Afr icans ▁who ▁had ▁fought ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁side ▁in ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War , ▁Republican ▁command ers ▁were ▁instruct ed ▁to ▁record ▁the ▁names ▁of