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    SIERRA LEONE MEDALS LIST


    heusy68

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    Hello Gentlemen,despite there is very few information concerning the award of Sierra Leone I will try to list the few for which I have pictures and let's see if someon else can help.

    I will begin by the Decorations & Medals.The Order of the Republic & the Order of the Rokel will be on a separate topic.

    Sierra Leone get its Independence from United Kingdom in 1961 and became a Republic 10 Years later on 19 april 1971.

    Dr Siaka Stevens who was prime minister from 1968 to 1971 was elected President on 21 april 1971 and he resign to power on 28 november 1985.

    From 1991 to 2002 Sierra Leone had to suffer a bloody civil war with lots of atrocities.

    Here is : Order of Bravery.

    Ok it looks like a Victoria Cross,but it was made like that and the reverse is blank.

    I cannot say much more about it than the picture itself.

    Emmanuel

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    This is the Gallantry Medal of Sierra Leone,or Bai Bureh Star (from the name of a famous local fighter).

    Reverse is blank.

    A well known UK dealer price it at 395 Pounds,but I think I got it for 50 Pounds in 2004.

    Emmanuel

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    Here is the Wallace Johnson Medal ( a Panafricanist from Sierra Leone). This medal is to reward meritorious action from a civil or a military nature.

    This medal was made by Huguenin.It's a large one 44 millimeters in diameters.Reverse is blank.

    Emmanuel

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    This is the Sierra Leone Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal issued during Presidency of Dr. Siaka Stevens ( 1971-1985 ).

    A later type was issued after which retain the same reverse but with the Coat of Arms of Sierra Leone on obverse.

    Emmanuel

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    This is the Sierra Leone Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal current type (or at least issued after 1986 till ??? 1991 ?? and maybe awarded again since 2002) ?

    If anyone has pictures of local soldiers.Lot's of UN Troops have been sent to Sierra Leone,there should be someone who has more information somewhere !!!

    Emmanuel

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    Here you can see the 2 LSGC Medal side by side together.Both are in silver and the one issued during the Presidency of Siaka Stevens is named on the rim to "SLA 18159396 CPL Kamara B"

    Emmanuel

    Edited by heusy68
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    Referring to ribbon charts.This medal should be Sierra Leone Police Gallantry Medal (1971-85).

    But as you can read on the reverse it's Police Long Service & Good Conduct Medal

    Emmanuel

    Edited by heusy68
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    It's a fact that may have been forgotten by 99 % of the population but from 1961 till 1971 HM Queen Elisabeth II was also Queen of Sierra Leone.

    Here I post a medal that is nowday common everywhere ( I even saw one on a coin dealer shop in Singapore).

    It's the General Service Medal.

    Sources refer to a complete serie of such medals :

    Police Medal for Gallantry

    Police Medla for Meritorious Service

    Police Medal for Long service

    Fire Brigade Medal for Gallantry

    Fire Brigade Medal for Meritorious Service

    Fire Brigade Medal for Long Service

    And of course an Independence Medal.

    If anybody has a picture he's always welcome to post it here.Our knowledge on Sierra Leone is very thin,and help is always appreciated.

    Emmanuel

    Edited by heusy68
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    Excellent introduction Emannuel - many thanks.

    The General Service Medal in miniature often has the clasp "Congo" but I have yet t see this in full size. I have also yet to see it as part of a British group of medals.

    The Independence Medal is one of the scarcer ones from the UK series of such awards and I paid some GBP230 for one at auction some years ago.

    Regards,

    Owain

    Edited by oamotme
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    • 1 year later...
    • 11 months later...

    Emmanuel - I worked for two years in Sierre Leone managing the only advertising agency. This would have

    been from about 1965 - I had just finished a 3.5 year contract in Thailand - had 6 months home leave and was then

    'head hunted' to SL. The first President , and still in office when I was there , was Sir Albert Margai. They had

    their independence and he was living in the old Governor's mansion.

    He used to travel to a small gun shop opp. my office to buy shotgun cartridges. The old Rolls had the drop head rear

    compartment and he would sit on his own - waving to anyone who noticed him. He had 'umpteen' police m/cyclists and

    Landrovers surrounding him.

    However, SL was a lovely quiet place to live - and in my little VW Beetle I could travel right up-country staying in

    Govt. Guesthouses. I never had any problems and the people were very friendly. The inhabitants of Freetown were

    descendents from freed slaves and called themselves Kreoles. I think I mentioned before, that my secretary - a small

    black Lady , had the name of Mrs. McKenzie ! I was also supposed to look after Liberia and the Cameroons - but

    refused point-blank to go to either !

    They must have had Commemorative medals for the Independence - and I am sure inherited - or, set-up a new

    set of medals and awards. Yours seem to be from a later period ? Mervyn

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    • 2 years later...

    Hello Gentlemen,

    I bet everybody knows about the regular Sierra Leone Independence Medal with QEII.

    I recently was able to purchase an "unofficial" Sierra Leone Independence Medal, in metal-gilt (from an old collection).

    The obverse refer also to Gambia which get full Independence from UK in 1965. As long as I know the administration of these 2 colonies were separated.  Also colours of ribbon are the same of regular independence medal, but inverted (bleu, white, green), and that medal was born such a way (you can see ribbon was clothed).

    Diameter 38 millimeters & thick 2,75 millimeters.

    What is "strange" is the date on reverse 1441-1961, as Sierra Leone was first discoverd by European in 1462 by portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra. The year 1441 could refer to discovery of Cabo Blanco by the portuguese, but that area is more than 1000 miles north of nowday Sierra Leone.

    Can anybody helps ? Mervyn ? You lived there.

    Regards.

        Emmanuel

    Sierra Leone Indepedence Medal obverse.jpg

    Sierra Leone Indepedence Medal reverse.jpg

    Sierra Leone Indepedence Medal 2 obverse.jpg

    Sierra Leone Indepedence Medal 2 reverse.jpg

    Sierra Leone Indepedence 2 Medals ribbon clothed.jpg

    Sierra Leone Indepedence 2 Medals.jpg

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    • 2 years later...

    Hello Gentlemen, 

    Refereing to my post on this forum on 13 Feb 2011, I can add the information that the GSM 1961_71, seems to have been used for the contingent of troops from Sierra Leone sent to Congo (how large the contingent was, I ignore it).

    The photo with the clasp CONGO was taken in the Military Museum of Freetown. But do not run over there, there is not much to see, and to say the true, I've not been myself, but a good fellow went there, and was keen enough to send me some photo.

    Best regards.

       Emmanuel

    Sierra Leone GSM type 1 with Clasp Congo in Freetown Museum.jpg

    Sierra Leone GSM 1st Type obverse.jpg

    Sierra Leone GSM 1st Type reverseerse.jpg

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    This week, I watched this medal in a London auction.

    Queen Elizabeth II was Queen of Sierra Leone from 1961 to 1971, and there is ribbon references for Police & Fire Brigades ribbon during this period. Even exit a GSM (General Service Medal), which some medals have been seen in Sierra Leone (see post above).

    But I had never seen a Royal Sierra Leone Military Force LSGC Medal.

    The medal is silver, suspension swivel, diameter is 36 Millimeters, tickness is 3 millimeters, weight is 36 grammes.

    To compare the GSM is 27 millimeters in diameter, 

    We know that till at least 19 April 1971, Sierra Leone Armed Forces were officially known as " Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces", despite the military seized power in 1968.

    The Medal I own had never been to Africa, and it was probably a "specimen" despite not marked as such on the rim, and there is no traces of erase on the rim.

    As the wording on obverse is Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina F.D. and NOT : Queen Elizabeth II, this medal could also be a trial for a medal never instituted but for the period prior to Independence. I'am basing upon the fact that Mauritius Medals from the period 1968-1992 (when Queen Elizabeth II was Queen of Mauritius) wore also the wording Queen Elizabeth II on observe, and NOT "Dei Gratia Regina F.D.".

    On another hand, to add to the confusion, I own a Army LSGC EII Suspension Bar " Malawi ", and Queen Elizabeth was Queen of Malawi from 1964 till 1966, with the wording Elizabeth II Dei GRatia Regina F.D. (and that Malawi Medal is issued, I mean, awarded on the rim). I have heard that at least a Group of 4, is in a collection in the UK, with an ARMY LSGC with Suspension Bar "Sierra Leone", and that medal is said to be awarded to.

    If any member on this forum can post photo of Soldiers, NCO, Officers of the Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces from that period (even in black & white), he's most welcome to do so.

    Best regards to all.

         Emmanuel

    Sierra Leone Royal LSGC Medal obverse.jpg

    Sierra Leone Royal LSGC Medal reverse.jpg

    Edited by heusy68
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    • 1 year later...

    Hello Gentlemen,

    I do not know if I have to list it among the medal, but as it is NOT stated that this is an Order, but an Award, I chosse to list the following among the medals.

    Sierra Leone had instituted its own Award for commemorates the actions made during the Ebola epidemy in 2014/15.

    As yet, I do not have more information about it, but it is what it is.

    https://www.emergencybe.org/2016/01/12/1891/ 

    Regards to all.

          Emmanuel

     

    Sierra Leone Special Ebola Award Medal.jpg

    Sierra Leone Special Ebola Award Medal Award-attestation-1-e1452620396675.jpg

    Edited by heusy68
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    • 1 year later...

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