ARAB MEDALS -- Oman

[oamotme]

Herr General,

No, nice group, but 'no', not an Omani medal, but a Ras Al Khaima medal....see my notes below:

Regards,

Owain

The Order of the Tower of Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaima

Owain Raw-Rees, OMRS 3088 OMSA 4978

The Emirate of Ras Al Khaima is the northernmost of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates which is situated at the southern end of the Arabian Gulf. The name of the Emirate comes from the Arabic word for peninsula - ras and tents - khaima, as it is traditionally held that the name of Ras Al Khaima was derived from a Saint Johasmi and the tents of his followers who resided on a headland where later a settlement of the same name was built. The Order was instituted by Emiri Decree No. 15/81 in 1981 and was instituted for and named after the ruling family of Ras Al Khaima. The Order is awarded for distinguished service to the Government of Ras Al Khaima. and is in four classes and is awarded as follows,

First Class                To Kings, Heads of State, Rulers and their Deputies.

Second Class          To Ministers, Ambassadors, members of the Armed Forces and Police above the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Third Class               Senior civil servants, officers of the Armed Forces and Police on the rank of Major and above.

Fourth Class             Civil Servant, officers and other members of the Armed Forces and Police of the rank of Captain or below. The medal was awarded to members of the Mobile Forces of Ras Al Khaima. (The Mobile Force merged with the Abu Dhabi Defence Force and the Dubai Defence Force to become the Federal Armed Forces in 1976.)

The details of the Order are as follows,

First Class                Breast star and sash with badge.

Second Class           Breast star with neck badge.

Third Class               Neck badge.

Fourth Class             Medal.

Obverse                    Star                  A five pointed multi-rayed star with each point separated by and alternating with a traditional jambiya or dagger within its scabbards, hilts to the centre. In the centre a gilt tower on a blue foreground surrounded by a gilt wreath. This in turn is surrounded by a concentric red enamelled circle bearing a pattern uppermost and lowermost the Arabic inscription, “Tower of Qasimi”

                                  Badge              As the badge on the star but also surrounded by a wreath of green enamelled palm leaves tied at the base. This has an outer border consisting gilt entwined cord.

                                  Medal              The head of the ruler, Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, facing right above the Arabic inscription, "Ras al Khaima”

Reverse                     Order               Blank other than a serial number.

                                  Medal              A tower surrounded by a wreath, and below which is the inscription, “Order of Qasimi”

Size                           First                 Badge  70mm.             Star      80mm.

                                  Second            Badge  60mm.             Star      80mm.

                                  Third               Badge  60mm.

                                  Fourth             Medal  36mm.

Metal                         Gilded base metal.

Ribbon                      Sash                 110mm white with a 55mm red central stripe.

                                  Second            55mm white with a 25mm red central stripe.

                                  Third               40mm white with a 20mm red central stripe.

                                  Medal              32mm red with 8 mm white edge stripes. The medal ribbon bears a small circular device bearing the tower depicted on the obverse of the badge and the reverse of the medal.

Suspension                  Star                  By a pin to the rear.

                                    Badge              By a loop affixed to the top of the badge representing the top of an anchor, the remainder of which extends into the design of the badge and the flukes are set between the uppermost points of the palm wreath.

                                    Medal              By a bar affixed to the top of the medal by a clasp.

Designer                   Spink and Son Ltd. in conjunction with the Qasimi family.

Manufacturer            Spink and Son Ltd., who in November of 1980 manufactured the following numbers of awards,

Numbers                    First Class  -  10. Second Class - 20. Third Class - 40. Fourth Class (Medal) - 1000

The emirate of Ras Al Khaima, ruled by the Al Qasimi family which can trace its descent back to 1720, came under British influence in 1809 when the town of Ras Al Khaima was captured as the Qasimi Fleet were perceived as a threat to the trading activities of the British East India Company. The town was again recaptured in 1819 and on 5 February 1820 a general peace treaty was signed along with various other tribes in the region which became known as the Trucial States. The full title of this treaty was the “General Treaty for the Cessation of Plunder and Piracy by Land and Sea.” The treaty begins as follows,

“In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate! Praise be to God, who hath ordained peace to be a blessing to his creatures. There is established a lasting peace between the British Government and the Arab tribes, who are parties to this contract, on the following conditions:

Article 1

There shall be a cessation of plunder and piracy by land and sea on the part of the Arabs, who are party to this contract, for ever.”

Later in the Treaty the flag of the Arabs is noted as being red with a border of white. This remains to this day the flag of Ras Al Khaima and its colours are those of the Order. The other Emirates have retained the red and white colour scheme but have adopted their own designs.

The British formally left the region with the establishment of the United Arab Emirates in February 1972 and the current ruler of Ras Al Khaima, H.H. Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi has done much to promote the development of the Emirate. Despite being located within the Arabian Gulf the Emirate has not been blessed with the oil wealth of its neighbours and has an economy which now includes such diverse activities as cement, pharmaceuticals, explosives, construction and agriculture.

 

Moderator, Perhaps Herr General's post and my response can be taken out of this topic and re-started as a stand alone 'Ras Al Khaima' topic? Regards, Owain

[geraldryan]

Latest addition Trucial Scouts loyal service medal 8 yrs service, any comments welcome. Apparently about 500 struck?? 

[oamotme]

Dear Gerald,

From my exhibit at the OMRS 2013 Convention.

Regards,

Owain

In 1970 Spink & Son Ltd. manufactured 500 “Good or Faithful Service Medal”. The obverse is similar to the reverse of the TOS medal and reads, “عمان ساحل ” (Coast of Oman). The reverse reads “ الولاء ” (Loyalty) although the artwork reads “Devotion”.

This medal referred to by a “Committee to Consider Awards” proposal of circa 1970 as, “The Good Service in The Arabian Gulf Medal” was to be awarded, “to Arabs of any rank serving in the Trucial Oman Scouts and the Abu Dhabi Defence Force. British seconded and contract Officers are also eligible”. Qualification for this medal was to be, “8 years in either the TOS or the ADDF or an accumulation of 8 years in both forces”. Bars for a further 8 or 16 years’ service were to be issued inscribed, “For 16 (or 24) Years Service”. It not known if the medal was awarded as it is not referred to in the UAE Military Awards Ordinances of 1989.

 

Edited January 13, 2018 by oamotme
Add images

[geraldryan]

Very interesting information Owain and thank you. Do you know if any others have turned up? 

[oamotme]

Gerry,

I have one, but they only appear very occasionally - later rather than sooner!

Owain

[Megan]

I have it under Abu Dhabi, being awarded for 8 years' service in, as Owain says, the Abu Dhabi Defence Force.

Nice picture... the image I have is, alas, without ribbon.

[geraldryan]

Thank you for sharing, glad I bought it now!!

[oamotme]

Looking at my records I paid GBP10 to Spink back in October 1992! Tempus fugit......Owain

[geraldryan]

I think inflation has got to mine Owain!! I paid 94 quid which included the postage!!!!

[geraldryan]

Just arrived today. 

Royal Guard of Oman Special Service Medal. Nice example.

[Antonio Prieto]

Royal Commendation Medal

[oamotme]

Good morning,

The 4th Edition of Tinson's book, 2010, refers t this order, 3 classes, as the Sultan's laudatory Order. Instituted in July 2007 after Cyclone Gonu hit Oman. It was first awarded to those who had shown 'extreme dedication' during the post Gonu operations. 

Owain