James Hoard Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 KIMJ Thanks for posting the miniatures, but they do not seem to correspond fully with the full-size medal bar above. See, for example the Swedish Order of the Polar Star and all the rosettes. The rossettes do broadly correspond to the higher class orders that he is wearing in the portrait, but neither agrees with the full-size bar. Cheers, James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimj Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 No problem Claudio! Sorry, but I don't know what the last three are. My guess would be Swedish/Mexican/South American . That's as close as I would go. I don't have a full list of what he got with me. James, the bar is Thord Gray's. Promise. All of the items are in the hands of the Armémuseum in Stockholm, the national military museum. So my guess is that this is how he wore them his last years. More to see if you go to: http://www.digitaltmuseum.se/ownerInfo.do and type his name. If you type in "medalj" you will see most of the awards at our military museum in Stockholm. Great fun. /Kim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claudio Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thanks Kim for mentioning the link about the virtual photo's inventory of the Army Museum... I found something more... that is interesting: the ribbon bar and some rank insignia... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claudio Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 ...also his Russian General shoulder boards! Lot's of other items in the inventory of the Swedish Army Museum... A very unique and complete group! :speechless1: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TS Allen Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Satisfying to see that most of what this fellow did can be documented! Also, Kimj, is there a chance of getting a higher resolution copy of that picture of him as a White Russian general? If I can, I'd like to save it for future reference, and I'd prefer the best-quality copy of it I can get. Thanks, ~TS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimj Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Sorry TS, the picture is from the museum's webpage and not mine. You can try writing them, they're pretty friendly and helpful. /Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Hello, I wrote the biography of MjGen Ivor Thord-Gray published in Swedish 2008. Now beeing translated to English. His medals are: Great Britain (7) Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal 1880-1897 (Bechuanaland) Queen´s South African Medal (Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittenbergen, Wepener 20/4 1900) King´s South African Medal (South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902) Natal Zulu War Medal (1906) 1914-1915 Star 1920 British War Medal 1920 Victory Medal 1920 Finland (2) Finlands Vita Ros 1935 (White Rose of Finland) Commander 1st class Finlands Skyddskårers Förtjänstmedalj 1934 (Finland National Guard) France (1) Victory Medal 1914-1918 1921 Russia (6) S:t Anne 1st class with swords 1920 S:t Anne 2nd class with swords 1919 S:t Stanislaus 2nd class with swords 1919 S:t Vladimir 3rd class with swords 1920 S:t Vladimir 4th class with swords 1919 Cross of the Order of the Compassionate Heart 1933 Spain (2) Order of Isabella Catolica, Commander 1921 Order of San Ferdinand 1921 Sweden (4) Svärdsorden (Order of the Sword), Commander Great Cross 1934 Nordstjärneorden (Order of the Polar Star), Comm Great Cross 1962 Gustaf V:s Nya Sverigemedalj (New Sweden Medal) 1938 Svenska Brigadens Minnesmedalj (Swedish Brigade Mem.Med) 1918 USA (1) Military Order of Foreign Wars Companions 1929 Best greetings from Stockholm! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Ye gods, that's an impressive bar alright! One question however, i spy two WW1 victory medals there, a British issue with a MID and another one. Was that allowable (Obviously it was, or at least tolerated) and what's the second one? Sam. It is the French WW 1 victory medal issued to him in Paqris 1921. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 No, I don't think, but maybe he got the Finnish order because he fought the reds in 1919. Finland got the indipendence during the same period... Ciao, Claudio He got it for in 1918 have alterered President Wilson´s and USA´s policy towards Finland. His efforts became known in Finland after a long time in the 1930-ies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 (edited) Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. This is all sounding more and more unlikely-- I suspect he was a completely "Self Invented Man." What he is wearing (SIX ribbons!!!!!!) in the photo in British (cap badge, please? ) does not seem to bear any relation to what he supposedly had. Nor do the classes of the Orders bear any relation to his purportedly exalted ranks. I think he was a fairy-tale spinner. Surely somebody with THAT bizarrely exotic a career would have left a considerable "paper trail" than what sounds like an Ickypedia hoax? Google up ANY actual period references, anybody? Uh, "Theodore Roosevelt Division" (WTF?)... Florida (!!! 1935) Uh, "world archery champion?" Uh... banker/archaelogist-- what, no racing car championships or solo around the world flight records? Uh... PhD 1960-- has ANYBODY actually VERIFIED any of this? And, uh, NO-- I don't mean consulting the Ickypediaa hoax. I mean CONTEMPORARY references, in REAL places? Cap badge: Royal Fusiliers also known as London Regiment. Photo as LtCol in USA 1918. Edited October 3, 2009 by Mopsi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 No need to speculate IF it's true. All of what Claudio has written is a case of reality being better than fiction. Thord Gray is well documented professional soldier and if you want hard evidence I recommend the Bojerud book (unfortunately only in Swedish). Or a trip to the archive i Stockholm, Krigsarkivet. I'm sure they will be more than happy to help. Here's a pic of him as a White Russian General, from the Armémuseum collection. /Kim The oil painting was made in 1933 when Thord married Alice Winnifred Ingersoll (of Ingersoll-Rand family). One of hes relatives said to me: "Thord was wealthy, but Winnifred owned half of USA". They lived in Greenwich, Conn, but in wintertime in Florida. Check out "Thord-Gray Memorial Fund" and you will see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TS Allen Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Does anyone have more information on exactly where he wintered in Florida? I've got connections, direct or indirect, at many of the museums around this, my home state. ~TS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Does anyone have more information on exactly where he wintered in Florida? I've got connections, direct or indirect, at many of the museums around this, my home state. ~TS 1935-1945 he stayed in Roney Plaza Hotel in Miami. 1940-1944 he built an estate named Grayvik and lived there to 1952 when Grayvik was partially destroyed by a storm. Grayvik was in 1956 sold to Baker´s of Ocean Reef. In 1952 he moved to Coral Gables. The adress is 6800 Riviera Drive. The house is still extant. Grayvik was later expanded to a whole community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. This is all sounding more and more unlikely-- I suspect he was a completely "Self Invented Man." What he is wearing (SIX ribbons!!!!!!) in the photo in British (cap badge, please? ) does not seem to bear any relation to what he supposedly had. Nor do the classes of the Orders bear any relation to his purportedly exalted ranks. I think he was a fairy-tale spinner. Surely somebody with THAT bizarrely exotic a career would have left a considerable "paper trail" than what sounds like an Ickypedia hoax? Google up ANY actual period references, anybody? Uh, "Theodore Roosevelt Division" (WTF?)... Florida (!!! 1935) Uh, "world archery champion?" Uh... banker/archaelogist-- what, no racing car championships or solo around the world flight records? Uh... PhD 1960-- has ANYBODY actually VERIFIED any of this? And, uh, NO-- I don't mean consulting the Ickypediaa hoax. I mean CONTEMPORARY references, in REAL places? World archery champion Pinehurst North Carolina 5th Feb 1927. The bank I.T.Gray & Co was situated 522 Fifth Avenue New York in a house owned by JP Morgan. His book om Mexican archeology was bublished by Tisells Tekniska Förlag in Stockholm 1923. No racing cars. To the best of my knowledge he had no drivers license. But the was local racehorse champion in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore 1912, but his horse "Revolution" was injured in 1913. No flight records. I beleive he never entered an aircraft. He travelled by boat and train. 1897-04-27 Enlisted Cape Mounted Riflemen (CMR) 1902-07-18 Corporal South African Constabulary (SAC) 1902-10-31 Warrant Officer South African Constabulary (SAC) 1903-02-13 Lieutenant South African Constabulary (SAC) 1903-07-18 Lieutenant Lydenburg Militia 1904 Captain Lydenburg Militia 1906-04-24 Lieutenant Royston´s Horse (RH) 1906-07-24 Captain Royston´s Horse (RH) 1906-11-12 Captain Nairobi Mounted Police 1907-12-18 Captain Philippine Constabulary 1913-12-09 Captain CO Pancho Villa´s Artillery 1913-12-25 Major CO Mexican Cavalry Training School 1914-03-10 Lieutenant-Colonel CO 2nd Cavalry Regiment 1914-04 Colonel COS to General Obregon 1914-06-05 Colonel COS 1st Mexican Army 1914-10-28 Major 3rd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (NF) 1914-11 Major 2/C 15th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (NF) 1915-05-01 Major CO 15th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (NF) 1915-06-18 Lieutenant-Colonel CO 11th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (NF) 1916-02-11 Lieutenant-Colonel CO 1/26th Bn Royal Fusiliers (RF) 1918-10-24 Lieutenant-Colonel Canadian Expeditionary Force to Siberia (CEF-S) 1919-02-18 Colonel Imperial Russian Army 1919-05-27 Colonel 2/C 1st Siberian Assault Division 1919-10 Colonel COS Transbaikal Cossacks Army Corps 1919-11-29 Major-General Russian Gov:t High Representative in Vladivostok 1935-04-08 Major-General Florida State Militia, USA 1935-04-10 Major-General COS to Governor David Scholz, Florida Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Russian MjGen. Photo 1920. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 US MjGen 1935. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Ivor Thord-Gray appointed Major-General in Russia 1919. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 LtCol Northumberland Fusiliers 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Hi Vinland30, The medal bar is not mine... I just took a picture at the Swedish Army museum in Stockholm: since the complete uniform and the medal bar of this officer is there on a temporary exposition, I guess the group probably came just on loan from the family or from a private collector. Ciao, Claudio The medals and other items related to Ivor Thord-Gray (originally Tord Ivar Hallström) were 30th September 1993 donated to the Army Museum in Stockholm by the Hallström family through MjGen Arne Hallström. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 With Mrs Marguriete Wenner-Gren and an unknown SgtMjr. Armistice Day 11th November 1934, Hotel Ritz, New York. Thord is wearing uniform as LtCol Northumberland Fusiliers. He was recomissioned in the British Army on the unemployed list in 1921. London Gazette 21st March 1921. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 An unusual duel between arrow and revolvers. New York 24th January 1927. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Thords house, North Street, Greenwich, Connecticut. He owned it 1934-1964. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Thords winter estate Grayvik with his private harbour. He lived there 1944-1952. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claudio Posted October 4, 2009 Author Share Posted October 4, 2009 @ Mopsi: Thanks for your great additions! What an eventful and exciting military life and career had Mr. Thord-Gray... Ciao, Claudio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopsi Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Documents on Ivor Thord Gray. ROYAL LIBRARY (KUNGLIGA BIBLIOTEKET) STOCKHOLM Acc 1998/18:1 Part 1: 8 volumes correspondance, approx 1 000 letters. Part 2: Unpublished memoires compiled by MjGen Arne Hallström. Part 3: 11 volumes documents and photos. Part 4: 3 volumes newspaper articles. RESEARCH LIBRARY,UMEÅ UNIVERSITY Archieves of his father August Reinhold Hallström with letters from Thord. Archieves of sister-in-law Signe Hallström with letters from Thord. ROYAL ARMY MUSEUM STOCKHOLM 2 volumes documents and photos. Medals, uniforms e t c. BRITISH NATIONAL ARCHIEVES (WAR RECORDS OFFICE) 208 documents plus medal roll CANADIAN NATIONAL ARCHIEVES Documents regarding Thord in Canadian Expeditionary Force to Siberia FBI ARCHIEVES, USA 2 investigation reports about Thord as suspected German spy. Thord was in fact a fairy-tale-spinner. In summertime he and his wife spent some months in Furusund, Stockholm archipelago. There he lived next door to author Astrid Lindgren of "Pippi Longstockings" fame. Thord inspired her to some of her children´s books. Astrid Lindgren loved Thord, but also had a neurotic relation. He had such a loud voice that everybody in Furusund could hear where he was on a certain moment. He also inspired Edgar Rice-Burroughs to the legend of Tarzan. The description of Tarzan´s father, Lord Graystroke, fits in to Thord. There is a book in Swedish documenting Thords Tarzan-connection. The title translated reads "The man who found Tarzan". Thord initially from 1897 wrote his name Grey, but later before WW 1 altered it to Gray. The double name Thord-Gray he adopted in 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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