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    Finnish Ribbon Bars circa WW2


    Guest Rick Research

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    Guest Rick Research

    Just got these in minutes ago from my Twin :jumping::jumping::jumping:

    [attachmentid=34545]

    Top row: Cross of Liberty-Military 3rd Class, Cross of Liberty-Military 4th Class, White Rose-(Knight presumably), and last the "Civil Guard Merit Cross"--about which I know absolutely nothing and will look forward to learning about from Jani Tiainen's upcoming Finnish awards book.

    Second row: Cross of Liberty-Military 4th Class (must have been 1941 version), Cross of Liberty-Military 4th Class (must have been 1939 version), Winter War 1939-40 Medal with combatant device

    Third row: Cross of Liberty-Civil 3rd Class (and the less said about award numbers the better :rolleyes::ninja::cheers: ), Cross of Liberty-Military 4th Class.

    Bottom: Cross of Liberty-Military 3rd Class

    Never having had Finnish ribbon bars, only Finnish awards on German ribbon bars, in my sweaty paws before, I was interested in the variety of styles of attachments here. The double pointy single is particularly nasty looking! :speechless1:

    :cat:

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    Mine:

    IPB Image

    1st - Order of the Lion of Finland, Commander 1st Class; Order of the Cross of Liberty 3rd Class with Swords, on the Peacetime Ribbon; Order of the Cross of Liberty 4th Class with Swords, on the War Ribbon.

    2nd - Order of the Cross of Liberty 3rd Class with Swords; Order of the Cross of Liberty 4th Class with Oakleaves; Order of the Cross of Liberty 4th Class with Swords; Winter War Medal; Continuation War Medal.

    3rd - Order of the Cross of Liberty 4th Class with Swords; War of Independence Commemorative Medal; Winter War Medal; Battle of Tampere (1918) Commemorative Medal; Civil Guard Medal of Merit.

    The last one spans both World Wars

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    Guest Rick Research

    The yellow ribbon with 2 red stripes toward the center was used for 3rd and 4th classes "no swords" of the 1939 and 1941 types BUT...

    Jani had a nice set exactly like yours :love::love::love: (wrestling donut suspension on the plain donut ribbon) of the cross AND award document specifying that very combination to some sort of military official, and I think he had the specific numbers of those awarded (but which we never share in public :rolleyes::ninja: ).

    Let's just say: Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. :jumping::jumping::jumping:

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    The yellow ribbon with 2 red stripes toward the center was used for 3rd and 4th classes "no swords" of the 1939 and 1941 types BUT...

    Jani had a nice set exactly like yours :love::love::love: (wrestling donut suspension on the plain donut ribbon) of the cross AND award document specifying that very combination to some sort of military official, and I think he had the specific numbers of those awarded (but which we never share in public :rolleyes::ninja: ).

    Let's just say: Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. :jumping::jumping::jumping:

    Sort of like the non-combatant EK on the combatant ribbon situation we occasionally run into (albeit in reverse).

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    Nice bars, and nice to see this stuff appearing from across the pond too! :beer:

    The Civil Guards (Suojeluskunta, SK) Merit Cross came in three classes, gold, silver and iron. The medal was single class. Only a handful of golden ones was awarded, for Marshall Mannerheim, presidents Svinhufvud, Kallio and Ryti, and naturally the commander of SK, GL Lauri Malmberg. Silver ones were these sort of an 'lounge lizard' awards that were given to those who had donated money or otherwise contributed to the Civil Guards organization or simply had a status high and visible enough. The iron ones on the other hand, were the actual awards for long and meritous service in the organization, or even for heroic deeds performed during the wartime.

    Yellow-red (civil) ribbon w/ swords combination on crosses of liberty is also used to denote awards given for military merits during the peacetime.

    Here's a neat wartime picture of a military chaplain wearing that rare combination. (source: Pohjois-Pohjanmaan Museo, Uuno Laukan Kuva-Arkisto)

    [attachmentid=34568]

    Pete

    Edited by Pete A
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    Guest Rick Research

    Yes, too bad that is tragically spoiled by having that

    German Eagle Order X on there, Daniel. :(

    :jumping:

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    Guest Rick Research

    I am hoping so! I don't have many more GERMAN bars with Finnish awards, so getting these all in a clump (10 years worth at one fell swoop) gives me a spare extra decade to find more, I hope. :rolleyes:

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    • 2 weeks later...
    • 1 month later...
    Guest Rick Research

    33 days for these to arrive from Germany-- though the slothful eBay seller didn't bother to reply until 3 weeks after the sale. :sleep::speechless::shame::o

    [attachmentid=42592]

    I didn't have an initial 1941 Cross of Liberty 2nd Class Military (top bar, 1st ribbon) before, though I had a second award oakleaf for that class on a German ribbon bar.

    The 1940 Summa Cross starting the final pair was another new one for me.

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    Guest Rick Research

    And of course, I could not resist devvvvvvvvvices:

    2nd award of a 4th Class military Cross of Liberty, Commander of the Lion of Finland, and Officer of the White Rose. :love::love::love:

    [attachmentid=42593]

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    Nice additions there, Rick! :beer:

    There are couple of mounting mistakes, though.

    1st from top: the commander's cross of Lion of Finland should be ahead of Crosses of Liberty. Also, this seems to be a upper row only, and so is the one in the middle.

    1st from Bottom: the Summa commemorative should be after the 1939-40 commemorative.

    Pete

    Edited by Pete A
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