Nick

Now that is a RAD bar !

Did the full size 12 year medals have devices on the ribbon ?

Thanks for the translation, interesting article.

Lets see some RAD Medal Bars. Here is one of mine.

But it is 100% good

Something not quite right here

My latest bar (thanks to Christian L)

My pair of 10 & 15 year medals

reverse

My latest addition

After my initial posting I decided to try and resolve this issue as I did suspect that the ribbon may have been issued in lieu of the award, some time prior to 45 as the Africa Star was the first specific campaign medal which was awarded along side the 39-54 Star. But I could find no date for it and therefore could not support any such theory. John & Ed has answered the query with the key date of 1943.

So I wasn't so wrong after all. Here is an excerpt from Churchill in PMs question time in Sept 43 the key sentence in bold.

"Service in Cyprus will not qualify for the Africa Star. Malta alone of the Mediterranean islands is included in the award of this Star, by reason of its heavy action and long ordeal in combination with the operations in Africa. In the Navy the 1939-43 Star takes priority of award over the Africa Star, and no one eligible for the former will receive the latter. The reason for this is that, from the naval point of view, service in the African campaigns cannot be accepted as ranking before world-wide services performed by the Navy in other areas of operations....

"When the Africa and 1939-43 Stars are manufactured after the war, they will be given as mementos to the next-of-kin of those who have suffered death as a result of service in a theater of operations during the periods laid down. We are going to get on with the giving-out of the medals. We are not going to delay the issue of the ribbons, but the question is whether some others should come in. There are officers and men, some of whom have been fighting for three years continuously, and who, perhaps, have only a decoration for personal gallantry on their breasts. They will value it very much. We must be careful not to destroy the value of the award by making it practically universal. On the other hand, it may well be that some expansion may be permitted from the present conception. Everyone will recognise the difficulty of the problem, and how easily opinions may differ upon it. I certainly hope the House will be able to find time to discuss this, because we obviously want to make these awards correspond with the general wish and feeling of the country and of the House, which represents the country, and also to make them in a form which will be acceptable to the far more critical opinion of the Fighting Services."

Look forward to reading some more !

But if he died in the crash in 1944?

Teach me not to read the message.

In that case I am just as puzzled as you are

It looks like a 1939-45 Star.

Great impression of Berlin. I was there a couple of years ago and I never got to see half the sights you have shown us. Cheers

The HJ Zeltlager 1934 & Seefahrt both also look bad cast copies to me. Anything you have with that pin configuration is bad in my book. You should also look out for Tieste's Tagungsabzeichen Vol I & II which are the tinnie bibles.

Maybe we should start one here ?

It may very well be that the Freicorps can be generalized as such but I for one would rather see the facts precede the conclusion. The dead can't defend themselves leaving us to talk.

Brian

I agree with you on this point. That?s what the forum is here to do. We are trying to expel myth, stereotyping and generalisation and get to the hard facts. Unfortunately something which is difficult to do when it comes to the Freikorps. There has been far too much history written from the perspective of the rise of the NSDAP. Which is certainly something that elements of the Freikorps helped to achieve, but as Rick points out to the exclusion of all else.

Still a little off topic for Silesian Eagles but not a bad effort on the subject of the Freikorps, although it does suffer from the same generalisation is "The Birth of the Nazis: How the Freikorps blazed a trail for Hitler" by Nigel Jones

Brian I do fail to see why you are so defensive of relatives who are probably long dead, it is not relevant to this discussion. This is a historical forum. ALL of us have relatives that form part of that history, for good or bad. The mere suggestion that members are not able to express their opinion for fear of offending another member, on the basis that they might be related to someone who formed part of that history, is a ludicrous concept. Where would history be if we all took this line? No one would want to discuss anything!

I agree stereotyping is not a good thing and there seems to be a lot of generalisation in linking Freikorps members with the NSDAP. However it is not surprising given that the little historical reference that is out there does just that. That?s why hopefully communities like this can dispel myth and further historical research. Not Suppress it!

As has been pointed out it would be very nice to see a statistical analysis of the percentages to see how many (prominent) members of Freikorps units did go on to join the party. But this is probably an impossible task or at least a lifetimes work.

2,500 US Soldiers Killed, 18,49 Injured in Iraq War, Abu Ayyub Al-Masri Identified to the Media

Nice medal Tom

Any more photos ?

I would certainly like to see some more Waterloo stuff as well as some Naval & Army General Service Medals. One area that I would certainly love to collect, but financially just out of my reach at the moment.

Glad to hear it is still with the family. Long may it remain so. Very very nice.

Some nice photos there Ralph

Cheers

I have merged a couple more photos into this post

Yes I agree it was OK. I much prefer the books. However this epsiode was written for TV and is an amalgamation of Sharpes Tiger and Sharpes Triumph but set in 1817 ! so hence no Obadiah. They have tried to replace his character with a new villian but he just does not carry it off bring, back Pete Postlethwaite !

It is now out also out on DVD.

There was a couple of old characters including Harper and Sir Henry Simmerson. It was the usual good fun but seemed a little tired and a bit cliched.