Jacky

So no order of the african star is noted, but indeed the african service star, which is another decoration in the shape of a star, please see hendrik's site As the text below says, he should then have been there before 1910, as they got two grades after that time being. "The Silver Service Star Instituted on 16 January 1889 for award to those that fulfilled their tour of duty in Congo loyally and with honour. Per tour of duty (3 years) a silver bar was attached on the ribbon. The Silver Service Star (30 mm) was awarded between 1889 and 1910 when it was replaced by the 2nd type Silver and Gold Service Stars. The 1910 Silver and Gold Service Stars Instituted on 28 November 1910, this decoration (40mm) was awarded, as was its predecessor (see previous), for 3 years of service in Congo. Each additional period of entitled the recipient to a silver bar on the ribbon. In 1956, the reverse text was changed to a bilingual one. At the same time a Gold Service Star was created for 10 years of service in Congo, each additional 2 years of service giving the right to wear a gilt bar on the ribbon. This Gold Star has enamelled centres, the obverse with the royal cypher instead of the five-pointed star. Under King Leopold III, with Royal Decrees of 1936 and 1937, the service periods for the stars and their bars were increased to finally 15 years for the Gold Star and a first bar after 20 years, 3 years of service for the Silver Star, its first bar after two more years and a second bar after a total of 10 years of service. It is never allowed to wear both a Silver and a Gold Star together." But I'm also intersted in the abbreviations of this man, could anyone give me a list with the abbreviations so I can translate it myself or just translate the whole list if it's not too much of an effort? Kind regards and thanks in advance, Jacky

I'm not really into austrian ODM, but will try to give the first shot. 1 2 3 Karls truppen cross (canon cross) 4 Signum Memoriae medal 5 6 Austria recommemorative medal for the great war 7 Tirol recommemorative medal for the great war 8 Hungaria Recommemorative medal for the great war 9 recommemorative medal for the great war 10 Legion d'honneur same applies to this one as with the order of the black star of benin (see below) 11 Order of the black star of benin, can't make out the colour, if it's silver then it's the chevalier (knight) otherwise, if gold the officers grade 12 13 officer of the order of leopold II belgium 14 This is indeed the hindenburg cross with swords for combattants.

in english; resistance memorial cross new Guinee cross mobilisation cross 1940 Cross for justice and freedom Long service medal in gold (36 years) Ascension medal 1980 (beatrix) four day march medal (1x) Italian medal ??? UN medal for corea Corean commemorative medal together with an US close combat badge and presidential unit citation. Also corean presidential unit citation.

I think that every thing is fine, as we are admiring the beauty and history of the orders, decorations and/or medals! But the main point of re-enactment/recombining medals is what happens thereafter, As long as no original bars, ribbons, groups etc etc have been hurt, I don't see any problem with using them for your own bars, and if you can clearly see that the bar is not an original group but put together, I'm sure that no-one will feel hurt by your efforts! At last, I have to say I like your displays! Kind regards Jacky

Then, another suprise today!! A commander of the houseorder of orange, also on marktplaats.... Very rare to see one, at this moment, the highest offer is 400 euro's, but I suspect that the price will rise very very soon!

Today I found an incomplete bar on marktplaats, ie only the ribbons, Now I'm wondering what it could mean!! blue with yellow stripes: Knight of the dutch lion. Orange: due to it's postion I would think its the dutch house order of orange. Orange with 3 blue stripes; ascension medal of her majesty Beatrix Green with 1 white stripe; Order of the golden palm of suriname. Orange with rosette: officer of the house order of orange ??? But then, why on this position? Blue with 1 grey stripe; militairy penthatlon cross. The orange ribbons are quite strange!! if one assumes that the first one is the house order, then what is the 5th one? Assuming that the first one is a long service award would be very very strange, because this would imply that the receipment was a non-commissioned officer or soldier for at least 12 years. Which is absolutely nonsens in connection with the knight of the dutch lion and the house order... Who can solve this for me, or at least shed some light on this case???

All I can say at the moment is that this is quite an old design as the crown is hinged from the top of the swords.

Yes, you will have to ask Rick Research or some other members who are also "book-wurms" no pun intended

Hello Mark, Thanks for your pictures, I see you have more nice uniforms dressed up! Would you mind opening your own showcase on this site and show off all your uniforms?? Concerning the Italian order, it appears to be upside down? Kind regards, Jacky

Hello Mark, That's why I thought that it was the Red Eagle Order, the middle stripe on the ribbon is quite correct for the RAO, as are the two darker stripes. as this is a black-white picture, it's not easy to recognise the decorations, but metal arms, enamelled center and the ribbon, makes me thinking about the RAO. Hi mark, we're talking about the same class, it's just a matter of naming the class The correct name for the dutch order would be (translated) Grand Officer in the order of Orange Nassau. We call it "Groot officier van Oranje Nassau" in the Netherlands, we don't know any commander 1st class or what so ever, we just have the member, knight, officer, commander, grand officer and knight grand cross for the order of Orange Nassau. Kind regards, Jacky

Very nice, the USA are really awarding a large bunch of medals for civilians. But I'm wondering what the requirements are for those medals? Kind regards, Jacky

Hi rod, what you could do is to look for slight wears on the chain, if they're there, let's say after every 2 buttons on the chain, there was a decoration, if you would look for wear on the chain, you might notice if any miniature have been removed from this chain. But it's a very nice chain! Kind regards, Jacky

Could be red eagle? or st georges cross, the first is german the second russian, the stripes on the ribbon in the middel appears to be too broad, thus my first guess would be red eagle. But the order of the netherlands is not the commander 1st class, but the grand officer kind regards, Jacky

You found the medals loose and had them remounted? Which explains the courtmounting style, very unusual for french and belgian groups. Normally they would have been worn in the swingstyle, which is still used in france. Nice groups! Kind regards, Jacky

Indeed, very nice, I like groups where a bunch of foreign (for them ) had been thrown in. So belgians with english/french what ever medals are always nice to see, but vice versa too!! Very nice groups! A very striking aspect is that both groups are court mounted, a very english way of mounting!!

He looks quite sad on them, which is absolutely right as copies are nothing less than copies.... if he ever get his medals back, I would say put them away and use these copies! I wish him much luck and strength! Kind regards, Jacky

It would have been easier if they had a picture of his bar or just described his medals and given us the name & number which would be on the edge of the medal........ Sadly this isn't the case. But really crap that they needed it to rob an old man who had fought for our freedom, also of the robbers.... SHAME SHAME SHAME I readed another topic about caning little girls who had spoilt a memorial for ANZAC with disgusting text's and utter nonsense, but I think that these thiefs deserve the caning even more!! Perhaps we should cane the flesh of their backs!! Might have became too hotheaded with this sentence, then, please forgive me. Will have to stay calm and beware my temper.

Hi all, Lately I found a silver japanese membership medal, sadly lacking a ribbon. Could one of you provide me with a ribbon?? I will, of course, pay for it. Will try to rinse the black stuff off it, then I will take a picture. Kind regards, Jacky

Concerning your grand-commanders badge, what you called the Commander 1st class of Orange Nassau. If he was still militairy at that time, he would certainly have been awarded the grand commander with swords! In any civic attire, simply the grand commander (with leaves instead of swords) Kind regards, Jacky

Nice bar!! Had the bar be remounted with new ribbons?? It looks quite new ?nd nice! Kind regards, Jacky

Correct, both the way the medalbar was made up with the prussian way (ribbons in U-shape) whereas the austrians had their ribbons trifolded. I think that SPM is correct with the militar verdienst kruez (austrian war merit cross) Concerning the Iron cross etc, I would think that this war merit cross would be with war decoration. It's the most common combination encountered. Kind regards, Jacky

Red Cross group found on MarktPlaats Silver Commemorative cross 1939-1940 Loyal Service medal for 10 years, with clasp 20 years Commemorative cross 1940 - 1945 Communal decoration of the muncipation of Wassenaar. Together with the bar are also the ribbonbars.

Hi Jerome, The first answer would be yes as the maltese cross is also visible below his belt. The second would be NO as it's a red eagle without swords. Kind regards, Jacky

This picture is quite funny, if you can translate the name of the sender, you might find out who the man on the front is... As the receipment of the card is a zahlmeister, not necessarily the man on the front.

I would suppose that he's belgian as he wears the leopold commemorative medal... If I'm correct, this medal was only awarded to belgians, not foreigners. Besides that, he appears also to wear a long service medal. Thus this makes Leopold I knight, Long service medal, commemorative medal Leopold I. I really thinks that he's actually Belgian. Kind regards, Jacky