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    belgoman

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    1. Hallo, the first lapel badge is the old one from the Belgian veterans association of para-commandos, address 46 rue du Châtelain in Brussels. Friendly yours
    2. A fine day to all the members.

      I Wonder if any one can give me more détails about the medals (and association) from the ALLIED RESISTANTS AND COMBATANTS ASSOCIATION,

      I already known a neck-badge and two medals but have NO information about the association self :(

      Thanks,

      JP

       

       

    3. hello, I guess the date is when he owner got the brassard and Harsin is a small village in the south of Belgium. Probably both penned on the badge as a souvenir... best regards
    4. Hallo saxcob, I think that it is correct. The non official medal from the" société des blessés de septembre" is the model (with king Léopold head) and was, according to my info, given between 1830 and 1834. An other model of this medal has the date 1830 instead of the king's head. A fine painting you have there. Best regards, Belgoman
    5. dear gentlemen, very interesting medal ...and as you stated, it is not according the official pattern...but it exists One can imagine different theories to explain this : - a manufacturer got short of the "official medallions" and used those for the war cross 14-18, knowing that very few people would notice. - a veteran of King Albert 1st wanted to express his attachment by having the medallions changed - a veteran of Belgian Congo did not want to have the Léopold 2 medallions because he did not agree with the policy of Léopold II in Congo -aso.... If I am not mistaken, the brass color of both medal and medallions is the same, so it had to be done in a manufactory and is not a home made personal change... All by all, an interesting medal. Best regards
    6. hello, the smaller one is issued by the association of volunteers (Fédération nationale des Volontaires de guerre) and thus is a non-official item. Hope this helps, best regards
    7. hello, this is an armband ( brassard in French) worn by the Belgian résistance at the end of WW2, while participating to the liberation of our country. This pattern was worn by the "Front de l'Indépendance" movement but also by the movements that had no proper insignia... The printed badges were sewed on an armband made of till. Hope this helped... best regards
    8. Hello gentlemen, allow me to give a few facts : a) cross was created 13 November 1947 b) each star = 6 months imprisonment c) the stars are, according to the Decree, "fixed on a silvered horizontal bar". But some vets preferred to fix the stars directly on the ribbon. Just a matter of price as the stars where cheaper than the bars d) the centre medallions are not supposed to swirl or turn. Usually they are fixed with sealing wax (red or black) put into the centre space between the arms of the cross... and to help the medallion to stay into position, a small loop (or 2 small bars) is fixed at the back of the medallion and pressed into the hot wax. Once the wax is cold, the loop (or bars) is cached and the medallion fixed into position. But sometimes the manufacturer used not enough wax or it crimped...and the medallions begin to turn. d) has the crosses are made by different manufacturers, at least 4 varieties are known with small detail differences. Hope this helps. Kind regards, Belgoman
    9. Hi to all, answering a question from Jef posted 20/02/2012. You'll find enclosed 3 pictures linked to that subject. 1 : a group for WW1 2 : a similare medal as the one shown in the previous post 3 : a medal also given by the carabiniers regiment... Other similar items have been seen offered by regiments (and surely the Karabiniers) when a soldier got a citation, or as shooting price, or, for special occasions... this to improve the regimental spirit... The one shown by Jef seems to be one similar to the n° 2 I show. I suppose that the American Red Cross, at the end of the War, wanted to mark its "admiration" for the courage of Belgian soldiers and decided to offer small medals as a token of appreciation. Somehow as the Russian Tolstoï medal... It is then not abnormal that the gift from the Red Cross was engraved in the medal on the reverse...the obverse being used for the earned citation... hope this helps, belgoman
    10. Hallo TacHel, and right you are, these decorations are present in about all good Belgian collections... as in mine By the way, some members of the Armed forces wear the service ribbon on their uniform just after their military decorations...even if it is not really official, it is generally tolerated...as the Red Cross is non political, neutral, aso..... After the 1st world war,a number of these decorations have been awarded to British nurses also to recognize their work in the hospitals. So, all the best for your collection, best regards
    11. Hallo TacHel, both items are from post ww1 period unless your 1st class ribon has a roset on it. If not,then it is surely post ww1. The difference in crowns has nothing to do with the different kings, they are just from different makers. Yet the crown type of your 1st class is older than the other one. These medals are given by the Belgian Red Cross and are not official decorations as Jef said correctly, and not supposed to be worn on military uniforms. kind regards, JP.
    12. Hallo Graf, the Belgian specialist Guy Deploige mentionned in an other forum these elements for Wolfers. freely translated : "the Wolfers Company was in business : G. Wolfers circa 1840 till circa 1870 G. Wolfers et Fils (guilaume and Gustave) from circa 1870 till 1888 Gustave Wolfers / Maison Gve Wolfers from 1888 till 1930 Maison Gustave Wolfers S.A. from 1830 till 1960 Ancienne Maison G. Wolfers from 1960 till 1975 end of the Wolfers Company ".. So the mark you show us is probably from 1888 till 1930, but more certainly after WW1). For as far that I know, the Wolfers dit put a medallion at the back of the gd cross and gd officer "plaques", but just the belgian silver mark for the smaller decorations (and generally on the suspension ring). You can also find usefull information on : http://www.modernsilver.com/marchupdate/WolfersFreres.htm Best regards, JP
    13. hallo gents, the bronze medal is indeed not so common. One af the reasons is that you can generally get the 2nd class Médaille du travail (labour medal) after 25 years of labour, and the 1st class after 30 years. After 35 years you can get the gold medal of the Ordre de la Couronne... After 30 years sometimes the silver medal (generally for long service in the army). The ministeries now even do not mention any longer the number of years of service needed for a bronze medal. So why would anyone bother for a bronze medal??? Second reason is that these decorations are generally offered by the employers for long service in their company. As they have to pay for the medals they offer, they prefer to offer them to staff that worked long in the company, let us say after 25 years at least! So no one is presenting an employee before 25 years labour...and then they ask for the 2nd class Médaille du Travail. Third reason : I was told (but was never confirmed) that the bronze medal was more intended for labourers in Belgian Congo...and that Belgians really did not care to ask these medals for the natives... sorry. By the way, the bronze medal exists is various bronze tints going from yellowish brass to red tinted brass... The darker ones are generally the oldest ones... Some have been varnished to reduce possible oxydation (as can be seen in Jame's post) Hope this could help you all. Regards, JP
    14. Hallo Mervyn Mitton, thanks for your kind answer. I now know what I have to look for. I'll see if Spinks can help me with one of these top inner bars... Once again THANKS; KIND REGARDS, jp
    15. good evening gentlemen, and once again thanks to QSAMIKE for his kind reaction. Having no further answers to my question, I suppose I'll have to stay with my ribbon without the correct fitting. regards, JP
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