Paul L Murphy

It could be the LVO since it appears to be enamelled. The MVO is frosted silver.

The right hand column is the name of the maker and the left hand column says Showa Year 14 (which equates to 1939).

Exactly, which is why I ended up not bidding on it ! Most collectors of Royal Navy gallantry groups will not know or care that the Rising Sun is not original to the group. They will have been after the DSM and the story behind it.

Very nice indeed. I wonder are the modern certificates in the rectified name all the time ? The old Indochina era ones certainly were.

This lot was recently sold in a London medal auction and I was lucky enough to be able to handle it at the viewing. I was actually going to bid on it until I handled it, however it was clearly a post war Rising Sun that had been added to the group. Unfortunately you cannot see the reverse in the auction photos, but it had all the characteristics that Dieter has shown on his post war 7th class in earlier posts within this thread.

I agree, this is a higher class of Special Meritorious Member badge. A very nice find, I have never seen one of these before.

The Guards first wore khaki in the Sudan Campaign from memory. I would be pretty certain that what you have is a QEII version of the badge since the Victorian era badges are normally only found on red cloth since they were worn on the full dress uniform then. These currently fetch about £30, assuming they are in good condition. If it has moth damage then the price would drop a lot.

Fundraising in the aftermath of the tsunami. When I was a student in Japan I lived about 60 Kms from the nuclear reactors in Fukushima so I took all of the devestation rather personally since I remember what a lovely place it was, and how lovely and friendly the people were.

Hopefully in November I should be able to advise if the safe pin rosette comes with the modern Red Cross order since I will be awarded the Gold Merit Cross.

Later this year I should be able to show an example of the current issue award since I have been advised by the Japanese Red Cross that I will be awarded the Gold Merit Cross in November. :D

These rarely turn up, well done !

Can you explain what you mean by "civilian ribbon" please ? Are you referring to the little metal and enamel lapel badge that comes with the medal set for wear in civilian clothes ? One of the key factors in the value will be the era of the medals and whether or not they were actually awarded. Hence are there are numbers impressed in the edge of them, are any of them named, and what type of broach they have (these can be used to date them) are all important. If you can get photos posted then we will be better able to help. Cheers, Paul

It is hard to believe that it is already one year since that tragedy struck !

Certificate number 80 ! This is about as early as it gets !

The resolution on the obverse is too low to confirm if it is original. However Canadian stars were not named and I would be very skeptical of any WWII casualty medal which did not come with the official condolence slip (and in the case of a Canadian group with the Memorial Cross to next of kin).