Paul L Murphy

It is still awarded but now you get a "certificate" which is in metal on a wooden background. It is actually a very nice thing to hang on the wall. The only actual medal which the Japanese Red Cross now awards is the gold version of the Merit Cross.

This is an original piece, but it is a post war example. A nice award, unfortunately no longer bestowed in medal form.

The style of the document is the same as the 1978 document. The earlier documents from the 60s have a different design. I also have another of this design document with another group which is also dated in the late 70s, hence I am confident about the period but not the exact year. I find these are very addictive since they are so attractive to look at. :cheers:

I know, the problem is it does not say the year in which it was awarded. I suspect it is from the 70s.

Many thanks for that information, very interesting. I have a number of groups to Germans who served in the Legion in Indochina and Algeria. Most are obviously to people who joined for economic reasons post 1946 but there are some who are to former Wehrmacht soldiers who joined in late 45 and early 46 where I would have thought the use of an alias could have come in handy. In every case, however, the names on all the French paperwork are the same throughout, and the same as the names on their earlier WWII era German medal certificates so I can be sure it is the real name. Interesting why they never used an alias ! Once I get round to taking decent photos of them I will post them here. Some of them are fascinating groups, and some of the recipients certainly look like hard men. Paul

Interesting document, thanks for sharing it. Do you recall, if you got any certificates or citations before rectification were they in your true name or your alias ? The reason I ask is that all of the Legion groups in my collection have documents which were in people's true name for their entire career, and some of these guys would probably have found an alias useful (Germans enlisting in 1946 with some interesting German documents alongside their French ones). :cheers:

I suspect he was something to do with music or the performing arts. Given his rank he would have been pretty senior in whatever military band he lead. Does anyone know the rank of the leader of the Red Army Band since that could be a useful benchmark ?

And finally an undated document but most likely from the 1970s.

More of the same, this time from 1987.

Next is from 1980. Another variation on a familiar military theme.

Next is from 1978, still showing missiles and tanks but a bit more subdued.

Still using the same design in 1974, but with very slight printing changes.

Next is a much nicer document from 1970. Lots of military hardwear in show on this one.

Next up is a rather plain design from 1970.

Next up we have a nice document from October 1966 with both Marx and Lenin.

Thought I would share this group with you. The documents are beautiful and can still be found cheaply in Ismailovsky market in Moscow, although there were less when I visited the last time compared to a couple of years ago. All are to Major V K Beev. The first document is from December 1963.

Many thanks, this is very helpful. :cheers:

Is anyone able to assist in identifying the unidentified ribbons in this topic ?? http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30584 All assistance gratefully received. Paul

The cap badge is similar to a late WWII piece which I have. I beleive it is from the 1940s to early 60s period. I love these earlier silver ones, they are such nicer quality than the modern pieces in base metal. The Navy Cross has a wrap broach which suggests it is 40s or 50s as well. A very nice pair. Does your brother need any more relatives :cheeky:

It is some type of nursing badge (that is what the large character in the middle means). The box has a date but the first few characters are blurred, it might be Showa Year 10 (1935) but I am not sure. The style of the badge is consistent with the 30s. The top three characters on the badge are the name of a prefecture, from memory it is Hyogo Prefecture. This is the prefecture which contains Kobe. Not military, most likely for a nurse in a prefectural hospital at that time.

Spare Time I remember having some of that a few years ago, but only vaguely remember what it felt like ! Joking aside, I am still looking for a few more certificates before I am happy that I have everything needed to do a proper job on the subject. I hope to be able to start the actual writing of it early next year. Finishing it ........ how long is a piece of string ? :cheers:

10,000 were made, most of which were subsequently destroyed. A small number were awarded to wounded soldiers before the Japanese surrender and a small number were pilfered by the US soldiers who were tasked with destroying them. One of the latter was given to the ANS in 1946 and is the medal to which Paul Wood refers above. I was the purchaser. I have posted pictures of it in another topic in the Japanese section of this forum. Regards, Paul

Next up is a modern pair of Italian Army Engineering Corps metal collar badges. At EUR 4 for the pair I could not really say no.

Next up a nice post WWII US Air Corps ribbon bar. I ned help with the last two ribbons. I presume the plane blue ribbon is n Italian AL Valore Militaire (given that I found it in Rome) but the final ribbon eludes identification. It is red with a brownwish centre stripe and what looks like a Belgian crown. Any ideas anyone ?

Here are a few items I picked up in Rome over the weekend. The first is very nice Italian ribbon bar. Any help in identifying the blanks is appreciated as always. What I have is Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Republic (pre 2001); Officer's 25 Year Service Cross Unidentified; Silver Merit Medal of the Italian Red Cross; Donat's Cross of the Order of Malta; Unidentified; Order of the Holy Sepulchre (not sure what class); Order of St Gregory (not sure what class)