Paul L Murphy

This is one of my favourite groups awarded for fighting against the Japanese (Yes, I sit on both sides of the fence). It consists of a Indian Distinguished Service Medal, 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, War Medal, India War Medal and Western Command India Small Arms Association Silver Shooting Medal. They were awarded to Havlidar Harhabahadur Limbu of the 1/7 Gurkha Rifles. The citation for the IDSM is dated LG 28/10/42 and reads : - This NCO was the Pl Hav of the left Pl in the counter attack by B Coy 1/7 GR at Kyaukse on 29 Apr 42. This platoon was to cross a stretch of open ground to gain a road which was known to be held by the enemy. He was seen to dash across the open and threw grenades into a culvert with great effect killing at least 4 Japs. After leading his sec over the open, he went over the ?????? To which the road ran within 50 yards of the enemy and threw grenades into a nullah which was the only covered line for the enemy withdrawal. He then came back for more grenades and again went over. Throughout the action he showed great bravery and controlled his men well, using his initiative to great effect and was instrumental in causing heavy casualties upon the enemy. This action took place as the Allied forces were retreating from the advancing Japanese. The action action at Kyaukse is described by General Slim in Defeat into Victory (pages 84 to 86) as follows : In Kyaukse, we found 48 Brigade settled into a strong defensive position. The small town had been badly bombed and burnt out; many of its inhabitants with their cattle were lying dead in the streets. It was surrounded by paddy fields giving a good field of fire, but there were banana groves and some thick jungle on the banks of the river that ran round the southern and western outskirts. Brigadier Cameron, commanding 48 Brigade, had four weak battalions of Gurkhas, twelve guns, a troop of anti-tank two-pounders, and some Sappers, in all about eighteen hundred men. He was not strong enough to occupy the whole of the long pagoda-dotted ridge that ran out from the town to the east, but in true mountain warfare style he had placed picquets along it. While we were there, the last of the Chinese, footsore stragglers, were being passed through. Cameron had infantry in lorries and a few tanks well to the flanks and to the south to help bring in 63 Brigade, due that night, and to ambush any Japanese who might follow. I left feeling 48 Brigade would give a good account of itsel? It did. During the night, 63 Brigade with its tanks came through and moved on to hold the Myitnge crossings. Early on the 29th, flank patrols had brushes with armed Burmans and rescued more Indian refugees, but not before some had suffered atrocities. There was a brisk little action between our own and Japanese tanks, some ten miles down the main road, in which one enemy tank was destroyed and ours were bombed from the air. However, with the arrival of large Japanese reinforcements, our detachments fell slowly back to Kyaukse. At 2200 hours in bright moonlight, the Japanese launched a fierce attack on our positions astride the road. The Gurkhas held their fire until their yelling assailants were a hundred and fifty yards away and then let them have it. The attack withered away, leaving many dead. At midnight, a Japanese column of motor transport and bullock carts blundered almost on to our defences, and was heavily shelled and mortared. Half an hour later another attack was met with close-range fire and destroyed. At 0515 hours next morning in pitch darkness, a third attack was flung back in confusion. At dawn on the 30th April, tanks and Gurkhas sallied out and cleared a burnt-out village in front of our lines. Many Japanese in it were killed and several mortars and light automatics captured. The Gurkhas were particularly pleased at trapping thirty-eight of the enemy who had taken refuge in a culvert under the road. The enemy belonged to the 18th Division-one we had not previously met. The general opinion in 48 Brigade was that, compared with their old opponents, the 33rd Division, these newcomers were much inferior in both courage and fighting skill. The Japanese throughout the day shelled our positions heavily but not very effectively, except Brigade Headquarters which they appeared to have located exactly. It was clear during the 30th that the whole 18th Division was deploying for a renewal of the attack and that the usual out-flanking movements were starting. The brigade was, therefore, ordered to withdraw through 63 Brigade that night. At 1530 hours yet another attack was repulsed, at 1700 hours our men were dive-bombed but suffered no casualties, and at 1800 hours they pulled out covered by one battalion and some tanks. 48 Brigade embussed in the dark a few miles up the road and then went straight through, across the Ava bridge to Myinmu. The action at Kyaukse was a really brilliant example of rearguard work. It not only enabled the last of the Chinese to cross the Ava bridge without molestation and gave us all a breathing space, but it inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy at extremely small cost to ourselves. What I particularly like about this is that the specific small unit action is mentioned in the book written by the army commander. How often does that happen !

Finally for today, the combatant and non combatant versions of the Wound Badge.

Next we have the female version of the Show Enthronement Medal.

Next up, two different versions of the Red Cross medal for the 1904-05 Russo Japanese War. The Geneva Cross version is very scarce, the other suspender (which reads Commemorative) is scarce.

This is the most common version of the Merit Medal. It is the version with a dark blue ribbon and is asingle bar award, ie. a first award.

This is the Korean First National Census Commemorative Medal. Only the reverse inscription differentiates it from the more common Japanese version. This version is quite scarce.

Moving across to the Japanese puppet state of Inner Mongolia. This is their National Foundation Commemorative Medal. A nice scarce and little known award.

This unofficial medal was issued to his troops by General Homma for the capture of the Philippines. Officers received it in silver and everyone else received the bronze version shown here. Very few of these troops made it back alive to Japan so the survival rate of these unofficial medals is low.

Next up a rare medal that most collectors have never seen. This is the China Incident Commemorative Medal. It is the medal which was given to Chinese collaborators and others who were not eligible to receive the China Incident War Medal. Given that the war Medal was dished out to everyone, recipients of this one were few and far between, and unlikely to hold onto it after the Japanese defeat !

Moving back to Japan proper, this is the Capital Rehabilitation Medal which was awarded to those who took part in the reconstruction of Tokyo after the Great Kanto Earthquake.

Next up the Manchurian National Shrine Foundation Commemorative Medal.

Next up, and still in Manchuria, we have the Border Incident Commemorative Medal. This was awarded for the fighting on the Chinese Mongolian border in 1938.

Going one lower, we have the 8th Class of the Auspicious Clouds. Same design as previous only this time in silver, rather than with a gilt finish. This is a nice salty one that I picked up in a Kyoto flea market.

Moving back to Manchuria for the next award, this is the Order of the Auspicious Clouds 7th Class.

One of the medal groups in my collection is an interesting group to the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots. It is a WWI War Medal, Victory Medal, GV Army LS&GC Medal and a GV Meritorious Service Medal all on nicely worn ribbons (unmounted) named to 5918 WO CL 2 G.F. Archibald 2/Royal Scots. They came together with a 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and WWII War Medal on new ribbons and when I bought them (a good few years ago) the seller advised that he believed Archibald had served with the Royal Scots in Hong Kong and was entitled to the three WWII medals as a result. Is anyone able to confirm or deny this particular rumour since there is no paperwork with them to verify the entitlement ??

Ed, I'm not sure. Poo can be pretty bad, especially when it comes shooting out of the end of a 13 month old baby !

To illustrate what I mean, here is the genuine Manchurian Enthronement Commemorative Medal whose obverse has been stolen for this monstrosity.

Paddywhack, afraid to say it is a piece of poo. It is about as appealing as the very toxic nappy my 13 month old daughter created for me when I was on babysitting duty this evening. There is a huge variety of this stuff coming out of China. Genuine Imperial Chinese / Manchurian / Korean medals were well made and die struck from good quality metals. This crap is cast or poorly struck from cheap bronze. Also the obverses and reverses are often unrelated to each other but unless you can read Chinese that is not much help. In general, stay a mile away from anything that looks like this.

It just gets worse and worse

Hi paddywhack, no problem at all.

This is a fake. There is a huge range of this crap coming out of China for the past couple of years. You can buy them in Shanghai for US$1 per piece. Paddywhack has posted a similar medal in another forum and asked the same questions, where it was also identified as a fake, so I presume this was to get a second opinion ? The second opinion, well it is still fake.

Go on show the certificates, you know you want to It should be a Golden Kite 7th Class and either a Rising Sun or Sacred Treasure 8th Class to a Senior Infantry Private for the Russo Japanese War. I love these sets when the soldiers went to the expense of buying these large storage boxes (they are private purchase items not government issue as some e-bay sellers try to claim). It shows that the original owner was proud of what he obtained and makes it that little bit more important to keep everything together in good condition. Unfortunately in Japan you normally find these boxes split away from the certificates which is why I try to buy such compelte sets any time I find them. Having said all that ....... show us the certs

My money is on sake cups......really really nice sake cups ...... Bye the way, you have some nice boxes around it, is the Russo Japanese War box to the left full or empty ?

The exact Russian wording (sorry I do not know how to type in Cyrillic on a non Russian keyboard) is Frontovuich Koncertnuich Brigad.

Hi Christian, The only information I have about the Concert Front is that basically it was organised by the Ministry of Culture to ensure that the officers and troops were properly entertained. The Bolshoi Theatre was responsible for organising it and the various theatres and conservatoires had to contribute. Unfortunately I do not have any details of the awards given to members but Zvyagina received the Red Star and the Medal for Military Service. Best regards, Paul