Megan

C'est rien

Look at the bottom right of the 'Reply to this topic' box: you'll see the 'Post' button and next to it a 'More Reply Options' one. Click on that. Now you will see below the 'Attach Files' options. Use the 'Browse' button to find the image you want on your computer. Then click on 'Attach This File'. Once you have done this you will see a thumbnail of the image. To the right of it you see a link 'Add to Post' - click on that the insert the image... it will go wherever you have the insertion point, you may need to click in the right place in the reply text box before clicking on Add to Post to get it where you want it.

Apparently Cameron has just announced that he will recommend to HM The Queen that a new medal be established to award to those who have gone to West Africa to help deal with the Ebola epidemic. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31133815

Indeed I would - John, may I use the image (with acknowledgement of course) on my website, please?

That's fair enough... it is the academic in me referencing everything properly, that's all.

Fascinating group... And no need to apologise, Peter. Just rather startled to be regarded thus!

That's beautiful... I must scamper off and post a link to it from my site forthwith... er, what's your name? I cannot find it on the site anywhere.

Now busy putting some of these glorious images on my website. Thank you Morton & Eden!!!

Medal maven? Yes, the OMSA has a ribbon bank (find details at http://www.omsa.org/), the OMRS also has one although it's mostly UK ribbons... they say if you are after foreign ones you need to write to Mr Alan McDonald, 5 Windsor Drive, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN4 8UE, England to see if they can supply what you want (their rather basic website is not noted for supplying useful e-mail addresses, alas). It is also worth visiting a good tailor - Moss Bros. for example - to see if they can help.

GRRR. You have made me feel hungry.

Ralf Ganzel (Militaria Agent) has a couple of Medals of Merit, but not cased. He's also got a heap of Armed Forces Deployment Medals (Einzatzmedaille der Bundeswehr) with different clasps (mostly cased) and a full set of Honour Crosses (Ehrenkreuz) also mostly cased, if you are interested. He, kind soul, is one of those who allows me to use images from his catalogue so I have lots to work on from there! https://www.militaria-agent.com/

The quality of the original image misled me then... This is the post-2008 version of the Order of the Volta, they changed the ribbon colour from a dark blue with red edges and black central stripe to the one shown (light blue with green, yellow and red edges). The highest grade, worn as a sash badge, is the Companion, the other grades being Officer and Member. It's a bit unusual, the Companion has a sash badge but no star... and quite often they are seen wearing a neck badge at the same time!

It's the Central African Republic Order of Recognition, Officer - the higher of the 2 classes awarded. Instituted on 2 May 1962 it's awarded for services to the nation.

Quite an array there... Neck badges: German Order of Merit - possibly Grand Merit Cross (Großes Verdienstkreuz des Verdienstordens) given the lack of a star from this order amidst the array (he may just have run out of space!) and the Italian Order of Merit. Stars: Sweden Order of the Northern Star Commander 1st Class, Spain Order of Isabella the Catholic, Portugal Order of Christ, Portugal Order of Prince Henry the Navigator, the other one will have to wait until I am at home with my references! Sash: Looks like Portugal Order of Prince Henry the Navigator.

Thank you so much for going to the trouble of asking!

Very nice. And I too love your site, particularly as I am now working on the German section of my site... alas there are not many modern German items coming up for sale with the various dealers/auction houses which permit me to use their catalogues, so I am relying on collectors (thank you Frank!), but a few have come up like these on Dix Noonan Webb in their last (10 December 2014) auction: Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern und Schulterband if I am not mistaken. The search continues... but at least I know what I am looking for after consulting your site, Uwe.

Firstly, a big welcome to another lady! As for the rosette, it's quite unusual. A rosette is normally used to indicate the award of a clasp or the second award of a decoration (indicated on the full medal by a bar) when 'ribbons only' are worn, for example on service dress. With the South Atlantic Medal the rosette is worn on the full medal itself and is the award. Now, the South Atlantic Medal was awarded for involvement in the Falklands War, the rosette itself was awarded for 1 day's service or 1 operational sortie within the area of 35o to 60o south. Naturally most people involved were physically present (in ships, yomping around and so on) and so qualified for the rosette along with the medal.

That's beautiful... any chance you'd permit me to use that on my website?

Somewhere I have something slightly different - it looks like a police whistle (sounds like one too) but it has 'GPO' engraved on it. It belonged to my maternal grandfather who worked in the GPO stores, firstly in Birmingham and then in Edinburgh. Not quite sure why he needed a whistle, though.

Just as well my Christmas break is coming up...

These seem to be more 'sporting awards' than proper medals. The real test is, do they have a ribbon bar and can they be worn in uniform after the award ceremony at the end of the contest.

I read Churchill's History of WW2 when quite young (late teens, I think). The first volume was very self-serving, but it improved later on once it was dealing with the actual war and included other people who contributed to the war effort.

To reawaken this thread, here's the First Class: The reverse shows Ferdinand's heritage, with the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha arms.

Here's the group in question:

Of course, or at least there is the "Medal for the Return of the Crimea"... instituted 25 March 2014.