Megan

Grand Cross insignia:

What an excellent idea to share your passion with the local community like that. Did you get any more enthusiasts?

A fine photo-tour, thanks. Reminds me of a visit to the Central Museum of the Soviet Armed Forces in Moscow, January 1991. In those days, I didn't dare take a camera but had a sketchbook. And indeed there was a little old lady who followed me around... but after checking that there was nobody else there, she gave me a big hug - she was a covert Christian and had spotted my cross! Had a long conversation with a Colonel from Georgia (the Russian one), who had brought his 2 teenage sons to see the displays of the battles that Dad had participated in when not much older than them. We mostly spoke French, as his English was even worse than my Russian! Nothing much in the shop, but bought a fabulous book from a fellow in a subway nearby, who had a big cardboard box of copies... which he was selling for less than a pound sterling. It's Russian and Soviet Military Awards by V.A. Durov, fully illustrated in colour and based on the collection of the Order of Lenin State History Museum, although some of the items come from the Central Museum of the Soviet Armed Forces.

Unofficial adornment I reckon. Does look Air Force, though, so the recipient may well have been in it... but he put the pin on himself!

Nice - this is the 'Participation Medal' which Norway awards to Norwegian military personnel who have participated in special military operations whether abroad or at home. The medal may also be awarded to foreign military personnel who have made meritorious contributions to the Norwegian Armed Forces. The medal remains the same in each case, but a different ribbon is used depending on where you have served - so you get several medals if you take part in more than one operation, provided that you serve the qualifying period for each one, normally 90 days, but less if involved in special operations, get wounded, etc. The ribbon is 33mm wide If you make a special/meritorious contribution to the operation, a silver metal rosette may be awarded, which is worn on the ribbon both when the full medal is worn or on a ribbon bar. It is not normally awarded if your service could be recognised by a UN or NATO medal.

Nice. You will find a few more at http://www.medals.org.uk/ethiopia/ethiopia.htm Will post some in the morning but I am about to crawl off to bed!

The wearing of the Civil insignia on the Military ribbon (or vice versa) is a "tailor's error" and not part of the correct structure of the Order. However, if your aim is to reproduce what these particular individuals wore, you may prefer to mimic their mistakes and perhaps make a note in your accompanying documentation/labelling that it is in fact incorrect but is what the chap in question actually wore.

Why thank you, Ibrahim. The pictures were no problem, only took a short time... Er, any chance that you would be kind enough to permit me to use one or two of your medal pictures on my site?

These are lovely pictures, thank you so much for sharing them. Of course it's the medal pictures that interest me! Please bob round to http://www.medals.org.uk/singapore/singapore.htm - I'd appreciate your comments, advice & assistance.

For the text under your medal pictures to remain legible, I've had to chop that sheet up.

More appointment & qualification badges

Appointments & Qualification Badges

This the sort of thing you have in mind?

Have you tried asking him?