Megan

Grand Cross Badge:

Collar:

The picure at the top of Carol I's link suggests they will use insignia similar to the 1909-47 Kingdom of Romania order - although that apparently was in 4 grades (Collar, Grand Cross, Gand Officer and Commander), whereas if (a big if!) I read this aright there is to be a Knight grade in the revived dynastic order as well. As to non-governmental awards, I think they do need to be recorded if only to avoid confusion. Still brooding on how to present them on my website - whether as a sub-section of the nation of origin or as a completely separate area divided by whoever's handing them out. Any thoughts?

Awarded for military merit/services to Cuban and foreign officers - at least for the foreign ones, generally quite senior ones.

2nd Class

Obverse & reverse: Does anyone know when the medal was instituted?

As nobody's shown it yet, here's the reverse:

A delightful thread... Good to see the Tamgha-i-Jamhuria 1375 / Republic Medal, 1956... which has a lot to answer for! Picked one up for pocket money when I was about 13 but had no idea what it was. So I went round to the local museum to see if they had a medal expert who could tell me. They had no idea either, but reckoned that the date meant that it had 'something' to do with Pakistan becoming independent. And that set me on the trail of finding out about medals. Along the way I found out what it was, and gave up collecting 'things' in favour of information... and in the course of time once the Internet was invented, started my medals site.

Possibly the last chance to see Musharraf in uniform - the parade at which he handed over command of the army. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7116610.stm

Note that 15682 is your man's Regimental Number, i.e. his unique identifier, not the number of the regiment in which he served.

Having required the attention of the paramedics in the last week, it's certainly good to hear that they are to have meritorious service properly marked. Although I do not think that providing attention to politicians is noteworthy, unless it's a reward for gritting your teeth long enough to get the job done!

I have been hunting since you wrote to me, but no luck as yet :-( Won't stop hunting, though, I want a picture for my site anyway!!!!

He's a professional historian and researcher... Useful chap to know, if your interests coincide.

One of the stars is the Order of Merit of the Central African Republic: -

I do not have a picture of the Victorious Cross, but here is the Distinguished Service Order, instituted 1972.

The Ugandan Victorious Cross is described as being in the form of the Victoria Cross, but the obverse bearing a bust of Idi Amin and the legend "For God and my Country", and the reverse with central Arms of Uganda and the legend "For Supreme Valour" below.

Actually, the 'Royal' medal that amuses me the most is the Canadian Forces Decoration worn by Prince Charles - awarded in 2002 for long service as an honorary colonel-in-chief of several Canadian regiments! His medal bar currently consists of: - 1. The Queen's Service Order (New Zealand) 2. Coronation Medal 3. Silver Jubilee Medal 4. Golden Jubilee Medal 5. Canadian Decoration 6. The New Zealand Commemorative Medal Another amusing one is worn by Princess Anne. In 1953 as a badly-behaved 3-year old she was not allowed to attend her mother's Coronation, while her elder brother went along and was duly awarded 'his first medal' - the Coronation one. Pictures taken at the time show the 2 of them in white outfits, him wearing the gong and her not... a bone of contention at the time, I believe. Only now, when in uniform, she wears one...

am getting VERY confused with the Bavarian Milit?r Verdienstorden. Now, I know it has 3 ribbons - White with black and blue edge stripes (Wartime awards), white with blue edge stripes (Peacetime awards) or white with black edges and a blue central stripe (Military Officials). Did wartime awards only come with swords? Could a peacetime award come with swords? Could Military Officials receive swords? Or did they always? I have some beautiful pictures from Morton & Eden, but these include a Grand Cross with Swords on the peactime ribbon - is this correct?

Commander:

Unfortunately not... don't even know the ribbon colours. Even the information on Rwandan Orders in the Guy Stair Sainty & Rafal Heydel-Mankoo book World Orders of Knighthood and Merit is very sketchy, & this order isn't mentioned at all.

Commander