Megan

Then, Erik, perhaps you could use your 'insider knowledge' to point us in the right direction to the person who is able to grant permission... as it is verging on sinful that such wonderful material cannot be shared.

Honour Cross 3rd Class, Military.

Officer's Cross, Military.

Honour Cross 1st Class, Military.

Grand Cross Star, Military Division.

Grand Cross Badge, Military Division

Hausorden des Ehrenkreuzes Instituted: 1869, revised 1890; in 5 grades & civil and military divisions. Honour Cross 2nd Class, Civil.

Quite right - Kingdom of Egypt Order of the Nile, Grand Commander (Blue ribbon with yellow edges). Other ones are: - Green with double red edge: Tunisia Order of the Republic. Red with yellow edge: Ethiopia Order of the Trinity Yellow with green & red edge stripes: Ethiopia Order of Emperor Menelik II Green, yellow & red ribbon: Ethiopia Order of the Star of Ethiopia

The Royal Warrant says "The Decoration shall be worn from the left breast suspended from a ribbon, 32 mm in width, of five stripes of dark blue, yellow, red, yellow, and dark blue."

No more than bit about the 'real' one going to be a bit darker blue at the moment, but I'll see what I can find out.

Not very much better... The actual decoration will be in a black leatherette case rather than the red one here. The blue in the production ribbon is going to be a bit darker as well. Hopefully better picture in a week or so!

My French is fluent, but I cannot find an e-mail address either... which I wanted to as there are some of my pictures on there so I wanted to offer more in the hope of being able to set up a trade of images! The site's tendency to play music (generally the appropriate nation's anthem) is annoying as well...

Orden de los Cinco Volcanes Instituted: March 1961. Awarded: For service to Central American unity. Knight:

HM The Queen has stopped wearing it, though... she used to back in the 1960s, but it hasn't come out for quite a while.

Extant United Kingdom orders are Garter, Thistle, Bath, Merit, St Michael & St George, Royal Victorian, & British Empire, also the Companion of Honour. The Distinguished Service Order is actually a military decoration, despite its name! Likewise the Imperial Service Order stands the same service for mid-range grades of the Civil Service. The Garter is traditional for Prime Ministers who retire from office, and is likely to be offered... we'll hear about it if Blair accepts.

Having now been shown some pictures of genuine specimens of this medal, I agree with the assessment that this puppy is a fake. So I shall go & take it off my website forthwith. I've asked permission to use the genuine pictures, if I get it then I'll post 'em here...

Please note that someone has made an assertion that this is a fake. I await some substantive evidence from him to back up his claim, but of course will remove it if he is proven to be correct.

Anamnestikon Sema tes Hekatontaeteridos tes Hellenikes Dynasteias Instituted: 30 March 1963. Awarded: To guests at the anniversary celebrations in Athens and to those related to the Greek royal house.

In a couple of hours I start a week's holiday... so watch my site for more updates!

Thanks, Jacky, beat me to it! The ELM site has some nice pictures of some of what they produce, alas they haven't responded to a request to use them yet. The picture of the Officer badge shown here came from a collector, the Member one from a gentleman who was actually awarded it.

Member (4th Class):

Instituted: 16 September 2005. Awarded: For distinguished service to the nation, in 4 classes plus a medal. Officer (3rd Class):

Ooops... I have the name wrong! This is the 'Service Medal for Community Service.'

Yep - saw that this morning Dave, thank you. Looks like the enquirer also saw it. It's an area totally outwith my knowledge or interest, but I still get enquiries like that every so often.

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