Megan

You are welcome to use anything that I post here, or which is on my Medals of the World website. A link to my website will suffice as acknowledgement of source.

I have been sent some good pictures of this beastie by someone who has already received his, must try to remember to post them when I get home...

Officer:

Well, I expect that the commanding officer of HMS Cornwall will also have some difficult questions to answer before he starts looking for a new career. But however poorly trained, even those shameful muppets will have heard of 'Name, Rank, Number, Date of Birth.'

The only place they should be telling their stories is in front of a Court Martial! But hopefully they will be given dishonourable discharges soon, and so at least if they have sold their stories they will have something to live on.

Knight:

Officer:

Naval Forces Medal. Instituted: 20 March 1971 by King Faisal ibn Abdulaziz. Awarded: To naval personnel to reward outstanding bravery or recognize meritorious actions and to base commanders after five years of service in command. 3rd Class (Bronze) Medal:

The Insigne des Bless?s Militaires was created by a law passed 11 December 1916, laying down that an enamelled red star should be worn on the planned M?daille comm?morative de la Guerre 1914-1918 (only of course they didn't know what the dates would be at that time!). So the star was pinned on to a special piece of ribbon, the size of a conventional 'undress' ribbon bar. The Insigne des Bless?s Civils was created by a law of 18 July 1918 (as Hendrik says), for civilian victims of warfare. It was a white enamelled star, also worn on a piece of ribbon, of a different pattern from the military version. The medals marketed and worn for both these awards are unofficial, but as they exist they need to be recorded!

Instituted: 14 November 1953. Discontinued: 1 January 1964 & replaced by the National Order of Merit Awarded: For meritorious services to post and telecommunications.

Instituted: 14 September 1953. Discontinued: 1 January 1964 & replaced by the National Order of Merit Awarded: For meritorious services to ex-servicemen and war victims of the 2 world wars.

Instituted: 11 June 1948. Discontinued: 1 January 1964 & replaced by the National Order of Merit Awarded: For meritorious services to craftsmanship and its organisation.

Instituted: 27 May 1949. Discontinued: 1 January 1964 & replaced by the National Order of Merit Awarded: For meritorious services to tourism in France.

4th Type (commander & officer only):

2nd Type (commander & knight only):

Instituted: 27 May 1939. Discontinued: 1 January 1964 & replaced by the National Order of Merit Awarded: For meritorious services to the national economy and foreign trade. There appear to be FOUR different versions, although I only have pictures of some grades from 3 of them. 1st Type (officer & knight only):

Instituted: 18 February 1938. Discontinued: 1 January 1964 & replaced by the National Order of Merit Awarded: For meritorious services in the cause of health, relief of the poor and child welfare.

Instituted: 25 October 1936. Discontinued: 1 January 1964 & replaced by the National Order of Merit Awarded: For meritorious services within institutions concerned with social legislation.

Instituted: 20 August 1926 Awarded: To prisoners of war who escaped and returned to service.

Instituted: 4 July 1935 Awarded: For voluntary enlistment.

The clasps I've found so far (does anyone know of others?) Guerre 1939-1945: Indochine: Cor?e: Afrique du Nord:

Instituted: 5 February 1953. Awarded: For voluntary enlistment, originally to serve in the 2nd World War but subsequently extended to other wars - each marked by a clasp worn on the ribbon.

Instituted: 15 April 1954. Awarded: For voluntary enlistment in the Resistance.

Reverse:

Instituted: 28 June 1930. Awarded: To active combatants in wartime. Obverse: