Megan

Like you I'm a bit dubious of the 'Z' - the Russian souvenir sites are full of badges & unofficial medals with that insignia.

Perhaps used to listen to engine noise... an aid to diagnosing issues? But I agree with Gordon, a picture or two would help!

It is common, but not universal, practice for female recipients of sash-grades of orders to use a small brooch to ensure that the sash remains where it should on the often slippery surface of an evening gown. Male recipients either are in uniform (with shoulder straps to keep the sash in place) or evening dress (white tie/tails) where the sash is worn UNDER the jacket & so is held in place by it, and often a cut-down sash is worn which is affixed to the waistcoat with buttons rather than passing over the shoulder & down the back!

It's not as good a portrait as the one they have put on new coinage... this one is barely recognisable without the name written round the edge! But it's good that we are now beginning to see several of these medals 'in the wild'.

That looks official, what's the source? I wrote the Medals Office to enquire but apart from an acknowledgement that wibbled about the Coronation Medal at length they haven't replied yet.

Rant away, dear heart. Our uniformed services do not get as much recognition as they should.

Well, no guarantees as to how 'official' this is, but I found this today (while looking for something else entirely).: Medal "For Participation in a Special Operation" (Медаль "Участнику специальной военной операции"), supposedly established 10 August 2022. The red star is a bit dodgy, so I'm not sure how legit it is. Thoughts?

Do you think each of the 'blue light' emergency services should have their own medal or would it be better to have a single award for emergency service workers killed or injured in the line of duty?

Perhaps a trial striking when they were deciding on the design? The official beasties all have CRUX RUBRA HUNGARICA 1922 on the reverse.

I would imagine that they are given/sold to museums for display purposes, or maybe to military bases...

I agree, "insignia" is a good term for what you appear to have been looking at.

Possibly because they are miniatures, not full size medals. That's why I'm waiting on full-size medals for my website!

Thanks, but I'm waiting for full size ones. Good to get an idea of what they will look like, though!

More likely to make the beast applicable to general population, Red Cross, emergency services, NHS, and military... so whoever gets involved in a given situation, they are represented on the ribbon.

Almost... George VI 1936-1952, but in 1947 the inscription was changed to remove IND:IMP: as India gained independence. Then Elizabeth II 1952-2022, but there was a minor tweak in inscription early on.

Thank you. Now to sit back and await images of these medals to go on my website

Fascinatic. Source?

Interesting. I'd heard that some people were campaigning for an award for police officers killed in the line of duty, akin to the Elizabeth Cross for armed forces personnel who die in the line of duty - but one for being injured is unprecedented in the UK. It's something we don't do, unlike many nations wo have them for at least the armed forces (e.g. USA Purple Heart) or both armed forces & police (e.g., Austria who issue a separare but similar medal to the 2 categories). Do you think it's a good idea? And should it be extended to all emergency services?

On the Canadian Government (Department of National Defence) medal pages, only SIX reverses are depicted. Maybe it is left up to the provinces to decide whether or not to award the beast at all. There's also an interesting anomaly that it does not sit in the order of precedence after the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal but is stuck at the end after other proviincial awards. Ribbon's nicer - more fitting to the sequence of the Queen's other jubilee medals - than the UK Platinum Jubilee Medal, though.

Fascinating, that's a new one for me...

Yes, it goes between the Korea Medal and the General Service Medal 1962.

Very nice, Michael!

Magic! Thank you for sharing, Antonio.

Fascinating, Emmanuel. You say that the male head was used 1973-1976, but after 1976 it appears that they reverted to the female head. Do you agree?

More great pieces! Greg, might I use the images of your Ernst Schiller medals, please?