Megan

Oh, it's YOU! :beer:

I just received notification of a new book on UK police helmet and cap badges, so I thought to mention it here for those who might be interested. Website: http://helmetscaps.co.uk/

Thank you, I shall! May I have your name for the acknowledgements, please?

In place of the ??? - I knew I'd seen that ribbon recently and found it last night - I'd say Portugal Order of Merit.

Commander, 1st Type, with swords:

Thanks, Ed... and you are always welcome with your thoughtful and erudite contributions :D

Nice... er, would you be prepared to permit the use of the pictures (properly attributed of course) on my website, please?

I mean the extra gold edge... the regular ribbon is light blue with silver central stripe & edges, then for wartime awards an extra gold edge is added.

And its reverse: Interestingly it appears to be on a war ribbon even though it's without swords.

Now for the 1st Type, a Knight (without swords). Obverse:

Thank you - for information and for good wishes.

And the reverse:

2nd Type Knight with swords, obverse:

Carol I - thanks for your input... this is how the picture arrived. I'm still finding my way around this Order so additional information is always welcome. Even if it shouldn't have bars, is it an officer's cross? It does seem to have a nice 'war' ribbon, though (extra gold edge stripes).

Oh, Dragomir - how sweet of you I have been around, but I am currently job-hunting having been made 'redundant' - at my level each application requires a young essay honed to the position and institution AND I am a judge for a major international competition in my other hobby (role-playing games), and it's all been getting in the way of the medals! 2 interviews lined up (aargh, got to write presentations for them!), fingers crossed.

(Reverse):

Ordinul "Virtutea Aeronauticã" Instituted: 31 July 1930. Awarded: For acts of bravery or valour in the air. Grades: 4 (Commander, Officer, Knight and Golden Cross), with or without swords. It exists in 2 types, each with or without swords. This is the Second Type with Swords, an Officer with swords. (Obverse):

Ahem. Can we keep this civilised, please, GENTLEMEN.

Your contributions are, as ever, extremely welcome Ed!!! (contemplates scuttling off to update India section on website).

Split service is normally recognised by the individual completing qualifying service post-reenlistment, then any former service is immediately added in so he gets a bar to the LS&GC quicker than normal! It might have been that when ordering his miniatures, your man just asked for an Army LS&GC without specifying which monarch should be on it (if not particularly interested in medals he may not have known or cared!).

So ONLY the four-corner-mount is correct for a 'commemorative' - I was going to show both mounts but now I won't if it is not an official variant to put them on five-corner mounts. Got it, thanks :)

Are serving personnel awarded 4-corner-mount commemoratives? Or are they normally awarded to veterans? Or is it pot-luck what you get handed? Or is it that you get the 4-corner-mount commemorative if you HAVE served in the appropriate role and have moved on to something else but are still in service, and the 5-corner-mount version if you are still serving in the appropriate role?

A quick check online - http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=5 - reveals an excellent search facility completely based on knowing the name of the recipient! Numbers on insignia are not referenced so even the thought of reading the complete list of recipients doesn't work... you could try asking if there are any such records, though.

Antonio Prieto Barrio's charts show some use of small 5-pointed stars to denote multiple awards. I don't recall any 'spirals' - but I'm in Greece end of May, will have a nose around.

Don't panic, François - that was before we 'met' - back in December 2007. By now the drunken lurch and lack of ability to hold much in my right hand is second-nature. Dearly beloved says that I am very good at hiding what I cannot do... the reality is that I've figured out ways around most of it.