Megan

Order of the Republic of The Gambia Instituted: 1972. Awarded: To citizens and non-citizens in recognition of meritorious service to the people of The Gambia. Grades: 5 (Grand Commander, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Member) plus a Medal. Post-nominal letters: Grand Commander (GCRG), Grand Officer (GORG), Commander (CRG), Officer (ORG), Member (MRG), Medal (RMG). To begin, the Grand Commander Badge:

Reverse:

I'm turning my attentions away from the Bahamas for the moment, but before we go, here's the Order of Merit, instituted in 1996 in one class. Obverse:

Reverse:

Royal Bahamas Police Gallantry Medal Obverse:

At risk of blowing my own trumpet, this might answer you, Kevin: http://www.medals.org.uk/austria/austria-r...epublic-023.htm

Reverse:

Thank you, gentlemen... thus encouraged, I'll continue! Royal Bahamas Police Meritorious Service Medal Obverse:

The "Red Cross" medal is the Medal for Meritorious Service to Blood Transfusion (Medaille f?r Verdienste um das Blutspenden des ?sterreichischen Roten Kreuzes) in the bronze or 3rd Class. It's awarded for services to the blood transfusion service's operation, rather than for actually giving blood (there's a medal for that as well, of course!).

As yet details are sketchy, but I have enquired of the Bahamian government & will update...

Reverse:

Defence Force Service Medal Obverse:

Megan does not have them herself, but she is lucky enough to have friends who do and are generous enough to share pictures with her!

Reverse: -

Meritorious Service Medal Instituted: 1996. Obverse: -

Reverse: R.B.D.F. = Royal Bahamian Defence Force.

Medal for Gallantry Instituted: 1996. Obverse:

Orden Heroja Oslobodilackog rata Instituted: 1994.

Orden slatnog grba s macevima Instituted 1994 in a single class.

Orden zlatnog Ijijana Instituted 1994 in 3 classes: Sash of the Golden Lily (used as Presidential insignia), Golden Lily with Gold Wreath & Golden Lily with Silver Wreath. This is the Golden Lily with Silver Wreath:

Lovely - thank you so much for sharing!

Depending on the layout of the page in question, it might provide a better result if you carve it up into sections - e.g. if there's a row of medals you might do individual pictures. I did this to good effect with someone's posters of Singapore medals & badges a while back. Will oblige for you if you want.

The Empire Defiance, launched 1909 and with quite an eventful service behind her, was sunk as a 'blockship' as part of the Grasshopper 5 harbourworks off Sword Beach durimg the D-Day landings. I am trying to find out who actually was responsible for sinking her - I understand that it was a mixed party of Royal Marines and sailors - does anyone know if it would be possible to find out their names or any further details beyond the date the deed was done?

Thank you, much appreciated!

Do you intend to document unoffical awards as well, Fran?ois? It is my intention on my site to do so but separately from the governmental/ministry ones we can class as 'official' - if only, as you point out, to enable collectors to have some idea of what they are looking at. As you can see from the text list - http://www.medals.org.uk/russia/rf/rf-text.htm - there's a separate section for them at the bottom. May be worth subdividing with some of the main producers of unoffical medals like the Committee for Public Awards (already have for Umlatova ones). As I build the ribbon charts they will be paginated according to where the medals come from. It's all fascinating, perhaps when the summer break begins (& I've done with modern Poland) I'll focus on it, naturally you are welcome to anything on the site that's of use to you (help yourself, or ask if you want bigger highquality images).