JimZ

Pick that up with "You tube" not with me! Jim

Not sure of the scale of AF participation in this parade - But you can safely bet that many probably have medals and groups that were worn proudly on this very day! Jim

Of course.... one cannot forget the original victory parade! Feast your eyes on the whole ceremony, on the Russian heroes of the Great Patriotic war and their ODMs!!! In sequnce as follows: PT 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4xgYsNVDdc...ted&search= PT 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soAHzsIQc3o...ted&search= PT 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr45ZBlpzN0...ted&search= PT 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO9ZpzCKtZY...ted&search= Enjoy Jim

Guess some of you may find this very interesting viewing (especially if you can understand the commentary) But even if you don't sit back and enjoy - these are the cold war Victory Day Parades. They don't come like this any longer! Unit's parade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2tE7HDISSs...ted&search= Vehicles parade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDDh9cmz1cY...ted&search= Jim

It was a pleasure and an honour to host this group for some 20 years or so.... a pity to have to see it go. But I am happy knowing its new home is one that will also welcome me any time I will ever want to visit it. Jim

And finally other official and unofficial correspondence.....

News papers and cuttings

Some of the many documents:

MBE Certificate

British War Medal Details

MBE reverse and case

The full group: British War Medal attributed to Cpl M. Sacco KOMR and his post war civilian MBE

I saw some MBE's on another thread. Here is one MBE group that came through my hands. Guilty of having sold it to fuel my russian order section .... but nobody ever said that hobbies and passions are ever rational! Anyways - Enjoy! jim

Marksman

Physical Training Instructor

Airborne Missle Aimer

Flight Engineer

Just to add some "colour" - here are just a few of them: Diver's Patch

I will again own up to having sold most of my RN items including my large trade patch collection. Before posting any of them here I was wondering if anyone is at all interestied in these patches. Also, perhaps if one is knowledgable enough to help fill in some missing details on the exact ranks and trades that such patches denote, they may be of interest to some of you. Pls post your interest if any! .... If not, I'll save myself the hassle of resizing and posting the odd hundred badges ...... Jim

Part detail:

Full pic: Sadly wear and tear to it as well as repairs came way before my ownership!!

I had sold this poster off around a year ago. I realise that I sort of still miss it although it has found its way into better hands than mine. Thought i'd post a pic of it for posterity. Jim

You can probably easily replace the Kyffhauser medal, probably even with an original one too. Or if you're going to start taking imperial bars seriously wait until you find a nice bar with a missing one (ribbon only)! Imperial are indeed hard to resist! I had bought some items off a flea market way back as I thought they were cheap with the intention of selling them off.... with great regret when I got down to doing it as once you own these jewels its so hard to let go! But when selling I found that one of the bars (which I suspected was veteran assembled) may have actually been totally fictitious. Still sold "as-is" with my description adjusted to say that there were some doubts as to the originality of the bar ... but what I did realise was that Imperial is a very wide area of study for which one needs to be fully armed unless one wants to fill oneself up with fictitious items! My perception at least, although like all other areas, if approached with care and dedication, its well worth the effort. But I guess the Imperial collectors will be able to throw more light on this than I can! Jim

One of the major reasons why one cannot in fact pick up a cast copy from an original is low quality photos. When looking for an opinion it is imperative that photos be focused and zoomed in as otherwise, it is entirely impossible to tell whether or not the item gas bad definition from the casting process or merely from the image capturing process. And as I realised, sometimes its not that the camera is bad - its just that you do not know how to use its many functions as had happenned with me A close up focus function setting worked wonders for me. Lighting is the next big challenge! Jim

Choke!! Splutter!! Cough!! At the the thought of cleaning such beautiful patina!!! Jim