JimZ

I got a feeling its something I read in P.R. Reid's "The Colditz Story" or "The Latter Days at Colditz" - Gotta check it next time i am near them! Let you know Jim

In my case I bought them specifically for the move. When transpotring them I needed them to take up the least space and yet be protected from any movement. Only pity is it will take yet another month till I can return them to their framed cases. But I did buy the wallets well in advance to be able to test them before even allowing them to sit for even a week in them. Jim

I guess Generals and high ranking officers can be forgiven certain oversights! If there was ever a time for a Russian Medal watchdog ... Jim

Well if you are storing them I would recommend not closing the wallet tightly and packing some silica gel packs in whatever drawer they are in.... followed of course by regular monitoring and drying out of the silica packs. That should help with the moisture... but will not completely solve it. Of course if your collection room is a bunker, basement or partially submerged room, then there are other implications.... a dehumidifier might help.... but will not completely solve the problem.... again!! The ideal solution is the museum set up with humidity meters etc etc... where does one stop What I believe is the most important rule is monitor monitor monitor. I cannot say it enough times. Like that, if something looks like its going to suffer any sort of unwanted effects, you can pick up on it before any damage is done! Jim

Well done Martin! Indeed a lovely GSM! Jim

Aha... the famous plastic medal wallets!! I had a couple of hundreds which I do not particularly like to use as I am unsure of the properties of the plastic. Like most things plastic, they have a smell to them which is something I do not really like.... although of course, once you open the pack and air them the smell does go especially if you air them for over a year!!! I try to avoid these wallets and prefer to have my items lying in frames or in trays as I fear ammonia and other chemicals used in the plastic that would actually bleach the ribbons and damage the tarnish of the medals. Yet after airing the wallets, I tried to use some silver and brass medals as a test piece and there was no visible damage over 6 months. Yet I cannot vouch for the use of these after a few years! What I can say is that this trial period convinced me they were safe enough to house my medals for precisiely 1.5 months as they made a trip across the miles and are now waiting for me, locked away in a safe somewhere in their little plastic wallets. I will of course return to liberate them soon secure in the knowledge that they will be well preserved. But if I had to stake my money on keeping them permanently in wallets or otherwise displayed..... I would go for the other options. Of course, if there was a source of 100 percent safe archival wallets with official guarantees as to their quality, then these would always be preferable in a worst case scenario! Jim

What isn't strange? the OGPW/NEVKSY/SUVOROV sequence - we've seen that bungled up before!! the ORB 2/ORB 1 sequence - now that is a new one to me on photo! the Warsaw ribbon with the Victory over Germany medal and ..... needless to say the Victory over Germany ribbon with the Warsaw medal - Guess its confusing when you are mounting them on a 5 piece kolodka .... Funnily enough if I came across the medals without having seen the photo, the warsaw and germany medals would make me smell a rat.... that was not there! So if as a little exercise I'd have to sit wit Tovarish General Puzik over some warm chai, I may be tempted to humbly point out the following: Right breast: Suvorov / Nevsky/ OGPW/ Red Stars Left breast: ORB1 / ORB2 / MM / MM (in order of award)/ Defence of the Caucauses /Defence of Soviet Polar region/ Victory over Germany /Capture of berlin/ Liberation of warsaw As for that unsightful patch on the right breast ........... please drop it!!! Of course, it is most probable that if I walked out of our afternoon tea session I may be sent straight to Siberia to freshen my thoughts!! Jim

There were some others but I don't have pics! If anyone can throw any light .... they're nothing special at all!!!! But they're there, so I might as well ask!! Thanks!!! Jim

12) Hungarian I believe.

11) Tankist helmet complete with intercom system

10) Barely visible Ushanka .... I had a brown one somewhere too!

9 Ushanka

8 Pilotka

7 Pilotka

6

5) This "Naval Hat"does not look completely right to me....... but as it was thrown in with some other suff ....

4) Navy cadet

3 - MVD I believe. This one came with a spare cover.

2

1

Back in the days when "if was militaria it was interesting" I had acquired a number of Soviet caps and uniforms. Whereas I was more focussed on british stuff at the time, and just starting to dabble into Russian medals, I though no harm could come if I did buy other items! Although these are sadly boxed a few thousand miles away from me, it would be interesting to show some of these items from my database CD. More importantly, I'd appreciate it if anyone can throw some light as to what each of these caps is. I might know the odd thing or two about medals but I can never say to ever have been bothered much about uniforms So its about time that I ask. Jim

Cool! Looking forward OoV! Jim

Soon after the war, a friend of my dad's was into empting ammunition.... including 22mms and slightly bigger stuff too! That's until one of them somehow did not like his efforts very much and erm.... kind of reacted to his gentle touch and decided to scar him in a few places!!! Are you sure that you still have all 12 fingers Chris?? ;-) Original display by the way! Especially considering they are all battlefield finds! Jim

Indeed not the safest thing to do either..... although in that same month I remember a great many Turkish soldiers at every corner holding machine guns! Perhaps they knew that "Lenin" was in town! I do remember leaving Istanbul with food poisoning and the promise to never return! However..... "Lenin" would make me think twice...although even if in the Bazaar, the seller seemed savvy enough about what he was selling! Jim

All I can say is Do you mean u took the time to photograph them and did not take the time to bargain the seller down and buy them??? No - You cannot be serious!!! When I saw them on the other thread my heart already skipped a beat! And now to see the different variations as well! They're looking good but is there any chance you can post closer pics.... mebbe its the setting on my laptop that does not allow me to see them as close up as on a proper sized TFT! Jim