Herr General

Bar of "van Rossum" in the collection of museum 't Schilderhuis http://www.schilderhuis.nl/vanrossum.htm

I managed to get in contact with the veterans organisation of the 784th Tank Battalion. Maybe they have some info for me!

Some pictures I found online: Fly over: China and someone from a former communist country

Overview shot The graves A friend of mine, a Dutch veteran is introduced to the organizer of the ceremony. The Military Attache of the American Embassy. ( very nice fellow who just returned from Afghanistan ) Who can tell me what this person does? He wears a kind of castles as insignia. Vice-admiraal ir. Michiel van Maanen (IGK) with a veteran from the 7 armoured divison Mr. Schreuders, former commandant of the Royal Military School and chairman of the Korea Veterans. He wears the bravery awards "The Bronze Cross" Military attache from China? It was a very nice day. The ceremonie and Fly over was great. I spoke to a lot of Dutch and American veterans. I also spoke with the American Ambassador Mr. Arnell and his wife and a few Dutch officials.

Thats right Bernard, did you do research on this gunner ?

Today I will visit these two graves to lay flowers together with some good friends who in the last two weeks also adopted graves. We will be there with some 7th armoured veterans. I will post pictures tonight!

No problem. Thomson received the following Orders: Netherlands - Knight in the Military Order of William (1987) Netherlands - Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion (1913) Netherlands - Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau with the Swords (1903) Netherlands - Silver Medal for donations to public collections (1912) Netherlands - Cross for Important War actions with clasps Netherlands - Officers long service Cross with the numeral France - Officer in the Legion of Honour (1911) Greece - Officer (?) in the Order of the Redeemer (Military observer during the Balkanwar) Greece - Medal for the Greek -Turkisch war 1912-1913 Sweden - Knight in the Order of the Sword (1913) Montenegro - Knight (?) in the Order of Danilo (Military observer during the Balkanwar) Albania - Knight (?) in the Order of the Black Eagle (1914) Albania - ''Komturklasse mit Stern'' in the Order of the Black Eagle (posthumous juni 1914) honorary citizenship from the city of Durres in Albania (posthumous 2000) Albania - Golden Eagle order (posthumous 28-3-2004) I found this photo online. I can't find a larger image. I believe that it was during the reveiling of a new monument in 2004. I compiled this information from period newspapers, they are listed as "Skanderbeg Orders" in the artikels. But the newspapers where often wrong in those days. I would love to see that photocopy! Thanks for this information. I am still waiting for the name of the Police Commissar who onces owned this bar. I want to make sure that I buy the right classes of the Orders. Any help finding the missing Orders is more then welcome! I think that this group dates between WW1 and WW2. I think that he was a Police Inspector. The Dutch Mobilisation Cross for WW1 was also awarded to Police. Siam and France visited Holland and I think he received them during these state visits. I haven't been able to identify him! Thanks!

Here are some orders to members of the Peace mission: Generaal-majoor Willem J.H .de Veer Grandcross in the Order of Skanderbeg 6-8-1914 Prince William of Wied Accession Medal 7-3-1914 Majoor Henri J.L. Kroon Commandeur in the Order of Skanderbeg 6-8-1914 majoor Lodewijk W.J.K. Thomson Order of the Black Eagle 26-4-1914 Order of the Golden Eagle 28-4-2003 majoor Johan M. Sluys Order of the Black Eagle Prince William of Wied Accession Medal 7-3-1914 majoor Lucas Roelfsema Knight 4th classe in the order of the Black Eagle Here are the other members of the mission: 1ste luitenant Gerard A. Mallinckrodt majoor Wouter de Waal majoor Hugo J. Verhulst majoor Joan E. Snellen van Vollenhoven kapitein Carel de Iongh kapitein Jetze Doorman kapitein Jan Fabius kapitein Julius H. Sonne kapitein Hendrik G.A. Reimers kapitein Jan H. Sar Officier van gezondheid Tiddo Reddingius sergeant-verpleger Jan van Vliet Dr. F. de Groot Other recipients of Albanian Orders: J. Goldwurm Officer in the Order of Skanderbeg 22-12-1937 The orders of Majoor Thomson during a ceremonie in 2004

Thanks. Have you seen any of these for sale recently? Knight in the Order of the golden palm of Suriname Officer in the Order of Francisco de Miranda of Venezuela Knight in the Civil Merit Order of Spain I still haven't received the name. I hope he can find this note. I have one other Police (most likely) unnamed medal group in my collection and that one isn?t court mounted but hanging from the ribbon. It consists of a Officer in the Order of Oranje Nassau, Mobilisation cross 1914-1918, Officer in the Crown order of Siam and Officer in the Order of the Black Star from Benin. I know of a few Dutch persons that received medals from King Zog. I haven't seen groups from the Weid era. I will ask Erik Muller from www.onderscheidingen.nl to view this thread. I think he might have more information for you! Do you have pictures of those bars?

Thats also an option. But I think that the UK deserves a own part because the large number of Uk visitors?

Just received some exciting news. The seller of this bar emailed me, he suddenly remembered that he had a small note in his archive stating that this bar belonged to a Police Commissar from one of the larger cities in Holland! He also remembered that the last order is 100 % certain the Civil Merit Order of Spain. As soon as he finds the note he will email me the name and medallist. The King of Spain visited Holland in 1980. The president of Venezuela in 1979.

Without wanting to offend our Belgium friends I wonder if it isn't better if there is a section for the Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands etc) instead of a pure Belgium section. There are a lot of Dutch users and topics on this forum. The Netherlands just doesn't seem right in this section: Northern European & Baltic States: Non Communist Era For all Militaria, Orders, Medals & Decorations relating to the follwoing European (Non Communist) States: Dennmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway & Sweden.

Thanks for your large and very informative reaction! What puzzles me is the fact that the ribbons are mounted in the Prussian court style way introduced in the Netherlands by HRH Prince Hendrik von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. This way of mounting is used in the military and by court personnel. (civilians and diplomats wear there medals hanging from the ribbon) Since there is no officers or NCO?s long service award in the group I lean towards court personnel. The Royal House Order could be a reward for long service. But why two awards from Venezuela? Could he have received the lower award (knights grade) during the state visit and the higher (officers grade) during a counter visit? Or during a second stop in Venezuela during the state visit to Suriname and the islands? I am still looking for more details about the state visits from Queen Beatrix but I know that there where state visits during the time frame of this bar (1980). I haven?t received the bar in the mail yet. I hope that it is mounted by the Dutch Medal firm van Wielik. The manager since 30 years is still the same and maybe she remembers this combination!

An other option for the last ribbon is Spain: Order of Civil Merit!

Thanks for your reaction! Great information. I think you are right about these last two orders. I'm trying to find more info about them now. I don't think that there was a officers rozette on the last ribbon.

What kind of period would you like to represent?

Hi Roeland, I think that this is a Royal Household group rather then a Military group. I think that everything after the Ascension medal is foreign.

Who can help me to fill in the blanks 1 Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion 2 House order of Oranje Nassau - Grade could be knight 1st classe, knight 2nd classe, cross of merit or silver or bronze medal. 3 Ascension medal of her majesty Queen Beatrix - 1980 4 Order of the golden palm of Suriname 5 Officer in the Order of Francisco de Miranda of Venezuela 6 Knight in the Order of Andres Bello of Venezuela

I was told that Royal Navy medal index cards are not available yet!

Thanks Guys. It is just a small thing to do in return for the sacrifices these guys and there families made! Please don't forget that I am not the only one. Almost all of the more then 8000 graves have been adopted by Dutch persons. Just this week 400 new persons adopted a grave! I just hope that I am able to find more info about these two persons!

I adopted two American wwII graves on the Dutch Margraten war cemetry. I plan on visiting these graves next week and to lay flowers. I would like to find more info about these two persons. This is what I know: John E. B. L. Tompkins Rank Technician Fifth Class, U.S. Army Service number # 33597026 Regiment 784th Tank Battalion Entered the Service from Pennsylvania County Place of enlistment Philadelphia Date of enlistment 30-03-1943 Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Year of Birth 1923 Nativity Virginia Race and Citizenship Negro citizen Education Grammar school Civilian occupation Tractor ? truck driver Marital status Single, with dependents Died 03-03-1945 Buried at Plot C Row 3 Grave 21 Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands Awards Purple Heart Carl F. Danajovits Rank Private First Class, U.S. Army Service number # 42134462 Regiment 334th Infantry Regiment Division 84th Infantry Division Entered the Service from 23 New York County Bronx Place of enlistment CP Upton Yaphank Date of enlistment 16-05-1944 Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law Year of Birth 1924 Nativity New York Race and Citizenship White citizen Education 2 years of high school Civilian occupation Automobile Serviceman Marital status Single, without dependents Died 26-02-1945 Buried at Plot C Row 15 Grave 23 Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands Awards Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

This man should be punished but he should also receive help. People with a mental illness often act like this.

Nice uniform, if you need a nice dutch medal to go on it. I might have some!

Very nice group of items,

Here's another one! SET BESTAANDE UIT; VERZETSHERDENKINGSKRUIS 1980, NIEUW GUINEA KRUIS ZONDER GESP, MOBILISATIE KRUIS 1939-1940, KRUIS VOOR RECHT EN VRIJHEID MET GESP, TROUWE DIENST ONDEROFFICIER 36 JAAR, INHULDIGINGSMEDAILLE 1980, VIERDAAGSE KRUIS, ITALIAANDE MEDAILLE, VN MEDAILLE KOREA OORLOG, KOREAANSE MEDAILLE.