Hugh

That's it! Well done, Dave.

That's it! Well done, Dave.

ROC MND also has a website. ODM are shown in the section http://www.mnd.gov.tw/division/~defense/mi.../a/index_01.htm. I just tried it and got a 404, but it has been available in the past. I can connect to the basic MND site, but it's all in Chinese, and I can't sort through it. The English version is more limited.

I bought it off the wall in a shop in Shi Men Ding. Don't remember the price, but it wasn't cheap, and shows ribbons only. Unfortunately, I don't travel there anymore.

For those interested, there is a 20 page section (pp. 72 - 91) on Malaysian Federal ODM in "Malaysian Protocol and Correct Forms of Address", by Abdullah Ali (Times Books International, 1986). A few b & w pictures. Perhaps the definitive (thought dated) reference is Sdn Ldr E. H. O'Toole's "Malayan Orders and Decorations", published in 1961. Eng Leong's catalogue (referred to in another post) has magnificent color pictures of many of the ODM of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. I happened to know their Sales Director in an earlier existence, and they gave me a wonderful tour of the manufacturing plant in Singapore some years ago.

Taiwan has a profuse and interesting array of awards for their military and police. In addition to awards specific to the Army, Navy Air Force and Police, they also have a General Medals list and a General Awards list, as well as an Excellence Awards list (Marksmanship, flying, study, riding, boat skills, "Special skills (Te-chi) and the August 07 flood award. They also have a range of Achievement Marks, campaign medals, service medals, Central Party Committee (of the KMT) awards, qualification medals (e.g., Airborne, missile, etc.), service at the various military academies and staff colleges, service at MND, Army or AF HQ. ALL of these come with a ribbon for your chest! A TW general is truly a resplendent sight!

This one, Treasured Star (Bao Shin), ranks at the end of the list of Army-specific awards, and is commonly available in the military tailor shops in Shi Men Ding (Taipei) for around $5 - 8 US. The Government chart shows it with a single star on the ribbon, and a higher grade with four stars. I infer that it might be awarded with up to 8 stars, as this is the typical pattern for TW awards.

Sorry, I should have been more complete in my previous post.

The ROK Order of Military Merit has five classes, similar to most European orders.

1. Taegeug - Solid red sash, badge and breast star

2. Eulji - Neck badge and breast star - pink ribbon w/ 4 side stripes each side

3. Chungmu - Neck badge only- pink ribbon w/ 3 side stripes each side

4. Hwarang - breast badge with rosette on dark red ribbon w/ 2 side stripes each side (Sometimes also spelt Wharang)

5. Inheon - breast badge w/ vivid medium blue ribbon, 1 side stripe each side

The modern badge is an eight-pointed, multi-rayed star with a red-enamelled disc and gold emblem in the center. It is suspended from a gold wreath with center five-pointed star. (Different badges and ribbons were used during the Korean War period. For example, the Hwarang badge is a five-armed white-enamelled cross with convex ends. It has an azure disc and gold/silver center emblem superimposed on a red disc with gold embellishments. )

To quote the ROK Ministry of Government Administration, it is "...Conferred upon those who have rendered distinguished conduct during active participation in combat" As you can imagine, it is not very common these days. (In general, the Koreans are not overly-generous in individual awards.)

The other ROK order often awarded to the military is the Order of National Security Military Merit, "...Conferred upon those who have rendered distinguished conduct for the national security", i.e., non-combat. The grades for this order are:

1. Tong-Il - Solid red sash

2. Gugseon - Ribbon - purple with 4 white side stripes each side

3. Cheonsu - Ribbon - red with 3 white side stripes each side

4. Samil - Ribbon - yelloe-orange with 2 white side stripes each side and rosette

5. Gwangbog - Ribbon - medium-light green with 1 white side stripe each side

The modern badge is a six-armed white enamelled cross with red side rays on each arm and a gold embellishment between the arms. The center is the Korean Taeguk national emblem, representing Yin and Yang (as seen on their flag). The badge is suspended from a gold castle-like device.

Many of my Korean officer friends (mostly field grade or general officer) have received some level of this award.

I'll try to do some scans later. Would still like to see a scan of your item. Hope this helps.

Is there is picture with this?

Chungmu is one of the series of South Korean military bravery awards, higher than the more commonly awarded Wharang. Both can be awarded to foreigners.

How common was this award? I have seen references of it awarded with a gold or silver star and recipients getting both. I have also heard that it was South korea's highest bravery award sen that foreigners did receive it. Thanks in advance.

John

Son of a Gun, my hunch paid off! That's the Sultan of Solo (Suryakarta)! The line continues to reign but not rule. Can't remember for sure, but I think the current Sultan is Hamankubono XIII. (Not at all sure about the numeral) His retainers all wear caps and sarongs of a unique royal pattern of batik.

Hi Hugh and Erik,

Yesterday I got in contact with a collector of KNIL photo's. I showed him this photo and he replied that it must be an medal from Sultan Soesoehoenan, Pakoe Boewono X.

OK, apologies to both of you. My "smart mouth" ran away again, but I was really curious to learn more, and to see if I could work some of it out with my Malay dictionary.

OK, maybe wrong was the wrong word: misstaken is better! It clears up that what I thought to be a decoration actually was an umbrella

Yes, well, that clears everything up then! (But not for me - any chance of a translation?)

Hello Eric,

Here is some info from the Museum Bronbeek about the Gele Soeng ( in Dutch )

Het zou wel eens zo kunnen zijn dat met de gele soeng het zonnescherm of de pajoeng bedoeld wordt. Deze pajoeng heeft immers de vorm van een paddestoel (soeng) en is bovendien vaak geel van kleur. En het Hoog-Javaaanse woord voor dit zonnescherm "songsong" (de Javaanse o-klank is in het Maleis vaak een oe en het songsong is een gebruikelijke verdubbeling) is gemakkelijk tot soeng te herleiden.

De pajoeng was het voornaamste onderscheidingsteken voor inlandse ambtenaren. Door de daarop in het veld aangebrachte kleuren en strepen of circels werd de rang van de ambtenaar aangeduid. Elke pajoeng heeft een veld (latar), met een knop, pentol, waaraan een stervormig uitgeknipt aanhangsel met puntige uitlopers (tlatjak) zit. De beide laatste onderdelen zijn in de regel verguld. De stok (garan) is bij de pajoengs der regenten verguld, bij die van de andere ambtenaren wit of zwart geverfd met of zonder versierselen in de vorm van bloemslingers, terwijl de dunne stokjes die het scherm open moeten houden, mneestal geel of wit geverfd zijn en door een netwerk van geel of wit garen zijn omgeven.

Voor 1904 voerden ook de residenten en assisitent-residenten op Java en Madoera de ambtspajoeng: voor de residenten een vergulden en een halfvergulden/halfwitte voor de assistent-residenten. Gouverneur-Generaal Van Heutsz schafte dit gebruik in de zogeheten "pajoengcirculaire" van 1904 af.

I think this is for the non active participants in the indochina war? Top bar is missing on it.

It is indeed for the Indochinese war, but I can't confirm the non-active aspect. When I bought mine in Bangkok, my Royal Thai Army friends said nothing about different versions for non-active service. I have a wonderful book on Thai ODM which lists this on page 141 as the "Medal for Service in the Interior". It is shown in an inferior position to an exactly similar medal in silver with a green ribbon with red center stripe which is the "War for East Asia" (WW II) equivalent. Unfortunately, all the explanatory text is in Thai, so, unless I find an interpreter, that's all I can offer for now. The ribbon for your medal is red with a center stripe of white. There should be a top bar and an elaborate scroll suspender. The same tri-service insignia appears on a number of the Thai medals, but it is usually superimposed on an antique Thai sword running from top right to lower left. If anyone has a Thai interpreter, I can scan the relevant page from the book.

Nice. Will dig out some information to pair with your images.

Does anyone know of a source for the Sylvester book which covers this area? I don't ven have correct name or publisher.

Hugh

I was told that the script on the medal appears to be from the island of Java..

You may already be aware that the Arabic-style script used for the Indonesian and Malay languages is called Jawi, which may have been the reference you heard. Jawi is not widely used except for very formal or official purposes. It is used for these purposes in both Indonesia and Malaysia. I'm still betting on the Sultan of Solo (Suryakarta).

Hi Hugh, Thanks for your reaction. I do not own the medal. I own a photo of a man wearing this medal.

Got it! Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Can you post a closeup of the medal itself (obverse / reverse)? We may be able to make out something from the inscription(s).

Very interesting! I picked up a copy of the Chinese Order of the Precious Tripod in the flea market outside the Meiji Temple in Tokyo about 15 years ago with exactly the same ribbon (which is NOT Precious Tripod). The medal itself was a fair to poor copy, generally accurate but poorly struck.

I have just added this Dutch photo to my collections. It seems to be showing the same award!

Anyone ?

I'm sure it's not Thai, and fairly sure it's not one of the Malay states (the crown is unlike any of my Malay / Malaysian medals). At a guess, I'd venture the Sultan of Solo (Suryakarta), which is consistent with the Dutch "primary" medals. Any Indonesian heraldists out there?

Hugh