Tiger-pie

Well Colin, what you have to remember is that there are always new members coming through, and that there is a great deal of mis-information getting about, usually by forum "experts". I have seen a lot of it on Third Reich forums over the last few years, and it has probably being going on long before that. With so many sources of information getting around, and not all of them reliable, it is good that you have gone back to the source, which can hardly be argued with. What collectors also need to keep in mind is that many of Germany's industries were "cottage" based i.e. there was no vast production lines that churned out exact copies, so one item could or would be farmed out to several makers, thus you get variations on the same theme. Regards; Johnsy

G'da pluribus; What is the significance of the suspension device and setup of the two badges in post #1 and 2? Is there some historical (Baltic) link to this style? It is very unusual. I like the use of what is almost medievel symbology, does this also have a cultural link? Or is it just "tuff lookin". Regards; Johnsy

See link to AFP Honours and Awards: http://www.afp.gov.au/about/honours/afp/af..._service_medals Regards; Johnsy

Also see this link for some good photos. Regards; Johnsy http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-kit/default.htm

Unloading, ready for the next round.

Firing, note round at left of frame.

Loading.

These phots were taken at Shoalwater Bay Traning Area during a live-fire exercise.

This has already been discussed in another forum thread... Regards; Johnsy http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17243

North Western Frontier, i.e. India, the area adjacent to Afganistan. The Waristan Force was a combined arms unit made up of British and Indian troops. There were quite a few scraps in that area. See below link for eligibility of clasps to the India General Service Medal, Waziristan comes up a few times, and the link below that gives a brief history. Very nice medal, nice engraving. Regards; Johnsy http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishgu..._1908_award.htm http://www.khyber.org/publications/041-045/armyininda.shtml

Crikey, and to think we take the piss because they hand out a gong here in Oz after you have completed your initial four years of service. To date they have handed out over 100 000 of them, making it one the most prolific medals under the Australian Honours and Awards system, excluding WW1 and WW2 service medals as they were issued under the Imperial system. They expect that they will reach close to the million mark if all ex-servicemen and women, post September 1945, apply. Regards; Johnsy

From stuff.co.nz Special Air Service (SAS) Corporal Bill (Willy) Apiata, 35, will receive the medal for services in Afghanistan in 2004, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today. Three other SAS soldiers are also to receive bravery awards for actions during the same mission. Clark said Apiata's actions were carried out despite extreme danger to himself and there was no question he had saved his comrade's life. "Corporal Apiata carried a severely wounded fellow soldier across open ground while coming under intense attack. He did this despite extreme danger to himself," Clark said. The action took place in Afghanistan when the SAS was helping US and British forces fight the Taliban. New Zealand Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae said Apiata would appear at a news conference later today. "It is only normal that public attention will turn to Corporal Apiata," he said. "In one respect he is an outstanding soldier, but in another respect he is also just an ordinary New Zealander and a humble man. When he was advised he had won the Victoria Cross he said to his commanding officer: 'I was only doing my job boss'." Apiata will be one of only 13 living recipients of the Victoria Cross. He was born in the Waikato in 1972 and began his army career in 1989 as a territorial. He will be presented with his medal by Governor General Anand Satyanand at a special ceremony at Government House in Wellington later this month. Three other gallantry decorations are also being awarded to other members of the SAS, but they are not being named for security reasons. All four decorations have been awarded for actions during the same mission. Defence Minister Phil Goff said it was the extraordinary nature of the award that led authorities to release the name of a serving SAS soldier. "The Granting of a Victoria Cross is such an extraordinary event that it would be impossible to maintain the confidentiality of the identity of Corporal Apiata," he said. "We came to the judgment that it was better we announce his name and the circumstances of his winning the award, rather than have the highly probable outcome that that would be leaked somewhere down the track." "In terms of future deployments, the commander of his unit will have to make a judgment in each instance as to whether he can be deployed given the knowledge people will have of his identity." The Victoria Cross for New Zealand resembles the British Victoria Cross in appearance and manufacture and is equally hard to win. Corporal Apiata's Victoria Cross is the 14th awarded since the end of World War Two and the first to a serving member of the SAS anywhere in the Commonwealth. Cpl Apiata was born in the Waikato in 1972 and grew up in Northland and the Eastern Bay of Plenty. He joined the New Zealand Army as a territorial soldier in 1989. From July 2000 to April 2001, he served in East Timor as part of the United Nations operated there. He joined the regular army force in April 2001. In 1996 he had applied for SAS selection but was not successful, however he reapplied and passed in 2001, training with the SAS in 2002. He becomes one of only 13 living recipients of the Victoria Cross ? the only New Zealander in that group.

I have a pair to a Royal Marine from the HMS Superb, clasp ALEXANDRIA, 11th July, and I got that for $800 dollars Aust. last year. Regards; Johnsy

Your right, because I'm not selling it... No, I don't think it is gold, might be plated, not sure as it has never been out of its container. I will post the group in the Brit/Commonwealth medal section for you to have a butchers at. Regards; Johnsy

This coin came with a medal group I purchased. I have no idea how rare it is. It was coupled with a 7th Division commemorative. Regards; Johnsy

Pfft...amateurs. I'm not sure if that is a boomarang in the middle of the design, or the hands of a clock indicating it is tea time. Regards; Johnsy

Gawd, I hope not, I worked around those over-engineered pieces of shoite when I was on patrol boats!! And of course I'm right. We don't have the capability to carry these anywhere at the moment in any number, with support units, and won't have until the new Canberra Class amphibs come online in 2012. Regards; Johnsy

Your missing the big picture Peter, see post #17 Regards; Johnsy

This was a mammoth RAS evolution that lasted two consecutive days !! In the photo are (L to R) is USS Dubique, HMAS Success, USS Boxer and on station at the rear is USS Comstock. It was unusual to go out onto the RAS deck and have to look up at another ship, as most of what we refuel is on the same level or below us. If I recall correctly, this was during RIMPAC 2000

RAS with (L to R) Darwin, Success and JDS Setoyuki during our visit to Japan in late 2000. Note that there is a helo in the air above Success's flight deck. This would indicate that a Vertrep was in progress at the time.

Hookup with Westralia and Success. This was a fuel, solids and water transfer that lasted 7 hours.

Sending across a pallet of stores. Success has embarked stores stowage areas and fridges/freezers. This allows other ships in the fleet to store food and ammunition that they have limited space for. In this case it is "goffers" (cans) of cola.

Success hooking up with HMAS Canberra (FFG 02). The yellow object is a test weight to make sure the rig is servicable.

Conducting a night-time RAS from Success. It was not unusual for RAS's to last many hours, sometimes up to 12 hours straight.

Hooking up to a hardpoint for a heavy jackstay (RAS) on HMAS Success.