Carol I

This was the pilot badge in the first reign of King Michael, 1927-1930.

Thanks Dave. I never included the 6th class in my list. Scott, does your badge have traces of the wreath attachements (as if the wreath had come off)?

I see. The regulations seem quite complex. If I understood you right, all classes could be awarded with the laurel war decoration, the Grand Cross class as well as 1st to 3rd classes on the yellow-black-white ribbon, while 4th and 5th classes on the light blue ribbon of the Order for Bravery. Furthermore, all the badges with the war decoration sported the white ring. The 'regular' badge with green ring on the other hand could be awarded on the yellow-black-white ribbon for peacetime awards and on the light blue ribbon of the Order for Bravery for wartime awards (but the latter only for classes IV-VI). The question that remains is: Are there any badges with white rings, but without the laurel war wreath (like Scott's badge in post #1)? If yes, where do they come into the picture? No problem. It is good that we could eventually piece the truth.

It appears to be the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. Take a look in http://www.medals.org.uk/italy/republic/it...republic016.htm.

I do not think this is correct. Below is an image from one of Petrov's book on Bulgarian decorations showing badges with war decorations on the statute ribbon of the Order for Military Merit. I thought it was the other way around: all the classes could be awarded with the laurel war wreath (see image above), but only classes IV and V could be awarded with the light blue ribbon of the Order for Bravery (and only those with white ring and war laurel wreath). The type below is missing from your list.

This is an interesting award. I have always thought that only the wartime awards with white ring and war laurel wreath could be presented with the ribbon of the Order for Bravery.

Some more names of British awardees of the Medal for Valour and Faith (from the page of the Worcestershire Regiment): Clark, Henry Cook, C.Q.M.S. (A/C.S.M.) - 1st Class Hemming, Raymond, Sgt. (A/C.S.M.) - 2nd Class Smith, Alfred, Sgt. - 2nd Class

This appears to be the Officer's cross of the Order for Military Merit. The white ring indicates a wartime award, but in this case the badge should have also has a war decoration (see Bulgarian medals and ribbon bars).

This is Gen. Ioan Dicezare, a distinguished WWII fighter pilot.

Many of the Romanian WWII orders were made at the National Mint with rather good quality. So I guess it is not the place by iteself, but rather the people working the medals.

You're welcome, Blitz. Well, all is not lost. It is rumoured that there are some jewellers out there who can still make high quality badges and they mark them with original punches, making it rather difficult to tell them apart from the originals. Too bad that the State Mint does not use them for making the new awards.

I agree completely, Jacky. Too bad that even the current orders have a similar appearance. There are some people that say that the mint workers are too busy doing "unofficial reproductions" to pay enough attention to the real things, but I have no idea whether this is true or only gossip.

I see, Jacky, but then the same can be said about all the Romanian awards, not only the Medal for Valour and Faith. Besides, Romania is in no way a singular case with respect to its alliances along the years. Quite similar things can be said about Italy and Japan and their awards. Like Romania, both these countries fought on the side of the Entente in WWI and then in WWII they were allied with Germany. Furthermore, Italy changed sides towards the end of WWII, as did Romania.

Another one: Gen. Kamanin wearing the third class of the Order of Michael the Brave with swords and several badges of the Order for Aeronautical Virtue (from www.warheroes.ru).

No problem. It's not the Medal for Valour and Faith, but something much higher: Gen. Shumilov wearing the second class of the Order of Michael the Brave with swords in a most unusual way (from www.warheroes.ru).

Then it is the history that is unusual, not the medal. Up until 1947 the soviets received royal awards. The communist-style awards appeared only from 1948 on.

Why do you find this strange, Jacky? It was a distinguished conduct medal awarded to Romania's own and allied military personel. In WWI it was the Entente, in WWII the Germans and the Soviets (I do not know of any soviet name for this low ranked medal, but soviets have indeed received Romanian orders in the last years of WWII).

The Medal for Valour and Faith was established in 1903 through the High Decree 2812 in order to reward distinguished conduct in police duties. With the Second Balkan War of 1913 it began to be awarded to military personel. The distinction between police and military medals was the addition of the "1913" clasp to the ribbon. Then, when Romania entered WWI, swords were added to the medals awarded to military personel through Royal Decree 3429 of 21.12.1916.

How was your trip, Jani? Did you manage to get to the museums?

Replacement Order of the Crown of Romania Original Order of the Crown of Romania

In 2004 an Order for Valour and Faith (I think this is the official translation of the name Bărbăţie şi Credinţă) was established. Images of the Commander's and Knight's badge are available on the the site of the Chancellery of Orders.

The real thing: Obverse / Reverse

The real thing

The real thing: Obverse / Reverse

Some time ago it was mentioned that veterans were to receive replacements of their lost/confiscated medals, but as far as I remember it was about (poor quality) replicas of the original awards, not awards with the new design. I think I had at some point images of the replacements for the Order of the Crown of Romania. I will check if I can find them.