Duncan

Hello, I bought this recently, more as a curiosity really. I realise it could just be two unrelated items cobbled together, but it got me thinking. Would it be even plausible for a serviceman to have served in both the Normandy Campaign and in The Burma Campaign? And if so, would this have been relatively common, or something out of the ordinary?

Thank you,

Duncan.

31 minutes ago, VC89 said:

Didn't really noticed it before but just in case you don't know it yet: they are not the same medals ... well they are the same medals (jewels) but bacause of the ribbon it is a different one. The first one is the "Civic Medal 1st class for Long Service in the Administration" the second one is the "Civic Medal 2nd class for Acts of Bravery, Devotion and Philantrophy".

Hi, thanks for the information. 

Fantastic collection!

Thank you both for the information. 

Hello, can someone please identify this French medal and tell me what it was awarded for.

I've tried Googling the French text, but not had much luck.

Thank you,

Duncan. 

57 minutes ago, VC89 said:

Now Belgium is not known for its strictness when it comes to medals and probably most 2nd class medals could have been sold/awarded in a box like this.

I was wondering if that might be the case. Here's two I recently got; just 1st and 2nd Class in French in the boxes. 

13 hours ago, Graf said:

 For Silver medal of the Order of Leopold II

Thank you.

On 16/02/2023 at 15:24, Michael Johnson said:

https://blogs.aphp.fr/wp-content/blogs.dir/113/files/2020/06/20200616_1096W-Personnel-Foch-Charteok.pdf

 

It appears to have been a veterans' hospital, and later retirement home.

 

I have seen others (one with a 1967 mint mark) which are engraved, which leads me to believe that this must be an early award.  The establishment opened in 1922.

 

Michael

 

 

Thank you for the information. 

Hello, can someone please identify which Belgian medal this may have contained?

Thank you,

Duncan.

10 hours ago, Hendrik said:

Hello Duncan,

 

The reverse reads "Society of reunited friends 1914" ... Porte du Parc is a neighbourhood in Mons. A very local commemorative medal, it would seem.

 

Regards,

Hendrik

Thank you for the information. 

Thank you.

Is anyone able to give me any information on this unusual medal please. I've searched Google but can find nothing on it.

Regards,

Duncan.

Is anyone able to give me some information on when and why this table medal was issued please?

Duncan.

1 hour ago, bigjarofwasps said:

Looks like they served in the Middle East as well. So this medal could potentially be for either or both these campaigns, perhaps? 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grenadiers

 

 

Ohh yes, thanks, didn't see that about the Middle East, was looking at the Battle Honours.

Can someone tell me if the abbreviations on the rear of this medal refer to Indian Grenadiers please? If so would the award of the 1939-1945 Star indicate active service against the Japanese in the Burma campaign?

4 hours ago, peter monahan said:

Somebody has created the dog tag?  We have a chap here in Canada who makes up fibre dog tags for WWI reenactors, using a number and letter punch set.  No reason why somebody couldn't be doing the same with metal ones, I'm afraid. 

 

Sadly, whenever a good quality repro. appears, some crook tries to make money from it.  This would be an easy way to create a WWII group: a bit of research, some unnamed medals and  a quick-fix tag to tie them all together. 😡

Yes, that's what's happened I think. My own stupid fault, bit too trusting 😒

I've had a mounted 1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, and 1939-1945 War Medal in my collection for ages. It was sold along with the dog tag (attached). It also came with paperwork relating to the details of the man on the dog tag showing him being wounded twice, once in 1944 then again in 1945.

However, I've recently read that all WW2 dog tags were the fiber types and metal dog tags were post 1960. I suspect an unrelated dog tag and medals were grouped together. What do people think?

If metal dog tags are post 1960 then why do the details match a man serving in WW2.

I'm quite confused!

On 13/01/2023 at 08:16, Hendrik said:

Hello Duncan,

LA GETTE

 

For their defence along the small Gete river (Gette in French), a number of units, mostly belonging to the 2^nd Cavalry Division and the Mounted Cavalry Brigade as well as some attached artillery units, transmission troops, etc. were cited (1946) for this rearguard mission in which they withstood several violent enemy attacks on 13 and 14 May 1940 until ordered to withdraw.

FLANDRES 1940

 

Awarded (1946 citation) to the 1st, 5th and 6th groups of the 1st Aeronautic Regiment for heroism and dedication by its air crews while performing reconnaissance flights without fighter protection and opposed by enemy aviation and anti-aircraft fire.

 

 

Regards,

Hendrik

 

Hello Hendrik, thank you again for your kind help.

Kind regards, 

Duncan.

Could someone also please tell me the award criteria to for the bars La Gette and Flandre 1940 too please?

11 hours ago, Hendrik said:

Hello Duncan,

 

The bars for the Belgian WW2 Commemorative Medal reflect unit citations and thus presence in the unit(s) cited during the specific battles would be the criterium.

ESCAUT

 

The Belgian Section of the Royal Navy received a citation in 1945 for its glorious participation in the liberation of the island of Walcheren (Netherlands) which was to lead to the opening of the branches of the Schelde river (Escaut in French) and the port of Antwerp.

WINTERBEEK

Three units were cited in 1947 for extending the defensive Gete river line northwards and withstanding enemy pressure on their Winterbeek rivulet positions. The 2^nd Guides Regiment, the 1^st Regiment of Cyclist Carabineers and the IInd Group of the 19^th Artillery Regiment thus allowed the redeployment of units in their sector to the KW-Line (i.e. Koningshooikt-Waver line, an anti-tank line protecting Brussels).

CANAL DE WESSEM

 

In 1945 the Brigade « Libération » was cited for having maintained the liaison between the British and American armies by holding an extended and very exposed front with its meagre forces and using offensive and defensive actions to misguide the enemy as to its strength. The brigade successfully made the first attack in the offensive that lead the British 2^nd Army from the Wessem Canal to the Meuse.

 

 

 

Regards,

Hendrik

 

 

Hello Hendrik, thank you very much for the information, it's very much appreciated. 

Kind regards, 

Duncan.

Can someone tell me the award criteria/dates for the following bars please - Escaut, Winterbeek, and Canal de Wessen.

Many thanks,

Duncan.

I often see various French life saving society medals - like the photo attached- can someone tell me more information on them please, like why they were awarded. There seems to be no end of different types and they're often attractive and very well made.

17 hours ago, Terry37 said:

I also have one of those and it is my understanding that is a WW2 Home Front pin. I haven't really done a lot of research though as I just picked it up for my Home Front collection that I occasionally add items too.

 

Terry

Thanks for the info. Some websites I've seen say it's WW1 and others WW2. Think it must be WW2 myself.

9 hours ago, JapanX said:

These are badges of Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland /Sotainvaliidien Veljesliitto/.

 

https://sotainvalidit.fi/

Thank you.

On 23/11/2022 at 08:40, bigjarofwasps said:

Interesting, but I would say not.
 

Having said that mind, I have seen campaign star groups with both the war and defence medals, but with no 39-45 star. Not sure how that works? 

One from my collection. Someone on this forum said it was typical of a late entry into the theatre of war; last few months but less that 6 months so didn't quality for the 1939-1945 Star.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Spent some time looking at the award criteria for the various stars and medals and got totally confused. As I read it, can't see that the 1939-1945 Star and Defence Medal would be legitimate, but possibly the Defence Medal and Italy Star might be OK, like was said may be a civilian in some sort of capacity. Or may be just random medals put together for no particular reason!