Dragomir

Dear Ed,

Some 30 years ago I got this poster in Baghdad. It displays Hassan al-Bakr, and you will notice curious collar he is wearing. Do you have any idea what that might be?

Yours,

Dragomir

Next try

Dear Ivan,

so, I will choose these two orders in a first step:

- Order of the Partisan Star 1cl

- Order of Brotherhood and Unity 1cl

Both orders Tito received in 1945. Both orders are for generals. Both orders are rare & prestigeous. But the Partisan Star with the golden wreath might be for an Partisan-General of more prestige .

I guess, that Koca had been one of the very first awardees of the Partisan Star 1cl.

As I read, he got another Partisan Star 1cl in later years.

BTW: Who is the actual owner of Koca's orders & medals? They would be a great display for a museum . Our Military Museum at the Kalemegdan in Belgrade doesn't have many orders .

Best regards

Christian

I found my notes. This is the list of awards of K. Popovic presently in Historical Archives of Belgrade:

Yugoslavian Orders, Decorations and Medals:

1- Order of the Partisan Star I (1944)

2- Order of the Partisan Star I (1945)

3? Order of the Partisan Star I (no Decree, dubious provenance)

4? Order for Bravery (1945)

5? Order for Bravery (no Decree)

6? Order of National Liberation (1945)

7? Order of Brotherhood and Unity (1947)

8? Order of Brotherhood and Unity I (1947, no Decree, probably substitution)

9? Order of Brotherhood and Unity (no Decree)

10-Order of the Yugoslavian Flag I (1954)

11-Order of the Yugoslavian Flag III (no Decree, perhaps belonged to K.P.?s wife)

12-Order of the Yugoslavian Flag III (no Decree)

13-Order of Freedom (no Decree)

14-Order of the War Banner (1954)

15-Order of the National Hero (1953)

16-Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour (1968)

17-Order of the Republic I (1961)

18-Order of Merit for the People I

19-Commemorative Badge for 1941.

20-Commemorative Badge for 1941.

21-Commemorative Medsal of Tito?s India and Burma State Visit (1954/ 5)

22-Commemorative Medal of 10th Anniversary of YPA

23-Commemorative Badge of the Union of War Veterans

Foreign Orders, Decorations and Medals:

Afghanistan:

24-Order of the Sardar-e-Ala

Argentina:

25-Order of May I (1954)

Bolivia:

26-Order of Condor of the Andes I

Brazil:

27-National Order of the Southern Cross I (1963)

Bulgaria:

28-Order of the National Liberation I

Burma:

29-Order of the Union I (the insignia by some error were stuck in same case with Ethiopian Order of Menelik; missing in the list of awards)

Chile:

52-Nationla order of Merit I (1962, HOURS, Santiago)

Czechoslovakia:

49-Order of the White Lion

50-Military Order of White Lion ?For Victory?

51-Military Cross 1939-1945

Greece:

30-Order of George II, I (1954)

Ethiopia:

31-Order of Menelik I (A.Bertrand, erroniously listed as ?Order of the Lion?)

Hungary:

34-Order of the Hungarian Flag I (1964)

Iceland:

32-Order of the Icelandic Falcon I (1960)

Italy:

33-Order of Merit for the Republic of Italy I (1965)

Mexico:

35-Order of the Aztec Eagle I (1960, broad band, LA ESMERALDA, MEXICO, HAUSER, ZIVY Y CIA CUCS.)

Norway:

35-Order of St. Olav I (1966)

Poland:

36-Grunwald Cross

37-Medal ?For your and our freedom? (1956)

40-Commemorative Medal for 20th Anniversary of Victory (1965)

Finland:

45-Order of the White Rose of Finland I (1963)

France:

46-Order of the Legion of Honour I (1956)

47-Order of the Lewgion of Honour III (1953)

Netherlands:

48-Order of Oranien-Nassau I (1972)

Spain (Republic):

53-Order of Liberty

54-Commemorative Medal of the YU Union of Veteras of Spanish Civil War 1936-1956

Sudan:

41-Order of Two Niles I (1st Version, GARARD, London)

42-Order of Two Niles I (identical as previous one)

Tunisia:

43-Order of the Republic I (1965; 2nd Version, A.BERTRAND)

UK:

44-HM Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)

USSR:

38?Order of Suvorov I

39-Order of Suvorov II

You will note that the evidence of K.P. Legate is not in best order, and that there is some confusion regarding precise data. When I find some spare time, I shall try to make a complete review, with sketches and photographs.

Dragomir

Next try

Dear Ivan,

so, I will choose these two orders in a first step:

- Order of the Partisan Star 1cl

- Order of Brotherhood and Unity 1cl

Both orders Tito received in 1945. Both orders are for generals. Both orders are rare & prestigeous. But the Partisan Star with the golden wreath might be for an Partisan-General of more prestige .

I guess, that Koca had been one of the very first awardees of the Partisan Star 1cl.

As I read, he got another Partisan Star 1cl in later years.

BTW: Who is the actual owner of Koca's orders & medals? They would be a great display for a museum . Our Military Museum at the Kalemegdan in Belgrade doesn't have many orders .

Best regards

Christian

Orders, decorations and medals of General K. Popovic are presently owned by his own legate in the Historical Archives of City of Belgrade. Several months ago I made a thorough survey of his awards.

Merry Christmas,

Dragomir

to my feeling, the medal on the left is a kind of victory medal, names of other countries are mentioned on the leaves of the laurel-crown.

Just my 2 cents...

Kind regards,

Jacky

The medal on the left side is the Serbian Commemorative Medal of the First Balkan War. instituted in 1913, and awarded to persons who participated in the war operations of the allied Balkan Christian States against Turkish Empire. Obverse displays the medieval Monastery Church of Gracanica with rising sun charged with war year 1912 and field canons; the inscription reads KOSOVO AVENGED. The reverse displays double headed eagle of the Serbian Coat of Arms within a wreath inscribed with places where battles took place. The proper ribbon is one with thin arrays of three-colour stripes. Two main variants differ in size (depending of the manufacturer).

Dragomir

Lovely orders!!!

Certainly a beauty.

When counting the ribbons, I found 9 ribbons,

and there are 9 orders included the commander of the million elephants and the white parasol.

However which medal is the officer class with the green ribbon??

I think that should denote the cambodian order...

Also are the ribbons in a different way to the way where the full size medals are mounted...

Stranger things have happended, I love your group really paul!!

Kind regards,

Jacky

Green ribbon with narrow yellow side stripes and central silver-white stripe belongs to the Mauretanian National Order of Merit, Officer's class.

All the best.

Dragomir

Hi all:

Here is a new addition to my Albanian collection and it is not communist. This is the medal commemorating the accession of Wilhelm of Weid as Albania's ruling Prince (Mbret which later came to mean King). He was elected by the Central Powers after they polled around looking for a minor noble to assume the throne after Albania was liberated from the Ottoman Empire in December 1913. Wilhelm was the only candidate willing to take on the job. He tried to secure long promised funds to help maintain some degree of stability but the outbreak of WW I put an end to that and with the rapid disintegration of Albania into civil war between warring factions, Wilhelm fled in September 1914. This medal was designed by the Austrian scuptor Gustav Gurschner and was most likely produced in Austria as well.

I remember seeing a medal bar once with this decoration on it. If anyone has one, post them!

Cheers,

Eric

In fact, his name was Wilhelm von Wied, from the ancient German feudal house of Runkel.