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Gentlemen, Further to my post of 16 June 2023 I have obtained an example of the Flying Bull Lodge jewel. Obverse - "Flying Bull Lodge No. 8903" Reverse - Blank A nice silver gilt piece, marked by F.C. Parry of Birmingham, with date letter 'M' for 1961. It has the RAOB monogram device on the ribbon. Further to the 1958 Revolution in Iraq and the departure of British Forces this Lodge appears to have continued for at least a few years elsewhere. The flying bull or 'lamassu' is a mythological hybrid from ancient Mesopotamia (now Iraq), and was a protective deity warding off evil persons and is made up of the body of a bull, the wings of a bird and sometimes a human head. Regards, Owain

Thanks Megan - Nuri and Jaafar have featured in my OMRS/OMSA articles on Royal Iraqi awards - Sobhy is the grandfather of a friend. Owain

Good morning. As far as I am, or was, aware the British Victory Medal could not be awarded as single unlike like British War Medal. I have photographic evidence of two soldiers from the Middle East Theatre who wear a single Victory Medal as part of their groups: Nuri Saeed, later Prime Minister of Iraq - see image - also bearing a MiD oakleaf device - not found in the London Gazette Sobhy Al Omary, later Jordanian then Iraqi soldier - see image They were awarded their respective DSO and MC in the UK War Office List No. 53 of 19th December 1919 - but not published in the London Gazette. A search of the Medal Cards at the National Archive has, to date, been unsuccessful. Of course the many possible transliterations of Arabic names means that perhaps they exist under a different spelling. During my research I came across medal cards for two other Arab officers who received both the War & Victory Medals: Name Tahsin Ali, M.C. (War Office List No. 53 of 19th December 1919). Corps Hedjaz Army. Rank Rais Awal (Senior Captain), 1st N. Inf. Bn. Qaid (Colonel), Camel Battalion. Theatre of Service Palestine Name Abdul Razzak. Corps Hedjaz Army. Rank Commandant, Telegraph and Telephone Company. Theatre of Service Semnat between Aquaba and Mahmal. Another recipient of a pair was Ja'afar Al Askari, later Prime Minister of Iraq - see image - also bearing a MiD oakleaf device - not found in the London Gazette. So two queries: Where do I look to find awards of single Victory Medals to non-British/Empire nationals? Where do I look to find WW1 MiD awards to non-British/Empire nationals? Many thanks, Owain

John, I suspect that when you compare in any cemetery gravestones numbers to burials there is a vast discrepancy and even taking into account multiple inscriptions the number of unmarked burials significantly out number the names recorded on headstones. Thus the cemetery records and maps are essential research. As a case in point I knew my great great grandfather is buried at Nunhead in south London - some 250,000 burials - if it was not for the detailed plot map and register I would not have found the location of his 1878 grave. He is buried with his youngest son and his brother in law - three burials no headstone. Why? I have no idea as his son my great grandfather was not short of money. All sorts of reasons for no stones - expense, poverty, no relatives, family disputes, conscious decision, re-use of grave, destruction or relocation or reuse (as paving) of headstone, etc. Regards, Owain

John, This morning I walked to the cemetery - about 30 minutes walk. Alas I could find no gravestone to Burk and a I looked at every single one. As you can see from the attached pictures the cemetery is not very large and there are not many gravestones. A number of stones are in situ and others are around the perimeter wall. A few stones have fallen over and a number are illegible - these appear to be 19th century. As Burk died in 1929 and headstones from this period appear to be holding up against the elements, I would suggest that it is more than likely his grave may not have been marked by a headstone. Somewhere in some London archive will exist a plot map of the cemetery - if this can be found then the precise location of Burks grave can be identified. Owain PS I also attach a picture of the Commonwealth War Grave memorial - even the three men mentioned here do not have individual headstones. And two more images, Owain

John, What are his dates of birth and death? Owain

John, I know where the cemetery is and have walked though it in the past - it is not large and also not looked after but we shall see. I shall try in the next couple of weeks to make a visit. As you will appreciate SR Burk is not going anywhere! Regards, Owain

John, Good morning from Ealing London, Acton is 'next' to Ealing and if your man, from Acton, is buried in Acton I could go on a walkabout and try to find his grave. Let me have the details. Trust all is well, Owain

Gentlemen, Further to my posts of 1/11/22, 25/5/23 and 11/12/24 I attach images of a RAOB RAF Aboukir No. 3739 jewel recently acquired. A nice chunky gilded base metal jewel - well made by Parry of Birmingham. The clasp is for a 60th Anniversary. I am assuming it is a later issue as it has a standard buffalo horns suspension and a generic RAF colours ribbon. Owain

Hi, The Arabic reads 'Al Jaish Al Arab' - The Arab Army. It is a Jordanian cap badge - whether it is the pre-1948 Arab Legion or post independence Jordanian Army is difficult to attribute but it appears to be an old white metal badge. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, I now detail, in brief, the accompanying jewels of David Brown's group - almost all are unnamed (two are named to him) and I suspect most are souvenirs of visits to other lodges. I was tempted to start another RAOB thread for German/BAOR lodges but I have resisted (am resisting) the temptation to start collecting them! Trio - Pied Piper (Rattenfanger) of Hameln Lodge No.9168 by Parry of B'Ham - this uses a WW2 France & Germany Star ribbon ; RAOB Primo neck badge reverse named Bro. D. T. J. Brown C.P. by Parry of B'ham; Chieftain & Stag Lodge No. 9549 - no makers name (this may be lodge based at the then training ground of BATUS (British Army Training Unit Suffield) in Alberta Canada. Four A - Royal Jubilee Lodge No. 10175 - bearing a Royal Artillery badge and the Latin motto "Ubique" (everywhere) - no makers name - it may be that this lodge dates from the year of EIIR Silver Jubilee in 1977 - the significance of the palm tree device is unknown unless it represents attendance at meetings held in the Middle East - the ribbon is the same as that used for Mark Master Mason jewel; Western Germany Province No. 5 - the significance of the image is unknown - no maker's name - ribbon in the FRG flag colours; Prince Elector Celle (No lodge number given) by Parry of Birmingham - ribbon in the FRG flag colours; Germany Minden Lodge 8381by Parry of B'Ham. Four B - Loyal Swan Lodge No. 9443 by Parry of Birmingham - ribbon in the FRG flag colours; Ye Olde Cleveleys Lodge No. 7059 - 50 Anniversary 1931-1981 by Parry of Birmingham - uses ribbon of the Royal Victorian Order; Vice President 1992 RAOB - reverse engraved "Presented to Brother David T.J. Brown C.P. AD 6986 by the Germany No. 5 Examining Council for services rendered as Vice President 1992" by Parry of B'Ham; Catterick Brough Lodge No. 6728 by Parry of B'Ham. Over the years I have seen numerous RAOB jewels relating to lodges in Germany (BAOR) and Berlin - I will continue to resist the temptation to collect. Owain

Gentlemen, This time the Jerboa Lodge trio: Obverse - Jerboa Lodge No. 8776 Reverse - Bro. David T. J. Brown AD 6986 Initiated 23-1-89 Jerboa Lodge No. 8776 - maker's mark Parry B'ham Obverse - Jerboa 8776 with clasp 25th Anniversary Reverse - David Brown 23-1-89 Obverse - Primo - Jerboa Lodge No. 8776 Reverse - Bro David T. J. Brown AD 6986 Raised 26-9-90 Jerboa Lodge No. 8776 - maker's mark Parry B'ham Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Further to the image posted 31 May 2023 I have obtained as part of a larger group an example of the Jerboa Lodge No 8776 - this example bears a "25th Anniversary" clasp. The reverse is engraved, "David Brown 23 - 1 - 1989". The accompanying jewels all appear to relate to RAOB Lodges based in Germany as part of BAOR. Accordingly I believe that the Jerboa Lodge is/was a Germany based Lodge with its motif of a jerboa being a homage to the badge of the 7th Armoured Division in North Africa in WW2, which subsequently was based in Germany, and has continued to use the badge. Owain

Good morning Megan, These pictures are of the pieces I sold in the recent Spink auction - nice examples of a beautiful order, although the 4th and 5th classes are quite impractical when seen in a British group - they are too big to fit or lie tidily in a mounted group. I am in the process of reviewing a draft book on the awards of the Kingdom of Egyptian - some 120 pages and similar in format to my Somalia book and based upon my 2024 OMRS exhibit. It should see the light of day by the summer. Kind regards, Owain

Megan, Many thanks indeed for taking the time to compose this review - it is most kind of you and thank you for your kind words too. Owain PS A few typos have sneaked in and you may wish to tweak them.