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Gentlemen, I would suggest that the uppermost inscription reads "Fateh Mimani" (Mimani Victory). The central toughra is I believe an embellished "Ali". Sadly I cannot be definitive about the lower inscription, but it appears to "Emir Shah". Edit - Perhaps "Emir Sher" is better. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Yet another and coincidentally as with the preceding jewel it is also from the Royal Baghdad Lodge No. 3647. This is a generic RAOB jewel rather than a specific Lodge design. The inscription on the reverse reads, "Presented to Bro. J.A. Scott by the Royal Baghdad Lodge 3647" There is no date but the maker is noted as, "Copyright Henry Slingsby Ltd. Nuneaton" with a Birmingham silver mark and the letter 'B' being the date letter for 1926. The silver and enamel work is of the highest quality. Kind regards, Owain

Nice one Paul. I wonder where it now resides? Deo volente it will reappear in due course. Owain

Paul, I used to have one named to 678 Surur Feraji (ex-Tammann collection). Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, See link below. The medals bar may or may not be genuine, but the Order of the Rafidain is not original - see image below. In official photographs of Saddam wearing his awards he has the sash of the military division and the breast star is a high quality European made breast star - probably Bertrand of Paris, The Order on the E-bay sale is a locally cast post Gulf War issue, the sash badge is civil, and the sash is a 'home made' military issue. It is now at over £8,000! Caveat emptor! Regards, Owain https://www.ebay.com/itm/353285720558?ul_noapp=true PS The peace with the Kurds medal ribbon - third from right, appears to have a different placement - more yellow is visible on the E-Bay group than on the original. Owain

Yes indeed - not plated or dipped, Owain

Good morning, I think this is an unofficial commemorative piece - not a state award. Owain

Paul, UKR, Republic of Yemen - to commemorate the 25th anniversary (1973-1998) of the war liberating the Shareen ( a tribal name). The brick design may allude to the Marib Dam. I think for YAR and RoY flags are depicted Further research required........ Owain

Numis, With regard to your query these are District Chief/Headman's Badge which come in silver and bronze. The Arabic is a reflection of the English and vice versa. I attach an example sold by the auction house DNW. The obverse reads 'Dowla Zinjibar' - 'Government/State of Zanzibar', and the reverse reads 'Wilayat Shaka Shaka' - 'Chake Chake District'. I believe there are five medals in this series : Chake Chake, Chuaka, Mkoani, Mwera and Weti Districts. The phrase "hen's teeth" comes to mind. From my limited Arabic in the Gulf 'Hakumat' is 'Government' whilst 'Dowla' is 'State' - no doubt variations in the use of words occur throughout the Arabic speaking world. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Another 'new' addition to the PDRY awards series. The medallet reads, right to left: '1963- 1973 / The Tenth Anniversary of the 14 October Revolution' It is made of a very light aluminium type metal and weighs 4.94 grammes, and measures 34.9mm x 36.4mm, and the suspension brooch is 16.9mm x 14.8mm. The piece was obtained from Moscow and thus may be a Soviet made piece. The quality is 'cheap' and thus may be more of a souvenir piece than an official award. Nonetheless this is the first time I have seen such a piece. The date commemorates the commencement of the armed struggle against the British and not the actual date of independence - 30 November 1967. Regards, Owain

UKR, You are welcome. There is a long series of these commemorative medallions - they were not worn with official state awards. Owain

Dr. Ali, More great images - he also has awards from Ethiopia and Italy. Owain

Dr. Ali, A great photograph. I can see Orders from Belgium, France, Monaco, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey (Ottoman) as well as the Persian awards. I cannot identify the star at the bottom left and the partially obscured one on the bottom right or the two uppermost medals. Owain

UKR, This is a Syrian Ba'ath Party medallion commemorating in 1988 the 28th anniversary of the 8 March 1962 revolution - it appears that whilst the revolution was planned in 1962 the actual seizure of power happened in 1963. Owain

Hi, After searching the Arabic internet I could only find a B&W image - see attached, Owain

I hope this assists - an article I had published in JOMSA some years ago, Owain The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia The Holy Mosque Medal 1979 During the 1979 pilgrimage or Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam and at the holiest shrine of Islam, on the 20th of November, under the leadership of Jaheeman Bin Saif Al Otaibi, various fundamentalists of Saudi, Pakistani, Libyan, Moroccan and Yemeni origin seized control of in the Holy Mosque in Mecca. At this time Al Otaibi proclaimed that the Mahdi had come in the person of Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Qahtaini and that all the pilgrims present should acknowledge him as their leader. This taking of the Holy Mosque, a 38 acre complex, appears to have been well planned as the militants were well armed with machine guns, anti aircraft guns, as well as various other weapons. These had been brought into the Holy Mosque in seven trucks bearing the logs “Permanent Construction Co. Bin Laden”, earlier that day under the guise of construction work vehicles. Similarly the militants were well provisioned with dates and water, being supplied with plentiful reserves of the Holy Zamzam water from the Holy Mosque. Whilst it is believed that their numbers were up to some 1,200 a more realistic figure is about 300. Once the militants had consolidated their position the following demands were made, 1. Oil supplies to the United States of America were to cease. 2. Radio and television services within the Kingdom were to cease. 3. The employment of women should cease. 4. Price controls were to be introduced. 5. Moral values were to be re-instated and all Shariah decrees were to be thoroughly implemented. Initially the response to the storming of the Holy Mosque was restrained. It is forbidden to shed blood within the confines of the Holy Mosque. This being so King Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud obtained a ruling from the religious authorities that following the failure of reasoned dialogue to resolve the situation that force could be used. The Holy Mosque was then stormed by government forces aided by French Commandos. The Interior Minister Prince Naif Bin Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud declared that the Holy Mosque was liberated at 1 30 am on Sunday 4 December. According to the official Saudi Government statement the following casualties occurred. Saudi personnel killed 130 Saudi personnel injured 461, of whom 27 later died. Militants killed 75 Militants captured 170 Pilgrims killed 27 including 3 women. It is believed that some, if not many, of the militants escaped. Amongst the dead was the proclaimed Mahdi who it is claimed committed suicide. The prisoners, including Al Otaibi, were then tried and despatched in groups around the Kingdom where they were publicly beheaded. It appears from later reports that the militants had also planned to attack the Royal Palace in Riyadh and also the Holy Mosque in Medina however these plans came to naught. It is also said that an attempt to kidnap the King and to force him to abdicate was to occur but due to illness the King did not go to the Holy Mosque as planned. On Friday following the liberation of the Holy Mosque King Khalid along with members of the royal family, scholars and pilgrims performed morning prayers to celebrate the liberation of the Holy Mosque. To commemorate the liberation of the Holy Mosque the Saudi Government instituted a medal the details of which are as follows, Obverse In the centre a depiction in black enamel of the Ka'aba, the focal point of the Holy Mosque around which the pilgrims perambulate, upon which is a white enamel dot representing the silver housing of the black stone which is set into the south - east corner of the Ka'aba. The Ka'aba is surmounted by bronze and white enamel rays depicting the sky which is turn are edged by a wreath of laurel leaves. Immediately below the Ka'aba are two crossed swords, hilts downwards, on either side of which is the Arabic inscription on white enamel, “ ” “Medal of the Holy Mosque.” Reverse Plain, with the inscription, ” “ “In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. A tribute from a safe nation To the heroes of the Holy Mosque Who sacrificed in combat with honour against evil. In the year 1400.” Size 4 cm in diameter. Metal Bronze. Ribbon 37mm, with a central 1mm red stripe bordered on each side by stripes of white, 9mm, black, 1.5mm and green, 7.5mm, outermost. Medals to officers are distinguished by a rosette upon the ribbon. Suspension A loop affixed to the top of the medal, which is in turn affixed to a 40mm wide ribbon suspension bar. Designer The Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation. Manufacturer Arthus Bertrand of Paris. Instituted By Council of Ministers Decree of 11/01/1401 H corresponding to 19/11/1980. This medal was principally awarded to those troops who took part in the battle to retake the Holy Mosque in Mecca and the recipients consisted mainly of the following: a) The National Guard. b) The Royal Saudi Army. c) The Royal Saudi Air Force. It is not known whether awards of the medal were made to the French military personnel involved in the operation. Accompanying the medal was a certificate bearing a depiction of the medal as a neck badge and the illustrated certificate is translated as follows, In The Name of God, By His Grace and Providence THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA By Order of His Royal Highness Award Technical Sergeant Sadaq Hassan Nahas MEDAL OF THE HOLY MOSQUE 1980/11/19 Gregorian. H 1401/01/11 Riyadh. Chief of Royal Diwan Chief of Royal Protocol Bibliography. Bibliography The Kingdom, Robert Lacey, 1981. Medal of the Holy Mosque of Saudi Arabia, John Liffiton, OMRS. History of the Ka’bah, Mohammed Hussain Azhar, 1995.

Yes I do - Nasser and Tito were very friendly and visited each other on numerous occasions. I think it would have gone to a junior rank not an officer as and officer would have received an Order of Merit (not the Medals of Merit which was a separate series of medals) or Order of the Republic. Owain

Hi, This is the Medal of Merit - it appears to be silver and thus a 2nd Class - also a silver mark. The Arabic on the suspension reads 'Republic of Egypt' - the suspension 'bird' was later changed when the nation became the 'Egyptian Arab Republic' - see image below. The revers Arabic is the word 'merit'. Regards, Owain

Hi, The upside down clasp in the auction picture is 'Falasteen' (Palestine), Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, I note below the details of the Lebanese Military Valour Medal. Owain Instituted by Decree 1669, on August 18, 1971; awarded to all servicemen in the Army, either for years of distinguished service or for acts of bravery in two classes: · Silver for Officers · Bronze for Other Ranks The Medal: The "Military Valour Medal" consists of an 'egg' shaped bronze medal, and a ribbon affixed to the medal by a ball and loop on the reverse. Obverse: The head of a soldier with a helmet and an olive branch. At the base, the Arabic inscription “Military Valour Medal”, base of the medal is surrounded by two Laurel branches. Reverse: Plain Ribbon: Total width of 36mm it is tri-colour with the following stripes: 1. Six red stripes of widths for each: two 3 mm, two 2 mm and two 1 mm 2. Six white stripes of widths for each: two 3 mm, two 2.5 mm and two 1.5 mm 3. One centered blue stripe of 10 mm width

And the Order of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia - he was 2ic of the Mission to Menelik in 1897 and received the award then. Regards, Owain P.S. His awards were sold by Spink in 1999 and included: Distinguished Service Order, V.R., gold and enamel; Egypt, undated, two clasps, The Nile 1884-85, Toski (Lieut., R.A.); Queen’s Sudan (Lt. Col. Sir, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O., R.A.); 1914-15 Star (General Sir, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., K.C.M.G., D.S.O.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaf (Gen. Sir); Coronation 1902; Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Territorial Decoration, GVR., un-hallmarked; Khedive’s Star 1884-6, with ‘Tokar’ clasp; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, seven claps, Firket, Hafir, Sudan 1897, The Atbara, Khartoum, Sudan 1899, Gedid, unnamed; Khedive’s Sudan 1910-22, one clasp, Darfur 1916, unnamed. Orders included in the Lot : G.C.B. (Military) & C.B. (Civil); G.C.V.O.; G.B.E., 1st Type (Civil); K.C.M.G.; K.St.J; Austria, Order of Franz Joseph, 1st Class; Austria, Order of the Iron Crown, Commander; Egypt, Order of Mohammed Ali, 1st Class; Egypt, Order of the Nile, 1st Class; Ethiopia, Order of the Star, Badge, Breast Star & Neck Badge; Hedjaz, Order of El Nahda, 1st Class; Turkey, Order of Osmanieh 1st Class; Turkey, Order of the Medjidie, 1st Class.

Hi, As noted May was a retired civilian and as such was awarded her 'second' MBE - when it was realised that this had been awarded in error it was rescinded and she was awarded an MiD in lieu. At no time during WW2 was she a serving member of HM Forces and thus was not entitled to any WW2 medals. I believe the terms of award of a MiD were reviewed after the war and were thereafter limited to acts of gallantry. Regards, Owain

Bar the WW1 medals, and with the possible exception of the ISO, none would have been named. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, At long last I am pleased to post pictures of my Great-Great Aunt's awards - collected today. l tried initially to have the MiD mounted above the rack of 5 but this proved to be too difficult. Then it was between the Victory Medal and the Rafidain, but whilst technically correct, it looked very, very strange and ungainly so finally decided upon having it at the end for display purposes. Kind regards, Owain

George V became King in 1910. Owain