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Gentlemen, Three further images forwarded to me by a friend: "Bitter Lake Egypt Cyprus Lodge 8418" - as with the El Firdan Lodge above it would appear that this lodge moved from Egypt to Cyprus. "Member 1927 Canal Zone Sub Certifying Council" - this jewel recognises a specific role within the region. "Overseas Buffalo Association" - with clasp/bar "Egypt & Cyprus Branch No. 6.0.B.A." Sadly no reverse images. Regards, Owain

Rusty, I have a similar but earlier edition of 1936, by the same publisher - bilingual Arabic /French (sadly no pictures) and the front hard cover reads: Royaume D'Egypte Recueil des Rescrits relatifs aux Grades Civils, Ordres et Medailles Le Caire Imprimerie National, Boulac 1936 The contents consist of: Grades Civils Ordre de Mohamed Ali Collier Fouad 1er Ordre d'Ismail Ordre du Nil Ordre de l'Etoile Militaire du Roi Fouad Ordre de l'Agriculture Ordre d'El Maaref Ordre de l'Industrie et du Commerce Ordre d'Al-Kamal Medaille pour Actes Meritoires Medaille du Devoir Medaille de Bienveillance Regards, Owain

Numis, The Iraq Medal is the Order of Rafidain and the Al Nahda Medal is the Order of Renaissance of the Hejaz. Owain

Gentlemen, A last post for 2020. Just arrived a RAOB El Firdan Lodge jewel. I believe this RAOB Lodge was originally constituted in Egypt and later moved to Cyprus. Obverse "Egypt (top suspension) / Cyprus (ribbon bar) / RAOB (ribbon device) / El Firdan Lodge 8677" Reverse "Bro. / John Train, C.P. / 1966" Suspension brooch marked 'Silver' and base of badge marked with London silver marks with date letter 't' for 1974" and 'L. Simpson (London) Ltd.' Happy new year one and all. Owain

Good Morning, It would appear that the sale did not go through and this set of 'The Gongs of Saddam' is back on E-bay - see link below. Caveat emptor! Owain https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Personal-Orders-Medals-Decorations-of-Iraq-President-Saddam-Hussein/353329588505?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3Dca62d342af994752a510449456badb5f%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D164591564998%26itm%3D353329588505%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Ac9b56a61-4b3d-11eb-8817-ba32f58ef6cc|parentrq%3Ab7ccf5441760a9e1e8272159ffd7eb54|iid%3A1

Hi, It appears to be a souvenir medallet. The reverse reads, 'With Compliments / Headquarters Air Force / and Air Defence / State of United Arab Emirates'. The obverse script is too small / illegible. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, No pictures this time but I detail below a list of the above and other countries from which I have seen, on the internet, RAOB Lodge specific jewels: Aden Australia (Christmas island / New South Wales) Bahrain Brunei Ceylon China Cyprus Egypt Germany (Berlin / Wickraath) Gibraltar Hong Kong (New Territories) India (Baluchistan) Iraq Jordan Kenya Korea Libya Malaya Maldives (Gan) Malta Netherlands (Oude Maastricht) Oman Pakistan Palestine Saudi Arabia Singapore Sudan United Arab Emirates (Sharjah) No doubt there are more countries and each country may have more than one lodge. The foot print given by the above list reflects the extent of British RAF (& other military) bases which allowed the spread of RAOB Lodges. Kind regards, Owain

Gentlemen, This jewel may or may not be appropriate to this topic - the internet image is unclear but the disc of the jewel bears a camel and palm trees above a pair of clasped hands. The suspension bars apparently read 'Thomas Binns / Lodge No. 8314'. Around the jewel is the Latin inscription 'Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sapit' - the RAOB motto translating as, 'No Man Is At All Times Wise'. There was no image of the reverse. The camel and palm trees suggest a Middle East origin but I have been unable to find further information. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, This time back to Oman and a RAOB Lodge at Masirah - an island off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea. The RAF first used the island in 1933 and a RAF base was established in 1943 - this was handed over to Sultan of Oman's Air Force in 1977. The well made gilt base metal jewel obverse reads 'Masirah / Turtle Lodge / 9384' and bears in relief a turtle - the island is an important hatching ground for loggerhead turtles. The reverse is blank - no makers marks. The suspension is an eagle with outspread wings indicative of the Lodge being a RAF one. I also illustrate the crest of RAF Masirah which bears the blue turtle from which the jewel design is taken. Kind regards, Owain

Good afternoon, Two more examples from the internet - both apparently from Libya. The first has a ribbon of the colours of the Kingdom of Libya Red, Green & Black. The badge consist of a central depiction of ruins superimposed upon a flaming torch (Royal Army Education Corps?) and crossed swords (Army Physical training Corps?). Whilst Benghazi is in Libya I have not been able to ascertain the significance of Sharaan. Obverse - 'RAOB / Sharaan Pride of Benghazi / 8368' Reverse - no image available The second medal would appear to be of the same Lodge with the badge but without the circular background however the Lodge number has changed from 8368 to 9197 - perhaps it lapsed and was reconstituted? Obverse - 'RAOB / Arabic script (Sharaan) / Sharaan / Lodge 9197' Reverse - ECP (Parry) Birmingham silver mark - letter 'R' for 1966 Regards, Owain

Good Morning, Some more images from two internet sources. This time the Aden Phoenix Lodge. The Lodge specific jewel - sadly not high definition, depicts a phoenix over the barren rocks of Aden. The crown and eagle are, I believe, symbolic of the RAF. No image of the reverse was available. The second jewel is a generic RAOB jewel for a treasurer. Obverse - 'Treasurer / Aden Phoenix 8506' Reverse - 'Presented to / Bro. / W.H. Adams CP / by the / Aden Phoenix / Lodge No. 8506 / For Services Rendered / As C Treasure / 1953-54' The latter jewel is hallmarked silver - Birmingham made, but the date mark is unclear. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Another this time, courtesy of Worthpoint, a silver RAOB jewel from Sudan - it was part of a group of three - the suspension bears the word 'Sudan' - the other two generic RAOB jewels were engraved on the reverse, "Blue Nile Lodge 6310". It has a London silver mark by 'L. Simpson' and the date letter 'S' which is 1953. Sadly the images are not high definition. The obverse design of a camel is common to the Sudan Defence Forces of the period. The ribbon colours are symbolic of the Blue Nile and White Nile that meet at Khartoum. See also my post of 8 July where this Lodge's predecessor jewel - Khartoum Temperance Lodge 6310, is illustrated. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Another image from the internet - this time for a RAOB Lodge in the north of Saudi - Tabuk - where a British Aerospace operation was/is based. Obverse - "Tabuk / Saudi Arabia / Northern Border Lodge / 10537" Reverse - Blank The gilt base metal jewel bears a map of the outline of Saudi Arabia in yellow (sand), the Red Sea in red with a gold star on the location of Tabuk. Many years ago I had the good fortune to visit Tabuk and its location provided easy access to the remains of the Hijaz Railway up top the border with Jordan and also to the Red Sea coast north of the port of Dibba - miles and miles of wonderful pristine beaches and not a soul in sight. Regards, Owain

Paul, Not the kalima but probably some manner of religious quotation or invocation - the word 'Allah' is just below 3 o'clock. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Further to my post of 8 July I detail below a Delegates jewel of El Firdan Lodge 8677 of Egypt. The reverse is engraved : "Presented To / Bro. / W Heaps / C.P. / For Services / Rendered as /Delegate" Silver-gilt with Birmingham mark (F.C.P.) & date letter 'B' for 1951 In addition a RAOB Latitude Zero Gan jewel. The reverse is engraved "Bro. C. W. Heaps, C.P." Silver gilt with London mark (maker unclear) & date letter 'n' for 1968 RAF Gan was situated at the south of the Maldives islands and established as a military base in 1941 - used as staging post for RAF flights and closed in 1976 and handed back to the Maldives Government. Kind regards, Owain

Gentlemen, Whilst looking for something else in my 'archive' I came across this image of an Aden jewel - it appears to be from a common die as a RAOB India jewel - neither in my collection - images ex-internet - see below. Aden Obverse "R.A.O.B. G.L.E. Aden Province" (with traditional Aden Dhow used on coinage and postage) Reverse "Bro. E.C. Stoch / Aden Lge /No. 6797" No manufacturer's name but the detail 'Regd No. 731578' - probably a patent or design number. India Obverse "Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes S.T.B. India" (unsure as to what S.T.B. stands for) Reverse "Presented to / Bro. Albert Wright / by the / Heart of Baluchistan Lodge / No. 6262" As with the Aden jewel no manufacturer's name but the detail 'Regd No. 731578' - probably a patent or design number. Kind regards, Owain

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