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Gentlemen, I attach an image of a mystery piece recently acquired - a UN medal for Ethiopia in silver. This is the first time I have seen such a piece and other than being in silver is identical to the standard issue in bronze. Any suggestions as to why? The joy of collecting Imperial Ethiopian awards continues............. Owain

Gentlemen, Another one from Libya - the OEA Lodge No.8821 - a silver gilt piece hallmarked London, 1963 - with ribbon in the then Kingdom of Libya national colours. OEA was the name of the ancient city which in due course became Tripoli. Regards, Owain

Claudius, See below - would the beer win a medal? Owain

Bob, Yes, you are right - the lack of documentation is annoying - with some of the more obscure awards any historical context or decrees/laws are invariably difficult to source and thus a certificate, as well as providing provenance also assists with research. As far as I am aware other than references to laws on PDRY certificates, to date, none of the actual instituting laws or regulations have been seen. The main PDRY law is, I believe, Law 45 of 1978. Regards, Owain

Emmanuel, Nice photos and information. I was in Belize a life time ago in 1982 with the Army - a while before I was interested in medals. I recall the local beer - Beliken Beer - was OK. Beers are on me - well in sentiment - this is my 1,000 post! Owain

Chris, No sight of other awards but I attach three pictures of Khalifa Haftar from the Arabic internet - wearing varying amounts of ribbons - 4, 6 and 9 rows respectively. His more recent pictures have him wearing less ribbons - possibly distancing himself from Ghadafi era awards. Sadly the 9 row image is not in high definition and thus, when I have a moment, I may attempt to identify his 6 row set. Regards, Owain

Hi, LAC = Leading Aircraftman thus RAF - not an officer, Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, A new medal (32mm diameter - copper alloy) seen on E-Bay out of Moscow. Apparently made in Russia this year, 2020, for Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar for the Libyan National Army. The obverse translates as, 'Libyan National Army'. The reverse translates as, 'Honour for Military Successes'. Regards, Owain

Thanks Emmanuel - as awarded to Erich Hoenecker and for sale at the next Thies Auction - no doubt it will be expensive! Owain

Jack, Thanks for the higher resolution image. To my eye it appears to read: 1 Sha'abaan 1357 (25 September 1938) Almstr F. W. Kng (The Mister F. W. King) Thus it would appear that the recipient is a British national??? Of course I may have totally misread the Arabic. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, From a thread dealing with Arab awards I attach below a picture of Abdul Fattah Ismail, Head of State (1978-80) of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen (1978-80). It has take some time to identify his awards: PDRY - Order of 14 October USSR - Order of Friendship of Peoples Ethiopia - Hero of Ethiopia (neck badge) DDR - Order of Friendship of Peoples Grand Star (sash, etc.) USSR - Lenin 100th Anniversary USSR (??) - Unknown Can anyone hazard an educated guess as to what the last award on the brooch clip/suspension is? is it a Soviet one Many thanks, Owain

Gentlemen, Even further progress - by 'googling' his name in Arabic I have found a colour version of the above image of Abdul Fattah Ismail and it is a portrait length image too. The sash, badge and star he is wearing of the East German Order - Stern der Völkerfreundschaft - it is the Grand Star - see details from Wikipedia below. The inner 'small' medal is probably the Soviet Lenin 100th Anniversary Medal as awarded 'to the figures of the international communist and labor movement and other progressive foreign leaders'. Any ideas as to what the last and smallest medal is? Regards, Owain The Star of People's Friendship (German: Stern der Völkerfreundschaft), a.k.a. Star of Nations' Friendship, was an order awarded by the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Established 20 August 1959, it was given to individuals of exceptional merit who had contributed to the "understanding and friendship between nations and preservation of peace". The Star of People's Friendship was given in three classes: 1st Class – Grand Star of People's Friendship in Gold (German: Großer Stern der Völkerfreundschaft in Gold) 2nd Class – Star of People's Friendship in Gold (German: Stern der Völkerfreundschaft in Gold) 3rd class – Star of People's Friendship in Silver. (German: Stern der Völkerfreundschaft in Silber) It was awarded on the recommendation of the presidency of the Council of Ministers (German: Präsidium des Ministerrates) via the chairman of the Council of State (German: Vorsitzender des Staatsrates) or in its name. The medal was awarded with a certificate.

Jack, This was one of a series of 3 medals, each in three classes of gold, silver and bronze, instituted by King Fouad in 1923: Medal of Meritorious Acts Medal of Devotion Medal of Benevolence From my experience these appear to have been awarded to to Royal Court /Household staff - perhaps a bit like the British Royal Victorian Medal or Royal Long & Faithful Service Medal. I attach pictures of a named pair I acquired some years ago. Sadly I am unaware of any records which could be referred to to further identify the recipient. The medal were supposed to be awarded engraved with the name of the recipient and also the date but most of the medals I have seen are not named. I also attach a picture of a gold Medal of Benevolence - sold some years ago at a Schulman auction and a silver example. Please post detailed images and I will try and read the details. Regards, Owain A Named Pair of Royal Household Medals Medal for Meritorious Acts 2nd Class Suspension bar engraved “28 Shawal Year 1357” (corresponding to 12 October 1938) - reverse engraved “E. Geronimax” and a Medal of Duty 3rd Class – suspension bar “Emmanuel Geronimax”

Gentlemen, It has been a long time coming - 12 years - but at last I have been able to identify the neck badge (in gold) as the order of the 'Hero of Ethiopia' of the People's Republic of Ethiopia from the time of the Derg / Mengistu regime. So now I need to identify the sash and the two small medals on his right breast........ Regards, Owain

Jack, As Graham has noted this is the Medal for Meritorious Acts 2nd Class (30.5mm) – reverse inscription “Medal for Meritorious Acts – King of Egypt – The most useful of you is the best”. The inscription on the obverse suspension bar is the date the medal was awarded (?? Shawal ?? 1357 Hijra = 1938/9 AD - early years of King Farouk) - and the inscription on the lower part of the reverse is the name of the recipient however the detail of the images is insufficient for me to read these inscriptions clearly. Regards, Owain

Emmanuel, Great pictures - thank you for sharing. Owain

Well done Paul. Always good to branch out and start another collection although the challenge of resisting to do so can be difficult. From my army days I recall that the acronym for the Army Catering Corps - ACC - was oftentimes equated to the Aldershot Cement Company - a wholly undeserved name! Owain

Gentlemen, I have recently acquired the below set of miniatures attributed to Fournage. In common with similar sets the 'routine' war and service medals are not included. From online research Guillaume Auguste Fournage was born in the 14th (Seine) district of Paris on 21 May 1901 and died at Frejus (Var) on 13 August 1991. He joined the French navy in 1919 and was appointed Enseigne de vaisseau 2nd class on 1 October 1921 at Cherbourg. He was promoted to Enseigne de vaisseau 1st Class on 1 October 1923 and on 18 January 1929 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant de vaisseau. On 1 January 1932 he was at Cherbourg and later promoted to Capitaine de Corvette and thereafter to Commandeant le croiseur auxiliaire X10. From the limited documentation I have: Fournage was appointed a Knight, 5th Class of the Order of the Dragon of Annam on 10 October, 1932, and his rank is noted as ‘Lieutenant de Vaisseau’. The certificate clearly notes that the order was conferred by the President of the Republic of France. Fournage was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour on 28 June, 1934 and his rank is noted a ‘Lieutenant de Vaisseau’. He was promoted to an Officer, 4th Class, of the Order on 11 November 1946 and his certificate when issued was dated 14 March, 1947 – his rank is noted as ‘Capitaine de Fregate’. Both certificates note his date of birth as 21 May, 1901. With regard to the Order of St Charles of Monaco - awarded for service to the ruler or the Principality of Monaco - an online search notes Fournage’s award was gazetted in the Journal de Monaco, the official gazette of the Principality, on Thursday 4 April 1946. Fournage is designated as Frigate Captain, commanding the navy at Nice. I am trying to obtain further information as to his career, but so far with no success. I am verbally advised he was at some stage during the 1930's posted to the French submarine Phenix - entered service 1932 , and which sank with 71 crew in 1939 in Cam Ranh Bay Indochina. That he spent time in the region is indicated by the Order of the Dragon of Annam and the Royal Order of Cambodia. Any suggestions as to where I can obtain further details as to his career? Kind regards, Owain. P.S. With regard to the USA Bronze Star Medal I have a colleague looking at US Records but these are not codified so it is unlikely that a specific date/reference will be found - as there is no device on the medal ribbon I am assuming it is an award for meritorious service given as one of many to the French Navy at the end of WW2.

Gentlemen, Some more - whilst searching the internet for something else I came across these images of RAOB jewels (blank reverses) - all sold some ten years ago from various vendors (mostly E-Bay) : Trucial Oman - Aero Trucial Lodge No. 9147 - almost certainly based near/in the Royal Air Force base in Sharjah which is now one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain - Bahrain Island Lodge No.99167 (the number is in Arabic) - there was British naval base at Muharraq in Bahrain. Egypt - a locally made piece, possibly of some age. Iraq - Palm Tree Lodge No 6829 - based in Baghdad and dating from 1931. Regards, Owain

Hi, Just an observation but the badge for this forum is an Iranian Bravery award - is this an error? Owain

Gentlemen, And yet another two: Egypt Pyramids Lodge 8673 - the map highlights Egypt and Aden which may infer that the Lodge owes its origins to a lodge in Aden. Libya Karamanli Lodge 8940 - Karamanli was a state in what is now the area of Tripoli - the municipalty badge still has a three masted sailing ship. Owain

Hi, The reverse appears to read 'Artillery day' Twenty Seventh of Nisan' (April). Sadly both obverse inscriptions are unclear, although part of the circular inscription seems to have the Ba'ath Party logo of 'Unity, Freedom Socialism'. It is some manner of souvenir piece. Owain

Uwe, You are correct the RAOB is not part of the Freemasons. It is one of many organisations that could be classed as 'fraternal'. Various other posts on RAOB medals have been posted in this forum - also one on Schlaraffia 'medals', hence I posted these images here. If there is a more appropriate forum then this thread can be transferred. I will try and catalogue the ones I have. Kind regards, Owain

Peter, Gentlemen, Another two - this time Bureika Lodge No. 9227 in Aden and non-specific medal for Egypt. Regards, Owain

922F, Thanks for sharing. On searching my files I came across a group of miniatures - for sale a couple of years ago at an OMRS Convention. If I recall correctly it was attributed to the British CO of the Bahawalpur Forces at the end of WW2 - Lt. Gen. Marden (??). The dealer's asking price, I think, was £1,200 - far to steep. On searching on line Morton & Eden sold the full size medals last year - see below - Paul may be able to provide an image of the full size medals. The Remarkable O.B.E. Group of 20 awarded Lieutenant-General John Harold Marden, O.B.E., Commander-in-Chief of Bahawalpur State Forces, late 2nd / 76th Punjabis. Having served as a Second Lieutenant late on in the Great War, and on the North West Frontier in 1919-21 with the forces of the Maharajah of Nabha. Some years later in the 1930s he joined the Army of Bahawalpur, becoming its Commander-in-Chief, and serving (and being wounded) during the periods of unrest leading up to and after the partition of India and the creation of the Dominion of Pakistan in 1947. He served as a Personal Aide to the Amir of Bahawalpur until his death in 1974, and features heavily in the book ‘Divide and Quit: An Eyewitness Account of the Partition of India’ by Sir Penderel Moon, Revenue Minister of Bahawalpur, comprising: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Military Division, Officer’s (O.B.E.) breast badge, in silver-gilt; 1914-15 Star (Lt. J. H. Marden.), erased and renamed; British War and Victory Medals, 1914-1919 (2. Lieut. J. H. Marden.); India General Service, 1908-1935, two clasps, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, Waziristan 1919-21 (tailor’s copy, damaged) upon ribbon (Major J. H. Marden, Nabha I. S. Infy.), privately engraved correction to rank, remainder officially impressed; 1939-1945 Star; Burma Star; War Medal, 1939-1945; India Service Medal, 1939-1945; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Territorial Force Efficiency, G.V.R. (Lt. J. Marden.) erased and engraved in upright capitals; Pakistan Medal, 1947 (Lt. Gen. John Harold Marden Bahawalpur State Forces), impressed; Bahawalpur, Bahalwalpur-Pakistan Alliance Medal, 1947; Bahawalpur, The Second Great War Medal (or Overseas Service Medal), 1939-1945; Bahawalpur, Victory Star, 1939-1945; Bahawalpur, Golden Jubilee Medal, 1955/6 (incorrect ribbon); Bahawalpur, Installation Silver Jubilee Medal, 1949; Bahawalpur, Installation Silver Jubilee Medal, 1931; Bahawalpur, British-Bahawalpur Alliance Centenary Medal, 1933 (Major. J. H. Mardon, 1st Bahr. Sad. Inf.), engraved in upright capitals; Group swing-mounted upon bar with reverse pin for wear, toned, generally very fine to good very fine, a rare combination of medals (20). O.B.E.: London +A2551:A2568Gazette (Supplement): 1 January 1946 (New Year Honours) Regards, Owain