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Dear Paul, Dr. Firth initally served in the military then became doctor to the Royal Household in Baghdad. Om his return to UK he was one of the guardians of the young King Faisal II. After the revolution in 1958 he was one of the organisers of the memorial service in London for the Iraqi royal family. See earlier posts for further limited details. Unfortunately as far as I have been able to ascertain he left no memoirs. Happy new year to one and all, Owain

Paul, I am not positive but I believe it may be a Polisario award.....however confirmation or otherwise would be welcome. KInd regards, Owain

Jean- Paul, In yesterday's Arab News there is a picture of Waleed being awarded the Alaoui Order (Ouissam Alaouite) of Morroco - and the accompanying text claims it is Waleed's 60th such award.....! Owain

Elmar, "State of Qatar" "Sash of Independance" Regards, Owain

Lorenzo, Please refer to the other recent posts on Lybia where there is more information on this and other such awards. Regards, Owain

Jean-Paul, Prince Waleed's picture often appears in the Arab News - the leading English language paper in Saudi - he is forever hosting dignitaries and globe trotting "collecting" honours and awards in acknowledgement of his investments and largesse in other countries. Some time ago there as a full page advertisement of his award of the Legion of Honour of France with the neck badge displayed back to front. If you refer to his company's website www.kingdom.com.sa you will see from the pdf download - a detailed list - that to date he has received 20 Doctorates, 54 Orders (plus this recent one from Sudan), and some 19 Honorary Citizenships.It would be great if the awards were illustrated - perhaps an idea to suggest him! Kind regards, Owain

Not sure, but possibly "Peoples Defence College"???? Regards, Owain

Lorenzo, Nice to see an example in such good condition although I am fairly sure that the ribbon is incorrect. The one I have is missing the suspension bar and the gold inset oil derrick and republican eagle are also missing - I don't know if these insets are real gold but someone must have thought so and prised them out. There is also a desk medallion of this medal but the medallion is a one piece item with no inset derrick or eagle. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, As you have noted both the 1853 original issue and 1870 supplement are available online. However I have yet to track down a copy of the 1878 supplement. Do you have any idea where I can access a copy of this later supplement? With thanks, Owain

Tim, Good to read that you are now tracking Kenyan awards - hopefully with you being on the ground you will be able to enlighten us further on such awards and fill in some of the gaps. With the current Kenyan Army forays into Somalia there may be a new medal issued? Regards, Owain

Megan, I think the Martyrs Medal is a large ribbonless medallion - I will check my records when I get back to Riyadh. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, I can now confirm that the top row consists of the Order of Bravery and the Order of the Republic. I would suggest that the first ribbon (colours not clear) on the second row is the Order of the Jihad - there are images of Qaddafi wearing all three of these large awards without ribbon - affixed directly by their suspension or pinback to the front of a sash. I have today seen images for a tender (mid80's/90's) which was not followed up and can also confirm that Chris's contention that the first series of Qaddafi awards did indeed follow the awards of Nasser's Egypt. Additionally there is a Fatah (Victory) Medal in three classes - gilt, silver and bronze - the reverse bears an open book with the inscription "The Green Book" - suspended from a green ribbon. There is also an order of the Great Victory - breast star, sash (green) and sash badge - I am unsure whether the medal and order are separate awards or linked to each other. Additionally there is a more recent Order of Loyalty - a one class award suspended from a narrow green ribbon flecked with gold. Kind regards, Owain, P.S. Should this thread be relocated to the Arab world?

Jim, Whilst I am currently on leave in UK and away from my records, I concur with Chris that a number of the awards are Egyptian. After the 1969 coup the initial series of Lybian awards closely followed or indeed mirrored the design of the awards of the Egyptian Republic - bravery , merit, wound, etc., and were manufactured in Egypt and probably later in Italy. Col. Qaddafi was closely mentored/supported by Nasser until his death. At some stage three very large medals (6/7cm diameter) were instituted (see Werlich) - Orders of Bravery, Jihad and Republic (the latter a breast badge & pin-back star - not sure if this is one class or two separate classes - see second ribbon). These appear to have been manufactured by both Italian and Yugoslav companies. Once Comrade Brother Muammar decided to proclaim the Jamahariya and declare the the red, white, black flag obsolete and proclaim a green flag the award system changed again, e.g. The Order for Good Works, a pin back breast star had its colours changed from red, white, black to green white black. As ever with Arab awards documentary evidence for anything is lacking. I gather in the recent past tenders for new awards were given by British companies - no doubt Italian ones too. Two years ago the Order of the 40th Anniversary of the 1969 "Revolution" was manufactured by a British company - awarded in one class to heads of state only. I hope these observations assist. Kind regards, Owain.

Gentlemen, Currently in UK and have collected the group of medals - further I am pleased to note that with the Rafidain Breast star came its presentation case by Gerrard of London and a handwritten note by Dr. Firth stating, "Order of Rafidain 2nd Class given to me by the Regent 1951. 1st Class of 5 classes is awarded to Royal Family only. its medal (middle on pin) should have a crown attached (see miniatures) but it came off. The green + white is the Iraqi equivalent of our MC + awarded following military operations in Kurdistan 1946/7." This text whilst not wholly accurate is wonderful in that it confirms that Dr. Firth was indeed awarded the 2nd class of the Rafidain in person by the Regent Abdulillah in 1951 and the Active service medal in 1947. Whether these are noted in the London Gazette is to be confirmed but I suspect not as the Order appears to have been a personal bestowal by the Regent as opposed to an Iraqi Government award and the ASM a "routine" award. Kind regards, Owain

Dera Avsar, Many thanks for you insights on the awards made by the Khedive. I am aware that Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia , ruled 1889-1913, was awarded either the Osmanie or Mejdidje - I think the latter. As Ethiopia is a neighbouring country to Egypt/Sudan and there were border concerns for the British/Egyptian government I am of the view that this award (mid/late 1890s?) would have been from the Khedive to a Head of State, rather than the Caliph in Istanbul. Your comments would imply that the Khedive's authority to issue awards would have extended to such senior bestowals. Again thank you, Owain

Bob, I'm happy to be of assistance. Owain

Bob, I hope this helps! Owain No. (33) Year 1983 Law Wounded Medal First Article - This medal (wounded medal) is awarded to all military officers and commanders and those issuing orders wounded in battle whilst correctly carrying out their orders. Second Article - This medal is awarded or withdrawn by the President of the Republic. Third Article 1 - The decoration is spear shaped, 3cm in length and 3cm in width and bears a five-pointed star with arms of 1.5cm in length. In the centre a crescent and the letter “Jim” in Kufic script. 2 - The decoration is red with a gold star. The crescent is on a white background with the letter “Jim” in green. 3 - The medal is linked to a ribbon 1.5 cm long and wide, being divided into three equal divisions – to the sides red and in the middle white. Fourth Article - The medal is worn on the right side next to other orders and medals. Fifth Article - This law is enacted with effect from 4/9/1980. Sixth Article - This law will be published in the Official Gazette. Saddam Hussain President of the Revolutionary Command Council ____________________________________________________________ Published in the Iraqi Official Gazette Number 2934 of 18/4/1983

Dear Noor, Not an Iranian medal, The reverse is an Assyrian statue - a mythical beast called a lamassu - see the 2004 British Iraq medal and the script cuniform from Mesopotamia - now Iraq. I would suggest that this is a Western manufactured piece of some age - possibly a society award or badge? Regards, Owain

Will, The Order of Qadissiyah Saddam came in 3 classes - gilt, silver with a gilt centre and silver - the ribbon - in all instances a sash - is yellow with narrow red, white and black central stripes - somewhat similar to the British Iraq 2004 War ribbon. The same obverse design, with a different reverse and ribbon was retained for the Order of the Mother of Battles" (note not "....All Battles") and there are two types of this Order with either the date 1990 or 1991 on the reverse. Regards, Owain

Will, You should be able to get the 3rd and 2nd class Kuwaiti Order of Liberation without too much difficulty but the 1st and Distinguished Class will be difficult - in 20 years of hunting I have had no success to date! The UAE medal is also relatively easy to come by. The Egyptian award is difficult but I have a spare 2nd Class (no ribbon) in hallmarked silver fro you, (1st - Gilt, 3rd - Bronze). Regards, Owain

Will, Excellent stuff. With regard to the Liberation of Kuwait awards the Saudi award is a one class medal; the Kuwaiti award is is fact the junior class (4th)of a 5 degree Order of Liberation; the Bahraini award is a one class medal; you need the UAE (one class medal) and Egyptian awards (3 class medal). Your final medal is the Saudi combat medals which is not specific to the Liberation of Kuwait conflict. Kind regards, Owain

Dear Avsar, Further to this topic can you advise how and when the Khedive received authority to award Ottoman Orders to Egyptian and British personnel? I am aware that the Khedive instituted his own medals - the Khedive's Star 19882, Sudan Medal 1896-1908 & Sudan Medal 1910-21 - were these issued directly under his intiative or ultimately with the authority of Istanbul? With the enforced abdication of Abbas Hilmi in in 1914 and the onset of the Great War I would assume that the award of the Mejidjie and Osmanie by his sucessor Sultan Hussain Kamel ceased. (The latter Sudan medal continued under Sultan Hussain Kamel and Sultan Fouad with the obverse Abbas Hilmi naming changed circa 1917/18 to that of Fouad the First.) Any thoughts you can share would be much appreciated. Kind regards, Owain

Will, Enjoy the trip. I had written off line a while ago i.r.o. modern Sudan medals. I am working on a draft on Iraqi civil awards and wonder whether your collection includes "Saddam's Order of Appreciation" - instituted in 1988, but may never have been actually made due to invasion of Kuwait, etc. Supposedly octagonal and 6cms in diameter. Regards, Owain.

Nice stuff Will - are you back in RSA? Did you identify the Iraqi civil award with the orange ribbon? Owain

Lorenzo, Yes, Asprey would be the maker's mark - a blinding glimpse of the obvious! I suspect these were purchased by the Iraqi Court for the royal household. I do not believe that the cutlery was a gift from UK - the cutlery is a functional item essential for the day to day operation of a household and thus would have been a practical necessity for the Iraqi royal household for entertaining visitors and guest dinners. The knife and fork would have been part of a very large set. Nevertheless an interesting purchase but not to my mind of great value - the orders are a better investment. Regards, Owain