oamotme

Scott, The writing on the reverse of your ribbon bar reads "Khiatah Bilqis" or Bilqis Tailors - if I remember my history correctly Builqis is the Arabic name of the Queen of Sheba! Regards, Owain

And the second:

Images of the reverse:

And another: Order of Rafidain Bravery Medal Active Service Medal 1938-1945 War Medal Both are in mint condition and have snap buttons on the reverse - probably never been used. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen, I attach images of two nice pre-revolution ribbon bars. The first: Order of Rafidain Bravery Medal Active Service Medal 1939-45 War Medal 1945 Victory Medal Regards, Owain

Lorenzo may well be correct - the identification I have given was that supplied to me by a fellow collector in Germany whose brother had some how been involved with the purchase or manufacture of the awards. However in submitting my draft to JOMSA the Editor advised that a similar draft had been submitted by Ed Emering and the two were combined and published in the November-December 2007 issue of JOMSA and the identification therein follows that given by Lorenzo. Owain

Gentlemen, From my notes in 2004 for an article later published by JOMSA: "It would appear than, despite continuing military action that new medals have been, in 2004, produced for Iraqi personnel who are part of the new Iraqi Army, which is in the process of being currently established. This series of four awards are illustrated above and are, from left to right, as follows: Wounded in Action Medal, (35mm diameter).Killed in Action Medal (35mm diameter).Medal of Achievement (42mm diameter).Medal for Valour (42 mm diameter). Whilst some 2000 Medals for Achievement have been manufactured the other three medals have been limited to production runs of 1,000 each. The reverses of all four medals are blank. The ribbons are all 26mm in width and 34mm in length. The medals, of gilded and enamelled base metal are of high quality and each comes in a plain blue velvet-like case, 106 mm x 76 mm. These medals, or so it appears, are to be awarded to the new Iraqi security forces – army and police by the U.S. Military, accordingly their status can be inferred as quasi-official. I have been advised that the procurement order emanated from the U.S. 101. Infantry Division and thus are not official government awards. A German company was contracted to manufacture these medals. In turn it appears that the German company sub-contracted the order out to a company in mainland China. With regard to the design the Arabic inscription for Republic of Iraq on all four reads “Al Jumhoriya Al Iraqiya” which was last used on Saddam era awards prior to 1990, thereafter the inscriptions read “Jumhoriyat Al Iraq” - the difference in Arabic being that the former is the feminine and the latter masculine. Also at this time the Iraqi flag upon the eagle changed from horizontal to vertical and the Arabic inscription “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) was added to the flag. Thus the medals are a mix of old and new Saddam styles. Finally the eight-pointed star format of the Achievement and Valour Medals is a style adopted by the Saddam regime and occurs in a series of badges and architectural designs." Regards, Owain

Wil, Great piece of history - congratulations! Owain

Hi, The first one is Arabian - known as a "dharia" probably from the south west of what is now Saudi Arabia. The second dagger is Morrocan. With regard to value not I suspect a vast amount as both are relatively common place. Regards, Owain.

Christer, This is the Second Class Medal of the Order of the Homayoun of the Pahlavi period. The date period you suggest may well be correct and it is probably manufactured by Bertrand of Paris. You note a bestowal certificate accompanies this cased piece. I would suggest the price is fair to good. Regards, Owain.

Rihab, Well done on getting a named Levy pair /group. There cannot be to many Levies who served long enough to get a GSM and LSGC although there must be others out there! The Assyrian Levies were raised in 1919 for local defence but did see offensive action. In October 1922 they were transferred from British Army to RAF control. Owain.

Nice one Will - you score again! Owain

Tony, I thought it was the 1961-71 issue and I attach images of the Siaka Stevens LSGC which I think is the 1971-85 issue. Anway I may well be wrong - a picture of a QEII obverse/reverse would resolve this. Kind regards, Owain. P.S. Is this post drifting towards the Africa part of GMIC?

Tony, I add some images of the 1961-71 issue LSGC medal. Owain

Dear Tony, With regard to Sierra Leone's Long Service and Good Conduct Medal this is a circular silvered medal, with a fixed straight bar suspension bearing the arms of the nation above the inscription, "SIERRA LEONE". The reverse bears the inscription "FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT" surrounded by "REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE MILITARY FORCES". The ribbon is of blue with narrow inset white stripes. The qualifying period for this award is, I believe, 15 years service. Subsequent to the proclamation of the Republic in 1971 a second type was instituted bearing on the obverse the head of President Stevens and the inscription "HIS EXCELLENCY DR. SIAKA STEVENS SIERRA LEONE". The reverse is the same as Type 1. The ribbon in this instance is dark blue with narrow light blue edge stripes. Dr. Stevens was President from 1971 to 1985. Before and after independence in 1961 the Sierra Leone Military was known as the Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF). On 19 April 1971 when the country became a republic, the name was changed to Republic of Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF). When the National provincial Ruling Council (NARC) took over the reigns of government on 29 April 1992 the military was renamed the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone (AFRSL). In 2000, after the interregnum, it was again changed to Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). Kind regards, Owain

On comparing your piece with those in my collection I am fairly certain yours is the Mohammed Al Naceur issue of 1906-1922 - 4th Class or Officer issue. Regards, Owain

Hi, The central disc is upside down and the focus is unclear but the first part is Mohammed. A clearer image would help. Owain P.S. It is the Order of Glory (Nishan Al Iftikhar)

The last medal is in fact the 4th class or Medal of the Order of the northernmost emirate of the UAE Ras Al Khaima which in 1981, by Emiri Decree No. 15/81 instituted this Order - named after the ruling family of Ras Al Khaima. The Order is awarded for distinguished service to the Government of Ras Al Khaima. and is in four classes and is awarded as follows, First Class (Breast star and sash with badge) - To Kings, Heads of State, Rulers and their Deputies. Second Class (Breast star with neck badge) - To Ministers, Ambassadors, members of the Armed Forces and Police above the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Third Class (Neck badge) - Senior civil servants, officers of the Armed Forces and Police on the rank of Major and above. Fourth Class (Medal) - Civil Servant, officers and other members of the Armed Forces and Police of the rank of Captain or below. The medal was awarded to members of the Mobile Forces of Ras Al Khaima. (The Mobile Force merged with the Abu Dhabi Defence Force and the Dubai Defence Force to become the Federal Armed Forces in 1976.) Spink and Son Ltd., in November of 1981, manufactured the following numbers of awards, 10 x 1st Class; 20 x 2nd Class; 40 x 3rd Class & 1000 x 4th Class (Medal). Owain

Brian, I suspect the replacement suspension is no more than an opportune attempt to make the disc more saleable. I have come across a number of GSM discs without suspension and indeed the occasional loose suspensions with or without clasps - as this issue of the GSM was only awarded to local units with the clasp "Arabian Peninusla" at least I have been able to repair a few medals. However I digress from the BWM in bronze. I detail below from my records the named ranked recipients of the medal to the Aden Labour Corps. Number Rank Name 1374 Jemadar Abdullah Hassan Abdul Hadi 2 Havildar Syed Mohamed Bedhani 173 / Othman Muqbil Hamadi 201 / Abdurab Saad 314 / Gharulla Mohamed Amari 317 / Noman Aninam Areqi 419 / Mohamed Ali Mohamed 420 / Bulghet Suleman 224 Acting Havildar Ahmed Bin Ahmed Shebani 3 Naik Mohammed Thabit 22 / Ahmed Farah 34 / Ahmed Salih Amari 48 / Qassim Ghalib 93 / Ali Noman 102 / Husain Salih Bedhani 112 / Abdulla Omar Yafai 163 / Abdulla Mugbil Wafi 179 / Husain Ahmed Labani 202 / Ali Mohamed Bagad 254 / Mohamed Muslih Amari 320 / Salih Mohamed Redai 350 / Mohamed Musaid Dthali 423 / Ali Hizam Mohamed 663 / Hassan Mohamed 785 / Abdullah Ali Hakmi 5 Lance Naik Hizam Mohamed Maqtari 9 / Ahmed Bin Ahmed 27 / Muslik Muthanna Jazir 52 / Nasir Hussain Audali 79 / Salih Mohamed Surebi 158 / Ahmed Said Salwi 205 / Alwan Salih Alowi 245 / Mohamed Omar Audali 258 / Murshid Salih Almas 288 / Abdu Naji Hamedi 333 / Mohamed Qaid Hussain 356 / Shamsan Ahmed Maqtari 340 / Murshid Salih Khabani 400 / Ahmed Salih Amari 422 / Abdu Ali Mohamed 446 / Ali Didba Dunkali 465 / Yasuf Haidar Hamadi 600 / Said Obeid Boreiki 643 / Ali Nasir Hajeli 657 / Said Awadth Akbari 733 / Ahmed Mohamed Dthalai 797 / Saif Hassain Qaddasi 932 / Abdu Mohamed Salwi 1088 / Ali Bin Mohamed Mukalla 1165 / Abdullah Mahomed 1376 Head Clerk Syed Mohamed Ali Hussain 1377 Clerk Mahomed Said Awun 1378 Sweeper Hassan Said 1379 / Ali Abdulla 1380 / Qasim Said 1417 / Budhoo 1382 Tailor Ishaq Abdullah 1386 Servant Ali Mohamed Yemani 1387 / Saif Ahmed Jebali 26 Ward Orderly Othman Said Habeshi No number. Private Servant Mohamed Ismail Somali The names can be split into approximately five groups: Tribal - e.g. Yafai, Audali, Alowi, Dthali, Habeshi, etc. Geographical - e.g. Somali, Yemani, Mukalla (Coastal Town), Dunkali (in NE Africa), Jebali (Jebel = Mountain). Family names - e.g. Noman, Bagad, etc. Patronymic - e.g. Ahmed bin Ahmed, etc. Simple names - e.g. Ali Abdulla, Qassim Ghalib, etc. And of course sometimes a combination of the above such as Ali bin Mohammed Mukalla - i.e Ali Son of Mohammed from Mukalla, or Ahmed bin Ahmed Shebani - i.e. Ahmed son of Ahmed of the Shebani tribe. Kind regards, Owain

Brian, Last year I purchased in Sana'a a bronze disc with the three initials A.L.C. - Aden Labour Corps - the first one I have ever seen. At some stage the original straight bar suspension had been replaced with a 1918-62 GSM suspension with clasp "Arabian Penisnula"! From a visit in 1999 to the Public Record Office in Kew, London I noted the Medal Roll for the Aden Labour Corps, reference WO 329/2368. The total number of recipients is approximately 942. On the list other than specified ranks all other ranks are described as Labourers. From the evidence of my single medal I would suggest that at least the Labourers only received the medal with the initials A.L.C. Regards, Owain. P.S. Should I get the disc fixed to the correct suspension or keep the hybrid.....?

Dear Darrell, Many thanks indeed for your efforts in this matter. It would appear that my purchase is of, dare one say, an "ordinary" example of this beautiful series of medals. Nonetheless I am sure that "John Evans" earned the medal and was no doubt proud of it. I will have to read up on the history of the 97th and see if I can track the elusive Evans through some other records. It has sparked my interest in this series and I may try and get the other two examples the vendor had for sale - at least issues with the clasps "Delhi" and "Central India" will be more economic that the "Defence of.." or "Relief of Lucknow"! Again thank you for your interest in this piece. Kind regards, Owain

Darrell, Many thanks - the vendor had a tray full of assorted campaign medals - a treasure trove I am sure, but basically a run down silver shop in Chandni Chowk, but he had a 2007 copy of the Medal Year Book so was well aware of what he had and was wanting with very little flexibility 2007 prices plus some 10 to 15% for inflation! No bargains much to my disappointment. I was in a rush and thus could not stay more than 20 minutes. Only two other Mutiny medals - with single clasps for "Dehli" and "Central India" - one impresed to a Sepoy in the 4th (?) Punjab Regiment and the other engraved in running scrip to a local unit but fairly illegible. Regards, Owain

Dear Darrell, Many thanks for the quick response and the Roll Details - but I am somewhat confused - does this mean he was James known as John to differentiate him from another John Evans? Any ideas? Regards, Owain

Dear Darrell, Mervyn, et al, Just back from a trip to India - various mutiny sites - and whilst I specialise in Arab awards, whilst in Delhi I was tempted and succumbed and purchased a Mutiny medal clasp "Lucknow" to "JOHN EVANS 97th REGt" - The Earl of Ulsters (later, post Cardwell Reforms, the 2nd Bn. Queens Own (Royal West Kent). This is not my field of expertise but a nice patina and just an edge nick between the "E" and "V" of EVANS. No rank thus I presume a private soldier? Also would I be correct in that it would have been issued in India and for whatever reason - death or theft, has remained in India ever since? (Well at least until today - it is now at home in my collection here in Riyadh!) Regards, Owain (OAMOTME)

Gentlemen, Greetings from 37C Riyadh! There are two variations of this medal: A. Dates 1263-1310 - left and right in one line. B. Dates 1263-1310 - dates on top of each other. Whilst I have has an example of the former for some years I have had difficulty in locating an example of the latter. Today in the souk in Riyadh I have been offered an example for some US$260 / GBP180. Would this be a fair price? It seems a bit on the steep side, but perhaps I may have no choice! With luck I may be able to negotiate some 10% off. Condition is good but, as is quite common with this series, no suspension. I have over the years kept an eye out for the two other Yemen campaign medals - one undated and one from 1846/7 but to date no joy. Kind regards, Owain.