oamotme

Gro,

This is, if I recall correctly, a Military Instructor/Teachers Badge from the Iraqi Military Academy or similar - probably dating from the mid-1960 onwards . There are I recall earlier posts on this badge. It is definitely not an order, decoration or medal.

Kind regards,

Owain

Dear Hucks,

This is the Syrian "Order of Training" - looks genuine and a relatively common medal.

Regards, Owain

See my file notes below:

Obverse - A five pointed star bearing a circular medallion depicting a trophy of arms representing the military consisting of a pair of wings a crossed anchor and rifle surmounted by a green helmet above which and extending onto the uppermost point of the star a flaming torch. To the right and left of the torch is the Arabic inscription, "To sweat in peace saves blood in war”. Below the trophy is the inscription, “Training Medal”.

Reverse - Blank.

Size - 40 mm

Metal - Anodized aluminium.

Ribbon - 36 mm of three equal stripes from the left of blue, light blue and light green. Further awards are indicated by a bronze oak leaf upon the ribbon.

Suspension - A loop through a ring affixed to the uppermost point of the star.

Instituted  - Legislative Decree # 453 of the 5th of March 1964. (This medal is awarded to all officers who are deemed worthy during the military training season. To qualify officers must have commanded a company or higher unit for at least one training year and should have contributed good service in all mobilisation exercises, practices, inspections and supervisory tours conducted by the General Command. Officers should also not have been subjected to more than 15 days punishment during the relevant training year nor have been absent for more than 60 days inclusive of leave and official duties.)

Hello, The detail/script is unclear but it could be a university badge by Huguenin of Le Locle in Switzerland. I think the script on the blue rectangle reads "Governor". Regards, Owain

Ray, The medal with the camel on the reverse is the Bahawalpur North West Frontier Medal of 1920. The "kidney" shaped medal is the Jammu and Kashmir medal of 1895. The one with the ruler Sadiq Mohammed Khan wearing a fez is probably one of a series of service medals, but I need to see the reverse to identify which variant - the ribbon may be incorrect. The one with the anchor is unclear but appears to be some form of sport/prize medal. Regards, Owain

This is, I think,  Afghan - probably from the reign of the last King Mohammed Zaher Shah, reigned 1933-73, but the detail is unreadable. Regards, Owain 

Paul, How are you? I'm after one too! Ha! Owain

Ray, This is a medal from Princely state of Bahawalpur (now in Pakistan) and is, I think, the Kot Sabzal Campaign Medal of 1931 only issued in silver. If you can show the reverse the tentative identification can be confirmed. The medal can then be reposted in the Pakistan. Regards, Owain 

Good morning from Riyadh.

To add to this Forum I am pleased to note that I have recently acquired a 1st Type Sultan Saeed LSGC - in almost 25 years of collecting this is the first one I have been able to get.  It is not in the best of condition and I think the suspension has been re-fixed but nonetheless a nice piece which is named! The recipient name , engraved in quite clear Arabic, is "3346 SAIF ISSA GHULAM MOHAMMED" - a Pakistani (Baluch?) name. Indeed the medal came from Pakistan and many Baluchis served in the Sultan of Oman's Forces over the years. I suspect that researching this will be an impossibility. The obverse Arabic inscription reads, "THE SULTAN SAEED BIN TEYMOUR BIN FAISAL" and "SULTAN MUSCAT AND OMAN". The reverse reads, in Arabic and English, "FOR LONG SERVICE". Also on the reverse is the manufacturer's name "SPINK LONDON". The ribbon is a plain dark red.

Kind regards,

Owain  

Paul, Yes - a quotation from the Koran - sadly my Arabic/knowledge of the Koran is insufficient to identify which verse! Regards, Owain

Taras, At $1,499 and $599 they are beyond my ability to buy! Regards, Owain

The Arabic translates as:

• Wisam Al-riyada li-huquq al-insan – Order for Human Rights Leadership
• Wisam al-fann al-Arabi – Order of Arab Art (issued by the General Federation of Arab Artists)

The quality of these and similar awards concerns me - whilst anything is possibly when it comes to the regime of Colonel Ghadaffi, the lack of quality and documentary evidence makes me wary of these awards.

Kind regards,

Owain

Aha, both horribly overpriced on E-Bay. The lower, not a state award, reads "Order of Arab Art" and "The General Union for Arab Art (Artists?) " or similar. The central green letters are, I think,  the abbreviations of the Union.  The upper one is unclear and I will try and get a translation. Regards, Owain

The medal has the outline of a map of Iraq and the three words from the bottom clockwise read, "Honour, Nation, Service". With the red 'ribbon' would this be some form of local wound medal?  Regards, Owain

This is a Baath party medal issued in Iraq with the head of Saddam Hussain on the obverse and the Bath logo on the reverse. Regards, Owain

_{Paul, Rob above notes 8,000 troops, however the plain version of the medal is often seen at dealers or on Ebay. Indeed there is one for sale at the moment for $49.99. Regards, Owain .}

Igor,

I have seen one of these before and as the instituting Decree makes no reference to more than one grade of the Order, it may be a trial or specimen piece, but I have no evidence to support this.

Regards,

Owain

See below,

Owain

Aha, that great insomnia cure  - many thanks indeed - enjoy the weekend, Owain

Aha, yes a lucky find. Thank you for your additional information. The biographical details I obtained were from a Google translation of a Polish Wikipedia entry. Where did you get your details as there are slight differences? It is interesting to note he was also awarded the Officers Cross of Polonia Restituta and the Cross of Valour. As intimated earlier he must have had quite a collection of awards. Thank you for your help - every snippet of information adds life to the certificate and enhances the value of GMIC as a research tool. Regards, Owain

Great historical resume of Ethiopian Polish relations & I note the official Polish visit to Ethiopia in 1965 and I would surmise that Olszewski's award was related to the visit. Again many thanks, Owain

I now attach:

• Ethiopian certificate
•  
• Translation
•  
• Protocol approval to accept - 1965
•  
• Forwarding letter for certificate - 1966

Regards,

Owain

Whilst I am not 100% sure I suspect the Order of the Star he received would have been like the attached illustration.

Regards,

Owain 

Thanks - I don't recall the vendor selling any other related items, but noting that Olszewski died only in August of last year I am assuming, (never a good thing), that his family had a clear out.

In the order of precedence of Polish awards of the period are the noted awards relatively senior? From his CV he was obviously a dedicated party/regime man

Regards,

Owain

Dear Irish Gunner,

Very many thanks indeed - putting a face to the name is always a good result. I suspect that Olszewski during his long career collected more than a handful of awards commencing with his Soviet service awards from the Great Patriotic War and then his Polish awards - nice pictures. This is not my field of expertise and thus my thanks to you.

With kind regards,

Owain

P.S. Google translate is not consistent - the body he was on when he received the Ethiopian award has translated as:

Committee of Overseas Economic Cooperation

Committee of Foreign Economic Relations

Gentlemen,

Late last year I obtained on E-Bay a certificate of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia bestowed upon Kazimierz Olszewski on 29 November 1965 in his role as Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Overseas Economic Cooperation. Accompanying the certificate were two letters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs granting permission to accept the award and forwarding the actual certificate.

On searching the internet and availing myself of Google translate I have obtained a concise biography from the Polish Wikipedia:

"Had incomplete higher education and occupation mechanic technician, he studied at the University of Lviv. In the years 1941-1943 he was in the Red Army, and from 1943 until 1947 he served in the LWP. In the years 1947-1952 he worked in the synthetic fiber industry.

In the years 1952-1959 he was associated with the Ministry of Chemical Industry (Head of the Department, Secretary of State). In the years 1959-1962 and 1975-1977 was the permanent representative of the Government of the People's Republic in the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance in Moscow. From 1962 to 1970 he was deputy chairman of the Executive Committee of the CMEA and the first deputy chairman of the Committee of Foreign Economic Relations at the Council of Ministers. In the years 1971-1972 Deputy Permanent Representative of the Government of People's Republic of Comecon in Moscow.

From 13 February 1971 to March 1972 he was Minister of Foreign Trade, and since April 10, 1974 to November 21, 1974 he was Minister of Foreign Trade and Maritime Affairs; on November 22, 1973 to April 10, 1974 he was Minister of navigation; and since March 29, 1972 to December 17, 1977 was also the Vice President of the Council of Ministers of PRL in the rule of Peter Jaroszewicz.

He belonged to the PPR, and then to the Communist Party. From 1971 to 1981, he was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. In the years 1976-1980 he was a deputy to the Sejm PRL seventh term. In the years 1978-1982 he was the ambassador Polish Peoples Republic in  the USSR. Longtime member of the Supreme Council of the League of freedom Fighters.

Decorated with the Order of People's Polish Builders (1974) and the Order of the Banner of Labour 1st Class. Buried at Powazki military cemetery."

To complete my notes I would like to obtain an image of Kazimierz Olszewski but have, to date, no success - perhaps a fellow member with Polish language ability can assist?

Kind regards,

Owain