oamotme

Hi, It is a medal from 1956 for/from Cairo University - possibly something to do with 'life education' - it may be some manner of society badge. Regards, Owain

Ilja,

The certificate notes, "National Order of Labour" of the First Class awarded to Ambassador Salah Ali Hassan Al Malki.

Owain

Ilja,

Not a medal but a prize. The inscription is not clear but I can make out that is is a prize for humanitarian work in the name of Mohammed Al Qassimi (Sharjah?). The top of the medal, I think, is, 'In the name of Allah, etc."

Owain

Thanks  Nick. Even if I get 50%  it will cover a few beers - thank for the link. Owain 

I am assuming these are of no great scarcity or value. Owain

Many thanks - again GMIC members add information! Owain

Gentlemen,

I recently acquired as part of a lot of assorted UK club medals the pair of wings illustrated below. They are very well made and in excellent condition and are made by the firm of Johnson of Milan. The cardboard case may be original. One has a crown and one does not. Online research indicates that the crown was removed from the badge after the fall of the central government of Mussolini. This is not my area of expertise but as they are so well made I am happy to share. No doubt someone in GMIC can enlighten us.

Kind regards,

Owain 

Gentlemen,

Finally for today another example of a RAOB Iraq jewel - this time of a standard early generic format - see India and Sudan jewels previously illustrated - of gilt metal of excellent quality:

Obverse - Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes / S.T.B. / Iraq (I am unaware as to what STB stands for)

Reverse - Bro. F. Crayton / Member Of The / R.A.O.B., G.L.E. / In Iraq (The name has been engraved) & Maker's name - L. Simpson & Co. / 56 York Road / King's Cross N1

In addition the box which the medal came in which is detailed - Telephone : North 0864 / L. Simpson & Co., / Masonic & Buffalo Jewellers, / Battle bridge Works / 56. York Road, King's Cross, / London, N.1.

Finally the accompanying certificate of membership which notes that, "This is to Certify that Brother Fred Crayton was initiated a member of the Royal Air Force Lodge No. 3705 in the Town of Uxbridge the 27th day of March 1925".

It is reasonable to infer that Fred Crayton was a member of the RAF and was thereafter posted to Iraq. From Wikipedia I detail below the history of RAF Uxbridge.

RAF Uxbridge was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station in Uxbridge, within the London Borough of Hillingdon, occupying a 44.6-hectare (110-acre). The British Government purchased the estate in 1915, three years before the founding of the RAF. The station is best known as the headquarters of No. 11 Group RAF, which was responsible for the aerial defence of London and the south-east of England during the Battle of Britain. A bunker, subsequently known as the Battle of Britain Bunker, was built nearby to house the 11 Group Operations Room, which controlled fighter squadrons operating within the group. The Operations Room was also responsible for providing air support during the evacuation of Dunkirk in May 1940 (Operation Dynamo) and the D-Day landings (Operation Overlord). It was here that Winston Churchill first said, "Never in the history of mankind has so much been owed by so many to so few", which he repeated in a speech to Parliament four days later. RAF Uxbridge closed on 31 March 2010 as part of a reduction in the number of Ministry of Defence installations in the Greater London area.

Regards,

Owain

Gentlemen,

This time a more detailed image of an already seen Omani based RAOB Lodge:

• Top bar - RAOB
• Obverse - Andrew 9898 Grainger
• Reverse - Plain other than the makers mark - Parry B'Ham

As of writing I have no detail as to who Andrew Grainger is or was.

Regards,

Owain

Gentlemen,

Purchased may years ago in London:

• Top Bar - Pyramid Lodge No 692
• Bottom Bar - Saudi Arabia
• Obverse - Founder Member 1982
• Reverse - Plain

I am not sure which jurisdiction this particular lodge came under - not the United Grand Lodge of England - possible an American one. I believe that there were lodges on US bases which were established by personnel who had been based in overseas in Germany or elsewhere.

A quick search on line comes up with 'American Lodge of Past Masters 962 / American Canadian Grand Lodge / Under the Jurisdiction of / United Grand Lodges of Germany' - accordingly this jewel was made for their members based in Saudi Arabia.

Regards,

Owain 

Good afternoon,

Two further generic RAOB jewels to, in this instance, Oman based RAOB lodges:

Jewel A

• Top bar - Dhofar Lodge 9721
• Obverse - Services Rendered
• Reverse (obscured by glue) - Presented to / Bro / Ducky Davies / KOM / For Services / Rendered / 1979
• Maker - Parry B'ham

Jewel B

• Top bar - Sultanate of Oman No. 1
• Lower bar - Knights Chapter No. 307
• Obverse - Royal Antedeluvian Order of Buffaloes / Nemo Mortalium Omnibus Horis Sabit 
• Reverse - Mark of FC Parry of Birmingham - silver gilt & date mark 'H' - 1982

Regards,

Owain

Hi, It appears to be some manner of Iraqi Army Sport (olympic) medallion. The obverse 'RCC' stands for Revolutionary Command Council - with a bust of Saddam Hussein and the reverse Arabic is 'Al Jaish Al Iraq' - Iraqi Army. Regards, Owain

Rusty,

Many thanks - as you note beautiful mages - I suspect that the artwork is by Bichay and his colleagues.

Regards,

Owain

Rusty, The mongram on Igor's  2nd Class case is that of Fuad the First. Regards, Owain

Gentlemen,

Yet another - this time a generic 'Services Rendered' jewel present by the Scorpion Lodge No. 8351 - see Lodge specific jewel earlier. The inscription on the reverse reads, 

"Presented to / Bro. / R. Finch K.O.M. / by the / Scorpion Lodge No. 8351 / For Services Rendered / 7th April 1972"

There is a Birmingham silver mark and the letter 'W being the date letter for 1971. The makers initials of 'F.C.P.' are for  the maker Parry of Birmingham.

Kind regards,

Owain

Stuka,

Detailed below is a group I have of Belgian Great War miniatures which include service in the Belgian Congo.

Regards,

Owain 

Belgian group of six miniatures suspended directly, without any ribbons, from a gilt chain consisting of the following:

1.      Croix de Guerre 1914-18 – 1914-18 War Cross.

2.      Médaille de la Victoire 1914–1918 - Victory Medal 1914-18

3.      Médaille Commémorative de la Guerre 1914–1918 - 1914-18 War Medal.

4.      Médaille Commémorative des Campagnes d’Afrique 1914-1917 – Africa Campaigns Medal 1914-1917 - established 21 February 1917.

5.      Étoile de Service - Service Star – established 16 January 1889. This is a civil award for service within the Congo Free States.

6.      United Kingdom – Unknown Medal – the medal with a blank reverse and no suspension bar, appears to be of silver and is of continental manufacture – the obverse is the standard King George V issue and could represent the DCM, MM or MSM.

Gentlemen,

A further Dhofar 9721 Lodge jewel - this one to commemorate its 200th meeting:

Obverse "Dhofar 9721 / 200th Meeting 12-12-73"

Reverse "Silver" on the Omani state badge of crossed sword and dagger.

The ribbon is in the Omani flag colours of green, red and white.

The Dhofar rebellion was over in 1975 and assuming the Lodge met in at the RAF base in Salalah - the capital of Dhofar Governate, the jewel would indicate that the Lodge met throughout the war. 

Regards,

Owain,

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: 

1. Grades Civils
2. Ordre de Mohamed Ali
3. Collier Fouad 1er
4. Ordre d'Ismail
5. Ordre du Nil
6. Ordre de l'Etoile Militaire du Roi Fouad
7. Ordre de l'Agriculture
8. Ordre d'El Maaref
9. Ordre de l'Industrie et du Commerce
10. Ordre d'Al-Kamal
11. Medaille pour Actes Meritoires
12. Medaille du Devoir
13. 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