Taz

Eddie,

When writing in upper case, you do not use accents (same in French)

Marc

Hi Marc, thanks

One question though, is it just this accent that is left out?

For example on the Distinci?n ?Carlos Bali?o the accent is over the n on the Medal.

Regards Eddie.

I think the usual name of the insignia is Combined Operations badge.

The link below shows many versions.

http://www.combinedops.com/INSIGNIA%20SPECIMENS.htm

Regards Eddie

Just one other point I noticed, it is decribed as the Medalla "Jos? Tey"

Where is the accent in Jos? on the medal?

Regards Eddie.

Well Rick,

What do we know 100%? very little.

1. Awards and badges were made in the GDR.*

2. Some badges were made in the USSR.

3. Badges after the break with USSR are made, or parts made in China. And assembled in Cuba.

Scans and photos often mislead, but later Cuban Orders seem lower quality (China?)

What I wouldn't nessesary rule out is that some are made in Cuba.

The know-how is there, you only need to look at pre-Castro awards, but are the resources and funds?

Would Cuban made awards be this quality? The designs are simple enough.

What would it cost to have them made abroad in relation to making them on Cuba?

Mass produced abroad with a staybrite finish, Cuban made Matt finish?

*The diameter of Cuban Medals is always smaller than GDR awards. Is this significant?

Matt finish isn't rare (CSSR, Romania etc) but I haven't seen this nice Gold effect on GDR or other Bloc countries awards either.

Half answers, speculation and many questions still.

Regards Eddie

That would help a great deal, most photos I have seen in colour are too small to tell anything much at all.

Regards Eddie

Very interesting. Obviously matte finished and Staybrite have nothing to do with AGE since the 1986 FAR Jubilee comes in both finishes...

so here again we see what are two different manufacturer types.

Hmmm hmmm.

Hi Rick,

certainly starting to look that way.

Regards Eddie

In today along with the XX year Service Medal, not really any difference to your example Rick.

The Medals always have the ribbon mounted Green-white- Light Blue, only the ribbon bars seem to have been changed or mounted wrong.

Regards Eddie

And the usual Council of State reverse.

New addition in today, Matt finished example of the Medal.

Regards Eddie.

Arrived today... the full size XV medal cased with, yet again, green-white-blue on the medal and presentation cloth ribbons

Loose... cloth... complete opposite of our as yet limited-yet-consistent ribbon bar versions. Why? Why?

Nice addition to the collection Rick!!

Mine are on the way, I wonder what they will look like. i'll get some images posted when they arrive.

Regards Eddie.

Leigh,

Thanks for a very interesting, sad and moving thread.

My old Regiment served in Aden in 1966 and my uncle was stationed there.

The retaking of the crater area with the QDG vehicles flying the hackles of the fusiliers sent a shiver down the spine.

RIP those who lost their lives in this ugly incident.

Regards Eddie

Hi Marc

Many thanks for your help!

Is it possible for you to post a complete one with the appropriate ribbon?

Was the ribbon also manufactured in the GDR?

Thank you and best wishes!

KDVR

Order of Mother's Glory 1st class,

I would imagine the ribbon came with the Order.

Regards Eddie

ID confirmation needed on what I thinbk is the Czechoslovak Medal for 20th Anniversary of Slovak Uprising of 1944.

See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7532...88879&st=35

That's correct Ed

Regards Eddie

Nice pics Lorenzo

MRAP, CAT I, International Navistar MaxxPro MPV isn't it? Or is that the MaxxPro plus version?

Regards Eddie

Hi Ulsterman,

The top row are MNR-Nationalist Revolutionary Movement badges, the bottom left badge as you look is a Blood Donor badge.

Bottom right can't tell right now.

Regards Eddie

Aerial view of the Memorial.

Full Scale Model of a Supermarine Spitfire in the markings of 72 Sqn.

Painted in the colours of the Jeffery Quill OBE AFC, the most famous Spitfire pilot (he was development pilot for prototype K5054). He was so keen to gain battle experience and contribute to the war effort, he enrolled in the Battle of Britain Squadron 65 (Hornchurch), shooting down a Messerchmitt Bf 109E fighter and a Heinkel He 111 bomber.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Quill

Full Scale Model of a Hawker Hurricane in the markings of 56 Sqn.

"Little Willy," the Mk. I flown by Pilot Officer Geoffrey Page of No. 56 Squadron when he was shot down in August 1940.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Page

"The Few"

"The gratitude of every home in our island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the world war by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. "

The Pilot is seated on a sandstone base on which the squadrons and units who fought in the battle are carved.

The RAF recognises 2440 British and 510 overseas pilots who flew at least one authorised operational sortie with an eligible unit of the Royal Air Force or Fleet Air Arm during the period 10 July to 31 October 1940. This group includes 139 Poles, 98 New Zealanders, 86 Canadians, 84 Czechoslovakians, 29 Belgians, 21 Australians, 20 South Africans, 13 French, 10 Irish, 7 from the United States, a Jamaican, a Palestinian Jew and a Southern Rhodesian. 498 RAF pilots were killed during the battle. An Italian expeditionary force called Corpo Aereo Italiano also took part in the latter stages of battle on the German side. The Battle of Britain was the first major battle to be fought entirely in the air. It was the largest and most sustained bombing campaign yet attempted and the first real test of the strategic bombing theories that had emerged since the previous World War.

Foreign contribution

From the very beginning of the war, the Royal Air Force accepted foreign pilots to supplement the dwindling pool of British pilots. The RAF roll of honour for the Battle of Britain recognises[2] 510 overseas pilots as flying at least one authorised operational sortie with an eligible unit of the Royal Air Force or Fleet Air Arm between 10 July and 31 October 1940.

Nationality/ Number

Polish 139

New Zealander 98

Canadian 86

Czechoslovakian 84

Belgian 29

Australian 21

South African 20

French 13

Irish 10

Unknown 8

American 7

Jamaican 1

Palestinian (Jewish) 1

Southern Rhodesian 1

Memorial Wall

The Christoper Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall

On the way back to Dover we stopped off at Capel le Ferne to visit the Battle of Britain Memorial.

Here are a few photo's hope you like them.

Fear Factor? Not enough built? Hmm I wouldn't want to be within a few miles of a Chally in an enemy vehicle.

Furthermore, better 300+ of those than a few 1000+ "other tanks"

Also, you need to be as fast as the infantry support and supply, not leg it like a formula 1 car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSRBfmbTdP8

Regards Eddie

BLECH!!!! Plain old PAINT is quite NASTY for the 5th senior Order in Communist Cuba!!!!!

Shocking!

The rayed stars are completely different as well.

?????????

Rick,

To be honest I am starting to get suspicious about some of these orders.

Take a quick look in the Order of Playa giron thread. Notice the difference between the example Cuss posted and the one I posted later?

The quality seems a lot different. The decent enamelwork on the first Order shown, looks painted or lacquer on the second one for a start.

Regards Eddie.