Taz

Thanks Vic,

So yours has the same Council of state reverse?

Regards Eddie

Weird how it works out, first you never see a medal you are trying to find for years and then in the space of a week or so this.

here is a Medalla "Antonio Maceo" on the correct ribbon.

I just need confirmation from Vic that his has a council of state reverse. fact is that unlike other medals Antonio Maceo is not on the obverse.

Regards Eddie

Hi JS,

Take a look at this link Leigh posted:

http://reviews.ebay.com/BRITISH-WW2-STARS-...000000001508514

Here is part of the article:

6. Originals have an uniform thickness and the example noted above as being from the Calcutta mint that has a raised central dome is of uniform thickness too. The raised dome is the only difference and the arms etc of the star are uniform like any other star. One Pacific star was encountered which was quite thin overall and of coarse, was a downright Fake.

Regards Eddie

And the reverse of this rather unique medal.

Medal for long marital life

(Medal Za Dlugoletnie Pozycie Malzenskie)

There are not many nations that awarded medals for long married life. Poland was one of them.

The medal was Instituted by the act of Parliament of February 17th, 1960.

Awarded to couples who were married for at least fifty years. The only other requirement that had to be met was that the couple had at least one child, either their own or adopted.

Before this medal was instituted the couples were awarded the Cross of Merit which rather underlines the strange and varying award critaria of this medal.

The medal itself is Silver with a diameter of 35mm.

On the obverse is a cross of six equal arms with an ornament between them. In the center there is a pink medallion depicting two crossed silver roses.

On the reverse are the Letters RP (PRL until 1990) the inscription reads: ZA DLUGOLETNIE POZYCIE MALZENSKIE (for long marital life).

The Ribbon is 35 mm, pink with a white central stripe.

Mine shown here is the PRL version before 1990.

Regards Eddie

Actually, the AVSAP organisation was disbanded in 1962 and its assets were taken over by the UCFS (The Union for Physical Culture and Sport).

Anyhow, congratulations for reading the lengthy article in Romanian.

He He, thanks Carol.

I was thinking Kev needed a bit of info, must have misread

So disbanded not a name change, ta for the correction.

Regards Eddie

Good question! Officers have take in first the soviet academy badges. That was the highs honore to study in USSR. And the east german acadmy badge was not so imported. And I have also no old picture in my collection with take 2 academy badges on the uniform.

Guys,

Not often but two badges were sometimes worn in the GDR. Although one GDR and one Soviet

Here is one for you, this was taken during the visit of Polish Army General F.Siwicki, the minister of national defense, 13.11.84 at the Friedrich Engels military academy.

As you can see the officer talking is wearing two badges, on the left the early version Friedrich Engels academy and most likely the Soviet Voroshilov Academy badges.

The Soviet badge is worn on right of the GDR badge denoting it's seniority. This should also be the case with Gordons pairing on the Hungarian uniform.

Regards Eddie

I have seen skulls attached on the ribbons of belgian medals of a resistance group.

Only one group seem to do that most likely the group mentioned above;

Hi Lion,

Cross of the ''Federation of the Resistance of the Ardennes'' with skull.

Regards Eddie

I have a Belgian medal which might also be the one that should go with it, I have no idea which one of the medals does, the one from Jef or mine, perhaps they are from the same organastion.

Front unie medaille met gesp 1940-1945 (front Union medal with bar 1940-1945)

text on medal: Front Unique Belgique

Hi Roeland,

Only seen this one with the 1940-1945 clasp, it's The Cross of the Clandestine Press Section of the Organization "Front Unique-Eenheidsfront"

Regards Eddie

Hi Gldank,

I made an inquiry to Bill Simpson for you, hope you're not one and the same person

Maybe you know his site?

Anyway, he has been collecting Belgian medals for years and has built up a massive collection shown on his excellent site (see links)

He has never seen this ribbon attachment over the years and it's not in any literature as far as he knows.

So unofficial Staff driver in England is at the moment the best bet.

Home: http://www.belgian-medals.com/

World War II Commemorative Medals: http://www.belgian-medals.com/World_War_2-Medals.html

Regards Eddie.

Medalla "Osvaldo Herrera" obverse

Given to Rebel Army combatants who as members of Column N?.2 ?Antonio Maceo?, commanded by Commander Camilo Cienfuegos, made the invasion from ?El Salto?, in Sierra Maestra, to the former province territory of Las Villas, in 1958 and had maintained an exemplary and according attitude with the revolutionary principles.

Notice Vic has a different ribbon mounted on his example than the one shown on Lukasz's site. So I can't comfirm 100% that this is the official Council of State issue, it also lacks the name of the medal present on others.

The Medalla "Antonio Maceo" is awarded to Revolutionary Armed Forces members, in active military service, reservists and retirees, and to friendly countries? military, who with unselfish, firm and decisive combative action had contributed to the defence, development and consolidation of our socialist homeland,

Medalla "Jos? Antonio Echeverr?a" obverse.

Given to young Cuban youngsters in recognition of extraordinary merits reached in study and had kept a matching attitude with revolutionary principles.

Also, in exceptional cases, can be awarded to other Cuban or foreign citizens for the same reasons or for having contributed in a significant way to the integral education of the young generations.

Medalla "Por la Seguridad del Orden Interior" (I) obverse

Hallo Eddie,

thanks for the additional information, Poland is P L Z see the badge picture.

Kevin in Deva.

Hi Kev,

Yep, the question mark was because I couldn't find you a translation of the initials which was rather wierd. In fact I still haven't even seen another of those badges you have

I'll keep it in mind whilst browsing around though. I would like to know if they were State financed too. Also that H C C T badge is haunting me, where is it from?

you was looking for info? probably seen this but here you go.

But I think:

AVSAP

members in 1959 - 1,380,766

members in 1960 - 2,343,103

On the 3rd March 1962, the name changed to Uniunea de Cultura Fizica si Sport (UCFS)

Numarul membrilor asociatiei a crescut de la an la an, astfel pentru anul 1959, AVSAP-ul numara 1.380.766 de membri, iar in 1960, 2.343.103 de membri.

Cu toate ca AVSAP-ul a format de-a lungul anilor mii si mii de specialisti, a organizat zeci de mii de conferinte si a obtinut o serie intreaga de rezultate notabile in practicarea sportului de masa, activitatea asociatiei pe linia pregatirii populatiei pentru apararea patriei nu s-a ridicat la parametrii scontati. Acest fapt a dus la desfiintarea AVSAP-ului pe 3 martie 1962, prin contopirea ei cu Uniunea de Cultura Fizica si Sport (UCFS)

Regards Eddie

Very much a part of the Northern Ireland scene still, not just slogans daubed on walls but artwork of varying standards indicating the loyalties of the local population.

Again, please, we steer clear of political comment or dispute, we know what these murals represent, we don't have to agree with the sentiments expressed, they're posted for interest & not to provoke upset or offence.

An iconic photo from 1969, this appears within & on the front cover of "The Battle of the Bogside" by press photographer Clive Limpkin, published by Penguin in 1972.

That is a moving photo, and one I have never forgotten.

''The battle of the Bogside'' book I bought at Fort George, 1977 during my first tour.

I often look through it and the pictures always send a shiver.

Inside the same little fella talking to Bernadette Devlin.

Regards Eddie

Did you find the badge in Russia? The article mentioned above stated that AVSAP organised international competitions with participants from similar organisation in neighbouring countries, so in principle there could be several such badges around in the former socialist countries and vice-versa (foreign badges in Romania).

These were all mentioned in the article apart from the bottom two

Romania AVSAP (Association of Volunteers in Support of the Defence of the Homeland)

Bulgaria DOSO (Voluntary organization for participation in defence)

Soviet Union DOSAAF (Voluntary Society of Assistance to the Army, the Air Force and the Navy)

GDR GST (Association for sport and technology)

China CCDS (Central club for Defence and sport)

Czechoslovakia Svazarm (Union for Cooperation with the Army)

Poland PLZ (?)

Regards Eddie

Haydee Santamar?a led a full and painful life. One of a handful of Cuba's female revolutionary leaders, she suffered torture in Batista's prisons. After 1959, she established the world-renowned Latin American literary institution, Casa de las Americas. Its director for 20 years, Haydee provided intellectual and physical refuge for artists and writers in exile from Latin American dictatorships. Among those who pay tribute to Santamaria here are Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mario Benedetti and Roque Dalton.

Abel Santamaria was an important leader in the Cuban Revolutionary movement. Abel and his sister Haydee let revolutionaries like Fidel Castro use their tiny two-room apartment on the corner of O and 25th streets in Havana to plan the revolution. Abel and Haydee participated in the Moncada barracks assault in July 1953 that was supposed to start the revolution to overthrow Batista. After the failure in this action, they both were imprisoned with many other revolutionaries. Abel was murdered in prison after savage tortures.

Medalla "Abel Santamar?a"

Medalla "Abel Santamar?a"

Given to young Cuban and foreign nationals for their revolutionary attitude reached in creative work; in artistic and literary culture; in sports; in struggle for the conquests of the Cuban or foreign young generation and for the consequent practice of the proletarian internationalism.

Also, in exceptional cases, it can be given to other people for the same reasons or for contributing in an outstanding way to the integral formation of the young generation.

Reverse