Lapa

Bryan, It is a nice M43 service jacket. As Rick indicated, no dates on buttons. I would nevertheless expand the range for using of 6-sided boards to 1945 to 1949. There is little risk with these jackets as you can't "upgrade" them much more than by changing boards to a higher rank. Marc

Don, The proper term is "liberated" Marc

Kristof, If my glasses don't completely fail me, that is not the case. Your order is 266,464, but the Uchetnaya Kartochka shows 266,462. Marc

Kristof, What is the relationship of your order with the research shown above ? Marc

Christian, Tool-engraved Sn are not necessarily easier to erase than hand-engraved ones, it all depens on the individual order. Without going into deep details, a faker would buff out the serial number, and if he want to make ihis job less noticeable, he'd extend his work up the star branch. I have seen some really top jobs, unfortunately. I find you to be a bit too affirmative about the area to the right of the SN. I personally cannot make such a statement without holding the order in my hand. Marc

Miguel, I believe that this is an upgraded 3rd class. This type of handwriting is found in the 200,000 and up range, and it seems to me that the last digit was erased. Can you check if there is any sign of unevenness (small depression) where the last digit was. Marc

Miguel, Your OGLII does not look bad, but I am uncomfortable with the dark trace at the right of the serial number. Could you make several hi-res scans of that specific area, turning the order 90 degrees each time. Also, a close-up of the central part of the tower (from above the clock to the top of the gate) would help. Marc

OK Guys, let's get on with it! There is nothing intrinsically military about it, and is still in use today. Marc

Rick, It means that the awards HAS BEEN presented. Marc

Hunyadi, Could you please post a scan of the back of your badge, for information. Thanks, Marc

Hipnos, Can you please post hi-resolution scans (at least 600dpi) of the round medallion on the front and of the SN area, I have some nagging doubts about the catual class of this order. Marc

Guys, Sorry about disappearing from radar screens for a few days, but it happens that there are still (a few) places on this earth that are NOT connected to cyberland. Maybe, before everyone rushes to change rules right and left, some considerations should/could be given to the constraints of real vs cyber life Right, let me now step down my soapbox and inform Nick, and our other participants, that my question still has NOT been answered. Nick's answer is not the right one. Keep keeping on... Marc

OK, let's go with it again. That one should not be too difficult at all (then again, I did not think that my previous question was...) A couple of months ago, I turned 75. Originally a czarist invention, I was abolished after the 1917 revolution, before being reinstated less than 15 years later. 1. What am I? 2. What is the exact date I was reinstated? 3. What was the actual reason for my return? Good luck! Marc

Christophe, It looks like we are playing ping-pong here Marc

Christophe, I believe that it should be the following: - Order of Personal Courage, 28.12.1988 - Order of Honor, 28.12.1988 Marc

Congratulations Christophe! You got that one right. I did not think that it would be so difficult though. The place is indeed Nevsky Pyatachok. The battle began in the night of 20 to 21 September 1941, on Zhukov's order to force the Neva river and attempt to free Mga. Soviet forces, more specifically the 576th infantry batallion, having had a grand total of 2 days to get ready, crossed the river during the night and got pinned there. The battle raged on the Southern bank of the Neva until Fall 1943, while combats ceased there only at the end of January 1944. During the first 16~18 months, an average of 2,000 explosive devices (bombs, mortars, etc) PER HOUR!!! fell on the battlefield. So much steel fell there that even today trees did not grow back. Except for about a couple of weeks when Soviet forces succeded in widening it up to a maximum area 3km wide by 800 meters deep, the battlefield was a mere 1km wide and less than 500 meter deep!!! Official postwar figures put Soviet casualties at over 250,000 killed, whereas figures recently published estimate them to be possibly well over 300,000. Life expectancy of Soviet soldiers sent to this battlefield was no more than a couple of days. The village of Moskovskaya Dubrovka was entirely destroyed in the first few days of the battle, and was never rebuilt. Soviet forces used debris to build their underground shelters on the banks of the Neva. Nevsky Pyatachok is today a baren place; a few dachas were built on the banks of the river, but the site remains mostly as it was. Even today, almost 65 years after combats ceased, a walk on the shore will yield countless artifacts reminding how fierce combats were on this tiny crumb of land. Next week, I'll post pictures of the last time I went there. A very sobering experience that truly showcases the savagery of the Eastern Front, still very much under-reported in the West. Your turn Christophe! Marc

Guys, All being very quiet on the Eastern Front I'll try to point you in the right direction. Hint of the day: the place name comprises 2 words, one of which refers to an extremely famous Russian warrior. Marc

I'll try to post some hints tonight Marc

Christian, Yes, he did here. Marc

Christian, Yes, he did here. Marc

I agree with you on that one. If feel as though you are standing in the woods with them. Marc

Christian, There are minute engraving differences in the wreath under the central star between 2nd and 3rd classes; the back plate was struck with a different die that was not used to strike 3rd classes. One of the very first identification spot is the top ray seen from the back. On genuine 2nd class (but also on early 3rd classes), that element has parallel edges, (see # 2213), but on fakes made using later 3rd classes (the most widely available), that element is drop-shaped (see # 1604). Now, I cannot answer as to why the mint used different dies, but the fact is that they did. Marc

Guys, It was a rare, trench-type variety. Even though, that was a rather steep price for it IMHO Marc

Christian, I don't see anything wrong with it. Nice order in nice shape, congratulations Marc

Christian, Nice pictures, but they do not allow to make an exact diagnosis of the patients, as details are at an almost microscopic level. Anyway, from the outside, global look of it, your 2213 looks OK (but need to verify some other details); your 1604 displays several signs typical of an upgraded 3rd class (shape of the top ray, lack of line under SN, handwriting of the SN, etc). This would also explain the difference in gold plating Marc