TacHel

I'm usually not into ribbon bars, but those are real stunners! Good for you, great acquisitions!

Frank; agreed -- looks like something on the VM - probably MID.

I was trying to figure out the GSM -- looks like a device there too, but I am not expert enough to know if that's possible.

That's why I didn't venture a guess... I've never seen one with a ribbon device before. Unless it's also an MID? There's a thought...

I'm afraid my talents stop well short of this.

We're posting in stereo...

Do you also notice something (must be an MID) on his victory medal?

And the gent in post #3:

1914-15 Star, BMW, VM with MID, ?, Army LSGC.

Upon further examination of the officer in posts 5 ans 6, his BMW ribbon comes out very dark!

So our chap in posts #2 could very well be wearing: MM, 1914-15 Star, BMW, rest are too hard to tell... VM and a long service medal?

Hi Noor! Very nice pics!!

About the gent in post #2. His ribbons throw me for a loop...

- The first one could be a MM, I guess, but the 2 central stripes look too narrow and they seem darker then the 2 wide ones on the sides... Odd considering the wide stripes were dark blue while the central narrow ones were bright red. Unless original period ribbons had narrower central stripes?

- The 2nd ribbon looks more like a 1914-15 Star ribbon. An inter-allied victory medal would be after a BMW and darker in the center area.

- The 3rd... Hard to imagine a BMW with such a dark central stripe. Unless original period ribbons were much darker?

Here's a question for people who know much more than I do:

Were the 1914 and 1914-15 Stars awarded prior to the end of hostilities? If so, then the 3rd, 4th and 5th ribbons would have no connection to WW1 and it would make the 1st and 2nd easier to ID. 1= MM, 2 = 1914-15 Star, rest = ?

The gent in post #3 would then be also wearing a 1914-15 Star ribbon at left... And the picture would've been taken before the award of both the BMW and VM.

Any thoughts gents?

Addenda: I believe the officer in post #6 is a lieutenant-colonel.

Perhaps it has something to do with HM conferring the OM on former prime minister Jean Chretien in 2009. Story at:

http://www.cbc.ca/ca...tien-merit.html :

A possibility, but then why only reinstate the award on our charts nearly 2 years later?...

James, I'm sure you're 100% correct.

The fact remains though, this particular decoration had been summarily removed from our awards system, it only just reappeared out of thin air after many decades. The only one retained from day one that is still there is the Royal Victorian Order. Although the OBE and DFC were retained for some obscure reasons for 10 or 12 years (obscure meaning serving generals had them and they were removed upon their retirement. How utterly aristocratic and sickening.)

If this is the result of a rationalization of our awards system to fix past errors, I'm all for it. On the other hand, if this was done merely to allow a politician or high military person to receive and wear such an award, then I will be utterly disgusted with the entire affair.

Well, here's one I didn't see coming. The British Order of Merit has been reinstated in the Canadian Honours System.

LINK HERE

Anybody know when this happened? I has to be recent, I just only found out by going on the DHH web site for some other info.

I recently found this award for sale on a Russian auction site.

BEST 2009 EMPLOYEE OF BOEING OF RUSSIA.

Not that long ago, the only Boeings likely to go to Russia were B-52s... (No crack intended I assure you, so don't take offense if from an Eastern European country)

Incredible how time has passed so quickly! I for one am glad that, IMHO anyway, things are changing for the better.

Bundeswehr medal designs aren't really important, they don't wear them. Even during my years in Germany with NATO, I never saw a single German allowed to wear his medals. Parades, official functions, weddings, name it! Undress ribbons only. I saw 2 German officers wear their minis ONCE at an embassy function and it was in Canada.

I was on a NATO base working with many Luftwaffe colleagues in the very same shop, everytime there was a medal presentation of NATO or einsatzmedaillen, they'd look at us and say "another one for the bottom of the drawer". Quite sad...

Good information, TacHel! But do you read Kibovski\Stepanov's 3-part book about uniform of Russian Empire\Soviet\Russian Federation Air Force? It's great source, on my mind!

No, I have no reference books on Russian uniforms, only on Soviet and Russian awards.

I forgot to mention...

They've also revamped the embroidery on generals' service caps. The pic below shows the 2010 pattern air force general cap.

Maybe Russia is moving back in more ways than one...

Personally, I wouldn't read too much out of it... They got their nice new blue air force uniform and I think they're trying to truly identify themselves from the army. A feeling I can really relate to.

The picture above shows the transition for air force officers' cap badges from the Soviet Era to today.

1991 to 1994 transition period where many service people wore the Soviet badges well into 1994.

1994 saw the new orange and black Russian cockade and national eagle common to all services and ministries.

1997 saw the new pattern eagles representing individual ministries and departments. (Here Defense Min)

2010 saw the air force readopting its wings and star.

Those are all beautiful. Has anyone seen the curret version awarded?

I spend approx 10 hours a week in Russian phaleristic sites and follow ODM stories in Russian papers but have yet to see any of the revamped Orders bestowed. Mind you, most of them are awarded for "defense" of Russia, not attacking an outside enemy or taking care of internal matters.

Some great dioramas in there! Love the Mi-24, definitely from a master modeler when you see the panel outlines and individual dzus fasterners.

Am a bit perplexed about the Panzer IV though... Seems the POW is Polish, I thought the very first early Panzer IVs only appeared in the battle of France... Am I out to lunch on this one? Any expert around?

Sweet! Great looking set! Congrats! :jumping:

Does it come in a single class or 3 like the regular medal?

Thanks for that great info Greg!

Are there any plans for a new Cossack Host or are the Cossacks simply extending into that region?

Below is yet another example of a Cossack award... Cross for Fidelity to the Black Sea Cossacks. A bit on the crude side. I believe the person is supposed to be Tsarina Catherine, I think...

Of course I guess one could get oneself befriended by a group of Cossacks and made an honorary Cossack... then... perhaps.

Dan

Oh man... I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you... Cossack = Xenophobia-R-Us

You're more likely to earn a young Cossack a medal if you get my drift...:whistle:

This is the Cross for Fighting in Chechnya (2nd class).

As you can see, quite crude...

That is a beautiful award!!!! Have any been up for sale and if so any idea how much? Probably a mint but man that would be a nice addition to anyone's collection!

Dan

I know of a place in Moscow where there's one for sale for 9500 roubles ($310 USD). Good luck getting out of there though.

Below is the award 2nd class. BTW, both of these pics are of the actual items up for sale. (Not to rub it in or nothing... )

The crosses below were established by the Union of Don Cossacks in 1993. Awarded with swords to Cossacks involved in the fighting in the Moldavian Republic of Transnistria, awarded without swords to Cossacks who did not participate in hostilities, but contributed to victory in the Russian Trans-Dniester.

Reverse incription: For Transnistria 1992.

There's no denying the resemblance to the Cross of St George, and Cossacks use the St George ribbon on a great majority of their military and combat awards.