TacHel

A very good investment for $10! This is a State Decoration of the Russian Federation.

Life Saving Medal (Медаль За спасение погибавших).

Instituted on 9 March 1994, it is awarded to citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens for saving lives during natural disasters, floods, while fire-fighting and in other life threatening circumstances.

Nice watch! Is it a military award? Civilian? Governmental? Retirement? Merit? Efficiency?

(If Canada gave out a watch like this, we'd probably only bestow it upon people renowned for being late... )

I have a question for our friends from Germany.

I was based in Germany and served with the multinational NATO AWACS Force during the Kosovo and Bosnian conflicts.

1/2 of my crew (including my CO) were in the Luftwaffe, great guys, it was a pleasure and an honour to serve with these true professionals!

Shortly after we were all "gonged" with the NATO medals, my German colleagues received their Einsatzmedaille.

They proudly showed them to us, then lowered their eyes, sighed and said how sad it was that the medals were going in a drawer, for they were not allowed to wear them. It was then I learned that German servicemen and women were not allowed to wear their decorations on their service uniforms, not even on parade!! Only the undress ribbons...

WTF?!?

I sincerely hope this sad and ludicrous regulation has been abolished by now? Please, somebody tell me it isn't so any more!

Could you post a better pic of the Belgian award document.

Or maybe the text of article 1 & 2.

It is very difficult to read from the pic you posted.

Thanks

Jan

The articles are back with the family, I'll ask for better pics or borrow them to properly scan them.

Their mother's rosary is hard to look at.

PK

I agree wholeheartedly, to the point of originally hesitating as to whether or not to include the picture... Very poignant indeed.

Any help in appraising (even a ball park figure) this incredible historical treasure would be greatly appreciated!!

I want to point out something important: I AM NOT GETTING PAID FOR THIS APPRAISAL just in case you were wondering. Very few collectors around here and my subordinates know my great interest in these matters and didn't know where else to turn. And like I mentioned in the first post... This is way out of my league, too many artifacts accompany the sets.

Awaiting your thoughts gents.

The items also included are various hat badges, shoulder titles, spoons, toiletry kits etc. Absolutely astounding! It seems their entire personal effects not only survived but were all brought back to Canada and preserved to this date as a complete ensemble!!

Both brothers' death certificates signed by Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps officers.

The brothers purchased Postcard booklets in France which they used to keep detailed journals of their time at the front. These are also included.

The set includes the Belgian and French award citations for Major Laviolette.

Both officers' commissions.

One Victorian (and in French to boot! Can't be that common!?!), the other George V.

Also included are these 2 medals which I am unfamiliar with.

And the 2 Mother's Crosses as set on their mother's rosaries...

These are his brother Alexandre's medals, MC, BMW and VM.

The reverse of the MC and the 2 European awards.

Major Lambert Dumont Laviolette's set include:

-Military Cross (named to major Laviolette).

-1914-14 Star (named to lieutenant Laviolette).

-British War Medal (maj).

-Victory Medal (maj) - Odd that there was no MID.

-French Croix de Guerre with Palme

-Belgian Civic Medal

All documents are included in the set, including the major's original 1869 Victorian officer's commission!

As you can see, both had earned the Military Cross.

I was asked by one of my squadron mates to appraise a set of WW1 medals from his wife's family for insurance purposes. I really wasn't expecting what I saw, this goes way above my talents. Below are the 2 sets to brothers who both earned the Military Cross and who died in combat in WW1, both were French Canadians from the province of Quebec. I understand that in the UK, this might not be that rare, but in Canada and more particularly in French Canada, this is about as rare as it gets!!

Both were officers, one in the 22nd French Canadian Battalion (later to be the Royal 22nd Regiment, the "Vandoos"), the other if I read it correctly was in the 80th battalion out of Nicolet Quebec.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2009/post-3030-1242953512.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2009/post-3030-1242953518.jpg

Lambert Dumont Laviolette & Alexandre Laviolette

Here are the 4 "original" ones... Medal though to gold.

TacHel:

"They could've at least changed the bloody ribbon!"

To black-white-red?

No, but a ribbon different from the Honour Cross ribbon so we can tell the difference when only the ribbons are worn. Seems every single Bundeswehr ribbon always has the national colours. A little variety wouldn't hurt don't you think?

webr55:

"The ones with the red borders ... existed already before 2008"

All the three crosses shown in this thread are new in 2008.

http://www.bmvg.de/fileserving/PortalFiles...sitory=youatweb

Uwe

I didn't know that... Hmmm... Thanks for that info! :cheers:

Do Cossacks join the regular armed forces or do they form their own units?

Your new finds never cease to amaze me... Always of the highest quality!

I think a modernized "Pour le M?rite" would be great! (Apologies, I'm no graphic expert... )

They could even have it in different grades (chest and neck). Maybe one day?

At the very minimum... They could've at least changed the bloody ribbon!

Quite apart from matters of political correctness, the Iron Cross can only be awarded when the nation is in a declared state of war. It is what is known as a temporary award, and has to be re-instituted each time the nation is at war.

As, thankfully, Germany is unlikely ever to declare war on anyone again, the Iron Cross will most likely never re-appear and that is how it should be. Any attempt to reintroduce it now would be a travesty which would go against nearly two hundred years of tradition.

Not that the (absolutely correct) policy of not re-introducing the Iron Cross can justify awarding such a tawdry piece of junk as this new award. The basic design isn't too bad but the quality of manufacture and the dreadful read paint -yeuch

Thank you for that bucket of cold water... (No joke) That was really required to prevent a tangent into never land. A very good point that was omitted from the start.

You do however agree that the award is, shall we say... Extremely poor.

I'm just trying to imagine a member of the Bundeswehr being presented with this "thing" upon his return from Afghanistan following an act of courage in combat. It doesn't even compare to cheap costume jewelery!

A valid point. Still, it's a shame that a nation's symbol for valour was so atrociously perverted by a dictator over a mere 6 years when you consider it's history dating back to 1813.

When one thinks of military valour, the VC, LoH, MoH and Iron Cross immediately pop into mind. But you're correct, history and politics will most probably never allow it to be reinstated.

And I do agree that some other awards would be great if reinstated. But how would one choose from the dozens and dozens? Bavarian Order of Military Merit? W?rtemberg's Wilhelm's Cross? Saxon Albrecht Cross? I wouldn't want to be the one having to pick through the multitude of great choices available.

Would a reinstated and modernized "Pour le M?rite" be well received as the bundeswehr's top award for valour? I think it would be awesome!

Or how about a modernized Prussian "Milit?r Verdienstkreuz"?

By "modernized" I mean replacing the Prussian eagles by the modern Bundes Adler. And possibly changing the ribbon.

The red painted honour crosses just don't cut it... Not even close. I can only imagine how a deserving member of the Bundeswehr feels when presented with this "after thought" of a pseudo decoration...