TacHel

FYI, Canada customs checks about 1 out of every 7 packages that comes into the country.

A few things that will make your life MUCH easier in the future.

-Insist that the shipper place a customs declaration on the parcel, this saves a lot of problems! They won't even open the package if a declaration is on it, unless of course the Xray shows the contents to be completely different than the list.

-Marking the item as a "gift" often saves you the customs fee (GST).

When/if you receive the parcel with customs requesting more money than the actual worth of the item, it is because they will slap an automatic $500 to $1000 value on militaria that isn't properly identified on a customs declaration. This has happened to me in the past, mailing them the receipt or a print out of the eBay page resulted in me receiving a full refund in the mail within a week.

I've received countless parcels from all over the World in the past 30 years, I've only run into minor problems when the parcel didn't have a customs declaration on it. Mind you, I've also been extremely lucky that most of them were in between the "every 7 checked". :rolleyes:

Sounds like a family affair...

Things that make you go "Hmmmmmmmm..."

I love stories like this. Great stuff!

Patch worn on the right shoulder of the uniform.

Flag of the Russian Navy.

Orders are all numbered. But, not all medals...

Ch.

Salut Christophe!

I said "decorations"... (higher than medals)

And Christophe is right, some medals (very few) are also numbered such as the Interior Ministry's medal for combat service in the Caucasus.

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Ceremonial Guard.

More pictures of the President's Regiment Ceremonial Honor Guard. The 4 pics below are from the unit's own web site (courtesy of the Russian Government).

Are the Russians still numbering their orders?

Yes. Orders and decorations are all numbered.

Shoulder patch of the Presidential Regiment of the Federal Protective Service.

The inscription: президентский полк translates into Presidential Regiment.

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

Recently purchased as a gift for a collector buddy.

Any breast star would be from an Order. There is no such French Order past or present, continental or colonial.

Although attractive, it really does point towards an amalgam from different pieces. That little hole below the eagle definitely points that way.

Instituted on 2 March 1992 by decree of the President of the Russian Federation. Awarded to members of the Frontier Force, as well as to other citizens, for acts of courage and sacrifice while defending the state frontier of the Federation.

The awarding of the Sacrifice Medal is currently on hold. The first award of the this new medal was scheduled to take place on 14 Nov 08, but was cancelled by the Governor General after public outcry regarding the criteria for the award of the medal. Here is a link to a news item on this topic:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...y/National/home

Regards,

JP

Wow. I was not aware of this. Thanks for the info...

Unaware, but not that surprised... We have what is probably the worst award system in the free World! Another example of a completely botched award is our General Campaign Cross. In my opinion, it's an obscenity! But I digress and am swerving off topic.

Current Russian Federation naval ranks. A Presidential Decree of the late 90s clearly stipulated that Soviet uniforms and insignia were no longer to be worn. New uniforms for all services were produced. NCO ranks for all services were redone, but with the exception of the rank insignia for Marshall of the Russian Federation, officers' rank insignias have not change at all.

Note: the ranks of midshipman and senior midshipman are closer to warrant officer ranks (senior NCOs) than to an actual junior officer candidate.

The picture below shows a good view of the recently adopted Russian military rank system for NCOs. They now use inverted chevrons like many western countries. It also shows that naval NCOs wear the officer pattern cap badge without the ministerial eagle.

Numbers 1 and 4 are Petty Officers 1st class.

Numbers 2 and 3 are Ordinary Seamen.

Number 5 is a Midshipman. (notice gold lanyard on cap and small stars on shoulder boards)

Naval cap badges

1- Cockade for ordinary seamen as worn on the navy "flat top" in image A. (Image F suggests it might be also used on the side cap).

2- Cockade for officers as worn on the service cap (image B). It is of single piece construction and includes the eagle of the Defense Ministry. (Notice the eagle of the Defense Ministry, single crown, talons holding a sword and a laurel crown. Crest at center shaped like a shield.)

3- Cockade for admiral as worn on service cap (image C) affixed atop an embroidered wreath. Also of single piece construction (cockade + eagle).

Images D (naval flyer) and E (marines) show the cap badge for naval NCOs. It is similar to the officer pattern but without the ministerial eagle. A smaller ministerial eagle is worn on the side of the beret.

Interior Troops (National Guard)

These troops of the Interior Ministry wear the same uniform as the troops of the Defense Ministry. They wear the same cockades as the troops of the Defense Ministry but the Interior Ministry's eagle.

1- Ministerial eagle. Emblem of the Interior Ministry (MVD).

2- Military cockade for other ranks (privates and NCOs). This simple cockade is also used by general officers to affix atop large embroidered wreath.

3- Cockade for officers.

4- This general of Interior Troops has the embroidered large wreath with the simple cockade on his cap. His cap eagle is also embroidered.

At bottom is a close up of the cap badges of a general of Interior Troops. All metal eagle, simple metal cockade, embroidered wreath.

Militia (Russian police force)

1- Cap with embroidered eagle and wreath. This is becoming more and more common, only the center circle (on the eagle) bearing St George and the oval cockade (center of the wreath) are metal.

2- Cap with all metal eagle and wreathed cockade. Worn by all ranks with the exception of general officers who's wreath is larger and always embroidered.

3- Cockade (without wreath) and smaller eagle for side cap. Same for all ranks.

4- Wreathed cockade also worn on the winter fur hat but without ministerial eagle.

5- Simple cockade used for all ranks side cap. This cockade is also used by general officers affixed atop larger embroidered wreath.

6- Cockade with wreath worn by all ranks with the exception of general officers who's wreath is larger and always embroidered.

7- Ministerial eagle. Emblem of the Interior Ministry. Features, 3 crowns, circular center, orb and scepter. It's a bit difficult to make out on the picture but the swords at center actually point down, this is typical of Interior Ministry badges and is also found on ministerial awards.

The unnumbered picture shows the badge worn on the "ball cap" (for lack of a better word).

Award document.

A jubilee medal was struck in December 2005 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Presidential Regiment.

The badge as worn by the members of the Presidential Regiment Ceremonial Guard.

The badge is clearly visible on the left breast pockets of these Kremlin Guards. So is the patch of the Federal Protective Service worn on their left shoulders.

This badge is worn on the left breast pocket of the service uniform by the members of the Kremlin Guards (part of the Federal Protective Service). It is also worn by the members of the Presidential Regiment who's duties are not only the safety of the head of state but are also ceremonial as can be seen by the old style "Tsarist" uniforms and the frequent parades and ceremonial changing of the guards ceremonies.