Christophe

Hi Mike. They are still in business at Palais Royal. I believe, as mentioned by Paul, this is a box for a non-french award. No french award as far as I know has such a shape. A British one ? Cheers. Ch.

Yep, just missing the two thin white lines... Ch.

Hi Holger, This new book of Durov about the Red Star is an excellent news. The two first published about the Red Banner and the Lenin / Stalin are superbly made and extremely rich in content a(text & pictures). I have a lot of pleasure to have and read them. They have introduced a new classification. They are expensive, included in Moscow, but are worthwile. I'm impatient to go back to Moscow (beginning of September) to get my copy !!! This book has nothing related to the booklet Holger posted the cover in his latest post. Cheers. Ch.

Only 57 surviving Companions of the Liberation. On 7 August 2008 died Raymond Sabot, Companion of the Lib?ration. Raymond Sabot, born in 1919, is Sergeant in the Colonial Infantry troups, in Tripoli (Lebanon) at the moment of the Armistice of 1940. He refuses this situation and joins the British in Palestine, and is part of the 1st Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (1st BIM), first ?l?ment of the "Free Frenchs". He will fight in Libya, Syria, will be back in Bir Hakeim. In 1943, he will be in Tunisia, and will land in Italy in April 1944, where he is wounded. He will be evacuated via Tunisia. After the war, he will be have several military responsibilities with Charles de Gaulle (aide de camp adjoint), and inside the Ministry of Defence. Here is his bio (in French) : http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/885.html After his death, there are now only 57 surviving Companions of the Liberation. Ch. Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Lib?ration.

Hi Eddie, For someone to whom Royal Navy is not the cup of tea... I have to say : Cheers. Ch.

Same place : a real and a "museum copy" Red Stars... You see what I mean ? Cheers. Ch. Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

Hi Dan, I'm not... Just to show you 2 exemples from the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow, one of the museums using the less these sorts of "museum copies". Have a look at the more basic medals. They even are copies... Cheers. Ch. Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

Eddie is the winner!!!! Congrats !!! HMS Dreadnought The sixth HMS Dreadnought of the Royal Navy was a battleship that revolutionized naval power when she entered service in 1906. Dreadnought represented such a marked advance in naval technology that her name came to be associated with an entire generation of battleships, the "dreadnoughts," as well as the class of ships named for her, while the generation of ships she made obsolete became known as "pre-dreadnoughts". Dreadnought was the first battleship of her era to have a uniform main battery, rather than having a few large guns complemented by a heavy secondary battery of somewhat smaller guns. She was also the first capital ship to be powered by steam turbines, making her the fastest battleship in the world at the time of her completion. And you have already told the story of the submarine... More to read here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Dreadnought_%281906%29 Cheers. Ch.

Here is my new question : Who am I ? When designed, I have been a real breakthrough in naval building technologies. I have been the fastest battleship in the world at the time of my completion. During WW1, I became the only battleship ever to sink a submarine directly. Who am I ? Ch.

I'm sure of this !!! Congrats to both of you!!! And bravo to Simon; searching and answering questions make me learning, learning about the Royal Navy... Cheers. Ch.

Still me... Where are the others ? The question is related to the naval officer of the American Revolutionary War, John Paul Jones. Which war ? American Revolutionary War Date and place ? September 23, 1779. Scottish coasts. Ship ? The Bonhomme Richard Against which ship was he fighting ? Jones struggled with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigate Serapis. Although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the British demand for surrender, replying, ?I have not yet begun to fight.? More than three hours later, Serapis surrendered and Jones took command. Ch.

Excellent Eddie !!! Well done. Your turn, now... Ch.

Thanks. We all know the famous "Kiss me, Hardy" !! Who said this and on which occasion ? He, he!!! Pictures are not allowed.... Ch.

It is the HMS Agamemnon, or "eggs and bacon" as her crew affectionately called her, commanded by Nelson from 1793 until 10th June 1796. Ch.

He, he!!! LoL If Simon agrees, it will be your turn... Ch.

He, he !!! seems a nice try for your Quiz!!! Congrats to Taz!!! Cheers. Ch.

Hi again Simon, Many thanks I believe Nelson often used the following phrase when referring to his subordinate captains: "I had the happiness to command a band of brothers." Cheers. Ch.

Hi Simon, Nice idea!! I love the Quiz, Trivia... Even if the Royal Navy is not really my thing, let's try this : * The Raisonnable, 64 guns. HMS Raisonnable was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, named for the ship of the same name captured from the French in 1758. She was built at Chatham Dockyard, launched on 10 December 1768 and commissioned on 17 November 1770 under the command of Captain Maurice Suckling, Horatio Nelson's uncle. Raisonnable was built to the same lines as HMS Ardent, and was one of the seven ships forming the Ardent-class of 1761. Raisonnable was the first ship in which Nelson served. (from Wikipedia). Cheers. Ch.

Hi KDVR, Yuri Yashnev has one that is posted in Mondvor site. It is here : http://mondvor.narod.ru/OFriend.html It has a SN very close to yours. I have only seen one in my life proposed to me around 1996-97 if I remember well... I did not buy it at that time, what I regret sharply... Cheers. Ch.

Hi Dan, Interesting subject... I have not found any trace of a medal awarded to her. In her honor, a Statue was erected, Maine has issued a proclamation that every first Monday in June is known as Samantha Smith Day, the Soviet government issued the commemorative stamp you posted, a diamond, a cultivar of tulips, dahlias and of echinopsis, a vessel and a mountain were named in Samantha Smith's honor, and when Soviet astronomer L.I. Chernykh discovered asteroid 3147, she named it 3147 Samantha. No trace of an award... But it would have been logical, I agree... Look at the hereafter picture. She seesm to wear a small medal, probably a badge... Cheers. Ch.

Looks like one of these "museum copies" you find in Russian... museums. Cheers. Ch.

Hi Ed, Your turn ? Cheers. Ch.

How many SN 7314 are there ? Ch.

Thanks Veteran for these excellent pics, and what a nice and rare medal. Be certain I will have a closer look to these; I mean the 1914-1918 ones... Who know ? maybe, by chance... Cheers. Ch.

I would bet for one of these contemporary and commemorative medals / badges (znakhi), as it is worn on the right side of our HSU... Ch.