Christophe

Sergey, or anyone else, for the next challenge ?

Ch.

Sergey,

Your turn. When you want...

Cheers.

Ch.

Sergey,

Your turn, now...

Cheers.

Ch.

Спасибо. В твоей башне для вопроса.

Ch.

за твое здоровье !!

Excellent Sergey !!! You are the winner !!! Congratulations !!

Pete Souza, the former photograph of Ronald reagan ,and today Obama's one took the photo.

And, yes, the controversy is about Putin : is he the man with the camera around his neck ? Who knows ?

Many articles have been published last year about this picture. here is one from the Guardian :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/20/vladimir-putin-mystery

Luke Harding, Moscow guardian.co.uk, Friday 20 March 2009 14.49 GMT

"The mysterious case of Vladimir Putin and Ronald Reagan

Is the blond youth dressed as a tourist actually a tourist? Or does photograph show an undercover KGB spy, now better known as Vladimir Putin?

Ronald Reagan shakes the hand of a young Russian in 1988. But who is the man with the camera?

He is the slightly geeky looking young man at the side of the picture. Next to him is none other than Ronald Reagan, about to shake hands with a small boy. And in the background are Soviet officials dressed in sober grey suits, amid the spires of the Kremlin.

But the historic photo taken during the US president's 1988 visit to Moscow's Red Square was today at the centre of a John Le Carré-style mystery. Is the camera-wearing blond youth insouciantly dressed as a tourist actually a tourist? Or is he in fact an undercover KGB spy, now better known as Vladimir Putin?

Pete Souza, President Barack Obama's official photographer, took the shot 21 years ago. He insists the tourist in the cream-coloured slacks and short-sleeved shirt is indeed a young Putin. The KGB recruit may even have been part of a plot to grill Reagan over his human rights record, it has been suggested.

Putin's press spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, however, gave short shrift to the suggestion that the photo had accidentally captured Russia's future president and current prime minister. "It's not him," Peskov said, when he was shown the photo during a meeting with journalists on Wednesday at Putin's Moscow dacha.

This morning's Russian press also cast doubt on the claim. But they reprinted the photo just in case. Under the headline "How Reagan bumped into tourist Putin", the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper waded into the mystery, comparing the photo with another of a young Putin, taken in east Berlin with his wife, Ludmilla.

Souza insists the photo is genuine. At the time he was working as Reagan's official photographer. In an interview with National Public Radio, he said the encounter occurred when Reagan went for a walk-about with Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet general secretary, in the summer of 1988.

Putin, meanwhile, was serving as a junior spy in the east German city of Dresden, Komsomolskaya Pravda noted — a long way from Moscow. The paper wanted to know what had happened to Putin's trademark watch. Unlike Putin, the mysterious tourist didn't have a watch on his right wrist, it told its readers.

This isn't the first time that Putin's presence — or absence — has been the subject of bizarre debate. Earlier this month, the Kremlin denied claims Putin had been a secret guest of honour at a private concert given in January by the Abba tribute group Bjorn Again, who had been flown into Russia to entertain a VIP Kremlin guest.

Band members insist Putin did attend the concert. They said he was sitting next to a woman wearing a cream dress. In a letter to the Times, however, Peskov said Putin had been meeting his cabinet at the time — and not, as the band had suggested, waving his arms in the air to Super Trouper."

Photograph: Pete Souza/Radio Free Europe

Sergey, congrats again.

Your turn, now...

Cheers.

Ch.

Hi Sergey,

I meant : who was the photographer of this photo ? Any idea about him and the controversy ?

Cheers.

Ch.

So... No one ready to try ?

Ch.

All brains welcome (again) !!!!!

There is a new easy question in the Soviet & Eastern Block Quiz - 2010...

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=41654

Please, exerce your brain and try to win this challenge!!!!

Cheers.

Ch.

Guys, come on !!! It's an easy and funny one !!!

Ch.

Only 43 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

On 21 January 2010 died Jacques de Stadieu, Companion of the Liberation.

Jacques de Stadieu, born in 1914 is a pilot observer when the war begins. He joins London and the Free French Forces in June 1940. He will fight in Senegal, Cameroon and Chad. In January 1941, lost with his crew in the desert of Koufra, he will be made prisoner by the Italian troups. He will evade from Italy and join the British troups in Sicilia in December 1943. He will then join Algiers, France and Britain, and be part of numerous bombing campaigns (85) above Germany and Holland.

After the war, he will be Administrator of two French colonies, Senegal and Cameroon, and will have then an industrial career. He also got administrative functions in the city of Paris.

Here is his bio (in French) :

http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/941.html

After his death, there are now only 43 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

Ch.

Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Libération.

My pleasure, Joe.

Cheers.

Ch.

So, no one's inspired by Paul's question, and, as Paul doesn't provide us any additional hint... let's switch to something else...

This should be pleasant and easy...

Question #257

This picture taken during Reagan's visit in Moscow in 1988 is famous, and last year launched a controversy.

1. Who has taken this photo ?

2. What is the nature of the controversy ?

It's an easy one. The first Member having correctly answered the two questions is the winner.

Good hunt and good luck.

Ch.

Hi Joe,

Here is what I found about him, very uncomplete, unfortunately, with a sad news :

General Camille Gamache, born in Guise, on 11 June 1926, died on 16 October 2009, 83 years old.

He got 5 citations, amongst them, two at the Army level. He fights in Indochina, and is made Knight of the Legion d'Honneur. He will then participate to the Algeria campaign, and is promoted Captain. In 1989, he becomes Curator of the Rethondes Armistice Memorial.

General de Brigade, he has been made Grand Cross of the Ordre National du Mérite on 30 April 2007. He was Grand Knight since 23 June 1995.

Cheers.

Ch.

Camille Gamache.

Ch.

Pic : ASO - Association des Sauveteurs de l'Oise

Hi Joe,

You are talking about the General Camille Gamache, Grand Cross of the Ordre National du Mérite... He has never been a Companion of the Libération.

Here is a picture of him (left).

Cheers.

Ch.

Pic : ASO - Association des Sauveteurs de l'Oise.

Hi Joe,

Please, excuse my poor english, but what do you mean exactly by "gamache" ?

Cheers.

Ch.

Only 44 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

On 5 January 2010 died Jean Netter, Companion of the Liberation.

Jean Netter, born in 1914, fights in Belgium in 1940 where he is wounded. As soon as June 1940, he enroles himself in the French Free Forces in London. He will fight in Senegal, Cameroon, and many other french colonies of Africa, in 1941-1942. He will then join Egypt in November 1943, and Sardinia in April 1944, and take part in the campaign of Italy.

After the war, he will live in Germany and create there an industrial company.

Here is his bio (in French) :

http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/721.html

After his death, there are now only 44 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

Ch.

Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Libération.

Only 45 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

On 21 December 2009 died Jean-Pierre Dulau, Companion of the Liberation.

Jean-Pierre Dulau, born in 1912, will take part in the Campaign of France and Narvik. As soon as June 1940, he joins the French Free Forces in London, and will fight in Senegal, Cameroon, Soudan, Chad, Libya, Bir Hakeim, El-Alamein,and Tunisia. He will continue his camapigns in Italy and France.

After the war, he will continue his military career in Morocco, and occupy civil industry positions in Tunisia.

Here is his bio (in French) :

http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/306.html

After his death, there are now only 45 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

Ch.

Only 46 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

On 20 November 2009 died Roger Malfettes, Companion of the Liberation.

Roger Malfettes, born in 1918, in Algeria, will refuse capitulation in 1940, and be one of the "chypriots" joining Egypt in the first Free French unit. He will fight in Libya, Bir Hakeim, Egypt, Tunisia, and land in Italy in 1944. He will then land in Provence in 1944.

After the war, he will have several positions in the French Colonial Administration in Africa.

Roger Malfettes has not authorized his biography to be published in the website of the Order of the Liberation.

After his death, there are now only 46 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

Ch.

Only 47 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

On 19 November 2009 died Jean Mufraggi, Companion of the Liberation.

Jean Mufraggi, born in 1914, is Sergent-Chef in the Colonial Infantry, based in Cameroon in 1940. He contributes to rally the West part of Cameroon to Free France. He will then take part in all Middle East campaigns in 1941. Wounded in Syria in 1941, he will then fight in Libya, Bir Hakeim... Beginning of 1945, he will the fight on the Atlantic front, in France in Royan, La Rochelle.

After the war, he will then fight in Indochina in 1948-1950, and continue his military carreer in the Army until 1955.

Here is his bio (in French) :

http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/711.html

After his death, there are now only 47 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

Ch.

Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Libération.

Only 48 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

On 17 November 2009 died José Aboulker, Companion of the Liberation.

José Aboulker, born in 1920 in Algeria, is studying medicine in 1940. Disappointed and demobilized in 1941, he will be soon be one of the most important organisers of Resistance in Algeria. He contributes to the preparation of the Allied landing in North Africa. Arrested in December 1942, he is then freed, and joined de Gaulle in London in May 1943. He will contribute to organise the Health services of the FFI. He will fulfill his missions in France, Algeria, London...

After the war, he will be a reknown professor in the Paris Hospitals organisation.

Here is his bio (in French) :

http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/1042.html

After his death, there are now only 48 surviving Companions of the Liberation.

Ch.

Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Libération.

Paul,

Any hint on this ?

Cheers.

Ch.

Hi to all,

I have moved Paul's question into the Quiz 2010, so that we can now close the Quiz 2009.

You will find Paul Wood's question here :

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=41654

Rick, or Nick, could you please now lock this Quiz 2009 ? Many thanks in advance.

Cheers.

Ch.

Paul Wood's question #256 is still unanswered in the Quiz 2009.

I propose this challenge to become our first one in 2010.

As a reminder, here is Paul's question :

________________________________

Question #256 from Paul Wood - 18 December 2009:

How many Brtish Citizens were decorated in the years of the Great Patriotic War with Soviet Orders and Medals and name the the four recipients of the Medal for Valiant Labour and what they were involved in to receive them.

Best of luck

Pavel Mamut

_________________________________

Paul added the following precision, on 4 January 2010 :

All the information is available on a roll published by John Clarke about 25? years ago taken from the Offical Soviet register with cross references to he London Gazette and yes only 4 medals for Valiant Labour were awarded for the Great Patriotic War. If no one gets it I will give the details.

All the best.

Paul

_________________________________

So, this question is still to be answered...

Good try and good luck.

Cheers.

Ch.