Christophe

More detailed pic. Ch. Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

Here is a wound badge "20 July 1944", as displayed in the Imperial War Museum in London. There is no detail about its attribution. I've read (or been told) that it could be a copy. What do you think ? Any additional info about this theory ? Ch. Pic : ? Christophe ? ChR Collection

Kim, Your turn now... Ch.

I find the average quite impressive : 44 very highly interesting questions asked and answered in just 52 weeks !!!! Thanks to all those who participated... and will play agin!!!! Ch.

One year !!!! This small game has been launched exactly 1 year ago now (on 1 Nov. 2005), and since : * 44 questions asked, * with 558 answers, * This quiz has been viewed more than 6000 times. * 21 Members of the Forum played, and 16 correctly answered at least 1 question : Nb of good answers : * 7 : Bryan (Soviet) and Christophe. * 3 : Andreas (Alfred), Ed (Haynes) and Kim (Kimj). * 2 : Chuck (in Oregon), Gerd (Becker), Jan (vatjan), Order of Victory, Simon (RedThreat) and Wild Card. * 1 : Darrell, Dave (Navy FCO), Dudeman, Rick (Stogieman) and Steen (Ammentorp). On this 1st anniversary :Thanks to all for your participation. Now, let's have fun again with the 45th question... Kim's!!! Cheers. Ch.

Has someone any idea of what is this ribbon ? It looks very similar to the one of the Medal for Victory over Japan , but it is not this one... Ch.

Ed, Please continue !!!! Where else do you want us to see such gems ? Congrats again for your collection. Cheers. Ch.

The pics are so small ... I'm sure someone can post better pics of them. It would help... Cheers. Ch.

No pb!!!! Ch.

Andreas (Alfred) ? Your turn, now... Ch.

Christian, I can confirm all you are saying here about Sasha. Ch.

Only 71 surviving Companions of the Liberation We have learnt the death of Roger L?vy, Companion of the Lib?ration, on 17 October 2006. Roger L?vy, born in 1914, joined the Great Britain and the Free French forces in 1940 after participating in the Norway campaign. He then fought in Brazzaville, Tchad, fezzan where he is seriously wounded, losing one leg. Prisoner in Italy and liberated because of his wounds, he will end the war in Beyrouth. Later, he will be Deputy Mayor of Aix-en-Provence. Here is his bio (in French) : http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/605.html After his death, there are now only 71 surviving Companions of the Liberation. Ch. Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Lib?ration.

Thanks Christian. Did not know this one. I have already 2 or 3 books in french about Normandie Niemen. Cheers. Ch.

Christian, Fascinating subject!!! We will certainly write and speak lengthly about it... I'm not an expert, so don't have anything valuable to add from my own experience to what you very accurately said. Your post summarizes perfectly well the actual state of the art of this discussion. I just would like to ask that I know 2 more pictures of the ORB #7. These two pics show the same order, with the SN #1. I'm not saying here the ORB shown is a real one. In my view, impossible to tell from the pics... The 1st pic is in Avers n?6, page 122. It displays the obverse and reverse of the ORB#7 with SN #1, without ring and suspension It is said in page 100 that Burtsev has been awarded his #7 on 31 October 1967. As far as I understand, a SN #2 is also mentionned, but not shown. The 2nd pic is in "The Order of the Red Banner" by Valeriy Durov and Nikolay Strekalov (2006). It is exactly the same order, but only the reverse is shown (page 171), with ring, without suspension. I'm sorry to say my Russian does not allow me to fully understand what is said as a comment. Hope this helps... Let now the "real"experts talk... Cheers. Ch.

Ch.

Only 72 surviving Companions of the Liberation We have learnt the death of Martin Touzeau, Companion of the Lib?ration, on 11 October 2006. Martin Touzeau, born in 1919, a former spahi, joined the French Free Forces and fought in Syria, in Palestine, in Libya, at El Alamein and in Tunisia. He then joined the Great Britain, landed in Normandy and fought in Italy, and ended the war at Berchtesgaden. Here is his bio (in French) : http://www.ordredelaliberation.fr/fr_compagnon/980.html After his death, there are now only 72 surviving Companions of the Liberation. Ch. Pic : Chancellerie de l'Ordre de la Lib?ration.

Normandie-Niemen : 5 240 missions, 273 confirmed victories, 36 lively ones. Such is the honours list of the Normandie-Niemen fighters group, created in September 1942 by General de Gaulle to make war on the eastern battle front. 96 pilots wrote this glorious page in the history of the french Air Force, 46 never came back home. There is a small and nice Museum dedicated to the Normandie-Niemen Regiment in Les Andelys (Normandy). It is also largely dedicated to Marcel Lef?vre - a native of Les Andelys. Ch.

Hi Dolf, 1. I agree, while I think the following ones were probably more nicely made (as far the pic show it...). 2. Sure . As you know, I tried, but using a wrong e-mail... Cheers. Ch.

In fact, quite expensive : 2.99 euros + newspaper. I just bought the first one, as I was there during my summer holidays. For this cost, the 1st one included the collector with the text on each medal. Ch.

These are miniatures. The one I posted is 2.6 cm wide. Ch.

The repro of the 1st Order, the Ordem de Cristo (Order of the Christ). Ch.

Back of the collector. Ch.

This summer (on 6 August 2006) has been launched by the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, a collection of reproductions of the Orders of Portugal. These repros could be bought every Sunday as a supplement of the newspaper. This will end with the last order... tomorrow Sunday 22 October 2006. The collection has been made in cooperation with the Museu da Presidencia da Republica (Museum of the Presidence of the Republic). If interested you can find all details here : http://www.xl.pt/correiomanha/microsites/condecoracoes/ This is a nice project as on each repro (and on the website as well) are provided infos and details of the award. Below is the collector given with the repro of the 1st order. Ch.

... And nicely signed by Vincent Auriol (President of the French Republic) and General Dassault (brother of Marcel Dassault, and a famous resistant who became Grand Chancelier de l'Ordre de la L?gion d'Honneur). Is Auriol's signature printed or a real one ? Ch.

So, Andreas, it's your turn now . Ch.