demir

Hi, For the Ottoman NCO ranks please see: History of NCO Rank Insignias in TURKEY WRITTEN by: Air Sergeant Major Salim DİKDURAN http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/files/file/40-nco-rank-insignia-used-in-the-turkish-army-since-1876/ or see the chart below by Air Sergeant Major Salim DİKDURAN According to this chart 1914-1918 period: Onbaşı (Corporal) - No stripe Çavuş (Sergeant) - 1 stripe Başçavuş Muavini - 2 stripe Başçavuş (Sergeant Major) - 3 stripe

Nice one. One can find especially this Greek War Medal with a hand crafted silver suspension instead of a red ribbon with green stripes.

Yes the names are all written in Turkish spelling like the first document: (Sergeant Major Folker) (Turkish spelling) (In the wreath) (Ober maschinist maat Völker on SMS Baden) -------------------- "Muavin" in Turkish means 'assistant'. So "Başçavuş Muavini" (sergeant major's assistant) is rank lower then 'Sergeant Major' - (Başçavuş) and according to Wikipedia 'Sergeant Major' is lower then Offiziersstellvertreter (Warrant Officer).

Second Document: I think Assistant ? Sergeant Paul Rusler was serving under the Army Auto unit no: 715 in Palestine where the Yıldırım Armies Group was deployed at the end of the war. Regards Demir Başçavuş Muavini Paul Rusler (In the wreath) Bin üç yüz otuz iki ve otuz üç seneleri harbinde vezaif-i mevdûanda hüsn-i hidmet ve say-ü gayret göstermiş olduğunuzdan dolayı nam-ı akdes hümayun hazret-i padişahiye olarak sana harb madalyası verildi. Bundan böyle dahi her halde kanun dairesinde ifa-yı hüsn-ü hidmetle iktisab-ı feyz ve memduhiyyete sa’y ü gayret eyleyesin. Signature (of Enver Pasha) Seal (Enver Minister of War) ( Assistant ? Sergeant Paul Rusler) (In the wreath) During the war in the years one thousand nine hundred fourteen and fifteen While implementing your duties given to you / for your Good services and continous effort / you are granted the War Medal by our esteemed imperial majesty, his royal highness Sultan. So that/ from now on you will continue to carry out your duties within law in the best way possible and spend special efforts to receive praises and to reach higher levels. Signature (of Enver Pasha) Seal (Enver Minister of War) Reverse: Ordusu Yıldırım Kolordusu Fırkası 715 numrolu ordu otomobil kolundan Alayı Taburu Bölüğü (Memleketi) Başçavuş Muavini Paul Rusler signatures 30 Nisan 1334 Yıldırım Kumandanlığı (seal) Reverse: Army : Thunderbolt Corps Division Army Auto Corps no: 715 Regiment Battalion Company { THE PLACE OF BIRTH } Assistant ? Sergeant Paul Rusler Signatures 30 April 1918 Yıldırım (Thurderbolt) Headquarters Seal

The first document with holes on the right: In old Turkish: Başçavuş Folker (In the wreath) (Turkish Spelling) Bin üç yüz otuz iki ve otuz üç seneleri harbinde Bader sefine-i harbiyesinde iken menafi-i devlet-i aliye emrinde hidemat-ı takrirkarane göstermiş olduğunuzdan dolayı nam-ı akdes hümayun hazret-i padişahiye olarak sana harb madalyası verildi. Bundan böyle dahi her halde kanun dairesinde ifa-yı hüsn-ü hidmetle iktisab-ı feyz ve memduhiyyete sa’y ü gayret eyleyesin. Signature (of Enver Pasha) Seal of Harbiye Nazırı Enver (Sergeant Major Folker) (Turkish spelling) (In the wreath) (Ober maschinist maat Völker on SMS Baden) During the war in the years one thousand nine hundred fourteen and fifteen while you were serving in the warship Bader./ for your highly admired services for our sublime country / you are granted the War Medal by our esteemed imperial majesty, his royal highness Sultan. So that/ from now on you will continue to carry out your duties within law in the best way possible and spend special efforts to receive praises and to reach higher levels. Signature (of Enver Pasha) Seal (Enver Minister of War) Reverse: In the box from left: Ordusu Kolordusu Fırkası Alayı Taburu Bölüğü (Memleketi) Bader Sefine-i Harbiyesinden Makine Başçavuş Almanyalı Folker In the box from left: Army Corps Division Regiment Battalion Company { THE PLACE OF BIRTH } Machinist Sergeant Major Folker of Warship Bader from Germany

IMO it is not S&L but Beco. Please compare hinge, catch and pin. Especially hinge do not match with S&L. Nice example. Regards

Box is new but nice example of BB&Co.

Thanks Lew. Campaign bars: Kafkasya (Caucasia) Çanakkale Kanal (Suez Channel)

Lew, Thank you very much for this set of TWMs, especially this AWS (Alfred Werner & Sohne) and 2 other Austrian made beautiful TWMs and ribbon bars. Please also share with us if you may the ribbon bar with the Salvation Medal minatures. Best wishes Demir

Thanks Chris, I asked Lew to share with us his collection of ribbons and TWMs. Regards Demir

This is a beautiful medal bar Lew. Thanks for sharing it. Would you also share with us your TWMs and medal and ribbon bars in Turkey forum ? Regards Demir

Hi, Konstantin's 470 page book has been published last month, it is a very comprehensive book on the TWM with the pictures and explanations of the foreign made ones. It is in Russian. I really recommend the book for the TWM collectors. Thanks Konstantin for this lovely contribution to the TWM literature. Regards Demir

Hi, Between 1909 and 1916 military doctors had black collars with esculape signs and pharmacists had bay leaf. A doctor (left) and a pharmacist lieutenant. (photo1) Doctors and NCO in the field with red crescent arm band according to the international regulation.(photo 2) After 1916, the colour of the collars were same colour as the uniform but had purplish red colour band at the edge (photo 3) with esculape snake (at the corner of photo 3) signs. Red Crescent Doctors and Officials had a red crescent sign on their uniform collars. According to the regulation Doctors have been appointed with the rank of Captain and Medical students have been appointed with lower NCO ranks and those who had good employment records have been promoted to lieutenants after six months. Red Crescent Doctor Captain İsmail Hakkı while he was at the Eastern (Turkey) Front. (Photo 4) (collection Iclal Orses) Red Crescent also had Officials with Red Crescent signs on their uniforms regardless to their education. In the photo: A law faculty graduate journalist Feridun Kandemir who was a Red Crescent Official in a Red Crescent Hospital in Medina. (Photo 5) (source Tosun Saral) Nurses (Photo 6-7) (What ever I do system insisted in arranging the photos according its own wish so: photos top: 7-6-5 middle: 3-1 bottom: 2-4 )

Selam Komutanım, BB&Co. has also used silvered brass. This is good BB&Co. Regards Demir

Merhaba Komutan, From the photos I can say that, it is a good BB&Co. Enjoy it. What made you think it is not? Regards Demir

Dear Nzef1940, Actually this is the big question, going back to the old argument, what is fake, old, strange etc.? If it is made today or 70's it is a fake, a replica copy, but if it is made in 30's it is a German or Austrian made copy or example. This is the main problem. But I don't want to get into this subject again now. There are more knowledgeable friends in this Forum who know foreign made TWMs better then me , I am sure they will contribute to this thread. IMO the catch resembles the Ludenscheid companies but it is not S&L or E.S. because the hinge is different. It may be from 30's and German made but not a new one because new ones usually has a hook catch. Regards Demir

Hello, Recent additions to my TWM and tor soldier collection: 1. Turkish officer with flag 2. Turkish War medal original thick red paper package-envelope (bottom width 55 mm x top width 74 mm x height 68 mm) Regards Demir

Hi, Here is a website where you can find all toughras and information about them. http://www.tugra.org/en/index.asp They may not resemble the toughras on the silverware but at least give an idea. Demir

Theodor, Thanks for the very rare photo of a Bulgarian NCO with the TWM. I will share it in my Turkish TWM site if you don't mind mentioning your name "Theodor". Regards Demir

Hello Chris, Yes according to their catalogue they are a "Fabrik" (Factory). Can you explain what you mean by saying; "I am betting the firm that stamped the metal is not the same firm that does the enamle work? They are two seperate jobs," Best wishes Demir

I would like to add another company dealing with strawberry seed, snail and Easter-egg design TWM (source: Konstantin). Factory Petz & Lorenz, Unterreichenbach Wurttemberg . (Producer and&or seller ?) Please compare the toughra with Steinhauer and Lück, and Ernst Schneider, Ludenscheid. The toughra has a fuller body and the fringes are curved more towards the pseudonym and tughs are shorter and ball tipped finials are smaller. Regards Demir

IMHO there are 2 options: A. a medal designer prepared strawberry seed, snail and Easter-egg design for Ludenscheid companies; 1. Ernst Schneider, Ludenscheid 2, Steinhauer & Lück, Lüdenscheid 3. Friedrich Linden, Lüdensheid 4. Albert Vom Hofe, Lüdensheid and they produced them using their own pins B. One of them produced the medal and others sell the medal and have the picture of the medal their catalogues. They all have strawberry seed, snail and Easter egg obverse but different reverse. Ernst Schneider, Ludenscheid had a mirror image of the Tughra on the back, sometimes used her logo ES and had a different style pin. So it is easy to understand Ernst Schneider. Ernst Schneider, Ludenscheid and Steinhauer & Lück, Lüdenscheid had different pins and therefore they have to be recognised from their pins. Here

Dear Friends, In my book I shared with you (pages 84&85 the package of the TWM, but I forgot to show both them them together. When you only show the package and give dimensions it does not really give the image comparing the Medal. Actually the package is really small. Here see yourself, enjoy Demir

Jerome, We have an objection in our Military History also about the identity. But seeing your photos one can see the resemblance better. I will post your photos also and see what the outcome is. But I think you are right about the identity. Lets see what Tosun thinks. Regrards Demir

quadrilateral TWM package