Gunner 1

Earlier in this thread Bob illustrated a Soviet-made Partisan Star, III Class with certificate issued to a Soviet Army Lieutenant on 30 April 1945 and numbered 2394. Here is a similar Soviet-made Partisan Star issued to Soviet Army Lieutenant Anatolii Ivanovich Akulshin on the same date (30 April 1945) and numbered 2376, just 18 numbers below Bob's example. The obverse and screw back device which is not the original one but rather a Soviet produced one (also the same as Bob's example) are illustrated below:

And the case:

The reverse, numbered 41176:

An Order of Merit for the People Third Class screwback variety produced by IKOM: The obverse:

And the red case with maroon lining:

The reverse numbered 47798:

An Order of Merit for the People 2nd Class cased, IKOM produced screwback variety This is the obverse and nut:

The reverse of the First Class badge above. Notice it is a Third Class reverse, which bears an IKOM hallmark, but the pin attachment is marked "ZIN - KOVNICA". The badge is numbered 155115 and it has definitely been converted from screwback to pin attachment. From the evidence available it would appear that the badge was originally a Third Class badge produced by IKOM and later it was sent to "Zin-Kovnica" which converted it from screback to pinback and may have also gilded the rays to make it a First Class badge. It appears from the photographs that the First Class/Second Class badge illustrated by Wlodzimierz has exactly the same characteristics other than the difference in the original class of the reverse. Comments? Gunner 1

Earlier in this thread, Wlodzimierz illustrated what was generally thought to be a First Class obverse with a Second Class reverse. Illustrated below is what appears to be a First Class obverse and illustrated on the next reply is the reverse of the same badge that indicates that it a Third Class badge.

Were both the numbered and the unnumbered varieties produced by IKOM? Which came first the numbered or the unnumbered varieties? Regards. Gunner 1

A Belgian document authorizing the acceptance of the above award of the Order of the Flag V Class:

The reverse:

Obverse of the Order of the Flag, V Class with IKOM hallmarks:

The reverse (the rainbow colors are from the scanner bulb):

The obverse of my Order of the Flag IV class numbered 542:

Rick: I am absolutely amazed. Where did you get my photo??? Even the beard is right on and that is the same book that I was reading last night!!!! Amazing!!!! Gunner 1

Rick: I am afraid that if you find those references obscure that the rest of my library must border on the insane: 500+ British School, College and University Registers and Rolls of Honour; 300+ Army Lists; 150+ Royal Artillery unit histories; and 900+ Russian language books on Soviet Aces and Heroes of the Soviet Union.

Wierd!!! Gunner 1

Harold Henry Blake, OBE, MB, RAMC

Born 1 Aug 83; son of Henry Blake, MB, BS of Great Yarmouth

Educated at Framlingham, 1898-1900 (Sub-prefect; Swimming Captain) and St. George's Hospital

Served with Northumberland Fusiliers (Volunteers), 1902-03

BS, MB, Durham University, 1907

Lieut, RAMC, 4 Feb 08

House Surgeon, Cancer Hospital, Brompton, 1907

Capt, RAMC, 4 Aug 11

Served in France and Belgium from Dec 14 to May 15, and from Mar 18 to end of war.

Mentioned in Despatches in LG 30 Dec 18 and 10 Jul 19 (1914-15 Star, BWM, VM)

Brevet Major, RAMC, 3 Jun 18

Acting Lt Col, RAMC, 13 Jun 18 to 21 Aug 19

OBE, LG 3 June 1919

Served on the NW Frontier of India 1930-31 (Medal and Clasp)

Lt Col, RAMC, 31 Aug 32

Colonel, 30 May 33

In 1933 he married Winifred Brandon, daughter of H. Lea Smith of Wimbledon, 2 sons, 1 daughter

Asst Director of Medical Services, China, 1933 to 1938

Deputy Director of Medical Services, Western Command (Acting Maj Gen), 1939-1940

Retired, 30 May 40

Assistant Director of Medical Service, Aldershot, 1941-1943

Honourary Maj Gen, 1 Aug 43

From 1943 to 1946, Ministry of Pensions and appointed as Superintendent, Stoke Mandeville Hospital near Aylesbury.

From 1947, employed by Seaford Rural District Council and lived at Links Cottage, Rother Road, Seaford.

Sources: Framlingham College Register; Medical Directory, 1933 and 1936; Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed, and Official Classes, 1945; Handbook to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; various monthly and quarterly Army Lists.

Regards. Gunner 1

I seem to be having trouble adding the obverse illustration to reply #104. Everytime I try to add that illustration, it either shows up in reply #105 or I get the illustration of the reverse in reply #104. What am I doing wrong? Gunner 1

The case for the Order of Labor, 1st Class. Gunner 1

Order of Labor, 1st Class Reverse. Note the Roman numeral "1" on the left. Gunner 1

Order of Labor 1st Class, Obverse

Rick: Sorry, I missed that joke completely!!!!!

Rick Research wrote: "So maybe he was only an acting-Captain later?"

If this is in reference to his BWM and VM being named to him as a Lieutenant rather than a Captain, it would not make any difference whether he was a substantive Captain, an acting Captain or a temporary Captain. Those two medals were named to a man as a Captain no matter which of the three varieties of rank he held. The most likely reason why his BWM and VM were named as a Lieutenant was that it was the highest rank he held in a theater of war. He must have held the rank of Captain outside of a theater of war. The regulations were such that those two medals were named in the highest rank held in a theater of war. Regards. Gunner 1

Reference Lt. G K G Kerr - the following is from The Times of 8 Aug 1916, Page 2, Column G: Gunner 1