Greg

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...A:IT&ih=013

this is the one on ebay at present. The centre design is certainly that used by Commonwealth Chaplain's Departments but it is not a piece of the uniform and certainly couldn't be worn on a stole. It could but your stole would end up on the floor.

I suspect that it is from a Masonic organisation or association of military chaplains but having been one, I've never heard of any association using this badge/star.

Anyone found out anything about the maker AGNEW ?

Greg.

Here's the back. There's actually another of these items on ebay at the moment.

Greg.

I am also looking for someone to repair the enamel on this Order of the Southern Cross. These are great leads but does anyone know anyone in Australia who could fix this for me??

I have a couple of Orders that have enamel damage. Does anyone know how I could get it repaired?

eg.

Can anyone help identify this item?

This breast star (a bit big to be for a hat) is about 10 cm (4 inches) across and has the badge common to the Chaplains Departments of several Commonwealth countries.

Thank you, Mick. It seems quite sure that the uniform belonged to Lt Col Jeremy (Jerry) Taylor, AM, MC. He is author of a book about 4RAR in the Vietnam War :

"Last Out - 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion's second tour in Vietnam" by Jerry Taylor. 2001 H/C D/J 270pg. History of 4RAR/NZ in South Vietnam.

Thank you everyone for helping to track this down. I can see now how interesting and satisfying it is to track down the owner of a set of medals too.

Thanks,

Greg.

<FONT face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Thank you, Mick. It seems quite sure that the uniform belonged to Lt Col Jeremy (Jerry) Taylor, AM, MC. He is author of a book about 4RAR in the Vietnam War :

<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">"Last Out - 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion's second tour in

Wow !! Says Greg trying hard to think of an un-obvious pun or humourous comment !

If you come across a photo of him in uniform, I'd really like a copy.

The uniform jacket could belong to

Lieutenant Colonel P J Badcock (Retd). A Vietnam veteran, he served in Australian Army from 1967 to 1992. After leaving the Army he was Director of Logistics for the NSW Department of Corrective Services.

But once again, one would expect him to have a long service medal unless of course, this jacket was after he was promoted Lt Col but before he qualified for the long service award and was replaced by a new jacket ...

Ahhh found him !!! Rear Admiral I McL Crawford, AO, AM (Mil), RAN (Rtd). A Korean veteran, he served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1949 to 1987. A Korean veteran, he is Chairman of the Australian Veterans and Defence Services Council, Member of the Council of the Australian War Memorial and a Director of the Company since 2003.

It was in the context of the War Memorial Council that I came across him. Now I have to find a photo of him in uniform with his medals.

Greg.

No, I don't think so. Vice Admiral Russ Shalders, AO, CSC, RAN Chief of Navy only has the AO (Mil) where the Rear-Admiral (I think) wears both the ribbon bar of the Order of Australia military division and civil division. The two ribbon bars were separated by another ribbon so I expect he was AO (mil) and CVO (or something) and AM (Civil). It would be within the last 10 years at most.

ARRGH !!! It is really bugging me that I can't find out who it is !!!

Thanks, Johnsy. Any other information you can dig up would be appreciated.

Greg.

Hi Johnsy

Any luck with tracking who our Lt Col might be ? You were going to look up Vietnam Veterans Honours & Awards - Army. Have you had time yet.

Another thing - there is an Australian Admiral (Rear Admiral, I believe) who has an homour in the Military division of the Order of Australia AND one in the General Division as well. I have been trying to find out who he is but have mislaid the picture I had... Any ideas ???

Many thanks,

Greg.

Why would anyone think that the Chinese make Victoria Crosses ? I mean, they probably do make some fake ones but not the real thing !!!

It seems to me that a couple of people here have been joking with their comments and others have taken them seriously ! I certainly was !!!

Greg.

Well, with all the mineral resources China is buying from Australia (and wrecking our economy) soon VCs will be made with Aussie tin and copper !!!!!!!!!!! We might have to wait a few hundred years though .....

another version - unknown to me.

Hi again,

In the Australian Army, there are the Army Combat Badge

and the Infantry Combat Badge

and what is this one ?

RAR Paratrooper with no long service medal. Hmmm.... could he be a Chaplain or other professional officer therefore higher rank with shorter service time?

Latest news is that they have been recovered last week.

Greg.

Here is the other matching badge.

It has a makers name (?) of HALL-TIROL on the back and the dates 1808-1958.

And the writing around the edge is slightly different on this badge (except that the N is backwards.) :

SEMP AVGV MAXIMILIANVS ROMANOR IMPERATOR

Compare this to the similar legend on the neck medal :

AUGUSTUS MAXIMILIANUS ROMANORUM IMPERATOR SEMPER

SEMP AVG ARCHIDVX AVSTRIE MAXIMILIANVS DEI GRA ROM IMP

where the Ns are around the right way !!

Someone somewhere must know something about this medal. 7 or 8 years now and it's getting frustrating.

Greg.

Davison's medal for the Nile - bronze for lower ranks.

A medal celebrating the (short-lived and badly mismanaged) Peace of Amiens, 1802. Someone has attempted to clean it - using a wire brush by the looks of it !!

Greg.

Greetings all. I am new here. I have been contributing a bit in other forums but I wonder if anyone here can solve my mystery for me.

About 7 years ago I bought a neck medal on Ebay. I was told it was an Austrian Order of St. Maximilianus. Last year I found mention of this Order as being For Arts and Culture, but I cannot find that reference again. The Austrian Embassy has never heard of it.

It is a round silver neck medal on a black ribbon. The front has a figure of a medieval knight with a crown holding scepture and sword. Around the edge are the words AUGUSTUS MAXIMILIANUS ROMANORUM IMPERATOR SEMPER.

The reverse has a similiar figure riding a horse in full armour carrying a flag over his shoulder and the year 1509. Around the edge are the words SEMP AVG ARCHIDVX AVSTRIE MAXIMILIANVS DEI GRA ROM IMP

It weighs 49grams. It is 3-4mm thick and is 42.5 mm in diameter. The rim is unmarked. It would appear to be silver.

I have just discovered a breast badge for it as well - identical to one side of the medal but made of very cheap metal.

There are 2 photos of it attached. Does anyone know anything about it? Is it Austrian, Dutch or even German ?

I would appreciate any assistance you can offer.

Many thanks

Greg.

On Ebay there exists an auction for a Lieutenant Colonel's Battledress tunic #370045507713

It got me thinking - how would one go about finding out who this belonged to?

Having read through this forum thread, it is obvious that there are people here who know a thing or two about how to go about this. So here's a challenge!!

Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Australian Regiment with an Military Cross and an honour in the Order of Australia (Military Division) - probably a Order of Australia Medal or Member of the Order of Australia. Possible that he had a higher award but uncommon but he could have later been awarded a higher level. Australian Service Medal 1945-1975, National Medal, the United Nations force in Cyprus Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Tunic is dated 1973 (Post War), and Trousers are dated 1968.

I have tried the Australia Honours website search and it gives me 136,000 entries. How can I narrow it down a bit more?

Greg.

My prized possession (firearm-wise) is a 1784 Dutch East India Company Sea Service flintlock pistol. Here she is. Can't be fired because the metal has crystalised due to age.

I have been led to believe that there were no official "award" medals at the time. They were all privately designed and minted often by different makers for the same battle eg. Davison and Boulton and presented to the various participants. There were multiple medals for some battles and none for others. As such ALL the medals were "commemoratives" up until the Naval General Service medal was instituted in the 1850s and survivors of earlier battles received bars on their Naval General Service medal.

I have other Napoleonic Wars Naval medals which are most likely later copies but this Camperdown one is very different in style, feel and detail. I suspect it is a white metal rather than actual silver. I will have to weigh it at the Post Office. My scales aren't accurate enough.

I will post pictures of the other medals from the period but I have worked all night and sleep is my highest priority just now.

Greg.

You may also have noted the pale blue and pale pink ribbon bows on Her Majesty's shoulder. These are the Royal Family Orders of her father and grandfather, normally worn by close female relatives of a Soverign and consisting of a miniature portrait of the monarch in question.

My master goldsmith friend did send me a picture of the order in wear, which I will dig out for you.

Thank you, Megan. That would be great. I have a fuzzy picture of the blue one.

Any ideas about who I should see to have the enamel repaired on an Order star ?

Greg.