Ed_Haynes

There is a very good article on this "medal" in the latest JOMSA. I assume you have seen this?

Sorry to intrude (where I'm not welcome) . . . but . . . . I posted this review over at the OMSA website -- http://www.omsa.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5098 =============================== After some delay with the post office, these two volumes are now in hand. From the looks of things, they delayed the shipment so they could allow large toothy animals to chew on the package (bears, maybe?). At least the books came through intact, mostly. Artan Lame, Medaljet Shqiptare / Albanian Medals, 2 vols. (Tiranë: [botimet Toena], 2010; ISBN 978-99943-1-593-2 for both volumes) The first volume deals with awards of the monarchy through the Italian occupation. Personally, this is not a period that much interests me, so I shall leave it to others to comment in detail. It will be immensely useful, for example, in sorting out changes in design in the orders, for example, throughout Albania's unhappy political history of this period. The second volume deals with the awards of the socialist period and, very interestingly, with the awards of the post-socialist era (the Order "Mother Theresa"!?). The images provided of awards, documents, and of the awards in wear (especially interesting!) are of the highest quality, as is the overall standard of printing and production (the problems with the binding in my copy I must attributed to the postal bears). Some very rare things can be seen here. The text, however, is very narrowly numismatic and extremely limited information is provided. Moreover, the book is bilingual (in Albanian and English). I must assume the Albanian text is clear and literate. The same, alas, cannot be said for the English text. It is a true shame that the author never had an English-language speaker and reader go over this text. The problems with the often jumbled English will sadly limit the value of this book for most (many?) of us. I had expected that this would allow me to retire, with honor, the privately circulated work on Albanian awards by Eric Schema to a lower shelf. This is not going to be the case. Schena's work (with is quite strangely completely ignored in Lame's bibliography) will remain prominently on my shelf, next to these two volumes. For the time being, I cannot say which one I'll be consulting more frequently. Neveretheless, despite these problems (and a rather hefty price of admission), these volumes are an important and valuable contribution to the under-documented field of Albanian awards.

Sorry to break in where I'm not welcome. This is not the wound medal. It is the West Bengal Governor's Medal. This is why it is in Bengali, not Hindi. The name of the recipient is there at the bottom.

A very brief post to correct some dangerous and persistent errors and misinformation regarding Korea medals above: -- The GSM 1947 with clasp "Overseas Korea" was issued (in very small numbers, smaller than some seem to realise) to members of the 60th Para Field Abulance only. This was a very controversial clasp for some very embarassing service. -- The UN Korea Medal was, initially, supposed to have been struck in Hindi (not "Sanakrit" as the UN believed). Some specimens were made at the Calcutta Mint and are still closely held there. The government policy did not, however, allow the acceptance and wear of these foreign awards (the only foreign awards allowed to be worn were some British awards, pre-1947). The manufacture was stopped and wear of this medal was disallowed. While some recipients (and even more dishonest dealers) have "mis-awarded" the English version to puff-up or create groups, no legitimate UN Korea medal in any language was ever worn by Indian troops. Discussion has been underway for some time to strike and award this medal to the few veterans who survive, but I think this is unlikely. -- The Videsh Meva Medal with clasp "Korea" was awarded for service with the Neutral Nations Repatriation Force or Indian Custodial Forea in Korea. No individual could get both this medal and the general service medal (some qualified, and got the GSM and not Videsah Seva). The UN Medal, has it even existed, would not have covered this service. For further information, please contact me off forum. I have been in contact with some off list and have only recently gotten additional information. I have already said more than I ever wanted to on this forum, but mistakes needed correction.

Not to elbow in where I know, oh so VERY well, that I am not welcomed, but . . . . . . just to add one item to the mix (and then go quietly and obediently away again). . . Havildar Jagat Sing, I.O.M., 5th Gurkha Regiment Indian Order of Merit, 3rd class, 1839-1911 - Named: Sepoy Juggut Sing 5th Gookhir Regt. Not in the April 1891 IAL, so he seems to have died by that date. For services on 13 December 1878, when serving as a rear guard in the Mangiar Pass, Afghanistan. This was the same action for which Sepoy (later Subadar) Kishanbir Nagarkoti received his IOM3 (later IOM1 and special bar). The Mangiar Defile 1878 A few days after the battle at Peiwar Kotal, the Field Force explored the southern route to Kurram through the Mangier defile. The main body negotiated the defile without trouble but the rearguard and baggage were suddenly attacked by the Mangal Pathans. The situation was saved by the 'steadiness and gallantry of the 5th Gurkha Regiment' who repelled every attack made by the large number of tribesmen who had massed to attack the force. The fighting lasted 5 hours but the baggage was saved. Two officers were injured, Capt F T Goad, Assistant Superintendent of Transport and Capt C F Powell of the 5th Gurkhas. They both subsequently died of their wounds. Order of Merit 3rd Class announced in GGO 89 of 24 Jan 1879, Afghanistan - joint citation with Bugler Soorbir Damai, Sepoy Kishnbiar Nuggurkoti (who uniquely won promotion to the 1st Class and then won a special gold bar) and Sepoy Hushtbir Khuttrie: For conspicuous gallantry in checking the advance of the enemy in action at the Mangiar Pass on the 13th December 1878. Sir Frederick Roberts reported in his despatch of 18 December 1878: The conduct and steady behaviour of the 5th Goorkhas on the occasion merit my warmest commendations. For nearly five hours this Regiment maintained a rear-guard fight over most difficult ground with a bold and active enemy thoroughly acquainted with the locality, and so successfully was this duty performed that not a single baggage animal or load was lost. It is therefore my pleasure and my duty to bring the gallant conduct of this fine Regiment once more to the special notice of His Excellency and the Government in India. In his Forty-One Years in India, Lord Roberts wrote: On the 24th May, 1879, I held a parade in honour of the Queens birthday, at which 6450 officers and men were present. They were thoroughly fit and workmanlike, and being anxious that the tribesmen see what grand soldiers I had at hand should an advance be necessary, I invited all the neighbouring clans to witness the display... At this parade I had the great pleasure of decorating Captain Cook with the Victoria Cross, and Subadar Ragobir Nagarkoti, Jemadar Pursoo Khatri, Native Doctor Sankar Dass, and five Riflemen of the 5th Gurkhas, with the Order of Merit, for their gallant conduct on the attack on the Spingawi Kotal, and during the passage of the Mangior defile. It was a happy circumstance that Major Galbraith, who owed his life to Captain Cooks intrepidity, and Major Fitz-Hugh, whose life was saved by Jemadar (then Havildar) Pursoo Khatri, should both have been present on the parade. India General Service Medal, 1854-95 - JOWAKI 1879-8, NORTH WEST FRONTIER, UMBEYLA - Named: Sepoy Jaggut Sing, 5th Goorkha Regt. Second Afghan War, 1878-80 - PEIWAR KOTAL, CHARASIA, KABUL, KANDAHAR - Named: Havr. Jagat Sing Rana 5th Goorkha Regt Kabul to Kandahar Star - Named: Havr. Jagat Sing Rana 5th Goorkha Regt OK, I'll shut up again now . . . . .

Not here, alas. Will send direct.

Data point! Thanks. While not active (for OBVIOUS reasons), I still monitor what goes on here.

A nice award. The old guys certainly deserve it and most Mongolians should be reminded of their history.

In case anyone is interested, many of these will be in the next FJP sale and in the sale after that (the "SOS Sale").

As, in essence, a Soviet republic (unlike Mongolia), I suspect Soviet uniforms were used. Mongolia kept independence, while Tuna lost theirs.

Yes, they were essentially Soviet uniforms, but with uniquely Mongolian insigniae. Battushig's book gives the best information available to date. Please contact me by e-mail for more details.

Interesting. Many thanks.

No. If it would make any sense without the accompanying commentary, I might think about putting the seminar PowerPoint online (over at the OMSA forum, of course).

While there was another thread on this topic, it seems to have been purged at a time other forum purges were underway. In case anyone with a Mongolian interest will be at this year's Orders and Medals Society of America meetings, two items of possible interest: -- I will be doing a seminar presenattion: "Variations on a Red Theme: Soviet Inspiration for the Awards of Mongolia and Afghanistan" -- I will have a display: "The Sukhbaatar Order"

Sorry, Bob. But that was my fear (as I said on e-mail).