Ed_Haynes

The Researcher has told me that he will have a "large bundle" for me at OMSA. we shall see . . . . Hope is alive.

Nice ones. Quite uncommon. :envy:

Some of the confusion here, I think, is the difficulty that Westerners have in comprehending the whole "Order of Merit" structure that underlay all of the Japanese awards and was more important than the (uniquely) Western concept of distinct "orders" (growing out of the crusader urge). As I understand it, the Kyokujitsu Doka Daijusho -- or, as usually put into English "Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun with Pawlonia Flowers", etc. -- was created by Imperial Edict No. 1 of 4 January 1888 as a First Order of Merit Decoration affiliated to the Kyokujitsusho -- the "Order of the Rising Sun". The Rising Sun had been created back in 1875. The Pawlonia was the First Order of Merit award that replaced the Rising Sun in that grade. Yes, this is all very confusing. As I understand it, it was always linked to but separate from the Rising Sun. Again: Think in terms of Orders of Merit -- horizontally, not vertically ("orders"). Can others more expert that I help out? By the way, I have consulted Peterson's work on Jpanese awards. When all else fails, and you want information, you need to read carefully researched books (and not Wikipedia or other online sources!).

Sorry to hear this, that these bars are such a paradise for the fakers.

Yes, as Christian says: RESEARCH! Anything else is mere guesswoirk, sometimes informed guesses, sometimes not. You won't know until you KNOW. They're early enough to be interesting, back when the Red Star still mattered. But they're not so early as to elude research efforts. Now you only have to arrange to live long enough to get your research results back.

Too weird, Christian, way too weird.

No, we are global, and time zones are a part of the joy/price of that. I'll just have to study up on airplanes and architecture, and . . . . And also never sleep. And I think a good close look at the early statutes of the early awards would be an interesting exercise. I don't have the Russian (etc.) for the task, though. I'd like to know, for example, what the awards were called when they were instituted, not what they came to be called later on and what names collectors have stuck onto them.

In theory, yes. In reality, absolutely not, in part for the reasons "Belaruski" brought up. Anything numbered must have (or once have had) a roll somewhere. Finding it is the trick. And the greater trick would be to go beyond a one-liner ("Xxxxx 1234 was awarded on 5 March 1965 to Xxxxx Xxxxx") to a full (Soviet-style) recommendation and personnel file. Only Soviet collectors enjoy (enjoyed?) this documentary richness. But a one-liner would be better than nothing. Assuming the DPRK did as others (USSR and MPR) did and awarded their high awards for mere survival over time, it would help to sort out real awards for doing something real from the mass of other awards for simply "stayin' alive" (sounds of John Travolta). But . . . not now for the DPRK . . . and probably not anytime soon even if those who hope (and plot) for "political change" get their way.

Interesting. That name is familiar . . . off to reference books to squint at the Mongolian I really can't read . . . .

Blasted time zones! This was one I could have answered! And I have had a good question ready. Musn't sleep any more. The design of that badge, though, always makes me wonder whether it wasn't really a Labor HERO and not a "Red Banner" award.

Odd that it is (1) just an Africa Star, (2) so many medals mounted backwards and (2) the Africa Star ribbon is reversed. With the possible exception of '1', so flawed that it has to be real.

True, Chris. But I thought your second scenario was in the movie "Wag the Dog"?

Oh, yeah, this was about some commercial commemorative collector's coin concoction . . . . I forgot.

Always a shame to see this sort of thing happen. As Alex says, there are some real sharks out there online. Sometimes it may be better to pay a bit more to buy from a real dealer. Before you inter these, could you post scans of the offending items, for our education?

Do you have ribbon for your stupid police medal, Brian? Will be dropping some with John at the OMSA to deposit in the ribbon bank or you can PM me.

Complete hype by the gelded US media and their military masters. However, since everyone else seems to get Bronze Stars if they heard shots had been fired in anger . . . . Ratio of Bronze Stars for valor to deaths by branch: Army 0.7-to-1 Marines 0.8-to-1 Navy 7-to-1   Air Force 4.5-to-1 Ratio of Bronze Stars for merit to deaths by branch: Army 21-to-1    Marines 1.8-to-1 Navy 13-to-1 Air Force 56-to-1 See: http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/181337.html

The ribbon is either for the Indian Police Medal (1932-40), The Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service (1940-50), or the Police Medal for Meritorious Service (1950--). Seems to be a modern manufacture. I hear there's a book coming that will help you disentange these after 1947. One variety of the post-1947 medal:

Afghanistan, Order of Independence, grand cross. See: http://www.medals.org.uk/afghanistan/afgha...hanistan004.htm

Despite what it suggests on his MIC card, he may not have survived the 1922 regimental amalgamations.

3674 Sepoy Mahant Singh, 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force) (later 2/12th Frontier Force Regiment) 1- BWM - "3674 SEPOY MAHANT SINGH, 52 SIKHS F F" 2- Victory - "3674 SEPOY MAHANT SINGH, 52 SIKHS F F" 3- GSM 18 "Iraq" "Kurdistan" - "3674 SEPOY MAHANT SINGH. 52-SIKHS."

After this, with the notable (and elusive) exception of his 1941 BEM, Ram Rakha drops back into the shadows. But it is nice to be able to illuminate, however slightly, the career of an otherwise invisible Indian clerk.

By (about) 1922, he received promotion to First Grade Clerk. He also served in Waziristan in the early 1920s and received a second commendation on 1 April 1923. This suggests a missing clasp "Waziristan 1921-24".

On 16 May 1920 he received a certificate of notice from the commander of the Waziristan Force.

By 1919 he is reassigned, in the context of the Third Afghan War, to Dera Ismail Khan where he continued to preform well. In the context of this service, he received two awards we frequently see mentioned but rarely see documented. A grant of land on 8 March 1920 (in poor shape and too large to fit easily on the scanner).

Through the war, all of his work seems to have been in the area around Bannu, and some was rather mundane indeed. The work of the usual clerk.