Ed_Haynes

I'd agree with Paul's reading.

Off topic, but there is the Indian Videsh Seva Medal, clasp "Lebanon".

In that sense, JC, 'market value' screws us all. Ouch!

Basic economics. ECON 101, as I distantly recall. Supply and demand. Very limited supply. Demand? Maybe, depending on where we stand relative to 1929. Add to this the material composition of percious metals. When research comes, it will reveal one of several things: -- Award to a well-known individual for historical services (e.g., Choibalsan). Obviously not many. -- Awards paried with a hero star (military or labor). -- Awards for gallantrrey (or some such). I sincerely doubt there were many. -- Awards for some mix of meritorious and long service. These will come in both "military" and "civil" sub-types (and all degrees in between). Some (like many on this forum) will always denigrate civil awards. -- Simple ("simple"?) long-service awards, both military and civil. (As above) -- Unawarded "dump" from the State bank. Add to this the dimensions of (1) is in it a group? and (2) is it documented? and (3) both? And I get confused. For those fixated on (market) "value": Supply and demand. As my ECON 101 profdessor said long years ago, in a galaxy far, far away: "Any damned thing is 'worth' only what some damned fool is willing to pay for it on any given day." If, however, your sense of value runs to the virture or restoring history and content to a tedious -- even if pretty -- chunk of gold and platinum and enamel . . . well, then, you are my sort of person. It will be for my "heirs and assigns" to contend with "market value".

A very nice set and photo combination. Thanks. But just curious: Would you have listed a group as "EK1 to Christian"?

For me, it is a new one. If it is OK, I'll send the scan to someone who may be able to translate what it says.

Usually not in combat, but on combat dress, yes. It is a different order of dress. They are often worn while on UN deployments (except the really messy ones), and that is intentional. And the paramilitary and police types do whatever they wish, with no reference to anyone or any standards (and in far more important areas than ribbon bars).

While it isn't especially good (and I know a better one is in the works) The Indian Army: United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (Delhi: 1997) isn't half bad. We tried to include the UN medals (and services) in our book too (ch. 3, pp. 174-211).

The text that was on my website:

I have never bothered with them. Tried to get some last time, but the only tailors who stock them were rather difficult for a foreigner to reach (in a controlled area). Soon (now?) they may be the only things I can afford to collect. Next trip . . . .

And your sergeant would have been fully justified. But the JAKLIs may be that sloppy? Hope not.

Well . . . a recent book on post-1947 Indian medals lists them all with references to the proper Gazette notification. For the awards, the book by S. S. Gandhi, Portraits of Valour: India's Hioghest Gallantry Awards and Their Recipients , 3rd ed. (Delhi: 2006) is good, but not great. For some reason he insists on rewriting (and, sometimes, making even more garbled) the notifications. On Yadav, see: http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/HEROISM/Yadav.html My PVC web pages are now gone, alas.

Actually, he got his PVC in 1999. The only PVC I have had the chance to meet.

They are all National Cadet Corps. Kind of a OTC or ROTC program. I'd be AMAZED if they were sent on peacekeeping duty. The NCC has thouisands (literally!) of badges. Not even the very enterprising military tailors cam keep up with them.

Right, Owain. As you pointed out, it seems to be a "mule", with pieces of various things. Perhaps it is what some of our late friends in Cairo would have liked to call a "prototype" piece (and maybe some of them were?). But maybe these are just mebegotten products of an overfilled box of miscellaneous parts subjected to inventive reassembly?

I am never surprised at how little research dealers bother to do. It is, in fact, Egyptian, but the Order of Merit. Breast star for the 1st (80 mm) -- or 2nd? (70 mm) -- class. It is a strange piece though.

Yes, I (for one) have a great interest in them. But I fear there aren't many like us, with most of the interest lying with the fascists. If you look around, I think you'll find a few threads of interest.

It is all, I guess, in how one defines that term, and that will be conditioned by one's own political and ethical bias?

Detail of his ribbons.

Here's another one.

Excellent photo, thanks. The medal is APPARENTLY what I show in my notes as the Lut Lat Ye Tazeit / Independence Medal, second variety. Now, let me try to identify the other decoirations of the general . . . .

A Myammar/Burma medal for consideration. The legend is something like "Medal/Award/Recognition (etc.) for Participation in the People's (National) War (or National Struggle)". The ribbon is far TOO similar to that for the Phillppines' "The Philippines Liberation Medal"?

A very nice and very complete group.

I have heard that few Turkish troops ever wore the UN medal (by policy?) due to the unfortunate color scheme of the ribbon, recalling the Greek flag in Turkish eyes.

The Hindi medal (the UN thought it was to be Sanskrit -- what a sad joke) was, apparently, struck in a few specimens, but never awarded. Issues of Government of India policy and their embarassment over their involvement in Korea (before the NNRC phase) precluded this issue. Moves are now underway to get policy changed, the medal struck, and the medal given out to the (very few) surviving veterans.