Ed_Haynes

King Abdulaziz Order of Merit A general order of merit for service to Saudi Arabia. The order is awarded in commemoration of the founder of the kingdom for meritorious service while in government office, for extraordinary deeds of bravery, and for other deeds of service to the state. For Saudi Arabian nationals, all appointments must initially be to the fourth class and, thereafter, appointments to the higher classes are made by promotion within the order only after a minimum of five years of service in the lower class. For members of the house of al-Saud and non-Saudi Arabian nationals, appointments to higher classes may take place independent of the requirements for promotion within the order. Established ca. 1955 by King Saud ibn Abdulaziz. Revised and renewed by King Faisal ibn Abdulaziz in Decisions No. 122 and No. 123 of the Council of Ministers, 24 Muharram 1391 A.H. (20 March 1971 C.E.). Manufactured by Tefiq Bichay (Cairo, Egypt) and by Arthus Bertrand (Paris, France). King Abdul Aziz Chain ? Awarded to non-Muslim foreign heads of state ? A 14-carat 108-cm gold chain with alternating depictions of the Saudi insignia and green- and red-enameled designs. ? Suspended from this is a 140-mm (90-mm?) gold badge of the order. King Abdul Aziz Sash / distinguished class ? A 100-mm sash (worn over the right shoulder), an 80 mm silver-gilt sash badge, and a 60 mm breast star (worn on the left breast) first class ? A 60 mm silver-gilt neck badge (ribbon 40 mm) and a 60-mm silver breast star (worn on ??? breast) second class ? A 60-mm silver-gilt neck badge (ribbon 40 mm) third class ? A 40-mm silver-gilt breast badge with yellow-enameled design in the center medallion. The 37-mm ribbon bears a rosette. (SHOWN BELOW) fourth class ? A 40-mm unenameled silver breast badge worn from a 37 mm ribbon.

You may also want to glance at: http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=539 http://www.medals.org.uk/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia.htm

I think these are general merit medals, but let me look. I have some fragmentary notes somewhere . . . . A possible pair, but with erased GSM you'll never know. A shame.

Sure, will put some up. In the interim, see: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/medals/saudi.html (Due to MAJOR internet hacking and wanton data-destruction shortly after 11 September, this site has NOT been undated. Likewise, there has also been some flagrant data theft.) Not sure I have any medals from The Kingdom there, but you may wish to glance at: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2785

Yes, somewhere I have photos. They are absconding.

Not my favorite site, but see: http://www.soviet-awards.com/medals14.htm#order47 If (like me) you need English. But for more reliable information, there is always Mondovor too! http://www.mondvor.narod.ru/MBezuprSl.html (If you live long enough for it to load . . . . Really slow of late!)

Having the Red Bible here, by my desk (where else would it be?!): 20-year - USSR MVD, 1958-60 and 1968-91 15- and 10-year - USSR Ministry of Defence, 1958-91

There is already a thread. Duplicate threads get lost. http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8152

Personally, I like them MUCH better that that post-Soviet faux-Tsarist neo-Russian "stuff". At least the "Umalatova" have some history and some meaning behind them.

A T 2.1 is up with our friend in New Jersey. $12.5K. Oy!! http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=13607

Is it just me, or to others have a -- I dunno -- visceral? -- artistic? -- problem with these sparkly-bright Soviet medals. If it looks like it was made just last week, maybe it was?? Am I overly suspisious? When it comes to Soviet ODM can one be so??

Personally, I'm not much interested in the post-Soviet neo-Russian awards. Just a bit too much unreconstructed Tsarist symbolism for my taste. Have only one, the Medal for 15th Anniversary of the Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan. Est. 2004.

I have put up the VDNKh medals I have -- in a group -- as part of the Shapovalona group. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2735

Yes, nice awards, and frequently and systematically under-rated. We have, I think, free-standing threads on all (most?) of these labor awards. See, for example: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7099 http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1830 http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7777 http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7767 http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7773 http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7771 And so on . . . there is a lot of information on this forum!

It has been asserted (but never proved) that the brother of Subadar Mir Dast, 55th Rifles, was awarded the EK2 during WWI for efforts after his defection to the German side at enticing Indian Army troops to join him. (I have his name somewhere . . . .) This is interesting in that Mir Dast was both a recipient of the VC and of the IOM. Quite a nice family group that's be!

WWI MiD citations can SOMETIMES be found in the relevant war diaries. No MC recommendations usually available for WWI, though you sometimes find them in war diaries too. For WWII, they are easy, of course. If someone checked his service record in the NA (a.ka.. PRO), it might fill in some gaps. It may not be open yet, with the WWII service? Never have looked for records on natives (of the British Isles).

Actually, the EK2 1870 was awarded to Henry Hozier who may (or may not) have been the father of a certain Clementine Hozier (who later married some guy named Winston Churchill).

No, it would have been forbidden. And this was enforced. All enemy awards were so treated (and there was much complaint at losing all those attractive Japanese awards after 1941!). Clearly this is a pre-war or post-war mounting job.

I know that the late Dr. K long asserted that HE AND ONLY HE held the copyright on this. But, then, the dear old gent asserted many things . . . . So far as I know, no one has sued the N&MP boys. And they have reprinted many things, including things more problematic than H&S. (Though you need to take care, for you may not live long enough for them to fulfill your order -- months and months!)

The best I can do for a close-up. It is in low relief and the scanning of back detail on things with long screw posts always presents, as we all know so well, tremendous depth-of-field problems. May have to drag out the old SLR camear (film . . . ooohhhhh).

The "B" reverse. Not sure I buy Glenn's "top" explanation. This, # 1901, is from that putative "group" I addressed elsewhere -- http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5226&st=7 -- but the individual piece remains of interest?

Just noticed we'd never illustrated the latest and ugliest in this series, Type 4.2 (OK, we guess at the existence of an unnumbered Type 4.3). In case the number isn't legible, it is 31874.

OK, . . . . Try this: Type 1.1 (numbered, screwback, engraved number); Low = 81/High = ??? Type 1.2 (numbered, screwback, stamped number); Low = 3543/High = 4501 Type 1.3 (unnumbered, screwback) Type 2.1 (numbered, pinback); Low = 541/High = ??? Type 2.2 (unnumbered, pinback) ????

Noticed we didn't have a Type 2.2 of the Baildaani gav'yaany odon (happy, Rick??) shown here, so here is the ugly thing. We might guess at the existence of a Type 2.3, unnumbered??

Pat, You really do need to get a copy of a good book on Soviet awards. The McDaniel and Schmitt, though showing its age, is the "red bible". Get it. Please. Have PMed a source.