Ed_Haynes

All the images in the world will never convey how these things "feel". An addiction beyond all others . . . .

Zoommmmmmmmmmmmmm. Enjoy what you have?

For those who may not frequent our Mongolian forum, an interesting discussion has sprouted on Red Stars to Mongolians in the http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=23322 thread.

No, I don't have it. Beg, grovel, . . . . Some day I ponder a book on Pakistani ODM, but the sources are SOOOOO thin, even in Islamabad.

Here, no. Here, yes, sort of. Due to some pretty shamelss information theft I haven't kept the website up to date, though. There is a whole range of "Azad Kashmir" medals, mirroring everything from the decorations on down. The fiction of the independence of Azad Kashmir (like, now, South Waziristan) and the security blanket thrown over that area makes it virtually impossible to get any reliable information. (Not that it is easy to get information on Pakistani medals anyway!) Some haven't been put up due to (apparent) limited interest, some I was reluctant to post because all I had were tailors' copies (though I am increasingly convinced that real strikes may not exist). See http://sagongs.ipbhost.com/index.php?act=SC&c=5 for more (but you'd need to sign up and e-mail me so I can approve you in). If there's any interest, I can put more us, in a more coherent fashion. The Urdu hasn't changed, the way "Star" would be rendered in Romanised Urdu has. Interestingly, the Roman-script usage has moved away from the straightforward English word (in Urdu) that is on the medal (Star). I use the way it would be pronounced, others use an Urduised concoction. Same here. Not back in a while. Kick myself for not getting more (especially ribbons) the last time there.

Interestingly, this one has a maker's mark, something I can't recall seeing very much before. Even though it looks raised, the mark is impressed into the aluminum suspension.

And the reverse.

One more that came up.

Fascinating!! So . . . the Soviet Red Stars to Mongolians that we have on record: 96989 - to Bato-oshrin (1943) 1780032 (reported by Dave, MAYBE) 1780090 - to Tserenjav (1950) 3700041 - to Tserenjav (1971) 3700404 (reported by Dave) 3700416 (reported by Dave) So far, all I have seen on research was that record-card-only return for Bato-oshrin (based on his document only, star missing) over at http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14692 -- shall be submitting Tserenjav's two and hoping and waiting and waiting and hoping.

Nope. So far as I can tell, all Indian WWI medals (except, perhaps, for Brits who had been discharged and were back in the UK) were struck, named, and issued from the Calcutta Mint.

In the spirit of current events, I thought I'd bump this thread and direct your attention to: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=6856&st=07

I suspect the Soviets always had trouble figuring out how to write Mongolian names? We do too?

The medal index cards for WWI medals to Indians were maintained in the Army Medal Office (in New Delhi, of course), where they were discarded in an office cleaning in the early 1980s. (Showing why archival records should be rescued from bureaucrats, especially bureaucrats in uniform.) The only Indian MICs in London are for the General Service Medal, and linking these to WWI medals is very difficult due to the massive 1922 regimental reorganizations. (And it is a bit of a puzzle figuring out why these cards are in London.)

C 01 -- Army Pin While this incredibly rare first-of-all Mongolian badges has been shown above http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=10218&st=24 this new specimen is in much better condition and has a (repaired?) screwback pin.

Inside. A translation plea will go off on this one.

The other certificates are there (except a few, like the Khalkin Gol and border guards badge, that are missing ) and are familiar enough. One unusual one (and a badge which, it seems, I neglected to scan along with his awards -- oops) for the Best Student of the MPA (Battuahig C22) and since we don't see these badge certificates very often, this one may be worth adding.

Inside.

And, finally, that tiny (52 x 75 mm) little certificate for the 25th GPW anniversary badge.

And a closeup on the prime bits.

Victory over Japan.

And.

Red Star 2.

Next page.

There's probably more interest in his Soviet documents. Red Star 1. I find it interesting that he signed this one in bichig, while he signed his Mongolian book in Cyrillic.

And, finally, the very full awards page. Still need to do some deciphering here with the help of friends in UB. He seems to be missing an additional orders book and the KG document is, unfortunately, gone.