Ed_Haynes

The previously excellent but now dead Victoria Cross site,

http://www.victoriacross.net/

has been migrated to Wikipedia. Not 100% sure how I feel about that.

But you can start from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_cross to search things.

Just a guess - Could this be a "memorial" (only) stone for situations where no remains are buried?

Probably wrong.

Once again, it isn't just the (lovely) things, but the story and the historical context that breathes life back into these relics. Many thanks for sharing!

Here is Antonio's Kenya page: http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/cintas/africa/kenia.gif

A few are there, although many are "?".

#1 is a Distinguished Service Medal

#2 is a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

Second to last, before the UN Medal, is a 25th Anniversary Medal.

Thanks, Dave. Antonio's pages are always a good place to start.

We clearly have a long way to go on African ODM.

Welcome back.

Some interesting goodies, though the inventive merchants of Chicken Street in Kabul are selling whatever they can, usually at fantastical prices, mainly to ISAF (known to the merchants there as the "International Shopping Assistance Force"). Unfortunately, some of what they are selling are outlandish fakes.

Could I see the reverses of these two?

The first is, I think, good. I will have to check references at home.

I'd worry that the second may be a piece of horse furniture -- pieces of harness, not chairs and tables for the stable.

Let me ponder . . . .

No-my fault-Kenya-very definetly Kenya (Mau Mau after all).

I have Nigeria on my mind as I bought a Nigerian medal yesterday.

Wondered about that, thought maybe there were "foreign friends" invited over for the commemoration. It would be interesting to see how the event was commemorated. I think finding common ground between the two very different histories of that time would be difficult, though I suspect there weren't many (British) Africa General Service Medals in the crowd.

Will try looking up Kenyan information when I have the time.

Always on the lookout for decent gongs I noticed this in a National Geographic magazine last year-the medal bar of a Nigerian army Sjt. Maj. Timothy Brown Wando at a Mau Mau commemoration ceremony. Information on African medals is hard come by-let alone the medal bars themselves. These look great and I would be proud to have this as a center piece of my collection. However, I can only guess as to what and why most of the medals were actually awardedto Mr. Wando.

Any ideas? Ed?

Ed?

Wish I knew. Sub-Saharan Africa -- and Latin America -- remain largely unexplored territory, unpopulated by any reference sources. While Megan Robertson's website has pretty good African material, her Nigerian information is sparse beyond the names of things (which is, at least, a start).

See: http://www.medals.org.uk/nigeria/nigeria.htm

As usual, Antonio Prieto Barrio's ribbon pages come riding in to the rescue and may hold some answers if one is up for a major exertion of squinting and comparing:

http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/cintas...ica/nigeria.gif

http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/cintas...ca/nigeria1.gif

(Some of these pages are cranky and may require a "reload" for them to show up properly.)

Although, on a quick glance, I do not see any matches on any of the more obvious ribbons in the National Geographic photo. I wonder if they got things wrong here? Wouldn't be the first time?! For example, the first ribbon there looks more like the Namibian Bravery Medal 3rd class than anything else I can find. Namibia/Nigeria, hey, NatGeo?! Well, they both start with "N" after all!

Lukasz Gaszewski hasn't yet gotten any African information up.

Civil or military what's the difference? These awards are given for service to the State and king after all.

Let me check my notes. My (distant) memory is that many of these Thai orders are linked pretty mechanically in grade to the rank (civil or military) of the recipient.

As many of these Thai ribbon bars are simply available"off the rack" in military tailors' shops, you just stroll in and buy what matches your entitlement (or, as a collector, what matches your idea of what you want to add to your stable).

Hi Guys,

Can anyone tell me what a Challange Coin is for?

BJOW

Making money for the people who manufacture them?

I cannot for the life of me figure these things out. Something between dumb and silly?

If you don't know these, they may help:

http://www.geocities.com/cintasdemedallas/.../tailandia1.gif

http://www.geocities.com/cintasdemedallas/.../tailandia2.gif

http://www.geocities.com/cintasdemedallas/.../tailandia3.gif

Things Thai are very badly documented, though.

Such bars are said to be quite cheap and easy to find in military tailors' shops in Bangkok.

Thanks Ed.

Your wrestling Badge, is it for the 7th, or the 6th? I believe I see a "VI", right?

Dolf

I mean 6th, sorry.

The wrestling bacge shown above (on the left, the one on suspension) at http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5914&st=66 is for somebody's 7th Spartikad.

Back, wet, tired and victorious !!!!!!!!!!

We await the photographic evidence of this assertion . . .

So we can all share vicariously.

BHARATPUR -- THE MOST NOBLE EMINENT BRIJENDRA ORDER OF THE BHARATPUR STATE

Established by Colonel H.H. Maharaja Shri Brajendra Sawai Sir Kishan Singh Bahadur Jung around 1925. This was the generic order of Bharatpur State. The order seems to have existed in three classes. The motto of the order was ?Parjabalam Rayyabalam Parshastay? or ?Power of the People is the Power of the King and That is Supreme?.

Insignia:

The first class had a sash, sash badge and breast star. The second class was a neck badge and the third class a breast badge. All badges seem to have been 68 x 48 mm

Badge:

The thin gilt and enamel badge was an oval (very similar to the Companion of the State of India) with Maharaja Kishan Singh?s image in the centre, an oval with the motto surrounding, and a suspending star above.

Ribbon: The ribbon was yellow with blue edge stripes. The first class sash was 98mm, the second class neck badge 50 mm, and the third class breast badge 32 mm.

Most Eminent Brijendra Order of the Bharatpur State, second class

Probable identification. The structure of this order is incredibly complicated and not well known.

McClenaghan, no. 69, pp. 72-73.

Subadar Bakshi Singh, IOM, 47th Sikhs

Much stuff missing, but still nice.

Enlisted 24 Jun 1887

Jemadar 18 April 1905

Subadar 16 September 1913

War Services (January 1919): N-W Frontier of India 1897-98 ? Relief of Malakand, Relief of Chakdara, Operations in Bajour and in the Lamund Country, Uttam Khel ? Medal with 2 clasps [PF, Mala]. (ANYONE HAVE IT OR HIS WWI MEDALS?)

IOM ? H&A, p. 38, for France; Hypher II:241; Duckers p. 86. IAO 356 of 16 April 1915:

?For gallantry and devotion to duty whilst serving with the Indian Army Corps, British Expeditionary Force.?

Duckers adds: ?The regimental history, p. 32, states that the award was for Neuve Chapelle on 28th October 1914. The recipient came from Patiala.? January 1919 IAL shows date of award as 10 March 1915. Named in Punjabi on reverse. Not shown in honours section of 1941 War Services.

Durbar 1911 - Named "Sub Bakhsi Singh 47th Sikhs".

Sardar Bahadur Sardar Rasul Baksh Khan Mengal, Sardar of the Sahezai Mengal Tribe, Baluchistan

1- Sardar Bahadur, George VI -- "Khan Bahadur Rasul Bakhsh Khan Mengal 1st Jany 1924" (ribbon incorrect, but "close")

Not. No. 12-H of 1 January 1942: "Khan Bahadur Rasul Baksh Khan Mengal, Sardar of teh Mengal Tribe, Baluchistan"

PSV 53(2)-H/1941

Sardar Bahadur ? 12-H 1 January 1942

Khan Bahadur Rasul Bakhsh Khan Mengal, Sardar of the Mengal Tribe, Baluchistan

Khan Bahadur Sardar Rasul Bakhsh Khan is at present the most important Sardar in the Jhalawan area of Kalat State, the Zarakzai chief being a minor. His cooperation has been of great value in maintaining peace among the notoriously turbulent Mengal tribe, and he has also done good work in effecting the arrest of numerous tribesmen suspected of dacoity in the neighbouring Sind area. Created a Khan Bahadur in January 1934, his promotion to Sardar Bahadur is well merited and would have a useful political effect. This promotion is strongly recommended by H.H. the Khan of Kalat.

2- Khan Bahadur, George V, 2nd type -- "Khan Sahib Sardar Rasul Bahhsh Mengal 1st Jany 1934"

Not. No. 15-H of 1 January 1934: "Khan Sahib Sardar Rasul Bakhsh Mengal, Sardar of the Shahezai Mengal tribe, Baluchistan"

F&P 44(2)-H/1933

Khan Bahadur ? 15-H 1 January 1934

Khan Sahib SardarRasul Bakhsh Mengal, Sardar of the Shahezai Nengal tribe, Baluchistan

Though this Sardar was suspected of fomenting trouble in Jhalawan in 1930, it is now generally admitted that the charges were baseless and that the Sardar was the victim of an intrigue. He has since proved his undoubted loyalty to Government and has managed his tribe with great success. The grant of the title of Khan Bahadur would be very well received throughout the Kalat State and by His Highness the Khan of Kalat, and would be a sign that the unmerited disgrace suffered by the Sardar has been wiped out. He was made a Khan Sahib in March 1929 and has not been recommended for any other honour in the next Honours List.

3- Khan Sahib, ??? -- missing in action

F&P55(2)-H1928

Khan Sahib 96-H 1 March 1929

Sardar Rasul Bakhsh , Sardar of the Mengal Tribe in Baluchistan

Rasul Bakhsh succeeded to the Sardarship of the Mengal tribe as a minor. For nearly five years he has had full powers as Sardar, and though at first he shirked responsibility, has greatly improved and shown that he is willing and able to take his place as Sardar of an unruly and difficult tribe. His loyalty is undoubted and as he is the second chief in Jhalawan, the bestowal of this title would be well received. He gave evidence of real energy and influence, when recently assisting in the arrest of a fanatical preacher, whose activities were likely to cause serious disturbance in Jhalawan.

An interesting group with a very scarce Sardar Bahadur (awarded to almost no one except the South Asian odd couple of Sikhs and Baluchis!). The context of the recommendations may sound familiar in contemporary terms?

Lieutenant-Colonel Barkat Khan, Bahadur, Maler Kotla Sappers and Miners

A puzzling group. Which ones aren't?!

1- Order of British India, 2nd class -- not his, but shown here representationally -- 17 August 1917 for Mesopotamia to Major Barkat Khan, 1st Company Maler Kotla Sappers and Miners (ISF List 1 Jan 1918, p. 64b)

2- India Medal, 1895 - clasps Punjab-NWF, Samana, Tirah -- missing, but shown in war services section of ISF List 1 Jan 1918, p. 72 -- anyone have it???

3- China 1900 -- "51 Havildar Barkat Khan, Malerkotla I. S. Sappers"

4- British War Medal -- "MAJ BARKAT KHAN, MALERKOTLA I. S. SPRS."

5- Allied Victory Medal -- unnamed, but it came with the group -- restoration? -- he was not mentioned in despatches

6- Durbar 1911 -- unnamed -- not on roll, but shown as qualified in ISF List 1 Jan 1918, p. 81 -- self-awarded?

7- Jubilee 1935 -- unnamed -- shown on roll (p. 62) as "Major Barkat Khan, O.B.I., late of tha Malerkotla State Forces"

Shown in ISF List 1 Jan 1918, p. 50 as

Lieutenant-Colonel Barkat Khan

Commandant, 2nd Reserve Company, Maler Kotla Imperial Service Sappers

Entered service 6 June 1891

Appointed to the corps 6 September 1891

Present Appointment 1 April 1917

Order of British India, 2nd class

His war services and other medal entitlements are as shown above

Head and McClenaghan, vol. V, pt. II, add some to to this.

Is he probbaly not missing a 1914-15 Star, as he seems to have been sent out to Mesopotamia only in Februarty 1916 with a draft of reinforcements. The group would be missing the IGS 95 and "his" Victory Medal. Likely not missing an IGS08 for Afghanistan, as only the 1st company seems to have been deployed.

Volunteer Long Service and Good Conduct Medals

1- Edward VII - Vol. T. Menezies Sind Vol. Rifles - An early award to a Goan, need to try some research here. - The unity was raised 1in 879 and converted into the 23rd Sind Battalion in 1917 (per Gaylor).

2- George V - Vol. J. Fr. Miranda 1st Bn B B & C I Ry Vols - Another Goan. - The unit -- the Bengal, Baroda, and Central India Railway Voltunteers -- was raised in 1877 and, after absorbing various smaller units, became the 17th BB&CI Railway Battaion in 1917.

(Still have to add a Victoria, obviously, but I am uncertain they were awarded to Indians, so I may have to settle for a European.)

Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, "INDIA"

As these medals were awarded only to Europeans, these are truly some odd and exotic "outliers" in my collection.

George V - "SJT. J. BROWN, I.S.C."

George VI - "S-SGT. J. N. STARK, I A O C"

Dewan Lala Trilok Nath, Talukhdar of Shahganj, North-West Provinces and Oudh

Empress of India Medal, 1877, silver

Named: Dewan Trilok Nath

Traced in J. Talboys Wheeler, The History of the Imperial Assemblage at Delhi (London: Longman, Green, Reader, and Dyer, [1877]).

UPDATE:

Confirmed in the relevant file in NAI (Foreign Department Proceedings, Political A Proceedings, December 1877, 286-496) as:

Lal Trilokhnath Singh, Fyazbad, Oudh

"Adopted son and successor of the late Maharaja Sir Man Singh, Bahadur, K.C.S.I., Talookdar of Mehndona."

Empress of India Medal, 1877, gold

Unnamed, unfortunately.

Counting to Four

1- India General Service 1854 - NORTHWEST FRONTIER, JOWAKI 1877-8, HAZARA 1888, WAZIRISTAN 1894-5 - Bugler ___cer Mahomed 20th Regt. N. I. (naming rubbed by adjoining medal)

2- India General Service 1854 - bronze - SAMANA 1891, HAZARA 1891, CHIN-LUSHAI 1889-90, BURMA 1887-89 - 728 Jemdr Mohamed Khan Comt Transport Deptt

3- India General Service 1908 - Edward VII - NORTHWEST FRONTIER 1935, MOHMAND 1933, NORTHWEST FRONTIER 1930-31, NORTH WEST FRONTIER 1908 - 325 Sepoy Kaka Singh 45th Sikhs

4- India General Service 1908 - George V 1st variety - WAZIRISTAN 1921-24, WAZIRISTAN 1919-21, MAHSUD 1919-20, AFGHANISTAN N.W.F. 1919 - 904 DVR. ALLAH DAD, 6 P. BTY.

Inspector Muhammad Akbar Khan, N-W Frontier Province Police

Indian Police Medal, George V, for distinguished conduct, on gallantry ribbon

Named: "Mohd. Akbar Khan. Inspr. N.W.F.P. Police"

Gazette of India, 13 June 1935:

"On 18th February 1935 a murder occurred in village Nowshera. Inspector Mohd Akbar collected a few men & hurried to the spot where he found that the accused had shot dead an enemy, had barricaded himself with his gun inside a house & dared anybody to approach on pain of being shot. Inspector Mohd Akbar posted piquets & with great ingenuity reached the roof of the house in question. He then managed to enter the room occupied by the murderer, coolly walked up to him, wrested the gun from him & effected his arrest. His brave act in the face of imminent personal danger deserves the highest praise."

Engine Serang Abdul Ghafur Rucknooden X Rucknooden, SS British Judge

British Empire Medal (Civil) - George VI - "ABDOOL GAFOOR RUCKNOODEEN X RUKNOODEEN"

While this poor medal has had a hard life, it tells a fascinating story.

London Gazette 8 February 1944, p. 1944 (a joint citation for him and others):

"The ship [sS British Judge, British Tanker Co. fleet], saling in convoy [28 February 1942], was subjected to continuous attacks by enemy aircraft which lasted for nearly eight hours [near Tanjong Priok]. She put up a magnificent defence, three of the attackers being hit and forced to jettison their bombs. Later the same day the vessel was torpedoed [by I-58 in the Sunda Strait] and severely damaged.

"Temporary repairs were effected and she continued her voyage alone, arriving safely at her destination sixteen days later. At this port severe attacks by enemy aircraft were again experienced and a near miss caused further damage on board. As there were no facilities for extensive repairs the ship proceeded to another port where further temporary repairs were carried out. Once more she sailed alone and finally arrived at port where she was drydocked for permanent repair. In all, the ship travelled over 20,000 miles through extremely dangerous waters with a large breach in her side.

"The Master [Captain John Godfrey Lewis, who got an OBE] displayed outstanding judgment and skill of a high order during this long and hazardous voyage. His leadership was a constant inspiration to his crew and, by his courage and etermination, he saved a valuable ship.

"The Chief Engineering Officer [Jack Keightly Swales, who got an MBE] showed great devotion to duty, efficiency and coolness in the engine-room of the ship which, being crippled, was an easy mark for the enemy. Under his leadership, temporary repairs were effected and the safe arrival of the vessel was due in large measure to his determined efforts.

"The Chief Officer [Arthur James Knell, DSC, who got an MBE] also displayed exceptional courage and initiative. He gave invaluable help to the Master throughout and, by his leadership and skill, contributed materially to the success of the voyage.

"Deck Serang Cader Rajakhan X Rajakhan and Engine Serang Abdool Gafoor Rucknoodeen X Rucknoodeen [they both got BEMs] displayed outstanding courage and leadership throughout. By their example they ensured the smooth and efficient working of their respective departments in circumstances of exceptional difficulty and danger."

See also: http://www.navy.gov.au/spc/history/ships/wollongong1.htm

Thanks to: Ralph Daly and Mike Hargreave-Mawson.

No. 1741 Sepoy Tamman Singh, IOM, 36th (Sikh) Regiment of Bengal Infantry

Indian Order of Merit, 3rd class, 1839-1911 - named "No. 1741 Sepoy Tamman Singh 36th Sikhs"

In rather poor shape, but interesting.

For gallantry at Fort Cavagnari on 13 September 1897. IAO 133 of 1898:

?. . . No. 1741 Sepoy Thaman Singh [36th (Sikh) Regiment of Bengal Infantry] . . . ? For conspicuous gallantry at Fort Cavagnari on the 13th September 1897, on which occasion . . . [he] took part in a daring sortie. The party with the assistance of a reinforcement . . . Drove the enemy from their sangars at the point of the bayonet, and captured three of their standards.?

[Hypher II: 124]

Shown as ?dangerously wounded? in the recommendation file (Military, Tirah A, 1898, 1584-86).

Shown in April 1899 IAL (p. 682a) as on pension establishment

1/31 IAL ? listed in italics in honours section

1/39 IAL ? still listed