Ed_Haynes

If it is a legit set, the only thing I can think of is it belonged to a Junior Saudi Officer working directly with the US... Maybe a liason officer during Desert Shield/Storm? How is it being offered?

But a Saudi Arabian would surely not have worn a foreign (US) award first. My guess is this is either a pure (inpure?) fantasy or a miniature pair someone had made up to wear whenever he wore them, leaving out all but the "pretty two".

While Nasser got the HSU, this isn't him. I think -- away from reference books -- that this is another Egyptian, Field Marshal Hakim Abdel Amer. I think I recall it was also awarded to Ben Bella of Algeria, but this isn't him, I think. Stay with Amer for my guess. Will have to check research notes and revert.

NOT a commercial plug, but Chris Dixon has listed:

(Medal ID: 31254)

Upper Canada Preserved, Silver Medal for Merit

Upper Canada Preserved, Silver Medal for Merit 51mm dia, the edge impressed with number '50' and fitted with rings for suspension. SCARCE

Recipient: - ()

These medal were originally struck for the Loyal and Patriotic Society of Upper Canada as a reward for gallant service during the War of 1812-14 but were never issued as such.NEF ?750

Is this of any interest? (And, yes, off topic, but I thought it might have been of some interest. This MAY be the medal I am remembering from the JOMSA article, too. Will look . . . .)

Well, the online JOMSA index (1985-2000) has come up empty. Now on to old-fashioned pre-1985 searching . . . sigh . . . .

Maybe MSU?

I think both of these may have something to do with Mongolian State University, but what??

Some sort of Medical Badge from Dornod Province

The 50th anniversary of something, but what? Another "old-feeling" badge.

Four Academic NIBs

1- Post-1992, but what?

2- Also post-1992.

3- Also post 1992, possibly something to do with Mongolian State University?

4- White Lavai College? Possible variant of R 81?

Another Cute Camel from Umnugobi Province

But what??

Provincial Something from Selenge

Were it not of such low quality and too-heavily lacquered, it might be cute.

Provincial: Something from Uvs

A very low quality provincial padge.

Provincial Something from Uvurkhangai (?v?rkhangai)

An early badge, with what I think of as the "curled spring" pin fitting.

Not quite sure where to put this one. Is it a NIB or not?

It is similar to what Battuishig shows as "Z 11 . Bulgan Provice" (though his badge clearly says "Dornogobi", as does this one). This is sort of silver (as it is sort of metal), likely a later and nastier example of whatever Z 11 actually is?

In my ongoing efforts to make some (any) sense out of these pesky provincial pins, I have done a cheat-sheet of provincial names, rought west-to-east. Given my <0 skills in Mongolian, this is surely flawed, but it is, for me at least, a start.

Mongolprovinces.pdf

With massive help from Jan, the latest effort at sorting this stuff out. Many questions and confusions remain.

http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/Mongol...0checklist2.pdf

i wasn't aware of that Ed, i know there was a lot of bickering about which regiment transferred to the British Army

what was the split?

Greg,

good illustration!

The "opt" in 1946 was very badly handled and is, to this day, immensely controversial among both Indian Gorkhas and, I assume, British Gurkhas as well (though I have no contact with any of them). Not just regiments were assigned, but individual soldiers (some of them, at least) had the choice of which service to continue in. There is much mythology on this among those with a terminal infection of the Dreaded Gurkha Disease, so I won't go into detail. (Talking about this and challenging the prevailing myth has gotten me expelled from some internet fora and lists.) Once other research projects are off the table, I may just try to actually look at the sources and tell the tale in full. Again, the most delicate and diplomatic thing is to say now is that it was very very badly handled and just leave it at that.

Which pre-1947 regiments went where?

1st GR => India

2nd GR => UK

3rd GR => India

4th GR => India

5th GR => India

6th GR => UK

7th GR => UK

8th GR => India

9th GR => India

10th GR => UK

11th GR - raised in India after 1947, in large part to absorb transfers from British Gurkha regiments, mainly from the 7th and 10th GR

Most of the British Gurkha regiments were far, far under normal regimental strength once the "opt" was sorted out.

Somehow, I vaguely remember an article in an old JOMSA on the medal(s?) for this "war". Table medal things, non-wearable, as I recall. Let me seek through my back issues . . . .

A lovely lovely item. Once upon a time, I almost bought one with a contemporary early-19th-century tag saying "Taken from the field at Waterloo" and signed. Thinking of it still sends chills down my spine. But it cost too much, something like GBP 80 at the time. I have been collecting too long.

A nice site on the typology of the varieties.

http://www.klm-mra.be/LDH_web/index.html

Expected you to come up with this one, Hendrik!

PS- And a nice PDF exhibit catalogue there for your downloading and lusting pleasure: http://www.klm-mra.be/frans/tentoonstellin.../catalog-FR.pdf

That's a nice Benedict of Avis. Old piece? These simple elegant pieces are really nice.

While I believe some of this "shill" bidding does happen, I do not think this is an example of it.

Jan,

My guess is that it could be one of those Province Badges, in this case one for the Sukhbaatar Province.

Dolf

Yet, unlike most of the tiny provincial badges, this one is a whopping 50 mm. No way to tell that from my earlier scan, I guess. I don't see that scale at the provincial level.

For comparison (against a ready-at-hand companion):

Have a look at fellow forum member Hendrik's website, he has an interesting article about Tuva Orders and medals

http://users.skynet.be/hendrik/index.html

Yuri also has nice attention to the Tuvan Order of the Republic at:

http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Russia/Tuva/...ic/Republic.htm

And a direct link to Hendrik's material would be

http://users.skynet.be/hendrik/eng/39tuva.html

Off-topic, but related?

Hallo Ed There is one currently available at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1948-PALESTINE-ENAMEL-...1QQcmdZViewItem

but what do you think of the price?? Are they so rare??

Kev in Deva.

Hi Kev,

No, they are fairly common. There is a eBay-ite from Beirut who always has then.

Ed

This is, I believe, an earlier variety. Sources on Southeast Asian awards are immensely elusive.

No, from the Republic of Vietnam (1955-1975), the Anh-Dũng B?i-Tinh / Gallantry Cross

Awarded for acts of valor in combat by individuals or by entire units. The level of recognition for this gallantry is represented by the ribbon device, as detailed below. Approved by the RVN 15 August 1950. Awarded by the Republic of Vietnam for valor or heroic action while engaged with the enemies of the Republic of Vietnam.

-- Anh-Dũng B?i-Tinh v?i Nh?nh Duong Li?u / Gallantry Cross with Palm ? For bravery citations at the armed forces level.

-- Anh-Dũng B?i-Tinh v?i Ng?i Sao V?ng / Gallantry Cross with Gold Star ? For bravery citations at the army corps level.

-- Anh-Dũng B?i-Tinh v?i Ng?i Sao Bạc / GallantryCross with Silver Star ? For bravery citations at the divisional level.

-- Anh-Dũng B?i-Tinh v?i Ng?i Sao Đ?ńg / Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star ? For bravery citations at the brigade or regimental level.

Roughly, a CdG equivalent.

It was very widely awarded to South Vietnam ane their allies, this seems to be a real Vietnam-made example, rathar than one of those still being cranked out by US medal makers.