Ed_Haynes

A Cute Arab Box - part 4

Republic of Yemen

Order of Duty

A military award, established by Resolution No. 1 of 2 January 1973.

(And, yes, just a bit "over the top".)

A Cute Arab Box - part 3

Inside.

A Cute Arab Box - part 2

The coat of arms.

A Cute Arab Box - part 1

Another in the series of the "Whats in These Boxes" puzzles.

Document, next page -

Document, interior spread -

Document, cover-

Order of Georgi Dimitrov / Orden Georgi Dimitrov

Unnumbered.

Hero of Socialist Labor / Geroj na sotsialistitjeskija trud

Unnumbered.

Inside . . . ???

With a cute little coat of arms on the outside.

We have had, recently, on other threads, some nice suspense engendering presentations of boxed goodies.

Here is one.

This is a complex question (I think) and one which, though far outside my narrow collecting interests, has perplexed me. I can see scenarios where such an award could have taken place, though I'd expect that 99.99% of the medals presented as such would be faked.

I really want to hear from the experts on this.

78 Jemadar Abdur Rahman Khan, Jeypore Imperial Service Transport Corps

1- Delhi Durbar 1903, silver - unnamed

Shown in the roll for the Delhi Durbar 1903 medal (p. 90) as "Abdul Rahman Khan, Duffadar - Jaipur Imperial Service Transport Corps". The silver medal was awarded some 2567 times.

2- Delhi Durbar 1911, silver - unnamed

Shown in the ISF roll for the Delhi Durbar 1911 medal (p. 161) as "78 Jemadar Abdur Rahman Khan", Jaipur Imperial Service Transport Corps. The silver medal was awarded some 30,000 times.

3- India Medal, 1895-1902, Victoria - RELIEF OF CHITRAL 1895, PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98, SAMANA 1897, TIRAH 1897-98 - 78 Jamdr. Abdur Rahman Khan. Jeypore I.S.T. Corps

This was the unit's first imperial service.

1646 Sowar Jamal Khan, 1st Bombay Lancers

1- Queen's Sudan Medal, 1896-98 - Sowar Jamal Khan, 1st Bombay Lancers

Gaylor: "Their third spell of [operational] service abroad was a brief stay at Suakin on the Red Sea in 1896 when, as the 1st Bombay Lancers -- in consequence of the issue of the lance -- they formed part of a mixed cavalry brigade sent out from India." Service in Brigadier-General Egerton's force at Suakin, 30 March 1896 to 23 September 1896.

2- China War Medal 1900 - Sowar Jamal Khan, 1st Bombay Lancers

They were not regimentally present in China but small detachments were sent to reinforce other units.

3- Africa General Service Medal, 1902-1956, Edward VII issue - SOMALILAND 1902-04 - Sowar Jamal Khan, 1st Bombay Lancers

They were not regimentally present in Somaliland but small detachments were sent to reinforce other units.

4- Egypt: Khedive's Sudan Medal, 1896-1908 - Sowar Jamal Khan, 1st Bombay Lancers

568 Lance-Naik Shan, 7th Mule Corps

1- The India Medal, 1895 - Edward VII - WAZIRISTAN 1901-2 - 568 Multr Shan S & T Corps

2- Tibet Medal - GYANTSE - 568 Dvr Shan 7th Mule Corps

3- India General Service Medal, 1908 - Edward VII - NWF 08 - 568 Lce Naik Shan 7th Mule Corps

A nice "Three Teds" group.

Chief Syrang of Lascars, 2nd Class, Sheikh Essack Baba, Royal Indian Marine

1- Africa General Service - Edward VII - SOMALILAND 1902-04 - "I SEAGUNNY SHEIK ESSACKBABA. R.I.M.S. HARDINGE."

2- British War Medal - "TNDL. SK. ESSACK SK. BABA, R.I.M."

3- Indian Army Meritorious Service Medal - George V, 1st variety - "SK. ESSACK BABA. CHIEF SYRANG OF LASCARS, 2ND CL."

Incomplete group?

Lieutenant (S) P. G. Gokhale, Royal Indian Navy

1- Burma Star - unnamed, "restoration"

2- WWII War Medal - "LT.(S) P.G. GOKHALE, R.I.N.V.R."

3- Naval General Service Medal - George VI, 2nd variety - MINESWEEPING 1945-51 - "LT. (S) P.G. GOKHALE, R.I.N."

Shown in WWII Official History (p. 370) as serving in Burma Operations in the H.M.I.S. Rohilkhand (minesweeper). He was (apparently) commissioned 26 May 1945 (too late for Atlantic Star service and maybe too late for other qualifications?). The Royal Indian Navy were involved in minesweeping operations in the Malacca Straits commencing 2 September 1945. This included the 37th Mine Sweeping Flotilla consisting of nine minesweepers including the Rohilkhand, completing operations there by 13 November 1945. They then left Singapore and were involved in various other operations until the end of the year.

The Rohilkhand survived into the independent Indian Navy but had to be scrapped in 1956 after the 1948 cyclone that hit Bombay.

The group originally came with 1939-45 and Burma Stars (though it had first appeared on the market as just the last two medals). Increasingly, Gokhale's stars are appearing to be "restorations", though he was apparently qualified for the Burma Star, but not the 1939-45 Star. Need to check Indian Navy Lists. Much research awaits.

1852/1853 Sepoy Ratan Singh, 3d Sikh Infantry

1- India General Service Medal 1854 - SAMANA 1891, Waz 1894-95 - "1852 Sepoy Ratan Singh 3d Sikh Infy"

2- The India Medal 1895 - PF 97-98, SAMANA 1897, TIRAH 1897-98, Waz 1901-2 - "1853 Sepoy Ratan Singh 3d Sikh Infy"

Regimental number as 1852/1853. Possibly missing an IGS 08 (can anyone help?).

825 Sepoy Ran Singh, 34th Punjab Pioneers

1- India General Service 1854 - HAZARA 1888 - "825 Sepoy Ran Singh 34th Bl Infy"

2- The India Medal 1895 - RofC 1895, PF 1897-98, TIRAH 1897-98 - "825 Sepoy Ran Singh 34th Bl Infy"

3- China War 1900 - "825 Sepoy Ran Singh 34th Pab Pioneers"

Isn't this one of the joys of collecting in a fairly unknown and underpopulated field? Not many collect Belgian awards and fewer have much knowledge?

But, then, finding them (outside Belgium?) can be a problem.

Not fair, not fair. I had just pulled Paul's book down to check when the right answer came in. And I have a question . . . !

Must be quicker next time.

Chris (Jack),

Your point about possible non-need for another presentation, given the existing fine site, is well taken, but an interesting start nevertheless.

Fascinating thread! Maybe we need another thread (not wishing to hijack this one) on the Colonial Medal. I do not, alas, have Jean Hass' book!

The statement on that British Medals Forum is wrong as far as Indians are concerned. From the outset, the Seringapatam Medal was wearable, as the earlier (Deccan, Mysore) medals had been.

So much of what is "knowledge" on medals is based on what the natives (of the British Isles did and thought and wore) and ignores what was done by Indians. And there is so much reluctance to learn anything else. That's one reason why I am no longer a part of that other forum.