Ed_Haynes

Indian Police Ribbon Bars - 1 Ready your bucket and/or dandy little envelope from your airline seat pocket. These are examples of what the police are up to. Will leave these for you to identify. Read 'em and weep.

A rarer ribbon bar group: 1: Independence (reversed), 1939-45 Star 2: Burma Star, France and Germany Star, War Medal, India Service Medal Where are the medals?????

Here is an interesting post-1947 ribbon bar. 1- PVSM, AVSM 2- VrC, Samanya Seva, Samar Seva, Poorvi 3- Paschimi, Vishesh Seva, Raksha, Sangram 4- OP Vijay Medal, Sainya Seva, High Alt., 50th Indep. 5- 25th Indep., 30 Yr., 20 Yr., 9 Yr. There has been some evvort at identifying the recipient and the prime candidate is Lt Gen Arjun Singh Khanna PVSM, AVSM, VrC.

So right, Dave. I asked lots of friends in and around Jalalabad in 2002, showed them lists of names, and most had no clue who these folks were, though most nodded gravely and observed that they must have been important.

Very interesting, thanks Rick!

I have never seen a numbered second variety Saur Revolution. Interesting . . . . I have put up a few more PDRA awards, more to come . . . . Good to be here, Kim! Ed

And an obverse/reverse shot, the only number is that of the class on the reverse (this "2").

A nice group of first and second class (1st variety) Orders of the Star with the Saur Revolution Anniversary Medal. (Not a great photo, taken on a friend's -- the recipient's -- floor in Jalalabad.)

All three classes of the second variety.

Order of the Star One of the more common and more interesting awards, a rough analogy to the Soviet Order of Glory. Awarded for combat gallantry in three classes (gold, gold and silver, and all silver), and in the familiar two varieties ("book" 1985-87, and "no book", 1987-92). The award presumably became obsolete with the collapse of the PDRA in 1992. The second class of this first variety:

Medal Dawlati Malali Qaharaman M'akrah Miwanad Or maybe something close to that. I have no clue what the Dari is trying to say here, or even if I have read it correctly. The obverse has a "moving" scene of a kneeling male kissing the hand of a standing female, perhaps a clue to the significance of the medal?

Medal for the Tenth Anniversary of the Saur Revolution Established 27 April 1988. Awarded to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the April 1978 revolution.

Self-Sufficiency Medal Believed to be roughly equivalent to the Soviet Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Established 17 May 1982. The award presumably became obsolete with the collapse of the PDRA in 1992.

Medal for Seventy Years of Independence Awarded in 1990 to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of Afghan Independence in 1920.

Another name-only award. Madal Dawalati Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan / National Medal of Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan Established 17 May 1982. The award presumably became obsolete with the collapse of the PDRA in 1992

Another where I know nothing beyond the name. Medal of Ghazi Muhammad Ayub Khan

A classic PDRA problem: - We have its image. - We know its name. - We have no clue about anything else. Faid Djamanudin Afghania

Order of People's Friendship Simular to the Soviet Order of Friendship of Nations. The award " Friendship of Peoples " was founded 24 December 1980. The award was given to citizens of PDRA, foreign citizen, to enterprises and the organizations, to provinces and cities. Rewarding by an award was made for: - oustanding work in business of propagation and strengthening of brotherly friendship of all tribes and nationalities of Afghanistan; - for achievements in the work directed at growth and strengthening of the national economy; - for excellent service in the state and national construction; - for merit in political development, enrichment and a mutual cultural exchange of tribes and nationalities of Afghanistan, for active participation in education of citizens in spirit of friendship and proletarian internationalism, and fidelity to the native land; - for merit in business of strengthening of defensive power of the PDRA; - for merit in business of strengthening of the the world and the friendship of peoples. The award presumably became obsolete with the collapse of the PDRA in 1992.

Medal for Gallantry Similar to the Soviet Medal for Bravery. The Medal was founded December, 24, 1980. The medal awarded military men, volunteers and foreign citizens for courage, stability(resistance) and courage in fights with enemies of Democratic Republic Afghanistan. The award presumably became obsolete with the collapse of the PDRA in 1992.

The 1987-92 variety. Enamel slightly the worse for wear.

Order of Gallantry Awarded for gallantry, roughly equivalent to the Soviet Order of the Red Star. Established 29 October 1985. The award presumably became obsolete with the collapse of the PDRA in 1992. There are believed to be two varieties, (1) 1985-87, with an open book as part of the central design (shown below), and (2) 1987-92, without the book (next post). This one number 1248, with certificate to Vladimir Yurevich Loginov, 20 April 1987.

Order of the Red Banner Roughly equivalent to the Soviet award of the same name. Established 24 December 1980. The award presumably became obsolete with the collapse of the PDRA in 1992.

During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, all awards were looke down on (as were ranks in the military) as being counter-revolutionary, rightist, Stalinist, and feudal. The recipients kept them, but wearing them was considered very naughty and could land you in a world of hurt and "criticism" by Chairman Mao's Red Guards. Many recipients still have them, and while wearing them has become more acceptable in today's socialist-capitalist China, few recipients survive. There was a good article in JOMSA a few years back, let me look. It is my clear sense that they were intended to replace the utter chaos of regional, army-specific awards.

And it is extremely nice to be able to share things with appreciative e-friends. (Some how, my wife doesn't understand me . . . and the medal-friends in my custody . . . !) And we do have the duty to keep the memory of the recipients of these medals alive.

Thanks, Steen, Let me get out the documents and I will get back to you. Ed