Gldank

Truly beautiful!!

I would like to share my Croix de Feu grave marker.

I know that this is a medal from the Government of Burundi. Can anyone tell me more? Thanks.

I must add that that lanyard on the cross is fantasy!

Is was never worn like that. It was worn on a ribbonbar only. You see them sometimes and only by sellers who want to pimp their medals.

I have to disagree about the mini fourragere on the Yser medal. I am sure that there are some sellers out there who would add one to a medal for sale but these were allowed to hang with the ribbon and the medal. There is one on a medal bar earlier in this string.

Even Andre Borne in his book ?Distinctions Honorifiques de La Belgique 1830-1985? agrees and he has not been wrong yet in my mind.

Hello Chris, I have seen this medal in catalogs before. Here is what I think. The inscription "navigation maritime" refers to sailors and technicians working on a ship but it can also refer to ships in a harbor.

I think there are two options:

This is a school medal for merchant sailors in training or a medal for Harbor Captains. The reverse shows the seal of the Belgian state. Back in the 1800s, there were city run maritime schools for fishermen and sailors in seaport towns. It would be normal to place the Belgian seal on the back of medals to graduating students.

This medal may also have been awarded to a Harbor Captain or somebody working in the harbor. There are many public servants, even today, working in customs or doing state work in harbors keeping track of the maritime transport (navigation maritime). My guess is that this medal was awarded captain or a lieutenant of a harbor which we call today, ?Harbor Pilots.?

When I saw the US Navy Cross, Silver Star and the French Wound Medal with all those stars, I just had to share this with you all. I see it was removed from eBay, the seller was 2emrepper( 7 )

This French ribbon bar is on Belgian eBay. I think it is too fantastic to be believable. What do you all think?

.

Yes, it looks to be a French Equestrian (horse riding) award. Here is a link to a little movie to help explain:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5b2el_concours-colmar-d2gp_animals

These awards are usually made of silver. I do not see a silver hallmark.

With the acorns and cross shape, I could also be German or a related country of the era.

Very nice Guy,

Again, Thank you for sharing!! Are there any more there for sale?

BATTLE OF PIAVE, ITALY, the French, British and US fought in this area in 1918...

He may be got his medal from that area...

Yes, I think you may be right. Thank you.

I was not questioning Johnson military services, your picture is fantastic, so both WWI and WWII, ok, got it, thank you ..

Anyway, the Italian War cross look very pretty also, why is she on the picture if I may ask..

The Italian War Cross is on his post WWI picture. He may have not have been awarded the cross yet at the time of his WWI picture.

What a beautiful black and white picture again, but I have a question concerning one of the soldier.

Ok, I see the Medal of Honor on the left chest , but the second soldier has the same one around his neck...?

So this could explain that the person on the left just got decorated..?

Also, I see several medals from the "Grest War" ( WW I ) but the Dog Tag is from WW II.

This is a little confusing...Dog tags in WW I were round .

Left to right ,

American Defence 1941

WW I Defence Medal with 4 "Metal Bar"

Small WW I Defence Medal

Medal of Honor Pin ?

WW II Medal

Smal medal of Honor (reproduction )

WW II Dog Tag

Don't know the last one yet...

The blue and white striped cross and mini are the WWI Italian War Cross. You are right on the dog tags. I would assume we are not seeing all the medals (and dog tags) as Johnson served in both WWI and WWII. I do not have more information on this group. I received the photos from a friend of the family and have not seen the original group nor have I been able to get more questions answered at present.

Great stuff on Johnson! Here is a picture of Thomas Croft Neibaur (my second Cousin) and I believe Johnston on their way home form the war.

Where are Johnston's decorations? Neibaurs are in the state museum in Boise, Idaho

I am told the group is still with the family.

Yes, Belgian regulation size crossed saber attachment.

During the German occupation of Belgium in WWII, the Belgian Congo colony provided natural resources to the Allies such as copper, palm oil, and rubber. Uranium from the Congo was used to develop the first atomic weapons. So, I assumed some Belgian military soldiers remained behind during the war instead of traveling to England. I agree that this is probably an unofficial attachment as I would have expected a gold star instead of crossed sabers and a shield. I will hold onto the medal as it is a good conversation piece. Thank you.

Hi Gldank,

I made an inquiry to Bill Simpson for you, hope you're not one and the same person

Maybe you know his site?

Anyway, he has been collecting Belgian medals for years and has built up a massive collection shown on his excellent site (see links)

He has never seen this ribbon attachment over the years and it's not in any literature as far as he knows.

So unofficial Staff driver in England is at the moment the best bet.

Home: http://www.belgian-medals.com/

World War II Commemorative Medals: http://www.belgian-medals.com/World_War_2-Medals.html

Regards Eddie.

Yes, I know Bill. Thank you for your help and reply. The quest goes on...

Hello Anatoly13,

What you have there is an unofficial medal, awarded to members of the health security organization as a token of gratitude to its members. Don't know much about these unofficial ones but I suspect it probably exists in 3 classes : "gold", silver, bronze.

A900 is indeed silver (the A = argent, the French word for silver, 900 indicates the silver content : 900/1000).

Cheers,

Hendrik

Thanks Hendrik, your translation is correct and it does come in 3 classes (gold, silver and bronze).

Jeff, as usual, is correct that only the full size Medal of Honor is authorized to be worn - HOWEVER - this photo of USMC WW1 Medal of Honor recipient Louis Cukela clearly shows him wearing a mini Army MoH in this 1920's-1930's circa pic that also shows him with his Navy Tiffany-style MoH at his neck.

Interesting! Thank you Dana

The Medal of Honor is only worn in full size (all services).

Thanks! Jeff

A friend in Germany emailed me and asked if this mini medal was real. I do not know enough about US medals to answer his question. Does or did America issue or award mini Medal of Honor medals to wear on a US miniature medal bar? Would the Army one look like this? Thanks to all.