heusy68

Hello Gentlemen,despite there is very few information concerning the award of Sierra Leone I will try to list the few for which I have pictures and let's see if someon else can help. I will begin by the Decorations & Medals.The Order of the Republic & the Order of the Rokel will be on a separate topic. Sierra Leone get its Independence from United Kingdom in 1961 and became a Republic 10 Years later on 19 april 1971. Dr Siaka Stevens who was prime minister from 1968 to 1971 was elected President on 21 april 1971 and he resign to power on 28 november 1985. From 1991 to 2002 Sierra Leone had to suffer a bloody civil war with lots of atrocities. Here is : Order of Bravery. Ok it looks like a Victoria Cross,but it was made like that and the reverse is blank. I cannot say much more about it than the picture itself. Emmanuel

Here a close-up picture of the Grand Officer breast star. Emmanuel

Here is a close-up view of the Officer's insignia Emmanuel

Hello Gentlemen,here is the senior Order of Senegal , the Order of the Lion (sometimes refered as the National Order ) This Order was instituted by Law 60-36 from 22 October 1960,later modified by Law 62-416 from 11 July 1962 and again by Law 64-06 from 24 January 1964. It's a 5 classes Order : Grand Cross - Grand Officer - Commander - Officer - Knight There is a maximum number of 5000 Knight,1000 Officers,200 Commanders,100 Grand Officers & 25 Grand Cross. The Order of the Lion attributed to foreigner are NOT counted into this figure. In peace time,15 Years of Service are necessary to get awarded Knight of the National Order of the Lion (if you fullfill the criteria).Then 6 more years to be promoted Officer,then 5 years to be promoted Commander,then 4 years to be promoted Grand Officer and at last 3 years to be promoted Grand Cross. Of course the promotion is NOT automatic. Following the french tradition,the rank of Grand Officer (displayed here) is the Officer's insignia + a silvered body breast star. The diameter of the breast star is about 80 millimeters. His Highness Karim Aga Khan was made Grand Officer of the Order of the Lion in 1982 Emmanuel

Senegal has also 3 others Orders for which I don't have pictures. Order of 20 August ( Law 60-365 from 2 October 1960). It was a single class Order limited to 250 members. Awarded only in 1960 it was a rectangular badge of 30 by 40 millimeters with a Lion on a 5 pointed star on obverse & on reverse the National Motto : Un Peuple - Un But - Une Foi + the name of the person who was awarded the Order. Order of Academic Palm ( Law 74-1280 from 23 December 1974). It's a 3 classes Order. It's a 5 pointed breast star surrounded by 2 palms with a lion's head in center. Ribbon is purple with a yellow center stripe. Order of Agricultural Merit ( Law 82-600 from 7 August 1982). It's a 3 classes Order. It's a circular insignia with on its center and from top to bottom, the head of a cow in brown enamel,the waves of the ocean enameled in blue,trees with leafs enameled in green. Ribbon is ocean blue with a center marron stripe bordered by a green stripe. If anyone has a picture he's most welcome to post it here. Emmanuel

Here a close-up picture of the Grand Officer breast star. Emmanuel

A close-up picture of the Officer's Insignia. Emmanuel

Hello Gentlemen.Here is the 2nd Order of the Republic of Senegal,the Order of Merit. It's a 5 classes Order : Grand Cross - Grand Officer - Commander - Officer - kinght. Here it's the insignia of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit (as a set). Following the french tradition,a Grand Officer is the Officer breast badge + a silvered body breast star. This Order was instituted by Law 60-364 from 22 October 1960 later modified by Law 65-329 from 7 August 1965 & Law 66-673 from 31 August 1966 A minimum of 10 years of service is required to get the Knight rank,then you have to wait 5 years to get promoted to Officer rank. Criteria of attribution are in the laws. Emmanuel

It seems it exist an Army Museum in Dakkar : 75 Boulevard de la Republique - Dakkar. For those who will go on holiday there maybe a stop over of 2 or 3 nights in Dakkar is a good idea. Visit the Ile de Gorée and museum (not only the Army Museum) and also the Market. Emmanuel

Here a very nice and detailed pictures of Seneal Vet's : Tirailleurs Senegalais proudly displaying their Medals & Orders The one at right is wearing on first row of his medal bar : Officer of the Order of Merit of Senegal - Military Medal of France - Military Medal of Senegal - Cross of Military Valour of France. On 2nd row he's wearing : Senegal Cross of Military Valour - Medal for Operation in North Africa ( a french medal ) - then 2 UN Medal On 3rd row he's wearing the Combat Medal from Saudi Arabia - The Liberation of Kuwait Medal issued by Saudi Arabia to allied army. During the Gulf War of 1991 Senegal sent 500 Men to Saudi Arabia. Many of these veterans had fought in the Indochina War and also a few in the Algeria war (for this reason lots of them are wearing the awards they got when they were under the french flag). Emmanuel

Here you can see General Abdollaye Fall Senegal Chief of Staff. On 1st row of his medal bar,on 3rd position from left he's wearing the Military Cross with 3 citation. The 4th ribbon from left is Medal of Honour of Gendarmerie. Emmanuel

Senegal has also a Medal of Honour for Firefighter instituted by Law 80-1281 from 31 December 1980. If someone has a picture,even a small one,he's most welcome to post it. A Medal of Honour of the Institutor (Teachers) from the Primary Level (child from 6 to 12) was instituted by Law 61-115 from 20 March 1961 Maybe it was never more than an award document on paper to be framed ?? Emmanuel

Here a close-up view of the Medal of Labor Gold Medal. Emmanuel

Here we have the Senegal Medal of Labor. This medal was instituted by Law 66-146 of 25 February 1966 to reward long service work on maximum 3 employ. The Silver Medal for 15 Years (silvered medal) The Silver-Gilt Medal for 20 Years (gilded medal with rosette on ribbon).Official name is Medaille de Vermeil (french word for silver-gilt). The Gold Medal for 25 Years (gilt medal with oak crown suspension,rosette on ribbon & a single palm below rosette). The Great Gold Medal for 30 Years (not here).The onliest difference for this medal is that instead of a single palm,here the palm is double. The medal is 27 millimeters in diameters. Several manufacturer have striken this medal : Arthus Bertrand & Huguenin,but there might be more.The silver medal above is one of Huguenin. Emmanuel

Here is the Wounded Medal of Senegal. The reverse reads : "Blesse en Operation" = "Wounded in Operation" During the 70ies & 80ies Senegal had been facing an uprising in the southern part of the country named Casamance (the part of the country located between Gambia & Guinea Bissau). It was a kind of low level guerilla war,but there was some hard skirmishes. We have no decree of institution,just the medal.The obverse center with the lion head is a separate parts. But due to its quality I believe this medal to have been striken in Senegal. The diameter of this medal is 40 millimeters. There is a shop or factory there that is named : Comptoir Franco-Suisse Dakkar. This name has been seen on the inner lid of some issue case. I do not know much more about this company. Emmanuel

Here we have the Medal of Honour of the Custom Service. The decree that institute this medal is Law 66-038 from 13 January 1966. The original decree says about a 5 pointed star in silver of diameter 40 millimeters. Maybe too expensive to produce,later it may have been replaced by an simplier version. This medal is striken in low quality base metal and its diameter is 32 millimeters. I have never seen another one. Watch ribbon colors,it's almost the inverse than the Police Medal of Honour. Emmanuel

Here it is the Senegal Medal of Honour of the Police. This medal was instituted by Law 72-643 from 29 May 1972. The diameter of this medal is 35 millimeters. This medal displayed here is an early striking in real silver. I believe current striking (local striking) are made of base metal. Emmanuel

Here we have the Medal of Honour of the Gendarmerie. For those who don't know in "french world" the Gendarmerie is a Corps from the Army devoted to operation of Police with larger vehicule and a military training. This medal was instituted by Law 78-306 from 1978. The inner disc is 28 millimeters in diameter & the total diameter with the leaf is 39 millimeters. Emmanuel

Here we have the Senegal : Croix de la Valeur Militaire = Cross of Military Valour. This medal was instituted by Law 68-109 from 1st February 1968. This Cross is awarded for individual citation in peace or in war time but also to units. General Abdollaye Fall ( Senegal Army Chief of Staff got the Military Cross with 3 citation on ribbon ). His picture will be at end of topic. Emmanuel

Hello Gentlemen,here I will do my best to list the medals of the Republic of Senegal (Orders of Senegal will be on a separate topic,so if you wish to post yours pay attention where to do it to avoid confusion). Here it's the Military Medal.This medal was instituted by Law 64-312 of 28 april 1964. A batch of maximum 40 such medal can be awarded yearly to NCO for Long Service & Citation. Those who got this medal for act of valour are not counted into this figure. On the obverse you can read : Republique du Sénégal - Médaille Militaire. On the reverse you can read : "Un Peuple-Un But-Une Foi" = "One Nation-One Goal-One Faith" The diameter of this medal is 30 millimeters and this one is from the 60ies.Later one are a bit cruder with less sharper details on lion. Emmanuel

This is the Medal of Honour of the Police of Djibouti. The forum zitocland.fr has to be credited for this picture. Again,as this medal is missing to my collection,I would pay a very good price for it. Emmanuel

Hello Gentlemen,lots of medals are discovered everyday.For those who think that living in France makes them easy to get,it's totally wrong. Here is the Djibouti Medal for Act of Courage ( Life Saving Medal ).The site of Eric Semon has to be credited. By the way I'am looking for this medal for my own collection and I could pay a good price. Emmanuel

Here on the topic concerning the Order of the Golden Heart I post again the picture of Maj Gen Tangai M.G.H. , E.B.S. from Kenya Air Force,he's wearing the Moran of the Golden Heart as a breast star. Now watch the second picture : Maj Gen Pastor O. Awitta M.G.H., E.B.S. Commander in Chief of the Navy of Kenya.I choose these 2 officers because they were awarded exactly the same ranks on both Orders. This officer is wearing the Moran of the Golden Heart as a neck badge,like the one I displayed above. Is it a kind of fashion,or the way of wearing the rank of Moran of the Golden Heart may have evoluted through time since 1966 ? Here the link to all Kenya Navy Chef of Staff. http://www.mod.go.ke/Navysite/kenyanisation.htm Emmanuel

Here you can see Maj Gen. Tangai from the Kenya Air Force,and I hope the link below will works. Maj Gen Tangai was awarded E.B.S.( Elder Burning Spear) & M.G.H. (Moran Golden Heart). I have re-size the picture a bit larger,so I hope those whoi have good eyes as I do will see his right breast star clearly has on its center a "lion rampant" holding a spear (Elder rank). The other breast star he's wearing (the gilded one at left) is to my opinion another method to wear the Moran rank (not as a commander,but as a breast star).Anyway it seems that the outer center is black enamel with a cockrell on center.Watch the topic on Order of the Golden Heart where I have included a picture of Moran of the Golden Heart. http://www.mod.go.ke/kafcmd.htm You may found another link on Lieut Gen. julius Karangi from the Kenya Air Force : http://www.mod.go.ke/?page_link=vcgs Emmanuel

This picture is certianly NOT a lower class of the Burning Spear.Even if you don't remember from where you get it. Several dealer worldwide got this medal,almost always without ribbon. But the ribbon I have for it is THE correct one. ELM from Singapore manufactured it for the Government of Kenya,and there is a frame in their factory.This medal which I bought in the Aldershot Medal Fair in May 2004 is mounted with the ribbon I got from them 3 years later. By the way dealers like the one mentioned by Ilja above ABSOLUTELY don't care about to be accurate or not.The main thing is to put a name on something rather than to say : "unknown".It's always hard to sell something which is "unknown" and from a commercial point of view it doesn't fit. So please STOP to always refers on dealers list as if they were GOD !!!!!! They are very far from being . We now have used 4 post just to say nothing.It's childlike attitude. Just because the largest UK dealer said so. On this forum we all of us should behave a bit more clever and try to write replies than could bring some knowledge into light. Emmanuel