IrishGunner

Agreed; not Polish. But we've discussed this pattern of collar insignia on GMIC before; I am certain Central or Eastern European.

Google is your friend.

Definitely, Polish. The abbreviation "Miedz. Ofic. Zaw." does not come to mind quickly, but "Konne" means "horse." The pennant is a traditional pennon color representing Cavalry during the 1920s-1939. My guess some kind of award for a cavalry horse competition.

It does look like a WWI Minenwerfer, but those upright cylinders on the base plate are not familiar. So, I can't guess it's type/model or country of origin. Certainly does not look like any German or Austrian mortar I've seen. It does look to be about 38cm. German WW2 Nebelwerfer were 28cm for high explosive rockets, but those were usually mounted in multiple tubes. So, I suppose it is possible this is a single rocket launcher. It would be useful to see all the info on the display card for more clues.

I actually just returned a medal to the man's family last month. I had the medal in my collection for over 13 years. It was a very valued piece in my collection - even written about extensively here on GMIC. And of course, as mentioned is possible, various members of the family while researching their ancestor, found the info on GMIC and contacted me through the forum. The first time was over 10 years ago. The first two family members shared info about the man and in closing always wrote, "If you ever choose to part with the medal..." Ten years ago, I felt as many here have stated; at so

The idea that this is a "second row" in an interesting thought... There is no way to be sure of any theory. But I think we can now be reasonably sure this is a Belgian bar...

OH! I thought you dropped some raisins in your lap.

I hadn't thought of why no Victory Medal. Good point... Stuka, why do you think the Congo Service Star?

That is a guess I looked as well. That would make the bar appearing in correct order as in left to right of the photo. A Belgian who received the French and British medals. But the "combatant" part confused me a bit because I thought that the British War Medal was awarded only to Belgian civilians, not combatants. Unless of course, the Belgian Volunteer Combatatants Medal was also issued to civilians in some cases... A possibility as that was awarded to ambulance drivers and red cross. Would mean that the person got around to both fronts. But I'm starting to lean in the Belgian d

Find of 2019? He probably lost it already....

I am posting this one here because despite the order in the photo, I believe the British War Medal is in the senior spot of precedence. This is an odd combination to my eye. If we go left to right (again reverse the photo order): British War Medal, French War Commemorative Medal, Belgian War Commemorative Medal, and...a blue ribbon of an unknown medal. So, does this bar make sense? What could the blue ribbon represent? My first thought was maybe a Red Cross volunteer or an ambulance driver. If British, however, wouldn't this have the British Red Cross Society medal (a white ribbon)?

Here is a photo with more clarity. And one from Fort du Camp des Romains, one of the French forts besieged at the start of the war by the Germans and supported by the Austrian siege mortars (it wasn't only the Belgian forts). This photo shows German (possibly Bavarian) troops mixed in with the Austrians.

It is the Škoda 30.5 cm Mörser M.11 There were 2 later variants, but this looks like the original 1911 model.

As a kid, I was a coin collector. That continued into my young adulthood. While posted to Berlin in the early 1980s, my wife and I would often visit the flea markets and I would pick up a few coins on every trip. One day I purchased a Hindenburg cross and and 1870/71 medal. At the time, I had no idea what they were, but thought they would be good souvenirs of time spent in Berlin. As we traveled around Europe, I gradually found it more interesting to pick up an old military medal at flea markets as a souvenir of visiting different countries rather than coins. Slowly this grew to delibera

My wife is looking to make a bread pudding from a leftover Italian Christmas Panetone.

So, I was close then with the Sept '16 Verdun guess.

Sorry, I was asleep. Did someone say there is pudding?

Since you highlighted the Feldpost stamp of the Jaegerregiment zu Pferde Nr, 12, I am guessing something to do with that unit. Sept 1916 they are at Verdun, right? Perhaps the fellow with the white ribbon in his buttonhole is someone famous?

You forgot verbose. 😉 You could have gotten right to the point and saved me a lot of time if you had written this sentence at the beginning of this novella - " In conclusion, I will attempt to be more mindful of the need for clarity in my writing while not drifting too far away from what I term as a writing style. After all it has taken me decades to get to be this annoying and pretentious." 😋

I certainly wouldn't argue with your analysis. Well done. This could warrant a published article.

Alex, this is one of the honorary badges of Polish military units from the post-WWI period during the 1919-1921 Russo-Polish War in which Poland guaranteed its independence from Soviet Russia. Specifically, this badge is for members of the Pomeranian Front. In Polish: Odznaka Front Pomorski "Bóg Wolność i Ojczyzna" English: Badge of the Pomeranian Front "God, Freedom, and Homeland" You can Google and see several for sale. However, I always urge caution with anything Polish; Polish militaria is heavily faked. Unfortunately, I am not expert enough to offer any opinion on the origin

I wonder what is the rounded item sticking out from the tunic of the center fellow with the EK ribbon.

Well, maybe not wrong. But woefully out of date. The internet has taken over for everything "on the television and in print." And the internet if full of fake news. So...

Must be difficult to play an instrument on skis/snowshoes

Reading between the lines, I don't believe a word I read...