IrishGunner

The Malta badge is great. I really like the phrase: "May be hand bent in hot water." I wonder if that was a note for the Sergeant Major? Pennants are a nice add to the thread as well. Thanks for posting.

Nice porcelain piece

I should let Frank field that one... (But they are unofficial medals issued by a post-Soviet nostalgia political party) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_%22Umalatova%22_awards

Well, quite interesting indeed. Of course, I'm sure you have ample drawers for your drawers.

I'd start looking at Coast Defense Artillery units...

Man, these things get cranked out so fast they might as well be Umalatova issues.

Ancient Order of United Workmen The American fraternal benefit network began with the organization the AOUW in Meadville, Pennsylvania on October 27, 1868. The emblems and symbols used by the AOUW are steeped in Masonic attributes, featuring the All-Seeing Eye, the Holy Bible, Anchor and Square and Compasses, over which the motto "Charity, Hope and Protection" are displayed. http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/fraternalism/aouw.htm There are images of similar badges on the above link. I am sure you will find more with an expanded Google search. (I simply googled "AOUW cross keys" ad found all of the above.)

I too wondered about the originality of the EK itself, but haven't any knowledge in that area... Great comment Paul.

Exactly. Other than an entry on another forum and wiki, there hasn't been any documentation presented. At best, it's "trench art"... But even that's a stretch. Here's the link to the Warsaw Uprising Museum - Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego http://www.1944.pl/en/ You might consider contacting them... If there is anything legitimate about this item, they will know.

To paraphrase Forest Gump; "Wiki is as wiki says" Yes, Gestapo was in Warsaw during the Uprising. In fact, I knew a woman (she has since passed away) who was awarded the Virtuti Militari for pointing out a Gestapo officer so her partners could assassinate him... This happened on Aleje Ujazdowskie just down the street from where the US Embassy now stands. I especially don't believe these were made during the Uprising for awards. While the Polish Home Army used captured German equipment, including helmets and uniforms, I just don't believe they would have made these Iron Crosses. I still say total fantasy. I truly suspect they were probably made (from fake Iron Crosses no less) in the last 10 to 20 years to fool unsuspecting tourists.

It definitely is a made up item - it is clearly not an official Polish award. It looks like someone attached a Republic of Poland - Rzeczpospolita Polska - coin on top of a Third Reich 1939 Iron Cross. The coin was then stamped with the "Anchor" symbol of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising by the Polish Home Army. It's actually not an anchor, but the initials PW for Powstanie warszawskie - Warsaw Uprising in Polish. Again, I have no idea when this was "crafted," but it is definitely a fantasy item in my opinion. I lived in Warsaw and know several veterans of the Uprising - I never saw one of these pieces. I don't even recall seeing one in the very excellent museum in Warsaw dedicated to the Uprising.

Nice one

Google search suggests the Scout connection is valid/likely: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_des_Scouts_du_Canada#Uniforms

Jock, actually they served overseas in France.

"Worker" in "Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps" A civilian woman's auxiliary which performed support functions like cooks, store keeping, clerical work, telephone and administration, printing, motor vehicle maintenance etc.

Got any extra pips lying around?

I believe the answer is = No. Any service in the theater earned the medal. However, only participation in the following campaigns earned stars: Military Campaigns Name of campaign Start Date End Date Egypt-Libya 11 June 1942 12 February 1943 Air Offensive, Europe 4 July 1942 5 June 1944 Algeria-French Morocco 8 November 1942 11 November 1942 Tunisia 12 November 1942 13 May 1943 Sicily 14 May 1943 17 August 1943 Naples-Foggia 18 August 1943 21 January 1944 Anzio 22 January 1944 24 May 1944 Rome-Arno 22 January 1944 9 September 1944 Normandy 6 June 1944 24 July 1944 Northern France 25 July 1944 14,September 1944 Southern France 15 August 1944 14 September 1944 Northern Apennines 10 September 1944 4 April 1945 Rhineland 15 September1944 21 March 1945 Ardennes-Alsace 16 December 1944 25 January 1945 Central Europe 22 March 1945 11 May 1945 Po Valley 5 April 1945 8 May 1945 You could also get a star for ground combat, air combat, or antisubmarine combat if you weren't in one of the named campaigns. Rail yards in London isn't campaign credit.

While you are at it, I have three shipments of do-dads that seem to be taking that exact same route. Any help in contacting the all powerful dude appreciated because I think the drones expended all their energy on your do-dads. Either that, or the the drones are baseball fans and batting .250 is satisfactory for their contract renewals.

This is a misguided statement. Have you read the Fourteen Points? The first 5 points are general, but most of them do with gains for other nations...not the US. 6. The evacuation of all Russian territory and such a settlement of all questions affecting Russia as will secure the best and freest cooperation of the other nations of the world in obtaining for her an unhampered and unembarrassed opportunity for the independent determination of her own political development and national policy and assure her of a sincere welcome into the society of free nations under institutions of her own choosing; and, more than a welcome, assistance also of every kind that she may need and may herself desire. The treatment accorded Russia by her sister nations in the months to come will be the acid test of their good will, of their comprehension of her needs as distinguished from their own interests, and of their intelligent and unselfish sympathy. Exactly how does #6 benefit the US? Looks like a better deal for Russia in my view. 7. Belgium, the whole world will agree, must be evacuated and restored, without any attempt to limit the sovereignty which she enjoys in common with all other free nations. No other single act will serve as this will serve to restore confidence among the nations in the laws which they have themselves set and determined for the government of their relations with one another. I'm guessing the Belgians felt they benefited here more than the US. 8. All French territory should be freed and the invaded portions restored, and the wrong done to France by Prussia in 1871 in the matter of Alsace-Lorraine, which has unsettled the peace of the world for nearly fifty years, should be righted, in order that peace may once more be made secure in the interest of all. Purely in the political self-interest of the US? Wasn't that a French war aim? Hmmm... Points 9-13 dealing with Italy, Austria-Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey and Poland (and I know for certain the Poles view this as a huge gain for them) were directed at the benefit of those nations and not the political gain of the US. Point 14 - the League of Nations - Wilson's #1 personal goal. Failed. Because the US Senate did not ratify and join the League. So, tell me how that benefited Wilson politically or the US specifically...

As suggested, it depends upon what you mean by the "fight." If you mean combat units in Europe, then the outcome would have been exactly the same - maybe a few more months - but exactly the same, if US troops hadn't "joined the fight." Germany was becoming exhausted and the spring offensive still would have went the same way. The German commanders would have still advised the Kaiser to seek an armistice. Versailles would have still gone the way it did, but maybe without Wilson's 14 Points. On the other hand, if you mean what if the US had exercised strict and pure neutrality (and given up war profits) as the US Secretary of State argued, then the Allies would have most likely sought a negotiated peace in 1916. We would have started the road to the European Union a lot earlier; French efforts to keep Germany in check economically - Britain still a member, but opting out of certain things. And there would not have been a Russian revolution. Austria-Hungary would have imploded and Wilson's 14 Points, particularly creating the new eastern Europe states (eg Poland) might have still gotten some air time.

I agree with Monsieur Johnson; this is a French Division. The Section sanitaire automobile anglaise n° 2 was an English volunteer ambulance section (possibly associated with the Red Cross) in the French 72e division d’infanterie. This type of unit was common; I've seen references to other Section sanitaire automobile anglaise in French divisions. As for the fourragère; English usage prefers the original French for this word. So, you could use fourragère in any Google search. However, I do not believe British military personnel wore the fourragère on their uniforms; even if their unit may have received the distinction from the French Government. As the Section sanitaire automobile anglaise n° 2 was not a British military unit, it could be possible that its members did wear the fourragère. Although, I've not seen a photo of Red Cross personnel in uniform with fourragère. That doesn't mean it wasn't done, only that I've not seen one in the couple hundred Red Cross photos I've seen so far. Something I will keep an eye out for in the future.

That is awesome!

If you Google the words (eg Reichsnährstand or Blut und Boden) on the medal, you will find a lot of information on the agricultural policies of the Third Reich. Probably a medal from the Ministry of Agriculture.

I'm with Michael on this one - bazaar trinket. That badge is just horrendous. Especially since it's more like a Queen's Crown (post 1953) - it shouldn't look so mangled. By the way, it's Royal Artillery badge - not REME.