IrishGunner

Okay, I suppose most Americans couldn't recognize a Distinguished Service Cross ribbon either. I'd be willing to bet a surprising number wouldn't recognize the MoH ribbon, let alone most other military awards. So, by your standard, those awards are "jokes" too. Just because people don't know about an award doesn't make it less significant. That's a weak argument. And your supposition that "most" Brits and Frenchman know about their awards...is just that...a supposition without evidence. And even if true, the plausible counter to your argument to the OBE and Legion is that if everyone can recognize the ribbon, it must be quite common and numerous... Everyone and anybody can get one. And therefore, since so many are given to so many people...how prestigious can it really be? And the types of people that most often receive those awards are exactly the type receiving the Medal of Freedom. There is no difference. You said several respects... But you only name the ribbon issue. You have a few more reasons to go...

I think the Nobel Prize has already been "bronzed". Might as well add this on to the list of "meaningless" awards.

Wake me when he has something interesting to say...

Your eternal gratitude is appreciated. Please provide your phone number so that I may collect all at hours of the day and night for eternity.

Come on now, Ricky... Sir Elton Hercules John CBE Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, Chevalier Légion d'honneur I won't add more because those two make the point quite well... If the US Presidential Medal of Freedom is a "meaningless" award for hacks, then so are the Order of the British Empire and the Légion d'honneur. You must agree. If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit. PS: Actually, Malcom X and Wilson might be more deserving than Oprah and Bradlee... Just sayin'

Chris, to be fair, is this US award really any different than France's Légion d'honneur or Britain's Queen's birthday honours? The award criteria is no different... "basically can give for any reason at any time" ... No less prestigious than those awards. I'm not a fan of many of those on this US list, but we should recognize this as nothing more than what other nations do to recognize their politicians, actors, artists, etc.

No clue who many of them even are... And the others that I do know... Well... I'll be nice...

And being a baseball fan... Nice to see Mr. Cub on the list...

Long-time Senator Daniel Inouye is the only politician on the list deserving in my opinion... MoH with the Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Go For Broke.

Peter, I'm sure enquiring minds would really like to know more about elephant guns... I sent you a PM

The Geneva Convention treaties (1864, 1906, 1929, 1949) relate to the treatment of people in war - not the use of particular weapons. Specifically, they deal with humane treatment of wounded, sick, prisoners, and civilians. This does not extend to the execution of the war itself. The use of particular weapons in warfare is related to the Hague Conventions (1899, 1907). Interestingly, the 1899 treaty bound the signatories to "abstain from the use of projectiles the object of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gases" and the dropping of projectiles from "from balloons or by other new methods of a similar nature." The bombing clause was only valid for 5 years. The gas clause was easily skirted. Thus, we see those weapons used in WWI. The Geneva Protocol to the Hague Conventions of 1928 is the one that bans the use of all forms of chemical and biological weapons. So, no legal (or binding) prohibition against using elephant guns, shotguns, or saw back bayonets in WWI. Of course, all of those were minor inconveniences compared to the machine gun... Related, but separate, the 1999 Ottawa Treaty bans the use of anti-personnel mines. I'm sure this is too much information and going... But my diplomatic background got the better of me...

The abbreviation for West Riding Regiment = W.RID.R. I have found that some lists found on the internet are incomplete, especially regarding Commonwealth units, but I can find nothing that references something like "W.R.F.D.R" So, my best guess is that your supposition about mistaking the I for an F is quite plausible. However, if indeed there are periods after each letter, then West Riding is unlikely. It might be possible the engraver made a mistake, but I think highly unlikely. As always, a photo of the engraving on the medal in question would help make a more precise guess.

Sorry, Katherine Hepburn, the real "Africa Queen" was on the other side... Nice group. Thanks for sharing.

Crying out for attention again?

Hey, I don't even wear pants...

Some kind of engineer mine with a delay fuze that screws in the top?

Touche. My kids still hear this from me when they "whine" about something: "Life stopped being fair when you stopped playing T-ball." (T-ball = American game for kids ages 4-6 just learning to play baseball. Hit the ball off of a tee; everyone hits, no outs, everyone scores.)

Not so much as a "nice try" or "good guess but no cigar"? Boy, your games are no fun...

French catapult grenade?

Some kind of smoke bomb?

One of the nicer veterans pieces...

A quick Google search shows that the motto "In hoc signo vinces" is a Latin for "in this sign you will conquer". Religious connections, especially with Freemasonry and Knights Templar. According to a wiki: "The symbol is also associated with Freemasony specifically the Knight Templar degree of the York Rite of Freemasonry. The symbol is also known as "Knight Templars Blood-Red Passion Cross and Crown". The cross and crown symbol is often surrounded by the phrase "In Hoc Signo Vinces", which is Latin for "By this sign thou shalt conquer". Interestingly, according to another wiki, the motto has been adopted by many military units. However, I suspect this is a Freemason associated piece.

As Ricky points out, Fußartillerie units were notorious for changing higher headquarters; so, tracing a regiment or battalion's movements during the war can be tricky. Believe me, I've tried. A document like your's is only one part of the puzzle. For what it's worth, at mobilization in 1914, FußAR5 was garrisoned in Posen, part of V. AK.