Hendrik

Hello Jason, I fully agree it's non-official and I've never seen this one before. Seems to be connected with the post-WWI Belgian occupation forces in Germany, the "Rhine Army". It looks like a mix of the (official) French Academic Palms and this non-official award of the Association of Rhine Army veterans : Cheers, Hendrik

Hi Eddie & John, Eddie : couldn't have put it any better myself In this small country of Belgium we do separate our crosses from our medals Bearing in mind though that in orders "we" usually don't even mention numbered classes but refer to them as bronze, silver, gold medals and then knight, officer, commander, grand officer and grand cross of whatever order, I think the best name to use would be "Civil Decoration 1940-1945 Bronze Medal" ... Damn, I'd better check how I mentioned that on my website - I probably goofed up there ! Cheers, Hendrik

Hi Eric, ... a very nice place to go ! I'll be there (again) on Sunday morning for a visit with some French collectors It wasn't the obverse centre's background that caught my eye but its legend : "EMP." (1st Empire) instead of "EMPEREUR" (2nd Empire). Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Eric, I'm a bit stumped on this one ... very nice-looking commander class but it looks a hybrid one to me at first glance : 2nd Empire cross with 1st Empire obverse centre. Am anxious to see Veteran's reaction to this one ! Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Eric, It gets better and better ! A gorgeous 1st Empire, 3rd type knight class if I'm not mistaken. My only reservation is that the 3 stars on the medallion differ on the obverse vs. the reverse. Haven't seen that before but then again, the streets aren't really littered with these early ones and in such great condition too ... Let's wait and see what Veteran has to say about it ! Cheers, Hendrik

Oops, a typing error ! Thanks for the correction, V?t?ran !!! Nice authentic items, Eric ... keep them coming Cheers, Hendrik

Very nice one, Eric ! I believe this type of the July Monarchy (1830-1838), with "Henri IV" at the bottom of its centre, is far from a common one. Cheers, Hendrik

Many thanks Jody and Harrier for confirming my hopes ! Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Harrier, Wished I knew ... and that is why I posted the pictures : hoping someone can tell me whether they are just copies or did indeed come from the then manufacturer. Cheers, Hendrik

Hi Gents ! And what about these ? Purchased in the Netherlands some years ago, all are unnamed. Cheers, Hendrik

Ed, PM sent ... Cheers, Hendrik

Ed, Your inbox seems to need emptying ... Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Ed, Give me a couple of days - I'll contact some French collectors ... Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Roeland, The de Roffignac book deals with orders etc. from African countries AFTER their becoming independent. Great book but not on French colonial awards. Cheers, Hendrik

Hi Jason, Specifications on the bars are a bit vague : height 2 mm, width equal to the ribbon's width ... Nothing about them being braided or not although the braided type seems to be the one most frequently used at the time. The WWI Commemorative Medal's bars are also 2 mm but either gilt or silvered, those for the POW medal are bronze ... so if yours are bronze and 2 mm, they're OK ! Cheers, Hendrik

Dear Megan, A perfect answer on those Royal Navy bars !!! Many thanks indeed for all the wonderful information ! Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Jason, None at all - in fact it's the miniature device that's associated with the ribbon bar of this medal and is quite out of place on the full size medal's ribbon. Cheers, Hendrik

Thank you both for your replies ! Considerably more bars than I had in mind Paul : if you have the present edition of "British Battles & Medals", would it be possible to scan the list of bars ? Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Miguel, I completely agree, don't touch it : it's how the recipient chose to wear them and as he appreciated them. The correct order would be : Crown Order medal, Civic Cross, Leopold II Commemorative. The Civic Medal - as it is "superfluous" doesn't have a place in the order of wear but would look best behind the Civic Cross I guess... Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Gents, If my information is correct, just over 50 bars (52, 54 ?) were at one point proposed for wearing on the British War Medal 1914-1920. The British government soon came to the conclusion that awarding such a variety and amount of bars would be very expensive and shelved the idea. Nevertheless, at least some miniature bars were apparently already manufactured in the expectation of them being authorised. I've seen Spink & Son being mentioned as the firm that produced these. I have a few questions in this respect : - were full size bars ever made ? - does anyone have a complete list of the then proposed bars ? - was Spink & Son the only manufacturer to produce these bars ? Looking forward to your answers, Hendrik

Hello Miguel, Indeed a neat display ! OK, so the medals aren't mounted in the right order and the last one in the row shouldn't be there as the higher class of the decoration only is supposed to be worn ... it's still a delightful little group and prettily displayed ! Small error in the title : not a policeman's group but one that belonged to a member of either the "Civil Guard" or the Fire Brigade. Cheers, Hendrik

Jason, Almost right : 1st silver bar after 1 year, subsequent bars after every 6 months of further frontline service. Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Jason, The bar looks to be gilt and thus replaces 5 silver ones, indicating 3 years of front line service ... Cheers, Hendrik

Gentlemen, Many thanks indeed to both of you for the interesting additional information and putting the medal within its timeframe ! Regards, Hendrik

Christophe, Eddie, That was extremely quick ! Thank you both for solving this little problem of mine Regards, Hendrik