Hendrik

Just conferred with Guy Deploige on this topic and we both agree that this kind of documents originated in the 1920's ... that's as close as we can get at the moment. Cheers, Hendrik

Bonjour Christophe, As I'll be in Paris end of May (28 - 31), I would appreciate information on flea markets and brocantes like the ones you mention above so that I can make a visit myself. Feel free to send me a PM if you know of any taking place then ... Thanks, Hendrik

Hello Guy and welcome to the forum ! Indeed a very nice miniatures bar ... one doesn't often see a fine quality one with gems like that one ! Cheers, Hendrik

Thanks Ed Woe is me ! How could I forget about the Belgian Army Museum site and the 2002 Exhibition (which I actually visited at the time) ? Senility must be creeping upon me The exhibition was held on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the order and had the full cooperation of the Paris LDH museum which was then and still is undergoing a complete makeover. The Paris museum will reopen this year, on 14 July ... just in case one happens to find oneself in that town after that date ...

... and the reverse with the eagle looking the other way. [attachmentid=29430]

Thanks Jim ... I've been happily fiddling with your LDH pictures as can be seen below. It is, as you already indicated yourself, the 1st model, 3rd type, Knight class of the order (chevalier) mainly because of : - the crown with 8 arches (3 front, 3 back, 1 on each side) of that particular rounded form at the top, - reverse eagle looking right instead of left The other characteristics are all in compliance with it being a 1st model. Gorgeous one dating from between 1806 to 1814 in marvellous condition for its age. Those wee bits of missing enamel are entirely neglible compared to the "usual" wrecks one encounters from time to time ... Congratulations on having it in your collection ! I'm currently looking a nice shade of green with envy Hendrik [attachmentid=29424]

Hello Kev, How interesting but strange ! Looking at the bar combinations you've listed, one would have to deduce there's really no particular order in which they are worn. And the 1919 bar, being the last timewise, not being added on top of the others received, is uncommon too I would think. It just starts to look to me as if the recipients just put on the bars in their very own order of precedence ... Interesting note on the variations too ! One assumes that various manufacturers all had their way of producing these crosses. I'm looking forward to your findings on the various battles. Someone told me once that Marasesti could be called the Romanian Verdun ... Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Joe, You have every right to be exited : those early LDH pieces are indeed gorgeous and pretty rare to find in the excellent condition yours appears to be in. To determine the exact type, I would need higher definition pictures (300 dpi) - feel free to PM them to me and I'll see what I can find out. At any rate, I have to disappoint you about the chances of Napoleon having had his grubby hands on this one : the first type, which he actually wore himself, doesn't have a crown suspension at all and it resides in the vaults of the ... Belgian Army Museum in Brussels. Hendrik

the reverse dates are 1916 - 1918 but I've always felt that somewhere along the road a couple of bars may have been added by a previous owner/seller to get a better price for the item, e.g. the position of the 1919 bar looked a bit suspicious to me as I would have expected that one to be on top of the others ...

Indeed it is ... This Commemorative Medal of the Reign of Leopold II has been awarded with three different reverses : 1865-1905 : to civilians in the administration 1865-1909 : to former military personnel and 1885-1909 : to the former members of the "Force Publique" in the Congo colony Both the 1909 types were instituted as late as the 1950's. Basically the requirement was 20 years of loyal service. [attachmentid=29113] [attachmentid=29112]

Nice collection there ! Here's mine, with the Carpati bar amongst them ... I've always wondered if these bars are in the right order of wear. Is there a rule on the precedence of these bars ? [attachmentid=29111]

Well done ! A fitting tribute I would say. You might consider adding a French WWI Commemorative Medal and Interallied Victory Medal ...

Hi Tony, It would very much appear to be the case : the website in post No. 5 mentions the Vichy units but a simple search on Google yields indirect information that there must have been units on the British side as well (Brits serving with the Arab Legion and Druse cavalry etc. ) ... To be continued, I guess Cheers, Hendrik

Mmmm ... according to this site - http://www.tdg.nu/OOBs/1939-1945/oob_operation_exporter_1941.htm - I need to correct myself as it states that the Druze were actually on the Vichy side ! Some more research will be needed

Hello Brian, I've come across the "Druze" when doing some research on a French medal (The Syria-Cilicia Medal aka the Levant Medal). They would appear to have been (and probably still are) living in the Lebanon - Syria region who, in the 1920-1930's unsuccessfully opposed the French rule over the area. In that context, it should probably not come as a surprise that some Druze joined the British forces there when those attacked and eventually defeated the Vichy French troops in 1941. Cheers, Hendrik

Italy has crosses too ... [attachmentid=28247]

Not in the same league as the David's and Robert's of this world but it's on the US theme as requested [attachmentid=28246]

In total agreement with the above praise to Dave and Robert and the prospect of an artistic medals photo contest ! Keenly looking for more of those and for any others that want to join in ... I'll give the US theme a try when it's daylight again - no helmet around though ... this thread is delightful

Very ... no ... VERY impressed !!! Original and enjoyable. Thanks for sharing this !

Hi Ed, As far as I'm concerned, there are no stupid questions ... only stupid answers ! As the decoration was created while the Dutch government was in exile in London, two local manufacturers originally produced it : John Robert Gaunt, with "Sterling" on the reverse and Spink & Son, with "Silver" on the reverse. Some time after the liberation of the Netherlands the Dutch Mint in Utrecht started producing these crosses with a completely blank reverse.

... reverse, marked "STERLING". [attachmentid=27747]

Subsequent awards were recognized by a numeral being placed on the ribbon. However, it is believed another device was proposed at the time but - in my view unfortunately rejected : it consisted of a far more appealing numeral within a pair of wings ... [attachmentid=27745] [attachmentid=27746]

The Dutch Flying Cross was instituted on 28 August 1941. Its central medallion bears the inscription "Initiatief - Moed - Volharding" (Initiative, courage, perseverance) and the date "1941". The reverse is plain but crosses made in Britain during the war have either "Sterling" or "Silver" impressed in the lower arm. The ribbon is clearly based on the British Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) but unlike the British award, the Dutch Flying Cross could also be awarded for achievements performed whilst not in action and even to civilians. The cross was also awarded to non-Dutch flying personnel. [attachmentid=27744]

Thanks Ed The above will nicely go with the two I already obtained previously : 3rd Army Cross (WWI) and 4th Army Corps Cross (Eastern Africa again) ... I find these crosses quite interesting and some of them are of a fairly decent quality. Would love to see more of them posted here ... [attachmentid=27738] [attachmentid=27739]

... and a - very dark bronze - 7th Army Corps cross (referring to the Gorizia battles during WWI). [attachmentid=27735] [attachmentid=27736]