Hendrik

Hello John, I believe the full title is "Médaille d'Honneur des Sapeurs-Pompier" and there are two types : the 1900 and the 1934 models. Yours is of the latter type. That particular one was created in 3 classes : silver, silver-gilt and gold. Yours is the "gold" class (recognizable by the wreath - sometimes also described as a flame background - on top of its suspension). Below is a picture of the "silver-gilt" class which also shows the ribbon for all three classes.

I believe that this is this medal is an unofficial version and that the Corée-Korea bar was not authorised. The EENDRACHT MAAKT MACHT (along the top) L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (along the bottom) legend and lions of both sides, means that it was issued from 1952 (?) though I'd be grateful if someone could confirm this. Also, I'm afraid that I don't know whether this is the 'good service' or the 'gallantry' type - the chevron is correct for the former, the ribbon for the latter, which type is it - or is it both? You are right in assuming the Corée-Korea bar is not authorised for this medal. The ribbon is indeed the Art.4 (gallantry) type and the chevron denotes the 1st class of this medal. For it to be a Korean War award, it officially would have to have a silver palm with the royal cypher "L" on its ribbon.The reverse centre would have no royal cypher but the same climbing lion as on the obverse. The bilingual motto on the medal was made official on 24 October 1951 but manufacturers did have unilingual medal stocks which they would have wanted to get rid off before producing the bilingual model ... Regards, Hendrik

That would be Walravens (with a V). I think Guy in the first post here started out to give the names of still existing manufacturers. In the meantime, I'm afraid Bonne-Verbeke is no longer and has been taken over by Mauquoy last year. Regards, Hendrik

Greetings ! Could I ask the forum members to enlighten me on the award criteria for the FYROM Order of Military Merit ? Regards, Hendrik

Excellent ! Thank you very much Ilja559 !

Hello, I've been told this medal is the Armed Forces Medal of Azerbaijan. Can this be confirmed as a present day official medal of that country or is it something else ? Regards, Hendrik

Hello All, I'm looking for information, pictures, requirements for award, a possible purchase of the medal itself, ... in short, anything on the Medal for Participation in International Services, which was apparently instituted on April 1, 2004. Regards, Hendrik

Hello Tim, Yes, bars with multiple years on them are quite possible for a number of Italian campaign medals (Italo-Turkish War, Libian Campaign Commemorative, WWI Commemorative, Unity of Italy Medal, a couple of WWII medals, Fascist Campaign Medal, ...). The WWI & II bars are bronze, the others silver(ed) I believe. Regards, Hendrik

Jef, the government may have been too hasty in closing the timeframe in which to apply for the WWI & WWII volunteer medal. Rather than re-opening the application procedure, the Korea War one was used and made retroactively. Obviously, a legal loophole was created and thus WWI & WWII volunteers could apply for this medal although having received the "normal" one earlier on The Pugnator bar indicates the "combattant" state of the volunteer but it is possible for a Korean War volunteer to have received the medal without this bar.

Seriously off-topic I'd say : it's a French group ! Nothing Belgian about it and the Croix de Guerre is the French one for Foreign Theatres of Operations. Also note only the 4 silver bars belong to the Maroc 1911 medal (3rd one left to right), the gilded ones shouldn't be on there at all as they most likely would go with the Colonial Medal. Don't know the last medal in the row but hopefully for the buyer it warrants the expense ...

Don't know exactly but usually it means a number of years of membership (i.e. paying the yearly contribution ...)

these documents refer to the "unlimited furlough" and assigment to a reserve unit

They are lapel badges referring to the Fire Cross ...

This confirms he was put in the Army Reserve ("military personnel on unlimited furlough").

Here's his "history of assignments" and maybe this will help identify where and when he was on the front or reassigned. I circled one entry that appears to say in the colonies. Overseas assignment? It might also show if he got out and re-entered the service. Indeed, colonial service from 1917 till 1939 (rentré de la colonie = returned from the colony) but in Army Reserve, is how I read this page. The various "depot" references seem to indicate him having been put into the army reserves quite possibly - even quite likely in my view - because he took up an official position/occupation in the colony's administration. Is there anything in the other paperwork that can corroborate this ? He would as such have been entitled to some purely colonial awards too (service star, medal in a colonial order).

1) Again, on the left side they show the "Chevrons" authorized. Not sure exactly what this refers to. Translating online: "Luit" comes up as shine or shown...??? Chevrons = front stripes, huit = eight 2) On the right, under the Campaign, Combat, Decoration Cititation section; What is the top entry referring to? Appears to be a unit award to the 4th Regiment Chasseurs? It indicates participation in the "campaign of 1914-1917" ... i.e. WW I - nothing to do with a unit award 3) The seventh entry refers to the Leopold II medal, awarded for long service. What grade is it? Entry reads Médaille d'or de l'Ordre ... i.e. Gold Medal of the Order ... 4) What exactly is the Livret Militaire used for? I notice it lists some of the member's awards but, not all. Was there a cut-off date for recording in this book? Last entry seems to indicate his promotion to Adjutant in 1940. The "Livret Militaire" is a booklet a soldier is supposed to keep on his person at all times and is in fact a form of extensive identity card and listing promotions, awards, assignments and appointments, etc. It is not uncommon in European armies (cfr. German Wehrpass ...). I believe the member joined the service in October, 1911 and eventually retired, though I am not sure exactly when at this point. He was awarded the Military Decoration, 2nd Class on 5 January 1924 for service, but at this point he would have had 13 years service and the 2nd class award is supposed to be awarded for 10 years service. Two more years and he should have also received the Military Decoration 1st Class (w/chevron) for 15 years service as an NCO, though there is no record of him receiving this level award. I assume he remained in the service but, he may have got out and later came back in and that may explain the extra three years. He may not have served continuously in the army after the war's end ... the reference of his move to the colonies isn't 100 % clear in that respect or, it may just be a case of a late award. Finally, he was awarded the Order of Leopold II, Knights Class in April 1937. This would place his service around 25 1/2 years if I did my math correctly. And, we know he was awarded the Officer's grade of the Leopold II in July, 1963 as shown in the earlier citation. I am missing something here on the time requirements for these Leopold II awards, as it appears he was awarded some of these long service awards early or later than expected. Possibly some of the service time in the war and in the colonies counted double ... I'm not too familiar with that part of the rules and regulations but I think it is a distinct possibility.

1) Why isn't the Croix Du Feu (Fire Cross) listed here? Because the Fire Cross was not instituted till 1934, the fire card existed prior to that 2) How complete is this listing supposed to be? I ask as looking in the man's military booklet, there are more awards listed there. Complete at the time of issue, shortly after the war's end ... later awards were not necessarily reproduced on the card.

1) Why would he have multiple listings for the same regiment assignment during various time frames if he remained in the same unit? Never understood that myself. There are small breaks in service if you look at the dates. I'm assuming these are for longer periods of leave ... 2) Was it done this way to identify how many bars he would be entitled to? No 3) I only see entries up to August 1917, so if he was in from the start, I read that to mean he rated five silver (or 1 gold) bar on the Campaign Medal? Fact is he got 8 (huit = French for 8), the maximum awarded.

Hello Tim, Officer Cross of the Order of Leopold II with swords ... the crossed swords device indicating the award is made for WWI service.

Ha, look at the great quality of those oak leaves ... yummy ! Can we see the complete bar please ? And while I'm asking, could someone post a picture of the current Luxembourg medal for participation in peacekeeping missions ? I believe it's called "Médaille de Reconnaissance pour Mission à l'Etranger" Cheers, Hendrik

Hello Ramon, The box probably wasn't the one originally used for the decoration. The mark on the ring would be interesting if one could decypher it : manufacturer's mark ? Silver content mark ? Cheers, Hendrik

Exquisite ! Great quality one !!! To my knowledge Galère was a shop in Brussels and would thus procure the decoration from a manufacturer. Regards, Hendrik

The book is in some way the basic document for the Borne book I mentioned earlier. It is in French only and covers the period 1830 - 1963 !

Nearly sure that it is a WW2 one manufactured in Great Britain ... please post pictures of the obverse and reverse of the complete medal too. Cheers, Hendrik

A list of the bars can be found here : http://users.skynet....UDEWIJN%201.htm - see very end of page. Award of the medal without a bar is quite possible. The operations listed on the above site marked with * do not have a bar to go on the medal. Cheers, Hendrik