Bob

I would also take the liberty and add the translation of the hand-written note on the back of the cover of the Award Card for one of the medals. It says "Bold (person's name) stole it and sold it". Probably written by the veteran or a family member. Sad.

Huh? that doesn;t make sense... why would the person who stole it write it? and how could the person from whom it was stolen write it?

A small motherhood group (finally) now in my collection. Have had to wait for years to get a combined 1st + 2nd class (and it also contains a 5 year plan badge). Also, the first class includes a pic.

Vatjan, if I'm not mistaken this group once belonged to you?

For those interested, I've created a small database on the Soyombo medal with all known (at least, as far as i've been able to find) copies on the internet in recent years. Overall 30 entries ranging from nr 8 to nr 432 (!!!). Includes scans, qualification fake/good/unclear, and other details such as owner, where i found the scan, etc.. Typology is still an issue... due to unkown info, fakes, etc. - e.g. take a look at the link i provided to nr 425!

It appears also that in a few cases I've seen duplicates of the same (fake) Soyombo...

Am not going to post it in public so as not to give info to the bad guys, but happy to share with trusted members.

Bob

Some great pictures here...

http://sammler.ru/index.php?showtopic=11805

And it looks like the bottom pic has a Soviet with:

- cloth Soviet ribbons

- and then a "old enamel style" Mongolian ribbon bar underneath!

http://www.president.mn/newsCenter/viewEvent.php?newsId=13&newsEvent=

How could we have missed this!

Would you like me to get you in contact with the military Attaché to the Netherlands? I also can get you in contact with the two leading experts on decorations and medals to dutchmen.... PM me!

Thanks Herr General:)

Very, very, VERY useful info you sent me via PM. I take the liberty to put 2 links here (also so I can always find 'm back:))

http://www.operation-blackcock.com/

Website of a family member (!!!) who i didn't know and is specialized in the battle right around where my grandfather lived. A great slideshow highlighting the battle to push Germans over the Roer.

http://dissertations.ub.rug.nl/faculties/arts/1994/a.p.m.cammaert/

http://irs.ub.rug.nl/ppn/123909783

Dissertation about resistance etc. in this area... incl. reference to French POWs fleeing back to allied territory via Limburg: "Only 125 to 150 of the pilots succeeded in traversing the long overland route. The others nearly all fell into German hands." - hopefully French archives confirm the story as I heard it from family, i.e. a French pilot from the Elzas was aided by my grandfather in evading the Germans. Just had my mother on the phone, and turns out there's more documents available to illustratie this story... letters / postcards from the French pilot to my grandfather from long after the war. Apparently he was grateful for the assistance he received to the extent of feeling it saved his life. Will have to brush up on my French to read those documents. Next step now to contact the archives.

Research is great, but when it also comes more close and personal it is truly exciting!

Would you like me to get you in contact with the military Attaché to the Netherlands? I also can get you in contact with the two leading experts on decorations and medals to dutchmen.... PM me!

PM sent

By the way, my grandfather to whom this award/documents were given was born, lived his whole life, and died in a house in St Odilienberg below the "hill" on which the church stands and close to a forest where there was quite some fighting during the war.

Did get a good medal, now for the archives...

After some laziness i called the local French embassy and they (i.e. a very charming and helpful english speaking french lady!) promptly provided me with the contact details of the SECRETARIAT D'ETAT AUX ANCIENS COMBATTANTS. Will be sending off a letter in coming days. Fingers crossed to see if something can surface!

2082 - very high screwback!

http://mongolia.at.ua/index/0-18

http://sammler.ru/index.php?showtopic=51308

:whistle:

Mister Ed_Haynes!

On September the 16th 2008 You were interested in spelling the name "Sakauov Bek Temirgalievich".

This is the name of my farther.

Will You please to write me how You knew about him.

My e-mail: mute@mts-nn.ru

Excuse My poor English.

Yours faithfully, Mute

Out of curiosity, is this related to this thread?

And another one, a documented group of badges belonging to an Honorary Contruction worker (welder) Yondon Tovuu.

Alexei mentions his bio is published in the Mongolian Directory on Heroes of MPR, Labor Heroes and People's and Merited Title holders so will have to look that up later. Maybe somebody can help translate. The group includes:

- Outstanding Construction Worker of Mongolia Badge (NB mentions quite some detail: made of German silver, goldplating and enamels. Hungarian manufacture) which comes with a blue hard cover document hand signed by Minister of Construction of Mongolia Mr. Pleihan. Awarded in 1976

- Badge for 60th Anniversary of Mongolian Construction Sector. Made of brass and red enamel. Awarded in 1986. Comes with a paper back document with an original ink stamp of the Ministry of Construction.

- Badge for Leadership in Socialist Competition of the 5 Year Plan. Awarded to in 1974. Comes with a paper back document bearing an original ink stamp on the Ministry of Construction, signed by the Minister.

Lucky day! Alexei just put up some new Mongolian items... including an addition to above group:

"MEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENT BADGE w/DOC Deputy of the People's Great Khural (1970-1990) - Battushig B 03. Serial number is 190. Made of silver, gold-plating, and enamels. Excellent condition with very light patina, screwplate is original. Comes with original document (matching serial number) to Honored Construction Worker Yondon Tovuu (from #2 of Documented Groups above), who was member of the People's Great Khural in 1969-1973. Document shows age and wear, photo missing. Comes with a bonus trade union membership booklet to the same person."

Excellent - wish we could know more about him :cheers:

Sorry if my innocent post pulled things off track. I just thought it was an interesting piece of (fantasy) history. Understand your point though Artan, the real history of Albania is already rich enough for us not to have such fantasies

Emanual, relax, Artan is a valued contributor here and I'm sure he used the word poor purely as a figure of speach, not literally.

Back on topic now:)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100218/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_us_wwii_vet

Anybody know the medals he would be awarded?

Ignoring the pin, it appears to be a 3 piece award:

- a circular "back"

- the helmet part on top soldered onto it

- a circular "front" incl. the enameled pieces

It feels somewhat fragile so am amazed it is in one piece after more than 80 years!

The case is custom fit with an opening in which it snuggly sits.

Here is a Zog era Officer grade badge. It comes cased, and used to belong to Bilal Nivica, Head of the Albanian Gendarme. Some googling to do on this. Sadly no documents:(

Honor Collor of Albania, from the same book. I suspect (also based on the other thread) that this should be moved under the (or rather, on top of) Order of Scanderbeg. Any other thoughts?