paja

He really was MT colonel, MT officers (официри морнаричко техничке службе) had the same ranks as those used by ground forces and air force, on the other hand navy officers (официри рода поморство) used different ranks, if he was navy officer his rank would be captain (капетан бојног брода). Also when you take a look at his picture he is not wearing uniform with stars above his "sleeve ranks" like navy officers do so he must be MT. I believe that there weren't that many MT colonels and that that rank was practically the highest for them because until the end of Yugoslavia the were only couple of MT generals.

I think that he retired before 1981 because commemorative medal for the 40 years of JNA is not part of the set nor is he wearing that medal on the picture. Of course this doesn't have to be the case here, but if all of his other orders, medals and plaques are together I think that that would also be the case with 40 years of JNA if he had got one.

About the SUBNOR plaque, it is awarded to him by SUBNOR Croatia, not SUBNOR Yugoslavia, as far as I know SUBNOR Croatia left it in 1991 (Don't know the exact date but probably pretty soon after 25. of June). It is interesting and perhaps even a little bit ironical that this plaque was awarded on 4th of July, Fighter's day (Дан борца), national holiday of socialist Yugoslavia. I am not sure but I believe that that day was not celebrated in Croatia after 1991, on the other hand it remained national holiday in Serbia up until 2001.

Excellent group, it is great that all of the documents, even the ones for plaques are saved and very well preserved! I have not seen many Bravery medal documents from 1945

And the boxes look probably the same as on the day these decorations were awarded. I especially like the one for Order of military merits, that type is my favorite one

All in all great and complete set, thanks for sharing it with us!

Parade after liberation, Terazije.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-01807000-1380390071.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-96495300-1380390080.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-82916000-1380390102.jpg

View from above.

That would be all for now, if I dig up something new I will post it here.

Best regards,

Radmilo

Terazije, Albania palace can be seen behind.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-90677600-1380388959.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-64183700-1380388967.jpg

Peko Dapčević and Vladimir Zhdanov during burial. Behind Knez Mihailo monument and destroyed National Museum.

Same burial.

Graves of the soldiers.

Funeral.

Katyushas.

German prisoners.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-03756700-1380388546.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-85290700-1380388688.jpg

Albania palace and the view from above.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-57290100-1380388717.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-17033700-1380388806.jpg

Fighters of the 2nd battalion of the 1st proletarian brigade before offensive.

German "defenders".

Destroyed German vehicle, King Aleksandar blvd.

Same boulevard.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-18963000-1380387905.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-05210000-1380388084.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-90434000-1380388111.jpg

Fighters on T-34.

Remains of T-34, Sarajevska street.

You are most welcome, I'm glad that you find them interesting

Soviet tanks approaching Belgrade.

Tank in Dečanska Street.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-43377800-1380385052.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-94177600-1380385068.jpg

In front of railway station, behind once beautiful building of post. Destroyed tank in front of railway station

Soviet vehicles.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-00780100-1380385211.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-61677000-1380385821.jpg

Soviet officers digging a mass grave for Red Army soldiers who died during the Belgrade Offensive.

Soviet SU-85, ZIS-2 and a truck of 36th Guards tank brigade.

Armored car BA-64 in Belgrade.

Soviet soldiers repairing a captured German Opel Blitz in a Belgrade suburb.

Unidentified partisans of the 1st Proletarian Brigade armed with Czech ZB vz. 26 machine guns. This photo was taken in Žarkovo (a village near Belgrade) on the eve of the offensive.

Red Army soldiers crossing the Danube river in inflatable boats.

A Belgrade resident treats soldiers of the National Liberation Army of Yugoslavia to cigarettes.

Civilian observing a fallen German soldier in Belgrade.

Red Army Sergeant (center) chatting with soldiers of the National Liberation Army in Terazije. Palace Albanija can be seen in the background.

I apologize for going off topic but couple of days ago I stumbled upon these pictures and thought it might be interesting to post them in this topic. Here they are with captions from Serbian forum where I've found them (thanks to the original uploader!).

A group of Red Army sappers in Belgrade immediately after the offensive. Behind them is Palace Albanija, located within the center of the city.

Montenegro has used the coat of arms which is very similar to Russian. Utopis mentioned scepter and orb, Montenegrin eagle holds them. As far as I know Romanians used single-headed eagle and Bulgarians used lion. As we all know Albania also has two-headed eagle... Ithaca can you tell us what is that symbol on the shield of the eagle from the fourth picture?

Old and new Montenegrin coat of arms.
http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-24200000-1379017628.pnghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-27623000-1379017729.png

It should be in the Yugoslavian and Serbian orders and medals book, I've seen a couple variants of this one in there. Just have to fish it out wasn't sure if it was all croat since they have a very similar design on one of the Croatian medals.

That coat of arms even though not Croatian is with their chessboard. Here are couple of nice pictures of it I found online.

House Coat of Arms of the Royal Family Karađorđević, reconstructions by Aleksandar Palavestra and Dragomir Acović

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-52327000-1378748124.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-20839400-1378748181.jpg

Greetings Paul,

Thanks for sharing those pictures. I have never seen a box like that before. Most of the post-1921 medals I saw were in simple cardboard boxes. How does the medal fit it? As far as I know only the Red Cross order had only the crown on the lid (can't remember anything else) and that one is much different from the one on your box. Generally speaking rest of the boxes from Yugoslav era had the name of the decoration inscribed on it or nothing at all and before that Serbian coat of arms. I would hate to be the bringer of the bad news, but could it be that this box is maybe for some other decoration, not even Serbian/Yugoslav? Is there any inscription on the inner side of the lid?

I believe that the 4th and 6th type of the Royal Household Medal are exactly the same.

On the front side of the medal is the House Coat of Arms of the Royal Family Karađorđević from that period (All three nations were represented, Serbs - Cross with 4 fire steels, Croats - Chessboard and Slovenians - Kranjska (Carniola) coat of arms) with Serbian crown from Nemanjić era and Order of the Saint Prince Lazar.

Mound of Brotherhood.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-91281700-1378384116.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-64464000-1378384135.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-76955500-1378384143.jpg

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-92880200-1378384106.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-98774400-1378384161.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-61517800-1378384174.jpg

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-29878400-1378384214.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-31580000-1378384228.jpg

Monument to the Soviet Army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_to_the_Soviet_Army,_Sofia

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-34669800-1378383902.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-76848300-1378383916.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-34996000-1378383925.jpg

Monument to the Unknown Soldier, next to the Church of Saint Sophia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_to_the_Unknown_Soldier,_Sofia

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-03374700-1378383731.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-26771900-1378383744.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-49609000-1378383763.jpg

Monument of Bulgarian Volunteers in Liberation War, close to Nevsky church. There is an antiques market with lot of interesting military related items around it.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-63334100-1378383443.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-44364200-1378383457.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-7937-0-25884000-1378383576.jpg

Sorry I meant the KZAU-AK-230 as the inspiration for the Daleks

Could be