Herman

My Portuguese VM. It has a funny story that goes with it, although when it happened a few years back i was quiet mad. When the medal arrived in the mail, my mailbox then was a post slot in the front door of the house, the dog got hold of it and teared the envelope in pieces. The ribbon of the VM was damaged. After the first wave of shock and anger I decided to keep it as it is. The dog is no more and now it's a nice momento to her. It is an official type 2 with bronze ribbonholder.

The Rumanian VM is own is an identified piece. It belonged to Captain Robert Gardescu. It is an official type 1, complete with hook and eye at the backside.

My French VM's. An official type - Morlon, an unofficial type 1 – Charles / Chobillon with the Chobillon marking and marked BRONZE in the rim. The third one is an unofficial type 2 – Pautot / Mattei, also marked BRONZE.

My only 2 Victory medals from the USA. They are an official type 2 with 3 ribbon bars: St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector.Perhaps the 29th Division. The backside of the ribbon has a brooch. The one on the right is an official type 2 with ribbon bar: France and a Maltese cross. It has a French brass hinge.

Hi guys, I herewith add an picture of my 3 Belgian Victory Medals. The one on the left with the black mother bar and the centre one are an official type 1. The one on the right is an unofficial type 3 - uniface. rgds Herman

Thanks for your replies. Especially Johnnymac. You convinced me. I have a second Cuban VM. When I am at home tonight (it is around 18.00 lt now here in the Netherlands) I shall check this one aswell. If i'm in doubt i shall post some pictures and hopefully Johnnymac can do his evaluation once more. Again guys, thanks for the replies. I hope to post some more examples from my VM collection in the near future. F.i my Belgian VM with a mothers bar, or a Belgian/French VM with a clean unmarked reverse. cu Herman

and the rim.

the reverse

First of all: Hello to everybody contributing to this wonderfull string of posts. I read them all. I collect WWI VM's for around 5 years now, bought the book of Laslo (2nd ed.) and thought I knew a lot. Till i start reading this string ......... the knowledge of some contributors, the photo's, the details. I stand in awe. At the moment i posses most VM's in original. Only Brasil and Siam are missing. I use a modern good looking repro as gapfiller. (sorry). I also have all official Army and Navy bars to the US VM. I enclose a picture of my Cuban VM. I bought this one 2 years ago thru e-bay and paid not that much. When it came to me in the mail and i checked it, it looked good, had the marks in the rim etc. What do the experts think of it. regards Herman

and the reverse regards Herman

Details of the obverse.

Here is a Militaire Willems Orde 4th class of around 1900 - 1940.

and the reverses. Sorry for the small pictures. Herman

This is the Bronze Lion (Bronzen Leeuw), instituted in 1944. It is the second highest bravery medal of the Netherlands. Lastly awarded for actions in Afghanistan in 2010. This are three different versions. From left to right; WW2 version of Garrard, London, Post WW2 by Rijksmunt and post war by Koninklijke Begeer

This is the Dutch campaign medal for the Balkans 1992. Among others it was given for serving with SFOR. In 2001 this medal was abolished and a new medal (the one in above topic #42) was instituted with the clasp SFOR. The second medal is the NATO medal with the clasp 'former yugoslavia' which came with the tour. regards Herman

This is a picture of the latest Dutch campaign medal instituted in 2001. The same medal is also pictured in posting # 8. The clasp ISAF is given to military personell serving for at least 30 days in the Afghan Theatre of Operations. At the moment some 30-some different clasps for this medal are issued. Other clasps are: EUMM, UNFICYP, ENDURING FREEDOM, SFOR, UNMEE-DJIBOUTI, MIF, AMBER FOX, EUFOR, KFOR, UNTSO, WEU MAPE, VN OPERATIES, NAVO OPERATIES, STABILISATION FORCE IRAK among others. regards Herman

From 1979 on new medals are awarded to Dutch military personell serving abroad. In general they are all awarded hanging from its ribbon. A few exceptions are to be seen and the medal in posting 32 is an example of that. I have seen several other examples but they are scarce. Lets say 90 % of the Dutch single medals made in the so called 'Prussian style' are privately made by several Dutch private medal firms as 'van Wielik' etc. All of the medalgroups are put together by the same firms. One example of a single decoration made in the Prussian style upon its awardance is the Officers Long Service Cross for 15 years.

The last campaignmedal awarded in this way was the New Guinea Cross (Nieuw Guinea Kruis) of 1962. Unfortunately i do not have a picture of the reverse aswell.

and the reverse

In 1951 a new medal was created for Dutch personell serving in Korea. Again the Dutch firm Koninklijke Begeer at Voorschoten got the order. Realising that the profit is higher when you do the whole process from start to end, the medal was completely fabricated by Begeer as the reverse will show. Herman V

and the reverse.

This is the Dutch medal for the police actions in the former Netherlands East Indies. This medal originates from 1947. The awardance procedure from the WW2 medal was copied from the procedure used with this medal. The yearclasps are given to somebody who was actually in armed combat with the terrorists. Herman

and the reverse

Hello ilja559, I am afraid that don't have a picture of the backside of this medal. I do have a picture of another Dutch medal, front and back for comparison. This one is the Dutch WW2 cross (Oorlogsherinneringskruis). It was awarded in large quantities from 1948 on in this form. The medal and the bar were struck with Koninklijke Begeer, Voorschoten. The company Fa. Tack, Breda put it all together on the ribbon. After this procedure the medal was personally awarded or sent by mail. Herman

Thought i gave this topic another push. This medal was rewarded to personell aiding the disaster in Haïti in 2010. regards Herman