Kev in Deva

Hallo joerookery A very interesting read, thanks for posting the link, Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gentlemen, while going through an old cd of pictures of medals that I had copied of the internet many moons ago, I came across this one. As far as I know it was a commemorative piece issued to sailors of the Prussian Navy who succesfuly evaded the Royal Navy Blocade to bring weapons to the Irish Republican Army of 1916 in Ireland during WW1. This particular example was up for sale on German ebay, but, do to my work commitment at the time I was unable to place a bid, and it falls into the catagory of one that got away. I think the medal is in bronze or Iron The front of the medal features the following around the outer edge: BLOCKADE DURCHBRUCK S.M. HILFSKREUZER LIBAU (AUD) NACH IRLAND 8 - 22 APRIL 1916. In the centre is a portrait of a Naval Type, with under the words: KAPITAIN KARL SPINDLER, COMMANDANT S. M. LIBAU. To the Rear is a text in Irish: (awaiting a translation) with the date 1931. It was made by: GEBRUDER GODET & CO, of CHARLOTTEN STR. 55, BERLIN 8. The medal hung from a ribbon which featured the National Colours of the Republic of Ireland & Germany. It came in the box along with, a ribbon bar & 4 mini ribbons for wear with civil attire. A very nice piece and I think not so well known item, if any of our members have any more information with regards this please feel free to add it here. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gents, it was mentioned on another Forum (GWF) about a British newspaper article during WW1 which stated a British soldier so impressed the Germans who took him prisoner, with the attempts he made to save a wounded comrade that a German Officer took an EK 1 from his own uniform and pinned it to the British soldiers chest. All propaganda of course, with no truth, but just what the people at home needed to read about the bravery of the boys on the Western Front!! Kevin in Deva.

Brian, the cross is for a Hanauer veterans organisation club, being strictly unofficial it would never have been worn on the uniform of a serving soldier. Hanau is a town in Hessen, Germany with 89,000 inhabitants. Home of the brothers Grim. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main. The second medal is indeed a II Place shooting prize, possibly a civil one at that, depending on where the club was located, the colours could denote Bavaria, blue and white being the State Colours. But there is no guarentee the ribbon is original to the medal. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Brian, both look ok to me, can you keep all the medals on one thread to save space? instead of opening a new topic all the time? just hit the add reply button and continue on, perhaps one of the moderators will pull alll your threads into one post?? Kevin in Deva

Hallo Brian the guys are right of course about the 1870-71 ribbon any piece of Hindenberg Cross Ribbon for Combatant will do for the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian war medal, with over 6 and half million Crosses out there should be a doodle to pick up a nice piece. errr. . . . ribbon that is And feel free to post more pictures here on this thread of any others you might want checked out Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gentlemen any chance its for post WW2 German State Police? What is actualy written / stamped on the lower part of the emblem? something in Latin?? Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gents I got the following reply from Brendan (every-thing-irish) the seller of the Irish 1916 Set: Hi Kevin, The 1916 medal measures 1 and a ? inches/38mm across, the Black and Tan medal over 1 and ? inches, 42mm. The whole thing weighs 63g or 2 and a ? ounces. It is difficult to weigh the medals individually but it looks like the 1916 medal on its own, not including the ribbon, weighs 18g and the Black and Tan 36g. Hope this helps. Thanks, Brendan. Would anybody with a set of these medals handy care to post the size and weights? many thanks, from Kevin in Deva

Hallo Brian, even though they are unofficial, and they hang on the wrong ribbon it looks like most of the ribbon pieces are original Iron Cross II Class ribbons Feel free to post pictures of what you need checked out please, Kevin in Deva

Hallo Prosper, Nice set of Medals, any comment with regards the medal ribbon ring attachment on the Independance Medal thats up on ebay? To my eyes it looks very thin I have sent a question to the seller with regards diameter and weight of the medals, awaiting a reply. I understand what you mean with regards the wannabe's, every soldier I served with in Castlebar Infantry Barracks from Mayo had a Grandfather who fought with the I.R.A. depending on how much drink had been taken the kill ratio went up correspondingly, however my research into the Military history of the area showed very few caualties recorded on all sides, i.e. R.I.C. - I.R.A. - B.A. - B. &. T. Activity in the West was extremely quite, apart from a few well recorded ambushes with small casualties. More Mayo locals were killed in the (Un)-Civil War than the War of Independance period. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gents. http://cgi.ebay.ie/Irish-1916-Rising-and-W...1QQcmdZViewItem The seller appears to be honest enough with the description, but I dont like the re-ribboned look (cant say I like the start price either, but thats just me being tight. ) Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Jim, a great set of medals with a unique family connection thats what makes this hobby so interesting, thanks for sharing them and the photographs. Kevin in Deva

Hallo O. of. V Congratulations all around on your First 1,000 Posts. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Doc, some very nice pieces and well presented, thanks for showing them Kevin in Deva

Brian, how about a badge made and sold to British Forces on occupation duty in Germany post WW1?? Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Noor Nice Bar I believe the ribbons read correctly from left to right, in other words the Order of St George (Cross) Ribbon first, across to what could be the Blue Ribbon for "Meritorious Work Towards the Accomplishment of the Total Mobilisation of 1914" Medal. But leave room to be corrected by the more knowledgeable out there on the forum. One question what is the edging colour on the red ribbon? yellow or white?? Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Soviet, British & US serving soldiers & veterans of Iraq and Afganistan are selling their service medals just as quick too At one time a medal really meant something to the receipiant, not so sure about the current awards Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Paul, interesting selection, starting on the left side with Italian Order of Saint Maurice & Saint Lazarus, Order of the Italian Crown, then some Russian Communist period, inter-mixed with some Turkish and French awards, the Crown of Romania Cross, USSR Mothers Medal, Serbian Saint Sava Crosseas, III Reich Mothers Cross, a Poland Restored Cross, two Austrian Merit Crosses, a III Reich I or II Class Iron Cross, More French Legion of Honours, German British Friendship pin, plus a couple I cannot identify. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Jim, what has to be taken into consideration is the family, I remember many years ago meeting my Uncle in Nottingham, he had served in WW2 and was in possesion of two medals, while he was alive, they were on display in his home, after he passed away, his wife remarked while she still lived she would keep them, but when she passed away, one each were going to her daughters, who by then were married and living on two different locations. Ignorant or not, its the families right to decide what to do with them, in this case the daughters would have something of their fathers to treasure. However when its a dealer breaking up a set its just out of desire for pure profit, and it can be well argued that he as the right to do what he likes with items he has paid for with his own money. It is a problem that will never be resolved, I fear. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Chris, in looking through the USA section of: "Wound Medals, Insignia and Next-Of-Kin Awards Of The Great War." it makes no reference to Gas at all, simply cites that the purple Heart was re-introduced in the 1930s. "Although the Purple Heart Medal is now universally identified as the Wound Medal of the United States forces, it had a very different founding purpose, and has followed a rather complex evolutionary pathway to its present form. . . . "The implementing regulations defined four categories of receipient. Three of these deal specifically with the case of wounds incurred in action. Consequently, the association of the Purple Heart medal with wounds suffered in the line of duty was established immediately upon reinstitution of the award. "All individuals authorised by Army Regulations 600-95 to wear Wound Chevrons were considered qualified to apply for the Purple Heart. "Similarly, those not authorized Wound Chevrons prior to 22 February 1932, but qualifying for them during later service under A. R. 600-95 qualified for the medal. Revisions to Army Regulations 600-45 defining conditions of new awards specified that the criterion requiring a " . . . . a singularly meritorious act of extraordinary fidelity or essential service . . ." could be satisfied by " . . . . a wound which necessitates treatment by a medical officer and which is received in action with the enemy . . ." (War Department Circular No. 6, 22 February, 1932). "Individuals who had been awarded the Meritorious Services Citation Certificate (established by Sec of War in December 1918) were also eligible for the Purple Heart Medal. In the "Early Days" of US involvement in WW1. "Within a few months of entry into the war the Adjutant General recommended that Service personnel wounded in action be authorised wear of a ribbon for each wound incurred (McDowell, 1984). This suggestion was favourably received. It was originaly suggested that the ribbon be patterned on that of the Army and Navy Medals of Honor with red (symbolic of blood shed in defence of the country) substituted for the blue of the Medal of Honor. Presumably this ribbon, had it been adopted, would have been very like that subsequently authorised (7 June, 1921) for the short-lived Marine Corps Brevet Medal. War Department General Ordee 134 (12 October, 1917) issued under the authority of Secretary of War Newton D. Baker specified that: "XI. 1. Every officer and enlisted man who has been wounded in action since April 6, 1917, or who may be hereafter be so wounded, is authorised to wear ribbons for such wounds under the following conditions: (a) That one ribbon only is authorised for wound or wounds received on the same date. . . . .". This with ammendments to design was followed by the US military adopting the "Wound Chevron" Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Harvey, I have been looking at it for years and still cant figure it out Kevin in Deva

Same here no picture to be seen Kevin in Deva

The remains of some stampings inside: Kevin in Deva

The other side: Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gents I will post my jaw-breaker here, picked it up in a "mingy-shop" in South Lebanon back in 1979, its silver, probably a copy of some type of college ring and set with a tigers eye stone (actually a replacement tigers eye, as the original came off bad in an encounter with a drunk's teeth in a bar, back in the days when I was not so "Gentlemanly" enough to turn the other cheek the guy who replaced the stone was an interesting character ex-French Foreign Legion, who told me he was in from just before Narvik until Dien Bien Phu, sadly now deceased, boy could that old-timer put away the brandy (Rest In Peace, Denis). Kevin in Deva.