Kev in Deva

Hallo Vic, the reason I mentioned "steel" was because the items offered on German Ebay looked to be 1-3mm thick, with no definition, just a combined outline of the cross and sub and very rusty, seller claimed they were found in storage!! But to my uneducated eye looked like they were somebody's cheap attempt at a repro. Along the lines of the "Dunkirk Shield" "Stalingrad Shield" etc..etc.. that turns up now and again. Kevin in Deva.

I do know that over the last couple of years some very crude un-painted fakes of this insignia have been turning up on German ebay, cut out of steel with very poor definition. Is it actually possible to verify if the one on the cap is original without removing it from the cap?? Kevin in Deva

Hallo hunyadi Many thanks for your response, yours is a great example, I have looked very carefully on both sides of the ribbon ring mount, at the 11 o'clock & 1 o'clock positions, and to tell the truth there are so many scratches and dings its impossible to tell if there ever was a mark, however even with some of the detail being worn down I doubt if the maker name was erased. I do notice however there is no maker name on the front of mine under the bust of Emperor Franz-Josef. So I think for the moment it will have to remain an unknown variant Kevin in Deva

Unknown Number 2. Again another soldier with no apparent identification, I am thinking WW1 post WW1, Hungarian? Bulgarian ?? Austrian ?? I am sure he is not from Romania. Kevin in Deva.

The reverse of the card. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gentlemen I am trying to get an Identification on this soldier, as to which Army, I believe French because of French writing to the rear and a date 1940, any help with a translation please? Kevin in Deva

The Rear. Kevin in Deva

Dear Gentlemen I also have the large version of the Emperor Franz-Josef "DER TAPFERKEIT" Medal. Weight: 25 Gram. Size: 41mm from side to side and 46mm from the bottom to the top of the ribbon Ose connecting ring. Material: Non-magnetic, brass silver plated?? it has suffered the indignity of being scratched in various places front and back, to see if its real silver. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you Kevin in Deva

For some information on the 50. Cal Browning Machine Gun see: http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m2-50cal.htm Kevin in Deva

Hallo Larry May we be so BOLD as to ask why???? Kevin in Deva

My medals are already shown at: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7521 Not being part of NATO, Irish Overseas Service has mainly been limited to U.N. Service starting back in 1960 in the Congo (where Irish members were killed and eaten by the canibal "BALUBA" tribe.) Cyprus, Sinai, Iran-Iraq as observers before the war with Sadam, Rawanda, Somalia, And they have served in many other locations including of late East Timor, Eritrea. . . . . With regards the Movie "Saving Private Ryan" the beach scenes and patrol through the fields were filmed on location in Ireland (the fighting in the town was filmed on a specialy constructed set at a disused airfield in England). All the extras were Irish Army Reserve Forces with some regulars as well. The Irish Army Reserve Forces were used as extra earning I believe 90 Euro a day, two of my brothers were part of the Irish Reserve Defence Forces used as extras in Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" again mostly shot on location in Ireland. And if I an not mistaken the WW1 Classic the "Blue Max" (released in 1996 with George Peppard) was also filmed in Ireland utilising Irish Army soldiers as extras for the trench warfare scenes*. * = The terrain of County Wicklow strikingly resembled the Somme area of France during the last part of 1918. It is also one of the few places in the world close to a big city (Dublin) where the surrounding skies are not jammed by commercial and private flying. Add to this the help of the Irish Department of Defence, and it's easily understood why Ireland was chosen as the site. One of the film's most spectacular sequences is a reconstruction of a Somme battle. Director Guillermin, with production designer Wilfred Shingleton, chose about 230 acres of County Wicklow at a spot called Kilpedder, six miles from the Ardmore Studios. The Irish Army supplied about 1,200 officers and men to take part in this fantasticlly real battle. Shingleton designed the horrific battlefields from actual photographs and old newsreels. Explosives experts were called in. To obtain the right effects they used something like seven tons of explosives a day! Taken from: http://home.planet.nl/~marte163/BlueMaxArticle.htm Kevin in Deva

Christian Militia T-55 with .5 on the turret roof, and a Israeli Recon tank, with .5 to the front, the vehicle is based on a British Centurion Chassie and hull. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Jon Can you post a close up picture of the tip for me? The round and link look like the ones I saw while in South Lebanon back in 1979 & 1980, I dont think the design of either the link or round has changed much since the weapon was invented. I dont know if from the link its possible to tell if it was from a WW2 weapon that was used in a ground role, or from a tank, armored car, half track, etc... or even from a plane. The Lebanese Christian Militia had them mounted on M3 (White) Half Tracks of Ww2 vintage, back in 1979-80 and long after (they obtained most of their equipment from the Israelis,) they also mounted them on retro T-55 as well. (see picture). The Israelis seemed to mount the .5's on all their armour as well, (see pictures)I know once that baby lets rip you tend to keep your head down, and I do know of an Irish Corporal (John O'Connor) who survived a hit by a .5 round, in the stomach from over 2 kms away while on duty at a checkpoint in Lebanon with the U.N. The normal type of rounds carried were Full metal jackets, Tracer (Red- Silver Tip) Explosive (Blue and Silver Tip) as far as I can remember. Nowadays this weapon is still in service with many countries around the world. Kevin in Deva (Transylvania)

Hallo Jim, here is a shot of my cabinet, full length, I never allow sunlight from the window on the left to fall on the shelves so as to fade the ribbons. Kevin in Deva

Hi Chris & Jacky VERY SHORT CAREER HISTORY I never was in the "Glass-house", and you are some-what right Chris with regards the set up involved with the Irish Army, in my time in Ireland, a guy had to volunteer to join, no conscription, I went from the 6th Infantry Bn, (Training Unit Section) in Custume Barracks, Athlone, after about 9 weeks to the 28th Infantry Bn, at Finner Camp Donegal, one of the three Battalions tasked with Border Security, now you also have to take into account that the Irish Army was theoretically 15,000 strong, thats Army, Navy, & Aer Corps., and with such a young age and small amount of Corporals and Sergeants, vacancies were very, very slow to become vacant. I was on the start of an NCO course but because we were forced to sleep in wet conditons outside in January , I was carted off with pneumonia and never recovered quick enough to finish that course, after that I served in various locations on the Western Command area of the border, mainly on patrols and OPs which I enjoyed a lot. I trained and qualified as a Regimental Signaller & 84mm Anti-tank man (as well as doing the usual Guard Duty on the Base and Hydro-electric Stations at Ballyshannon & Border Checkpoints & Patrols I also came to realise as if I was a Corporal/ Sergeant you got more time doing office work than out on the ground, particularly when the army was drasticaly short of men, due to work in Civvie street being so good as was in the 1980s, Guys were leaving the Army to get good civillian jobs in factorys unfortuanaty for them the economic bubble burst, and many tried to re-join, few got back in and were on the unemployed list for a long time. Then in 1979 - 1980 I went overseas with the 46th Irish Battalion UNIFIL, to South Lebanon, upon return to Ireland it was back to the Border Bn, before eventually getting an attachment transfer in 1984 to the Military Barracks in my home town Castlebar, here I was involved with the Regular members of the 18th in training the Reserve members of the Unit as well as hosting visiting Reserve Units on Camps, we also had to be available for Guard duty back on the Border and at Galway Military Barracks, and I spent quite some time at the Military College in the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare with various courses, has each Command had to supply personel for duties there (being single always meant you would be availble for these "nice" duties In early 1997 plans were being implimented to reduce the size of the Irish Defence Forces, and soldiers were invited to apply to retire, as I had the 21 already in I was sure of my pension anyway so I put in for it and it was granted, so ends the military career of 835827 Pte. Ryan K. A.

Chris & Paul "say's he shocked and stunned" me drink? brawl? never I'll have you know I even served as an acting-corporal (unpaid for a couple of years) see the picture taken from my discharge book L.A. 89 for my Military Conduct Rating!! It says EXEMPLARY and No I did not have an office job either!! But I will admit the temptation is there to paint the statue maybe I will try to obtain a second one for that exercise!! Kevin in Deva

Detail of the molded Cap badge and two pictures of moi! Kevin in Deva

the other side shot, and detail of the inscription plate. Kevin in Deva

The rear and side of the statue. Kevin in Deva,

Hallo Gentlemen I attach here some pictures of my presentation gift from the 18th Infantry Battalion (FCA) that I had been attached to from my parent unit of the 28th Infantry Battalion, Finner Camp, Co. Donegal. The statue is in what is called Cold Cast bronze stands 29cm high from the base, and depicts a member of the Permanent Defence Force of Ireland in combat kit with full webbing and pack, carrying the 5.56mm Steyr AUG. The base incorporates a representation of the Cap-Badge of the Irish Defence Forces and the inscription tag reads: Saighdiuir na h'Eireann / Soldier of Ireland. Presented to Pte. Kevin A. Ryan, On his Retirement 24 - 10 -97, By the 18th Inf. Bn. I also attach a picture of me taken on the day of my "Passing Out" Parade after Recruit Training, at Custume Barraks Athlone, July 1976 and a picture taken a few days before my retirement, on the Irish Border, near Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, 3rd October 1997. Kevin in Deva

I can see the image too Kevin in Deva

The stamping on the rim, and the rear of the medal. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gentlemen looking through this thread set me to thinking (dangerous I know ) with regards a Emperor Franz-Josef "DER TAPFERKEIT" silver medal in my collection, it has the word "BRONZE" impressed into the rim at about the one o'clock position, and weighs 11 gram, it measures: 31mm from side to side. Maker Marked: "TAUTENHAYN." I cannot remember reading about this particular variant anywhere on the forum, is it at all common?, do any members have one in their collection?. Please see pictures. Kevin in Deva.

Particularly sad when the last man turned out to be a brain-washed child Kevin in Deva

Hallo Peter, please excuse my slow response to your post, 101 things to do around the house before winter creeps in I looked with interest at your pictures and I think the studs on the rear of mine differ somewhat from that one you posted, also I dont know if it makes any difference but mine was obtained in Germany. I still have the belt plate, and will take some better pictures in the daylight tomorrow while the missues is off at Nursing school and post them for your inspection. Kevin in Deva