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    group of medals-- Polish ?


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    Hi Chris, nice presents! yes they are Polish, the first is the Order Virtuti Militari 5th class in silver, Is it numbered on the reverse? they normally are, if so it can be quite rare, it is difficult to say what period it is, it can be pre-war, wartime, issued by the Polish Government in exile in London or post war, I'll try to post some more info later.

    The 2nd is the cross of merit, it came in three classes, gold silver and bronze, you obviously have the gold version.

    The 3rd, Polish, possibly pre-war, due to the crown on the eagle, don't know what it is yet

    The 4th is a Polish cap badge, possibly post war due to the uncrowned eagle.

    4th don't know, but looks more communist Yugoslavian than Polish but I could be wrong.

    trusting this helps a little

    regards

    Alex

    Edited by Alex K
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    3rd

    This is a Polish Commemorative Cross for Service in WW2. Issued post WW2 but, there is a modern re-strike, the main difference the modern one has a plain sillver coloured ribbon ring.

    The ribbon colours denote the Polish National Colours Red & White, Green the land Forces, Blue the Air and Sea forces, black the scrifice of Polish in War.

    Off the head , I remember it can be found with the following Bars:

    AXEL, ARNHEM, ANKONIA,

    BREDA, BOLONIA, BITWY I KONWOJE MORSKIE / Russian Arctic Convoys (?).

    FALISE-CHAMBOIS,

    MONTE CASSINO, MAICHE-ST.HIPPOLYTE,

    TOBRUCK,

    WILHELMSHAVEN.

    There are a couple more and I will add them to the list when I find my notes.

    Kevin in Deva. :beer:

    Edited by Kev in Deva
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    Just picking up from Kevin's thread, I am wrong, it is post war (The crowned eagle fooled me). I believe it is called

    "Polish Armed Forces in the West Military Action Cross" and was as Kevin states awarded with numerous bars

    "Awarded to former members of the Polish Armed Forces in the West, subordinated to the Government in Exile in London, who participated in any of the campaigns" quote from Awards and Decorations of Poland website

    regards

    Alex

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    Polish Armed Forces in the West Military Action Cross

    It is actually a fairly recent medal, instituted by act of Parliament of May 17th, 1989.

    Here is a list of the campaign bars issued with this medal. It is the only Polish medal to be issued with named campaign bars.

    NARWIK (Narvik)

    LAGARDE

    MAICHE-St. HIPPOLYTE

    BITWA O ANGLIE (Battle of Britain)

    TOBRUK

    MONTE CASSINO

    ANKONA (Ancona)

    FALAISE-CHAMBOIS

    AXEL

    ARNHEM

    BREDA

    BOLONIA (Bologna)

    WILHELMSHAVEN

    DZIALANIA BOJOWE LOTNICTWA (Air Force war operations)

    BITWY I KONWOJE MORSKIE (sea battles and convoys).

    Eddie.

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    Hi Chris, Values are a little bit difficult to assess, The virtuti militai doesn't have a number on the reverse, (The number incidentally is a recipients number and as such can be attributed to a specific person) for this reason they generally have a higher value very similar to British medals. Looking around, dealer prices for unnumbered crosses vary from 85-150GBP

    The cross of merit, 20-30GBP

    The other items, Don't know as yet

    Just my opinion, perhaps someone else can add to my figures

    regards

    Alex

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    Sorry to disappoint you, but the Virtuti Militari seems very much to be a modern copy of the pre-WWII 5th class type, consequently the value is not very high. The genuine piece should have a serial number on reverse and the central medallion should be gilt. Also the ribbon is not correct for the pre-war type, which should be darker, almost royal blue. I believe the width of this ribbon will be ca. 40 mm. If so, it is a fake. The width of the original ribbon was 35-37 mm at most.

    Cheers,

    Lukasz

    BTW: the metal cap eagle is the type used by privates in the army during the communist era. The ribbon of the Polish Armed Forces in the West Military Action Cross is reversed - the white stripe should be on the left.

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