Unknown - The Unknown Medal bar @ 1925-40

[Ulsterman]

I picked this up this morning at a flea market and I'm reasonibly certain the back is in Hungarian, but I haven't a clue as to what the rest of his awards are or indeed what he could be (grenade is artillery, but maybe police?): "CPSV" on the collar)?

The medals are similar to a couple I thought I recognized, like the Austrian military merit cross on a red ribbon (at the end), but now I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas? Argentine police? Guatamalan trains? Montenegran artificer?

Help!

Ta-

[Ulsterman]

A close up of the medal bar-note the Franco Italian style bar mounting knobs...perhaps an Albanian Salvation Army Quartermaster?

[Guest Rick Research]

Hmmmmmmmm. Skull and bones next to last almost like the 1919 Baltic Iron Division Medal....

that language sure looks like Hungarian...

I am thinking maybe Estonian?

[Ulsterman]

OK-further investigation made Jeff Floyd think this chap is Venezualan. But I still think its Hungarian writing. Anyone have an idea what it says??? ....he asked hopefully. :cheers:

[Naxos]

OK-further investigation made Jeff Floyd think this chap is Venezualan. But I still think its Hungarian writing. Anyone have an idea what it says??? ....he asked hopefully.

Yes, the writing is Hungarian :cheers:

[Naxos]

Ulsterman, is there any missing text?

So far you have: Kiszolgalt katonak Egyletben mint aleln?k vagyrk = soldier serving with association as vice-chairman (vice-president) ....... (perhaps a poor translation)

Hardy

Edited February 16, 2009 by Naxos

[Ulsterman]

Nope-that was it!

It's all the more cryptic now.

Thanks-

[hunyadi]

the last word is Vagyok - or "I am" - as soldier serving as vice chairman of the association. If fading memory serves me correctly - I think this is a miner's uniform from post WW1 or for a fire brigade of the miners - but I cant be certain. For certain was the use of the rank rate on the sleves of uniforms in the short lived Hungarian Republic when in 1945 the military uniforms used this form or rank designation. If only Bela was still aroung the corner - I could ask him and he would know... :blush:

[Chris Boonzaier]

maybe the belt buckle guys can help?

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

I'll be seeing Bela later today and I will ask him. The sleeve rank is different than that used in 1945. At least it appears that way to me. Also, the ribbon mounting system is different than anything I have seen in Hungary. I've seen it somewhere before but can not remember where at the moment. The firebrigade used sleeve pathces to indicate rank in the HUPR for a short while but this uniform appears to be from a much earlier period. With the Hungarian writing on the back the uniform it probably comes from a neighbouring region but which one? Interesting puzzle.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Gents,

Well, I visited Bela yesterday and he does not anything about the tunic. He does say that the medals are not Hungarian. With the single shoulder cord on the right shoulder I would say it was from one of the countries that used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire but that is as far as I can go.

Regards,

Gordon

[Ulsterman]

The mystery deepens-

I found this in a junk shop in Maine for $2.

Jeff Floyd identified the medals as Venezuelan and maybe the man is a policeman @ 1940 or so. Very odd.

The medals are certainly mounted South American/Belgian style (the mid 1930s photos of Cubans are similar).

There were random Hungarian refugees in Maine. There has been a bunch of Levente stuff found here and there over the years.

[hunyadi]

Very interesting witht the mixture of foreign ideas, yet like the shoulder chord, some A-H elements. Yet - its still beggs the question... regardless - its a very rare and interesting photo. :jumping:

[Iver]

The medals look like Czechoslovak Firefighters decorations, between wars period, maybe hungarian nationality living in southern parts of Slovakia... Ribbons are most three coloured - could be white, red and blue? but thats only an idea...

[Noor]

Text looks like Hungarian to me as well.... letter ? is very common to all - Finnish, Estonian and Hungarian languages. But I am sure its not written in Finnish and its not Estonian.