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    Posted

    Hi,

    I just want to take the opportunity to post a couple of Guards badges. I know to many, these are pretty common and are ruled as nothing really special.

    These are special to me because I received them from the people who actually wore them.

    The Cuban one came from a migrant that was on a boat with many others, trying to make it to the US. The gentleman gave it to me as he left our vessel.

    The Soviet badge came from a long time friend who served in the military back in the late 70s.

    How many other nations have (or had) these badges? If there are others, please do post them!!!

    • Replies 71
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    Posted

    Paul

    This is a Guards Badge which is mounted I a sure by the vet himself (I found it this way with all docs). A Nice worn WW2 issue badge.

    The guy himself was a Major and I am sure he was wounded and invalided out as he has both the Victory over Germany Military and civilian version.

    Chris

    Posted

    Closer...

    Very nice documented set!! Is the Second class a WW2 issue? I know that the first class is. What is that orange and black stripped material(victory over Germany Medal)? Is it a ribbon bar or a piece of ribbon?

    Posted

    Very nice documented set!! Is the Second class a WW2 issue? I know that the first class is. What is that orange and black stripped material(victory over Germany Medal)? Is it a ribbon bar or a piece of ribbon?

    It is a WW2 OPW 2nd class...the ribbon denotes a Guards unit.

    Posted (edited)

    It is a WW2 OPW 2nd class...the ribbon denotes a Guards unit.

    I did not know about the ribbon representing a Guard unit! Thank you for that and for sharing your grouping!

    Does anyone know if any other Communist Nations had Guards badges?

    Best regards

    Paul

    Edited by Paul Reck
    Posted

    No, the ribbon has nothing to do with the guards. For the Order of Glory and the medal for Victory over Germany (and, before that, in Tsarist days, for St. George).

    Posted

    Well no big deal, but the fact that I have a documented group to a Guards Major who has put that proudly on his medal display and that only guards unit vets badges have this ribbon....I made the connection.

    Also here is a Naval Guards badge before they were made to wear the more conventional ones as in above...

    Chris

    Posted

    Look at any standard reference on medals (e.g., McDaniel and Schmitt or the Mondovor website). The ribbon was widely used officialy and unfoficially.

    Posted (edited)

    There is a definite connection to this ribbon and Guards Units. The Naval Guards Badge was an official award.

    Veteran Guards badges carry this prestigious ribbon

    Regards

    Chris

    Edited by Chris S
    • 1 month later...
    Posted

    Are there any other Guards badges out there?

    Did nations like N Korea, N Vietnam, and ect have Guards units/badges?

    Paul

    • 2 months later...
    Posted

    There is a definite connection to this ribbon and Guards Units. The Naval Guards Badge was an official award.

    Veteran Guards badges carry this prestigious ribbon

    Regards

    Chris

    Your analogy is wrong. There is not an automatic association with Guards units and the originally imperial St. George Ribbon. True, the Navy used this ribbon in its Guard unit badge as has been shown in this forum and also to decorate the Donald Duck cap tassels for Guard ships, but this was to differentiate them from the regular black tassels. The St. George Ribbon was also used for the Order of Glory, thus the St. George ribbon does not automatically mean Guards unit.

    The existence of the St. George Ribbon on Guards veteran badges is also incidental and not automatic. The ribbon came to represent the Great Patriotic War in general (since all participants received one) and not solely Guards status. Similarly, the Order of the Patriotic War also came to represent the GPW on veterans badges too. I have over 300 veterans badges and there are plenty of non-Guards units both displaying the St. George ribbon and/or the Order of the Patriotic War.

    The St. George ribbon came to be more a symbol of GPW participation than a Guards unit association. If a Guard veteran chose to use the ribbon, it was a personal choice and not an adopted practice.

    Posted (edited)

    Your analogy is wrong. There is not an automatic association with Guards units and the originally imperial St. George Ribbon. True, the Navy used this ribbon in its Guard unit badge as has been shown in this forum and also to decorate the Donald Duck cap tassels for Guard ships, but this was to differentiate them from the regular black tassels. The St. George Ribbon was also used for the Order of Glory, thus the St. George ribbon does not automatically mean Guards unit.

    The existence of the St. George Ribbon on Guards veteran badges is also incidental and not automatic. The ribbon came to represent the Great Patriotic War in general (since all participants received one) and not solely Guards status. Similarly, the Order of the Patriotic War also came to represent the GPW on veterans badges too. I have over 300 veterans badges and there are plenty of non-Guards units both displaying the St. George ribbon and/or the Order of the Patriotic War.

    The St. George ribbon came to be more a symbol of GPW participation than a Guards unit association. If a Guard veteran chose to use the ribbon, it was a personal choice and not an adopted practice.

    Hi Dudeman,

    I'm unable (no knowledge enough...) to state on these points. But, I have a book including a small chapter on this subject : "History of the Russian State in Awards and Badges" by Nicolai Gladkov (2004). These badges are covered in the Volume 2, dedicated to Soviet Union. And it shows a Naval version of the ribbon / badge.

    This book is in Russian. My Russian is not good enough to allow a correct translation.

    Maybe a Russian speaking Member could help in summarizing what is said, and whether the way this point is dealt in this book could help or not ?

    Cheers.

    Ch.

    Pic : "History of the Russian State in Awards and Badges" by Nicolai Gladkov. Vol 2. (2004).

    Edited by Christophe

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