Sudan & Africa Ribbons

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Although my focus is usually on Arab awards this picture of Nimery ( President 1969-1985) has him sporting a chestfull of ribbons - almost half are from Sudan and the rest I believe are primarily from Africa. Any suggestions or corrections?

1 Sudan Insignia of Honour, Order of the Republic

2 Sudan Order of the Loyal Son of Sudan , Order of the Revolution, Order of the Alliance, Order of Victory

3 Sudan Order of Persistence, Unknown , Order of the Constitution, Order of Bravery

4 Sudan Order of Long and Distinguished Service, Medal of Evacuation, Medal of Independence, Medal of Duty

5 Unknown, Iraq Order of the Two Rivers, Unknown, Tunisia Order of Independence

6 Nigeria Order of Niger, Unknown, Cameroun Order of Merit, Guniea National Order

7 Egytp Medal of Military Duty, Ethiopia Order of Sheba, Central African Republic Order of Central African Merit, Chad National Order

8 Gabon Order of the Equatorial Star, Congo Order of the Leopard, Senegal Order of the Lion (Or Libya Order of the Great Victor), Bulgaria Order of Stara Planina

9 Unknown, Egypt Order of the Nile (?), Unknown, Ivory Coast National Order (?)

Kind regards,

Owain

Sudan_Numeiri_Portrait_B.bmp

Edited January 26, 2009 by oamotme

[Ed_Haynes]

Interesting. A slightly enlarged image that can easily be seen:

[oamotme]

Ed,

Thanks for this. I am fairly certain that my identification of the Sudan ribbons with the exception of the plain ribbon on row 3. With regard to the rest of the ribbons again I am fairly confident of the identity of the multi-coloured ribbons but would be hesitant of 100% accuracy on the plain ribbons as a number of options may be available.

Regards,

Owain

[922F]

I seem to recall he received a Libyan award in 1975 (maybe that medal for anti-Italian veterans?) as well as something from Idi Amin somewhat earlier. 5th row 3rd ribbon is not any documented Liberian award. It appears to be light red with orange edges? If only orange (possible row 9 4th ribbon too) maybe Ivory Coast National Order. 7th row 2nd ribbon (if purple with green edge) recalls Ethiopian Queen of Sheba.

[oamotme]

Dear 992F,

Many thanks - I agree with the identifcation of Ethiopia Order of Sheba and I will amend my initial post. I will also relace the Liberia, row 5.3 with Unknown. Libya does have the Order of the Great Victor (Fatah Adheem) and could double up with Row 8.3 Senegal Order of the Lion. With regard to red with orange edges Rows 5.3 and 9.4 are these possible duplications? Perhaps Ivory Coast is 5.3 and the 9t row is all non-African as the Nile Order should have narrow blue edge stripesit

Row 7.1 could be an Egyptian Military Duty Medal?

Regards,

Owain

[922F]

Well, well, well......Row 7.1 as an Egyptian Military Duty Medal----that was my initial reaction but it seemed a strange place and, given the site-position, odd. May well be. [Certainly not a Messina Earthquake!] Isn't there a Syrian award with a similar green/white ribbon?

Suspect that 9.2 is a Pahlavi. The unfortunate orange/red color combination is sometimes seen with a couple of Burundi awards that may now be obsolete .... Order of the 3 Stars and Order of the Sword aka Order of Military Merit. Doubt the group has replication and ribbon width of 5.3 and 9.4 seems to differ.

Suspect this array omits a few awards. He did have at least an Liberian African Redemption--maybe the Liberian Pioneer Order is another candidate for the green ribbon? [Would believe Senegal as well.] N had at least one training in the U.S. & a U.S. Army milattache who served in Cairo in the '70s "arranged" U.S. Legions of Merit for some of his 'old boys'. He had a commander of the Legion of Honor besides Somali, FRG and Italian decorations at least as well. I wonder if 9.1 (light blue?) is a Black Star of Benin or Brazilian Southern Cross?

[oamotme]

Thanks for this input - such chests of ribbons seem to tbe medallic equivalents of crosswords!

Would he have reecieved an award from the Shah - I would not have thought them to be obvious bedfellows?

I will at the next opportunity trawl some of my old catalogues to see if there are any helpful illustrations.

What about 9.3? For whatever reason it feels, at least to me, as non-African....

Rwegards,

Owain

[922F]

These unidentified ribbons still haunt me. 5.1 and 9.3 seem especially familiar---5.1 by position should be Arab (or Middle Eastern) and 9.3 "foreign" . Yet, 5.1 is the same as San Marino St. Agatha. 9.3 resembles several South American ribbons and maybe a Malaysian or two. None of these make obvious sense. 9.2 (blue with yellow side stripes to edge) seems a likely Pahlavi based on color value and stripe width and [dare I posit it?] geographic proximity. Didn't the Shah host a couple of OPEC meetings in the '70s? He also tried to line up support for Yemani royalists . But then a Pahlavi for Nimery might be a bit much. Other blue/yellow possibles could include a Lux Adolfe Nassau? Doubt that!

A possibility that I do not associate with Nimery but who knows..... Religious or "ephemeral" awards from Orthodox or Coptic churches or "independent Orders"? There is/was an Orthodox St. Basil Order with a blue bordered with yellow ribbon. It is well known that Idi Amin & Bokassa accepted these sorts of decorations and wore them often. Presidents Bongo, Tolbert, Doe, and others as well as King Hassan were given such things. A St. Dennis of Zante was presented to Eisenhower. I know a St. Lazarus was offered to King Hussein in the mid-1970s but do not know if he accepted it.