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    Sailor Malan's medals


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    Does anyone know ther whereabouts of Group Captain A G "Sailor" Malan, DSO and bar, DFC and bar, etc.'s medal group? I would like to obtain a photograph of the group and/or ribbon bar. The RAF museum does not have it and I assume the authorities in South Africa at the time of his death would not have been interested in it given the disrespectful way in which he & many other ex-servicemen were treated by the government of the day.

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    In 1957, the Africana Museum inJohannesburg published a list of the medals in its collections and Malan's medals were included. This museum has been renamed MuseumAfrica and, as far I know, it still exists. Whether or not Malan's medals are still in its care is another question entirely.

    Brett

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    • 2 weeks later...
    • 8 years later...

    Has anyone found a photo of Sailor Malan's Medals yet?  

    If possible, please post a photo online.

    Alternatively, a confirmed List of the names and devices of each of his medals would be very appreciated.

     

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    Hi, I recall seeing the group at the SA Museum of Military history (renamed as above) many years ago. At one point there was a reported theft of a VC group, after which I was told the family had reclaimed the group. Unfortunately this is anecdotal at best.

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    18 minutes ago, peter monahan said:

    Here is the current contact site for the SA National Museum of Military History.  Try contacting them directly and asking if the medals are: on display, still in the museum,  or have been photographed and whether that photograph can be accessed.

    https://ditsong.org.za/contact/

    Hi, I was at the museum last year Sept and it was definitely not on display. Perhaps they have a photo in the library. Good luck with that....

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    Interesting topic. No pictures to be found indeed.

    Checking several sources gives the following list:

    DSO & bar, DFC & bar, 39-45 star with Battle of Britain clasp, Air Crew Europe star, Defence Medal, War Medal & Mid oak leaf, Belgian Croix de Guerre with bronze oak leaf,  Czecho-Slovakian Military Cross, French Legion d'Honneur Officer grade and French Croix de Guerre. 

     

    Now a detailed sharp picture will help.

     

    Regards 

    Herman 

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    • 2 weeks later...

    THANK YOU!

    I actually just ordered 4 of his biographies from abebooks in the hopes that at least one would have a photo of the medals (I am still waiting for the books to arrive).  As such, the photo provided is very appreciated.  

    Given my last name (Malan), I would like to re-create his medal rack to display next to my own military medals as well as my Dad's medals and my Grandfather's WW2 medals.  If anyone has advice about where to obtain "reasonably" priced original medals for the Belgium, Czech and French WW2 medals and/or a source for museum quality reproductions of the DSO, DFC and ACE, it would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks again!

    Edited by malanmm
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    • 2 weeks later...
    • 3 years later...

    I just found this picture of Sailor Malan in a suit wearing his medals. 
     

    I think it is probably a “France and Germany” clasp on his Air Crew Europe medal.
     

    I would still love to find perfect photos of all of his medals and clasps/devices up close.  Hopefully someone eventually can obtain some for me. 
     

    Cheers,

    Matt

     

    IMG_7844.jpeg

    Edited by malanmm
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