Medals of Syria display

[Riley1965]

This display consists of:

row 1: Order of Civil merit, knights class, Medal of Military Merit, Order of Bravery, 1st Class

row2: Order of bravery 2nd & 3rd Class, Long and Exemplary Service medals pre-1962 and post 1963

row3: Medal of March 8th, Wound Medal, 25th Anniversary of Syrian Military & Medal of palestine Campaigne

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice display. For some strange reason, these are the ones that seem to flood out of Syria in quantity, while the others are generally unseen. Very odd.

[Riley1965]

Ed,

You're right!! I got all of them as a set except for the Order of Civil Merit.

Doc

Nice display. For some strange reason, these are the ones that seem to flood out of Syria in quantity, while the others are generally unseen. Very odd.

[Christian L]

nice display!

as you got the order of civil merit not with the set, does the order have the douple-pin-through-the ribbon attachement as well?

(don't know how to describe it - but as you have the examples in hand, i hope you know what i mean)

christian

[Ed_Haynes]

As most Syrian medals were/are made in France, most will have the familiar French double-forked suspension or whatever it is called.

[Riley1965]

Actually this one didn't come with the "fork". However several of the medals from the set did have the fork suspension.

Edited February 14, 2006 by Riley1965

[David Gregory]

Those "fork" things are called ?pingles and for some reason, sellers on French eBay seem to be very reluctant to ship them outside France.

[Ed_Haynes]

For example, the suspension of my Order of Civil Merit, 4th class ("knight"). As I said, almost any Arab ODM made in France (as many are) will come that way.

[Paul R]

Very interesting collection! How difficult are the other medals to find?

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

Not to hijack Mike's thread, but I'll add some of the more uncommon Syrian gongs.

Part of the problem is that most of the Syrian medals that come to the Western market (mainly via e$cam) are through a couple of Levantine (manly Beirut) sources that bring forward the same "set" of a half dozen medals with predictable regularity. This is complicated by the fact that most collectors view the legends as no more than "squiggles" (I have friends who say the same thing about English, by the way).

Will add some and hope that is OK with Mike

[Riley1965]

Post away, Ed!!!!

Doc

[Ed_Haynes]

Just as a footnote: An additional part of the problem with Syrian medals lies in the immense degree of French "influence" (1919-46) and with the question of the United Arab Republic (UAR), 1958-61 (was it "UAR", "Syria", or "Greater Egypt" -- no one at the time knew either!).

[Ed_Haynes]

Wisam al-Satahaqaq al-Suri / Order of Civil Merit

Awarded for service to the state and to wider Arab causes. In normal classes, a recipient begins in the lowest class and, over time, works their way un through the order by successive promotion, often after specified period of service in lower ranks of the award. The order may be presented posthumously.

This order represents a revision and modification of the earlier, French-created Honor Medal of Syrian Merit. On occasion, this order has been referred to as the ?Syrian Merit Medal?. This award is also known, quite unofficially, as the ?Order of the Arrows?.

The redesign of the earlier medal served to remove the overall design similiarity of the previous award to a ?Star of David? by reducing the number of points of the star from six to five and resulted in a complete redesign of the reverse.

Established: By Legislative Decree No. 153 of 25 June 1953. Known to have been manufactured by Arthus Bertrand (Paris, France).

Second class and forth class shown. Missed out on a lovely first class set recently

[Ed_Haynes]

Wisam al-Tadrib / Medal of Training

Awarded to officers in command of a unit of at least company size which has achieved high ratings in training exercises over a period of at least one year. During this time, the recipient must have served actively with his unit and displayed a documented high standard of conduct and behavior. Subsequent awards are indicated by the addition of a bronze oak leaf to the ribbon.

This medal was also awarded to Saudi Arabian troops trained and deployed in Syria.

This medal has also been incorrectly associated with the Syrian Golan Heights campaign of 1973-74.

[Ed_Haynes]

Wisam Filistin al-Tazkari / Order of the Palestine Campaign

(Even though Mike has shown this one, I am showing it too -- it is common, more complex than we imagine, and very interesting.)

On 16 May 1948, one day after the united Arab declaration of war against Isarel, Syrian troops attacked across the Golan Heights. By 31 October, the Syrian war with Israel had ended unsuccessfully, as Syria had been forced back along most of their border with the Zionist state. Sporadic fighting continued until the armistice on 20 July 1949.

Awarded for valor and service in the battles in Palestine in 1948. The medal may be awarded to foreigners and can be awarded posthumnously. There is some indication that award may have been extended beyond the initial period of service ? for the 1948 war ? and that it may have become a generalized award for service against Israel?

This medal has also been referred to as the ?Palestine Medal?.

The lack of Syrian success in the war, coupled with the massive number (over 100,000) of Palestinian refugees who moved into Syria, became one of the factors which would, over the following decades, encourage military intervention in the Syrian government.

Established: By Legislative Decree No. 13 of 18 December 1951 and amended by Legislative Decree No. 9 of 19??.

This is seen with both the familiar red/black ribbon and with a red/white ribbon, whose significance is presently unknown.

[Ed_Haynes]

Medal for the 25th Anniversary of the Ba?ath Party

Not much is known about this one, sorry.

[Ed_Haynes]

Medal for the 40th Anniversary of the Syrian Military

Tentative identification.

[Ed_Haynes]

Enough, more than enough, for now, I guess . . . ???

[Ed_Haynes]

Sorry, I lied, one more, the certificate (blank) for the fairly common (and shown-by-Mike)

Syrian Arab Army Medal, 1962

Awarded to all members of the Syrian armed forces serving on 1 August 1962 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the foundation of the Syrian Arab Army on 1 August 1945 (or is it 1946?). In 1965, the award conditions were amended to include those who had served at any time between 1 August 1945 (1946?) and 1 August 1962 who returned to active duty between 8 March 1963 (the Ba?ath takeover) and 28 April 1965 (the date of the amending decree). These conditiosn would seem to make this a very widely awarded medal.

Established: By Legislative Decree No. 2648 of 13 September 1962, and amended by Legislative Decree No. 788 of 28 April 1965.

(This is a scan of a Xerox, as the original is FAR too large to fit on the scanner!)

[Kev in Deva]

Wisam Filistin al-Tazkari / Order of the Palestine Campaign

(Even though Mike has shown this one, I am showing it too -- it is common, more complex than we imagine, and very interesting.)

On 16 May 1948, one day after the united Arab declaration of war against Isarel, Syrian troops attacked across the Golan Heights. By 31 October, the Syrian war with Israel had ended unsuccessfully, as Syria had been forced back along most of their border with the Zionist state. Sporadic fighting continued until the armistice on 20 July 1949.

Awarded for valor and service in the battles in Palestine in 1948. The medal may be awarded to foreigners and can be awarded posthumnously. There is some indication that award may have been extended beyond the initial period of service ? for the 1948 war ? and that it may have become a generalized award for service against Israel?

This medal has also been referred to as the ?Palestine Medal?.

The lack of Syrian success in the war, coupled with the massive number (over 100,000) of Palestinian refugees who moved into Syria, became one of the factors which would, over the following decades, encourage military intervention in the Syrian government.

Established: By Legislative Decree No. 13 of 18 December 1951 and amended by Legislative Decree No. 9 of 19??.

This is seen with both the familiar red/black ribbon and with a red/white ribbon, whose significance is presently unknown.

Hallo Ed There is one currently available at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1948-PALESTINE-ENAMEL-...1QQcmdZViewItem

but what do you think of the price?? Are they so rare??

Kev in Deva.

[Ed_Haynes]

Hallo Ed There is one currently available at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1948-PALESTINE-ENAMEL-...1QQcmdZViewItem

but what do you think of the price?? Are they so rare??

Kev in Deva.

Hi Kev,

No, they are fairly common. There is a eBay-ite from Beirut who always has then.

Ed

[Riley1965]

Nice pieces, Ed!!!

Mike

[Kev in Deva]

Hi Kev,

No, they are fairly common. There is a eBay-ite from Beirut who always has then.

Ed

Thanks for the info Ed

So it seems I missed the boat when it comes to obtaining one locally in Lebanon when I was there in 1979/80

The pictures show the only medal I "obtained" while in Lebanon with the 46th Irish Batt,UNIFIL.

Kev in Dev.

[Riley1965]

Kev,

Well Done !! Congrats on the medal!!!

Doc

[Riley1965]

Ed,

Sorry to hear that you missed out on the 1st class of the Order of Civil Merit. I'm still looking for a 2nd class.

Doc