This week's Medal Bar quiz!

[Wild Card]

A "little extra".

[Stogieman]

Well, I think the mini chain further backs up this as a legit double award. The telegram is just about the neatest piece of paper I have seen in a very, very long time!!

[HeikoGrusdat]

Ok, together with the mini chain it is still unbelievable but it is a bit more real now... great pieces!!!

[Stogieman]

Hi Heiko! The one thing I have learned with Imperial is never say never! If it was a group of loose pieces, I'd agree. But mounted up like that.... even without documents or a mini chain that was something made just like it is. No "close enough" work there... someone was proudly making a statement!

[Guest Rick Research]

Heiko: I have indeed seen TWO 1870/71 campaign medals WITH documents like this--

back at the end of the 1970s, or early 1980s, in the OMSA magazine, contributed by the then-West German consul in the Northwest Territories of Canada--

his great-great had also served in the American Civil War and got THAT American campaign medal 40 years later as well.

And... as I recall... he was a doctor, some sort of civilian contract surgeon who served in combat and back home.

Improper? Of course. Wrong? You bet.

But apparently even then the INSANE noncombatant/combatant freakishness of Prussia had THEM confused as well.

Why a "noncombatant" who served in the frontlines, under enemy fire, got a steel medal on a "noncombatant" ribbon, whereas a Stayed Home got that same steel medal but on the "frontline" ribbon makes NO sense. If anything, either a combatant medal on a special noncombatant ribbon, or the combatant ribbon with steel medal should have been for the frontline non-arms-bearers, and the Stayed Homes should have gotten the steel/noncombatant ribbon.

If I was in charge....

[Ulsterman]

Imperial/Prussian trumps state awards?