african orders

[Christian L]

as africa is such a big part on the map, i'm really trying to get some orders of the different states to my mind - but it is harder than i thought!

from the more common ones like egypt, tunesia and ethiopia i get some - but others - even with looking up in some databases i would really enjoy if forum members have some and would like to share!

christian

[Ed_Haynes]

Sub-Saharan Africa is really, really hard. There is little enough on Arab Africa, but much less on other areas (except for purely "colonial" awards and for South Africa). We may not want to get into a debate on why there is such little information on Africa, but some of the reasons seem obvious. The best information out there is on Megan Robertson's fine site, which has done a great job getting us started on Africa:

http://www.medals.org.uk/

We do need better, however.

I have put up some North African awards (anyone who is an Arab League member) over at

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2785

Edited April 18, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

PS: We also have a few (but mainly North African) over at the OMSA site:

http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=679

[Dave Danner]

Ed Emering's website shows a fairly good selection of colonial and post-colonial awards, mainly for the former French colonies and Congo/Zaire/Congo.

Main medal index: http://www.emering.com/medals/

Former French colonies: http://www.emering.com/medals/french/index.html

Congo (Zaire): http://www.emering.com/medals/drc/index.html

Belgian Congo: http://www.emering.com/medals/belgian/index.html

I have a number of medals from Nigeria, Congo and elsewhere, but most aren't scanned. Some of my Ethiopian decorations are here: http://home.att.net/~ordersandmedals/ethiopia.htm

[Ed_Haynes]

So many of the sites out there may have nice images, but are incredibly short on information. Even Megan's site has little, and we are left going back to Dorling and Wehrlich. Dave's sites (thank you!) are the exception to the rule, but their focus is where their focus is.

And (apologies), how could I forget Yuri Yashnev's superb site (well, it was down the last time I looked, maybe that's why):

http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Africa/AfricaMain.htm

We do need a good and carefully researched book on African awards.

Edited April 19, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Mike Dwyer]

I have a commander's badge (III Class) of the Order of the Star, but I don't have just a photo or scan of the medal by itself.

Edited April 19, 2006 by Mike Dwyer

[paddywhack]

heres my ones from central-ish africa!

botswana(?) long service medal! a real ba$tard to photograph!!!

[paddywhack]

a bit better!!! it just says silver on the back!!

Edited April 19, 2006 by paddywhack

[Christian L]

thanks a lot to all for participating!!!

these rarly or (at least for me) some never seen decorations are very nice and interesting!

if there will be a picturebook available on these, i'm pretty sure that i'd like to get one - as those are real eye candys with a lot of research potential in the way of historical background (not for the recipient, but for the decoration itself!)

christian

[paddywhack]

and heres the rep of zaire medal! looks very like the croix de guerre!!

[paddywhack]

and of course the back!!

[paddywhack]

anyone know what the zaire medal is for?? anyone seen it before? i saw a similer one for officers on one of the links ed had there!

[paddywhack]

holy cr%p i wss going through some of those links and i saw the medals of katanga and i recoinized one of the medals there!!!! the one for militry mert cross was give to a mate of mines uncle who was a high up medic in the UN (he was irish army) and has a few medals! must get a pic of them all!!!(he has them framed)cant be many of those in ireland!!!!

http://www.emering.com/medals/drc/index.html

sorry had to use the pic on the site!!

Edited April 19, 2006 by paddywhack

[Dave Danner]

anyone know what the zaire medal is for?? anyone seen it before? i saw a similer one for officers on one of the links ed had there!

The Zaire cross was basically their version of the Croix de Guerre. The current republic has the same cross with, if I remember correctly, DRC on the reverse for Democratic Republic of the Congo (though it should be RDC, Republique Democratique Congolaise). The Zaire version often shows up in French groups from the Kolwezi operation.

[paddywhack]

ah cool!! thanks dave!!

[eitze]

Hello Gentleman,

in my former life I was collecting orders and decorations of Black African States.

Here we have a court mounted medal group from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It`s a fire fighter`s bar with the following medals:

- Nigeria Independence Medal 1960

- Fire Brigade Meritorious Service Medal

- Fire Brigade L.S.and G.C. Medal

The bar was mounted by Spink & Son, London.

More to follow

Greetings

eitze

Edited April 20, 2006 by eitze

[eitze]

And here`s the reverse of the bar

Greetings

eitze

[Dave Danner]

I looked through what I have at home and I don't have much left from sub-Saharan Africa, besides the Ethiopian medals previously noted.

For orders, I have an Order of Merit from the Republic of the Congo (AKA Congo-Brazzaville, the former French colony on the other side of the Congo River from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, AKA Congo-Kinshasa, formerly Zaire, formerly Congo, formerly the Belgian Congo).

For decorations, I have a Distinguished Service Medal from Nigeria, a Military Merit Cross from Zaire and the aforementioned Zairean Croix de Guerre.

The rest are mostly campaign, commemorative and long-service medals from South Africa, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Congo/Zaire and Somalia. These include the Somali campaign medals for the 1964 and 1977-78 wars with Ethiopia, and the Zimbabwean medal for service in Mozambique, where Zimbabwean troops protected the rail/river lines of the Beira Corridor from RENAMO rebels (the medal states "In defence of Zimbabwe economic lifeline-Mocambique").

[eitze]

@paddywhack

Here`s another "strange designed" medal from Botswana.

It is the Duty Code Order with a nice form and very colorful. The reverse is blank.

http://www.pictureupload.de/pictures/21040...a_Duty_Code.jpg

Greetings

eitze

[eitze]

@paddywhack:

And here?s the proof that there are also ordinary medals in Botswana

It is the Distinguished Service Medal with a blank reverse.

http://www.pictureupload.de/pictures/21040...swana_-_DSM.jpg

Greetings

eitze

[eitze]

This is for ULSTERMAN

Kingdom Burundi: Merit Medal of King Mwambusta IV (1915-1966)

http://www.pictureupload.de/pictures/21040...113_Burundi.jpg

Greetings

eitze

[eitze]

Another treasure from Black Africa for the Gentlemen

The Independent Republic of Katanga which exists 1960-1963 awarded a Order of Merit in small numbers.

Here we have the commander`s cross of the mentioned order, but beware it is a COPY:

You can see it on the green rays. They lay side by side and not one above the other. (Hope you understand and sorry for my bad english )

The revers is blank.

According to Ivo Suetens in his work on Katangese ODM, there were only 75 Commander Crosses made by a firm in Belgium !!!

http://www.pictureupload.de/pictures/22040...Komtur_80__.jpg

Greetings

eitze

[Ed_Haynes]

Not to complain, eitze. Thanks for these postings. But your images would be much easier and faster to see if you posted them on the forum (within our size limitations) rather than linked them to a very slow server. Thanks.

[eitze]

Katanga - the second

The order consist of:

- Grand Cross

- Grand Officer

- Commander

- Officer

- Knight

- Bronze Medal

Here you can see the Bronze Medal of the Order.The revers is also blank.

1000 medals were made in behalf of the Katangese Government.

Because of the short existense of the state and the years of civil war in the Congo, all Katangese ODM are very rare and hard to find.

http://www.pictureupload.de/pictures/22040...Br_VM_105__.jpg

Greetings

eitze

[eitze]

Hi Ed,

I would like to post the pictures within the forum, what about the the limitation ??

Yesterday I`ve tried to post, but without success

What`s the secret or do I have to pay for a bigger space ???

Greetings

eitze