- This topic has 391 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 6 days, 2 hours ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Today I added the King’s Police Medal to the UK Decorations section. Has anyone got images of that, the Queen’s Police Medal or the Queen’s Fire Service Medal that they’d be willing to share? I’m having difficulties finding them anywhere 🙁
Last week I was on holiday in Morocco (where I didn’t see a single medal anywhere!) but now I’m back.
I have just added the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal – but am scrabbling around desperately to find any ’emergency services’ awards – Queen’s Police Medal (Gallantry or Distinguished Service), Queen’s Fire Services Medal for Gallentary or for Distinguished Service or the Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal… I cannot find any images at all, let alone ones I have permission to use. Can anyone help? It’s leaving rather a hole in the Images Database.
Just added the Decoration “Excellent Police” to the Russian Federation Ministry of Interior (MVD) section – it’s the original Decoration “Excellent Militia” renamed, I think in 2013, to reflect more current views of law enforcement. As with most of the modern Russia material, the image comes courtesy of Frank Dutil – many thanks!
Today I have added the Edward Medal (Mines) and the Edward Medal (Industry) to the British Decorations section. These arawrds were instituted in 1907 (for mines and quarries) and 1909 (for any other workplace) to mark acts of courage by workers saving the lives of their colleagues in the workplace. In 1971 surviving recipients were invited to exchange their medals for the George Cross. As they were rarely awarded, and those wanting a George Cross had to actually hand in their Edward Medals, they are quite hard to find.
Today I added the Indian Distinguished Service Medal and the Burma Gallantry Medal, two relics of Empire when the British produced virtually a separate honours system for some countries in the British Empire, but not others.
This afternoon I added the Distinguished Service Medal and Military Medal to the British Decorations section of the database.
This afternoon I added the Distinguished Flying Medal and the Air Force Medal to the ever-growing collection of British Decorations. They are quite interesting in that they are far more rare than the Distingushed Flying Cross and Air Force Cross – the reason being that the 2 medals were awarded to other ranks (enlisted personnel) for the same services as the respective crosses were awarded to officers… and as you had to be in the air to earn them and most aircrew were officers, well, you do the maths! Since 1993, all ranks have been eligible for the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Force Cross, and these two medals have become obsolete.
This chilly Sunday afternoon I have tried to keep warm adding the Constabulary Medal (Ireland), the Indian Police Medal and the Burma Police Medal to the British Decorations sections. I’ve done pretty well at finding images apart from the first type of the Constabulary Medal (Ireland) – the one before it became the Royal Irish Constabulary. Does anyone have an image of that they’d be willing to share?
Today I’ve added the Colonial Police Medal, which can be awarded for gallantry or for meritorious service. I would have added the Colonial Fire Brigade Medal, also awarded for gallantry or meritorious service, only I haven’t found any images… yet!
This morning I’ve added the Médaille des blessés de guerre to the French section, courtesy of image and information supplied by Frank Dutil. This medal is an oddity in that wounded French service personnel have been purchasing and wearing it for over an hundred years despite it being completely unofficial – they were supposed to attach little red stars to the ribbon of the campaign medal for the action in which they were wounded. Finally, the French Government has bowed to the inevitable and made it official!
Thank you, Frank!
On a dank and chilly Sunday afternoon I’ve added the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, the Allied Subject’s Medal, the King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom and the King’s Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom to the British Decorations section of the database. These are all awarded for civilian services – although the Queen’s Gallantry Medal can be awarded to service personnel for acts for which a military award would be inappropriate) – with the Allied Subject’s Medal being awarded to foreigners for services to British personnel (often aiding escaped P.O.W.s) during World War I and the other two marking similar acts during World War II.
Just added the Medal “For the Liberation of Palmyra” awarded by the Russian Federation Ministry of Defence, courtesy of Frank Dutil.
This morning I received beautiful images of the 2017 Medal of Distinction of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels from Colonel Khriss Urban, to whom it has just been awarded. So thanks and congratulations are in order! I’ve also added the 25th Anniversary of Independence Medal of Antigua and Barbuda, mostly because I added the image to my own website earlier this week and thought I’d share it here as well!
Today I’ve been delving into the British Sea Gallantry Medal – a complex and fascinating subject. For a start, there are TWO of them – the Sea Gallantry Medal and the Sea Gallantry Medal (Foreign Services), the first being awarded to British citizens and the second being awarded to foreigners who assisted British citizens who had got into difficulties at sea. The Sea Gallantry Medal was originally created by an Act of Parliament rather than a Royal Warrant (the usual way in which British orders, decorations and medals are instituted), and both of them were first issued as non-wearable or table medals although later amended to being real medals you can pin on! Although we don’t usually include table medals in the Database, this time I have included these early versions of both Sea Gallantry Medals for completeness.
Wow! The British Decorations section is now finished! Or at least, I’ve added the last two decorations to the database – the British North Borneo Company’s Bravery Cross and the King’s (or Queen’s) Medal for Chiefs.
There are still plenty of gaps, so if you collect British decorations please take a look and see if there is anything in your collection that you’d be willing to photograph I’d be extremely grateful. I’ll be keeping an eye out too, of course.
So, next week I guess I start in on British Campaign Medals…
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
