Do you collect military medals?

[Rob]

One of my favourite hobbies (whenever I'm feeling cashed-up, that is), is collecting military medals.

I typically stick to British/Australian/Canadian/South African groups as these are generally named and I enjoy doing research on the people behind them. A fascinating thing, although I always get a bit sad to think that people have either had no heirs to leave them to, or their heirs have gone and sold them.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone collects medals and, if so, whether you'd like to see some of my groups of medals, and their accompanying stories, from my personal collection? I can just stick to the WWII stuff and the vibe of the Lounge, if people prefer, or can bring in WWI, Boer War and earlier stuff, too?

 

[Diamondback]

Be interesting to hear the stories behind your collection, sir.

As for me, about the only way I'm going to be involved is building facsimiles of the "Salad Bars" worn by the various men who've had an influence on me.

 

[Rob]

OK, let me see what I can dig up.

 

[indycop]

One of my favourite hobbies (whenever I'm feeling cashed-up, that is), is collecting military medals.

I typically stick to British/Australian/Canadian/South African groups as these are generally named and I enjoy doing research on the people behind them. A fascinating thing, although I always get a bit sad to think that people have either had no heirs to leave them to, or their heirs have gone and sold them.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone collects medals and, if so, whether you'd like to see some of my groups of medals, and their accompanying stories, from my personal collection? I can just stick to the WWII stuff and the vibe of the Lounge, if people prefer, or can bring in WWI, Boer War and earlier stuff, too?

The only medals I have are the very few that are my own. I would like to see some of the british ghurkas. I am thinking of ordering 1 of those knives from khukuri house and have always been fascinated by them.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I've only collected one....

The famed 'Faciat Georgius', the 'George Medal' of Guadalcanal. The besieged Marines on the 'canal dreamed this one up when the felt like the Navy was letting them down and stranding them on shore. It has quite a history.

My uncle, Col. Edmund J. Buckley, USMC was designated the Grand Master of the Order and it was he who ceremoniously pinned this monstrosity on qualified Leathernecks - done with a big laundry pin!

Martin Clemens devoted a portion of a chapter in his great tome, "Alone On Guadalcanal: A Coastwatchers Story" on the 'George' and describes it's design evolution and casting in Australia. Only a few of these gems are still around as so many of the Marines that received them have passed on. Those that do have them and still can, wear them with pride at reunions and funerals these days.

I'll find and post some pictures of the Marine's Guadalcanal 'George' Medal.

-dixon cannon

 

[Rob]

That is a really interesting tale. There are actually a number of 'unofficial' medals that have been struck over the years. I'm thinking of a WWII group I have that has a "Tobruk Medal" at the very end of the row of medals -- an unofficial medal made, I believe, by a Tobruk association, many years after the war had ended, for veterans to show they were there in light of there being no official Tobruk Medal. I might start showing my collection with that group, actually.

 

[F16WarBird]

Collect them? No.

Earn them? Yes.

 

[mikepara]

Earned a few, aquired a few more. It would be a lie to say I collected them though. More of a reader!

I do however collect Medal News magazine and am a member of both the Life Saving Awards Research Society and the Medal Society of Ireland.

 

[BakingInPearls]

I love military medals, I will have to say though the styling of German Nazi medals win me over everytime when I am looking in a shop window. I have a few German ones and then all the medals that my family members have recieved in the service along with a ton of military buttons from mainly jackets.