This is a Soviet medal issued to all surviving veterans of the Great Patriotic War on the 40th anniversary of the German surrender.
Archive for the Medals Category
Medal for 40th Anniversary of Victory over Germany
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Capture of Berlin
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeThis is the Soviet campaign medal for the drive to capture Berlin in April-May 1945. Brutal.
Medal for the Victory Over Japan
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Empire of Japan, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeThe Soviet Union came in late in the war on Japan. Having frightened them off in 1939 in their drubbing of the Japanese 6th Army in Mongolia, the Soviets waited until August 9th 1945 before rolling into Northern Mongolia, Korea and the Kurile Islands. This medal was awarded to troops involved in that campaign.
Medal for the Capture of Budapest
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Hungary, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeOne of the group of Soviet Union campaign medals, this one was issued to all troops involved in the capture of Budapest in 1945.
Order of the Red Star Type 7, Variant 2
Posted in Valour Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeThis is a mid-1950’s issue Order of the Red Star from the Soviet Union. It is inscribed 3283313 and has the Moscow Mint mark.
60th Anniversary of the Outbreak of the Great Patriotic War
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Moldova, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude
This is a Post-Soviet Moldovan medal commemorating the resistance against the German Invasion of 1941
Medal of Liberty 2nd Class 1941
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Finland, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude
The front of this Finland medal has the words “Urheudesta För Tapperhet” which means “For Valour”. This medal was awarded to NCO’s and other ranks for service to the state as well as on the occasion of their wounding.
The Commemorative Medal of the Winter War 1939-40
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Finland, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeThis Finland medal is awarded for service in the war against the Soviet Union in 1939 and 1940. The war started out well for Finland when she was able to use her terrain and the Mannerheim Line of fortifications to blunt and in places, slaughter the Soviet invaders. Eventually the weight of numbers told and Finland was forced to seek peace. There are a lot of bars for this medal, mostly regional. Only one bar could be awarded per medal.
Ensconced in the snow, his white camouflage suit rendering him invisible to the invading Soviet soldiers he stalked, Simo Häyhä steadied himself to fire. During the 1939–1940 Winter War, in temperatures as low as –40 °C, the Finnish sniper undertook a killing spree that saw him single-handedly take the lives of at least 700 men in less than 100 days. Over 500 of these he shot using a standard, bolt-action rifle with non-telescopic sights. Is it any wonder he earned the nickname White Death among his enemies? Meet the man who would take Rambo to the cleaners.
The War Medal 1941-45
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Greece, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude
This Greek medal was instituted in 1947 to commemorate participation in campaigns and actions not covered by the War Medal 1040-1941l. Again two reverses exist, one for land and one for sea actions. The land operations reverse refers to North Africa, South Aegean Islands and Italy. This example is the land version.
The Medal of National Resistance 1941-45
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Greece, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeThis is a Greek medal created in 1948 and awarded to recognise all partisans and regular troops who served in the fight against the Nazis. It was also awarded to Allied soldiers involved in the defence of Greece in 1941.
Commemorative Medal of the 30th Anniversary of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Empire of Japan, Mongolia, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude
The Battles of Khalkhyn Gol (Mongolian: Халхын голын байлдаан; Russian: бои на реке Халхин-Гол; Chinese: 诺门坎事件; pinyin: Nuò mén kǎn shìjiàn) was the decisive engagement of the undeclared Soviet–Japanese border conflicts fought among the Soviet Union, Mongolia and the Empire of Japan in 1939. The conflict was named after the river Khalkhyn Gol, which passes through the battlefield. In Japan, the decisive battle of the conflict is known as the Nomonhan Incident (ノモンハン事件 Nomonhan jiken) after a nearby village on the border between Mongolia and Manchuria. The battles resulted in total defeat for the Japanese Sixth Army.
This medal marks the 30th anniversary of the battle.
The Medal for Combatant Merit Type 1
Posted in Valour Medals with tags Mongolia, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeThis Mongolian Medal was created in 1941. It was awarded several thousand times. This one has the number 2017 engraved on the rear.
The Medal for Outstanding Acts
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Greece, WW2 on May 1, 2013 by The DudeThis is a Greek medal, instituted in 1940, that was awarded to both civilians and military for acts of an outstanding nature that did not warrant a valour award.
Border Service Medal
Posted in 1945 + Medals with tags Thailand on May 1, 2013 by The Dude
This Thailand medal is issued to all border troops and customs agents for service. It is identical to the one issued in WW2 although I think this is a 1956 issue. I can’t speak Thai so god only knows what it says.
Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the Victory Over Militant Japan
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Mongolia, WW2 on May 1, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued by Mongolia, a sometime Japanese puppet state, a sometime Soviet client.
Nato Service Medal with Bar for Bosnia-Herzegovina
Posted in 1945 + Medals with tags Bosnia, NATO on May 1, 2013 by The Dude
This medal, disparagingly referred to as “The Pizza Pie” was issued to all NATO troops involved in the Bosnian War. The medals that Nato issues are all superficially similar, only the bar changes.
The Commemorative Medal of the Continuation War 1941-45
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Finland, WW2 on May 1, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was instituted in 1957 and came in two varieties, one in Swedish for the Swedish volunteers and one in Finnish. The Continuation War was how the Finns described their war against the Soviets in 1941, in concert with the Germans. The continuation part refers to the Winter War between Finland and the USSR in 1940.
Commemorative Medal for Loyalty and Military Ability
Posted in 1945 + Medals with tags Slovakia, WW2 on April 30, 2013 by The Dude
This medal was created by the independent rump state of Slovakia formed after the dismantling of Czechosovakia for members of the Slovakian Federation of Volunteer Combatants of 1918-38.
1904-05 Russo-Japanese War Medal
Posted in 1901-1913 Medals with tags Empire of Japan, Russia (Imperial), Russo-Japanese War on April 30, 2013 by The Dude
A unique jugun kiso was ordered on March 31, 1906 by Imperial Edict No. 51[3] in recognition of those who served in the war which occurred during the 37th and 38th years of the Meiji period — Meiji 37-38 (1904–1905). This is more commonly known as the Russo-Japanese War Medal.
40 Years of the Yugoslav People’s Army
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Yugoslavia on April 30, 2013 by The Dude
This is a commemorative medal issued in 1981 celebrating 40 years of the Yugoslav People’s Army. This refers to Josep Tito’s communist forces.
Medal for Foreigners in Tito’s Partisan Forces
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags WW2, Yugoslavia on April 30, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was awarded to the foreign fighters who fought as members of Tito’s Partisans for the liberation of Yugoslavia during the Second World War. It was issued shortly after the end of the war. The medal has an inscription on the back that reads “Smrt Fašizmu – Sloboda Narodu”, which translates as “Death to Fascism – Freedom to the People”. That was the slogan of the Yugoslav liberation fighters led by Marshal Tito.
10 Years of the Yugoslav People’s Army
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Yugoslavia on April 30, 2013 by The DudeThis is a commemorative medal issued in 1951 celebrating 10 years of the Yugoslav People’s Army. This refers to Josep Tito’s communist forces.
The Medal for the Liberation of Siebenbürgen
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Hungary, WW2 on April 30, 2013 by The Dude
This Hungarian medal was struck to commemorate the incorporation of Siebenbürgen (perhaps better known as Transylvania) into Hungary, this medal in “war metal” was instituted on 1 October 1940. Transylvania was taken from Transylvania.
The obverse has the bust of King Matthias Corvinus (1458-1490) while the reverse holds the arms of Siebenbürgen.
Medal for the Liberation of Upper Hungary
Posted in 1919-1938 Medals with tags Hungary, WW2 on April 30, 2013 by The Dude
This is a medal commemorating the gains that Hungary made at the expense of Czechoslovakia in the 1st Vienna Award of 1938.
On 2 November 1938, the First Vienna Award transferred to Hungary parts of Southern Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia, an area amounting to 11,927 km² and a population of 869,299 (86.5% of which were Hungarians according to a 1941 census). Between 5 November and 10 November, Hungarian armed forces peacefully occupied the newly transferred territories.
Hungarian Commemorative Cross of WW2
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Hungary, WW2 on April 30, 2013 by The Dude
This medal, made to resemble the Fire Cross, is dated 1943 on one arm and 2003 on another.
Kiwi Medals 