In my never ending quest for medals named to my surname I inevitably roll past non-military items. Like Masonic medals or in this case an Imperial Service Medal. This one is named to Evelyn Gertrude Maud Burchell, a telephonist in the GPO. She was gazetted in February 1946.
This medal was instituted on 12 February 1951 and could be awarded on either of three ribbons, depending on the type of defaulting the recipient had performed during the war.
In general the medal was awarded to those who refused forced labour or military service, ordered by the German occupant.
A green ribbon with yellow stripes indicate the recipient refused to perform military duties for the enemy, a green ribbon with white stripes was given to those who refused to do work for the Germans and a green ribbon with red stripes was awarded to those who, having been deported to Germany for forced labour and having returned on leave, refused to go back (before 6 June 1944, day of the Normandy invasion).
The Civilian Service Medal 1939–1945 is awarded to civilians in Australia during World War II who served in arduous circumstances in support of the war effort as part of organisations with military-like arrangements and conditions of service. The medal was introduced in 1994, following a recommendation of the Committee of Inquiry into Defence and Defence Related Awards.
The Committee intended to extend recognition only to those whose war service in Australia was more arduous than the norm, and was performed under military-like conditions. Hence, Women’s Land Army members, whose work was very physical, required them to live in rural areas away from their homes for lengthy periods, and was subject to military-like discipline, are generally eligible. On the other hand, members of the industrial workforce involved in munitions production are not eligible, as they overwhelmingly lived at home and were subject to standard civilian working conditions. The medal is therefore recognition of those not in the armed services, but who experienced wartime working conditions similar to the armed services.
Recipients must have served for at least 180 days in any one or a combination of the 38 eligible groups between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Recipients of the Civilian Service Medal 1939–1945 do not earn an entitlement to use post-nominal letters. As at 30 June 2006, 6,711 awards of the Civilian Service Medal 1939–1945 had been made.
This particular example is blank on the reverse and therefore unissued stock.
The Order of the Badge of Honour (Russian: Орден “Знак Почёта”) was a civilian award of the Soviet Union. It was instituted on 25 November 1935 and conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in production, scientific research and social, cultural and other forms of social activity, for promotion of economic, scientific, technological, cultural and other ties between the USSR and other countries and also for significant contribution to basic and applied research. This one is numbered 1248238.
(Russian: Орден “Материнская слава”) was a Soviet civilian award created on 8 July 1944 by Joseph Stalin. The 3rd class as here was awarded to women who successfully raised 7 children. Get that for me Deirdre.This one is numbered 2716656. Since only 2,786,000 of these were awarded, this is obviously a late award.
Instituted on 14 September 1945, this order was awarded for services in connection with the 9 September 1944 uprising, for outstanding services in the establishment of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, and for bravery in action by officers and leaders of the People’s Army. Two divisions were created, a Military and a Civil Division, each having three classes. The Military Division can be recognized by its insignia having crossed swords. Two types of the order exist : a screw-back type and a ribboned one. The central medallion depicts a Bulgarian patriot, Vasil Levski.
Instituted on 14 September 1945, this order was awarded for services in connection with the 9 September 1944 uprising, for outstanding services in the establishment of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, and for bravery in action by officers and leaders of the People’s Army. Two divisions were created, a Military and a Civil Division, each having three classes. The Military Division can be recognized by its insignia having crossed swords. Two types of the order exist : a screw-back type and a ribboned one. The central medallion depicts a Bulgarian patriot, Vasil Levski.
This medal was originally instituted in 1921 and then renewed in 1944 by the National Polish Liberation Committee. It was awarded for outstanding civilian acts as well as acts of bravery.
This is the Khrueang Ratcha Itsariyaphon An Pen Thi Choet Chu Ying Chang Phueak or The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, 7th Class. It’s a Thailand order that is the most awarded in the country. In Thai the name is เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก. Ha. Say that out loud!
Another Communist Era medal for service in the SNB (Sbor Narodni Bezpecnosti) which was the Czech equivalent of the KGB.
I know nothing about this medal beyond its name. It came in a big box of junk from an auction. I don’t really care for Communist stuff, but who would buy this?
This is the Faithful Service Medal issued under King Carol of Romania. This is the second class type without swords so it would be issued for non-war service, for example civil servants, postmasters, policemen and so on. It also has the non-warlike ribbon without the yellow edge stripes.
On 16 May 1938, the British government set out the objectives of the Women’s Voluntary Service for Civil Defence. It was seen “as the enrolment of women for Air Raid Precaution Services of Local Authorities, to help to bring home to every household what air attack may mean, and to make known to every household [in the country] what it can do to protect itself and the community.”
In the words of the then Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, “as regards their civil defence functions, the Minister regards the Women’s Voluntary Service as occupying … much the same relationship as that of the women’s auxiliary services for the armed forces of the Crown.”
This medal was issued for 40 years of service to this organization.
Kiwi Medals 