British medals identification

[NickG]

A co-worker at my job has this portrait of her grandfather taken in a Studio in Belgrade (Serbia), I assume shortly after the war...
She wanted to know what the uniform represented....
She stated that he was wounded during the war and met his future wife, a nurse at a local hospital.

Because of the medals (and the leather shoulderstraps) she assumed it was a uniform, but to me it is just a civilian leather jacket.

The medals appear to be the British 39-45 service medal + the Italian campaign star. (appropriate for the Balkans)

QUESTION:
In what capacity could he have earned these medals as a Non Brit?
(he did not serve in the British of Commonwealth armed forces as far as the family knows)
They were surprised to hear that these are UK medals... Thoughts?

[NickG]

This is what I think these represent...Was it common for foreigners to earn these?
It looks like he is wearing them in the wrong order....

The Star shaped medal is a campaign medal called “Italy Star” awarded for service in that theatre of operations which included the Balkans (Yugoslavia)

Most awardees served directly in the British and Commonwealth forces, but outsiders could have still earned these medals by assisting, actively giving aid to those British forces…
Correct? Like guides or resistance groups that actively provided aid to shot down British airmen by organizing escape routes…or a local agent working for the British directly?
Who knows?

Interesting combination. The jacket is certainly a civilian leather one. The picture was taken at an official photo studio, based on the wall paper back ground.
Thoughts?

[skypilot]

British Medals were indeed awarded to foreign nationals. I have owned a number of Polish groups that has had similar content to that shown, along with other awards such as 39-45 Star, Africa Star etc. Without further information it would be impossible to shed any further light as he could be from any nation and have served in any branch of the services, although the army would be the most likely.

[leibregiment]

Possibly an interpreter attached to the British army in Italy

[juoneen]

He must have been pretty important to block out his face....was he a spy or a commando of some type?

[NickG]

No just did not want to go through the motions to obtain approval to post it,
so I decided to go the anonymous route by censoring it!