Israeli Ribbon Bar with Rare Ribbon

[Dave Danner]

I found this in the bottom of a junk box at the last Union, NJ show I went to:



Top row are the Independence War Ribbon (1948) and the Sinai Campaign Ribbon (1956). On the second row, the second one is the Six Day War Ribbon (1967).

It's the first one on the second row that is unusual. It is the "Ot ha-Mishmar" for service before the Independence War in certain guard and police forces, including the Supernumery Police formed under British auspices during the Arab uprising of 1936-1939.

There are a number of other rare ribbons for service before Israel's founding, including in Haganah, anti-Nazi resistance forces, the British Army, various undergrounds, and even the Ottoman Army in World War One. This is the only one I have ever seen, though.

Dave

[Daniel Krause]

Thats a nice one! Congratulations!
The Israelis have not so much awards, so it is even more difficult to get a ribbon bar.

Best regards

Daniel

[Ed_Haynes]

See some basic, and evolving, information I have put up with the help of some friends in Israel:

http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/...sraelIEPE.html

This is, in fact, the Hamishmar (Guards) Ribbon (different from the HASHOMER Ribbon). And the order of wearing seems odd. If you don't mind, I share this scan with them (without telling them the site where I found it!) for opinions.

Ed Haynes

[Dave Danner]

It seems like it is in the order the awards were established rather than the events they commemorate.

Dave

[Ed_Haynes]

Agreed. The Israeli attitude toward these things is so -- let me be delicate -- laid back that I and my contacts in Israel have no idea whether there is any official order of wearing laid down. Only the three super-rare decorations, the police medals, and the Nazi fighter medal are actually medals anyway, everything else is a ribbon.

Ed Haynes

[Ian Jewison]

Hi Ed,
Just had a look at your link and I was suprised to see that the "Nazi Fighter Medal" has the ribbon very much similar to the Iron Cross only with two blue lines added!
I wonder if this was intentional or is there some meaning to the ribbon colours?

Regards, Ian

[Ed_Haynes]

Everyone I have discussed this with denies emphatically that the ribbon similarity is intentional, but there is a kind of verbal "wink" in the denial. I have no doubt the visual "pun" is quite intentional.

So others can see what we're talking about:



Ed Haynes

[Rick Research]

No MEDALS for the ribbons? Why?

[Ian Jewison]

No MEDALS for the ribbons? Why?

Isn't that the same in the States?

[David S]

I guess that the 'ribbon only' are for campaigns. Some of the ribbons have attachments though.

Only the gallantry awards have medals.

[Ed_Haynes]

Sorry my previous wasn't clear.

With the exception of the three armed forces gallantry awards (Itur Hagvura, Itur ha'oz, and Itur Hamofet), the police medals (Police Heroism Order, Police Valiant Conduct Order, Police Exemplary Conduct Order, and Police Distinguished Service Order), and the Nazi Fighter Ribbon and Medal, there are NO medals issued by Israel. All other awards (e.g., everying on this ribbon bar) are ribbons only, no accompanying medals. A partial exception are the "badges" -- Palmach Badge, Badge for service with British Forces during WWII, Decoration for Mandate Prisoners, Magen Yerushalaim, Decoration of State Warriors, and Israel Security Prize -- some are have been replaced with ribbons, some have apparently fallen out of wear, and others are civilian-wear only.

Glance at http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/...sraelIEPE.html for more information (though some image links need fixing).

Ed Haynes