Some Polish Orders "Virtuti Militari"

[Dave Danner]

Here are a few assorted Commonwealth ribbon bars:



The last two bars are Polish/British. One has the Virtuti Militari and the 1939-45 Star. The other has the Monte Cassino Cross, War Medal, Italy Star and 39-45 Star (I think it's upside down).

From a fellow collector's collection, a Knight (III Class) of the Order of Virtuti Militari. It's numbered but I can't read the number.



This is an original Knight, numbered 146, currently on eBay:


The only Virtuti Militaris I have are from the current Republic.

Dave

[JensF.]

This is the order I've sold:

[JensF.]

.

[Rick Research]

And from the other direction, first ribbon in bottom row ca 1950 ribbon bar is a Soviet recipient of the Communist Lublin government's version:

[Dave Danner]

My current issue Virtuti Militari badges:

Knight (also called the III Class)


Although not remotely as high quality as the pre-World War Two Knight's badges shown above, this Knight's badge is actually better looking than the scan indicates. The cross arms are vaulted like the pre-war examples and the black enamel looks better in person.

Golden Merit Cross


Silver Merit Cross


Dave

[Rick Research]

Current as in... TODAY? I thought this was supposed to be Poland's highest award for BRAVERY-- has it been "routinized" into something else?

[Dave Danner]

Are you implying that Poles today aren't capable of bravery?

Besides service in peacekeeping missions, Polish forces have seen combat. The Polish Army's special operations unit, Grom, has participated in several operations, including take-downs of indicted Serb war criminals (the SAS was initially given credit for one of their operations), maritime interdiction operations in the Persian Gulf (ongoing) and counterterrorist, reconnaissance and direct action missions in Afghanistan.

Although it was authorized as Poland's highest bravery decoration in the Law of October 16, 1992, I don't know about any awards of the VM yet. The operators who took down Slavko Dokmanovic, the "Butcher of Vukovar," in Eastern Slavonia in 1997 received the Cross of Merit for Bravery.

Dave

[Dave Danner]

You might want to ask these guys about their "routine".

[Rick Research]

Wasn't implying anything at all about "capable," just wondering how "possible."

Seems we have even more reason to be glad they're on our side!