Identify this medal...

[Rick White]

Here is a photo from a new grouping I received. It has a picture of someone wearing a medal on his left breast pocket. Can anyone identify it? I assume it is some sort of foreign award?

[Rick White]

close up

[François SAEZ]

Bulgarian cross with swords, maybe

[Stijn David]

Yeps Bulgarian

Hello,


Im with Francois on this one => i think it is the Bulgarian war merit cross as was often given towards German soldiers.

However i believe we see a much rarer award in wear here => The Cholmschild !!!! ( or am i getting crazy and do i see Cholmschields al over the place ? )

Do you have other information on this soldiers career ? , where did he serve ? , are there award documents ? , is his soldbuch or Wehrpass still there ? do you have other pictures from him where you can see a clearer shot of the shield ?.

Many questions from my side but im kinda curious

Greetings,

[Angel Farré]

Stijn, take a valium, you must visit the doctor as your illness is going worst, everytime something related with Cholm appears you suffer a crisis and they become worse everytime. The medal must be the Soldiers' Cross for Bravery in War, is the decoration equal to the Military Order for Bravery in War, but reserved to EM and NCO in oposition to the last that only was awarded to Officers. It must be a 4 class that is a silver cross hanging from a light blue ribbon with silver edges or a 2 class that is the same but a gold cross. I'm also interested in knowing more about this soldiers, I'm afraid that Stijn's desease is contagious.

Cheers

Angel

[Rick White]

Hiya fellas,

Interesting information about the cross...I did not know that soldiers were allowed to wear it from their pocket like that.

Yes, I thought the CHOLM SHIELD would catch a few eyes!

Unfortunately, this is picture is not of the man to whom this group belongs. This guy is just sitting next to my man in a photograph. They were in Italy on R&R - "...Ankunft in Riccione Italien zur drei wochentlichen Kur."

There rae no other photos of the man with the Cholm Shield in the album

Nevertheless, this is a great new group I just got in...I will be posting details soon....

Rick

[Stijn David]

nice pictures

Hello,


Im looking forward to read more about this grouping , and yes Angel i do believe this disease is contagious , i believe it is called Cholmitis ( in my case ) and is very addicting but is hard to get .

Rick.W be happy there is a nice original picture of a soldier with a Cholmschield in this album, those pictures are very hard to find and as some of you wil know i would kill for such pictures

I also believe you can find more about this Bulgarian award in another forum => the International Forum, go and have a look, im sure you wil find more information.

Friendly greetings,

[Rick Research]

Angel is correct. You will often see these, or Rumanian awards, etc being worn that way-- I think they "paper clipped" the ends of the ribbon into the pocket. Normally only when just awarded or being paraded with an inspector from that country-- since he is in ITALY, just showing off, I guess!

[Luftm40]

I think the actual name is the Soldier's Medal, and it is Bulgarian. Here is one from my collection

[Rick White]

Very insightful...

Rick, I do think there was a lot of "showing off" done with this group!

Stijn, I will send you a good quiality scan of the photo for your collection when I get a chance

Here is the whole photo:

[Rick White]

...also, it looks like the unit number on his Shoulder Strap is 112 or 114 maybe 119 or 118..

Stijn, does that help maybe narrow down what unit he was in in the Cholm?

Rick

[Rick White]

...maybe the second digit is a "7" ????

[Stijn David]

units and Cholm

Hello ,


Thanks for scanning and helping me out here ( and i would appreciate a nice duplicate from this picture alot ) .

I must browse trough my documentation regarding the Cholm units but we must keep in mind that many of the soldiers who where involved in that battle where reasigned towards other units so it wil be really hard to tel , but i wil look for it and report back .

Greetings and thanks,

[Rick White]

..thought it might be a fun little investigation...

Rick

[Angel Farré]

The cross shown by Rick is a 1st class, gilt finish and a transverse bar of cloth, this without is second class, in silver with third class, without 4th class and a 5th class is a bronze one hanging from a triangular ribbon, the central motif is a rmapant lion and a scroll around it with the words "Za Chabrost" (for bravery) and the year 1.941. It was created on January 1st, 1.880 and those awarded during WW I carried the date 1.915. Normally foreign medals were pinned just for display purpose when and inspection comes and it's rare than common soldiers wore it as almost all hang for ribbons or were neck orders that made it dificult to wear according german style.

Cheers



Angel