Of Saxony's Decorations and Medals, Perhaps the Most Important

Home , Africa Service Medal, Royal Saxon Army

This book is the third volume in his series on the aviation awards of Imperial Germany during World War I, and like the two previous volumes (Bavaria and Prussia) is superb in all respects. Volume III explores the awards of the Kingdom of Saxony, a region that had long been embroiled in conflict and turmoil, and whose capital city (Dresden) was to become the site of the most fearsome bombing raids of World War I1.

Of Saxony’s decorations and medals, perhaps the most important was the Military Order of St. Henry, which was founded on October 7, 1736 by Augustus III, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony. It predates many of the other pre- eminent German orders, including Prussia’s Pour le Merite (1740) and Bavaria’s Military Order of max Joseph (1797). It was originally instituted in one class for award to officers of the Royal saxon Army, but was later enlarged to three classes in 1768 (Grand Cross, Commander, and Knight). The Commander grade was divided into a First and Second class in 1829. During the First World War 2,717 awards of the order were made, of which 107 went to aviators. The lion’s share of O’Connor’s book is the chapter that discusses this order, which provides a wealth of information on the order itself and includes the citations of all 107 aviation recipients. Like the book as a whole, this chapter is liberally illustrated with photos of the recipients, their awards,and their aircraft.

The other principal Saxon awards are also covered. Separate chapters deal with the Merit Order and the Merit Cross; the Albert Order and the Albert Cross; the Gold and Silver St. Henry Medals, the Honor Cross, and the Friedrich August Medals. His coverage is detailed, fun to read, and highly informative. Fifteen appendices round out the book by providing a ready reference to the winners of these awards by various categories of information.

One simply cannot be a serious student of Germany’s aviation awards in the First World War without owning this series; however, your interest does not have to center on aviation awards to make this series worth having. Seldom does one encounter books this well researched, illustrated, or written! (Reviewed by the Librarian)

4O MEDAL LOCATION QUERIES 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal to Lt J.A.D. Morrogh Bernard, 22nd Cav (may be named J.A.D.M. Bernard); 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal to Lt and QM C.B. Belt, Royal Irish Rifles; 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Pacific Star (Burma clasp), 1939-45 War Medal, Africa Service Medal to 66908 J.J. Rice. All of the above are to reunite broken groups. Contact: Gregory L. Singer (OMSA 3204), 2992 Worden Street, San Diego, CA 92110.

USSR Decorations to reunite broken groups: Order of Lenin #56734; Red Banner of Labor #156553 and #158933; Red Star #1770973; Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class, #86567. Contact: Glenn Browning (OMSA 4808), P.O. Box 1313, New Caney, TX 77357

Any WWII medals to: Maurice D. Prendergast, Robert V. Lloyd, Edgar (NMI) Dorman. Contact: Bill J. Barker (OMSA 4828), 1505 Sunset Avenue, Springfield, OH. (513) 323-1427.

To reunite groups: Air Medal to Donald S. Batchelor, USMCR; Distinguished Flying Cross to Bond M. Hall. Contact: Gerald Cullumber (OMSA 4672), 8128 Beverly Drive, Prairie Village, KS 66208. (913) 642-9575.

To reunite group: Africa Star and Italy Star to 161649 W.H. Webster, SAMC (South African Medical Corps). Contact: Clyde L. Tinklepaugh, Jr., 2508 Merribrook Rd, Wilmington, DE 19810-1911

IDENTIFICATION & INQUIRIES DEPARTMENT S.G. Yasinitsky

RULES FOR SUBMISSION OF INQUIRIES: Send only to S.G. Yasinitsky; Identification and Inquiries Department, OMSA; P.O. Box 777, Millbrae, CA 94030, including a stamped, self-addressed return envelope if a personal reply is desired. Type or write legibly a complete description of each item, listing metals, sizes, colors of enamels and ribbons, full descriptions and all other details. Send the best available illustration(s). All materials become the property of OMSA and, if selected for publication, will be edited as needed. RESPONSES to follow-ups sent on to experts will be gratefully

4! appreciated and duly credited. Promptness is essential.

IDENTIFICATION REQUEST 94-1-1. From Jim Carlisle (OMSA 5577)

SCOTTISH WOMEN’S HOSPITALS MEDAL. Light bronze, 1.5-inch (38mm) in diameter, with a protrusion at the top which is attached to a swivel mount of somewhat rectangular shape, holed in the center. Obverse: three figures - - a female kneeling in front of an injured male who stands staggering in front of her, with a figure of Death standing behind him, trying to embrace him with its left hand and wing. The kneeling female is pushing this wing away with her left hand. The suspender on this side shows a fleur-de-lys on each side of the perforated rectangular center. Reverse: Initials "N.U.W.S.S." along the upper circumference which is foliated in most part, except for the bottom, which has "1914" (the year of the start of World War I). This side of the suspender is plain.

IDENTIFIED by Jack Boddington (OMSA 871)

The Scottish Women’s Hospitals Medal was dealt with in the Orders and Medals Research Society’s (OMRS) Journal of Summer, 1973, by G. Whitehead. This medal was awarded by and to members of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals, an organization composed entirely of women and formed by Dr. Elsie Maud Inglis on August 12, 1914.