Measurements have been a somewhat neglected subject in the order and medal field. Because pieces of insignia of the same type are known to vary considerably in size, par- ticularly in an order or medal which has flourished over a long period of time, it has apparently been felt that careful notation of size had no particular point. Only in the named medal area--where careful calipering of the horizontal dia- AVOID "PARALLAX" ERRORS OF meter compared with the near-vertical diameter may reveal OFFSE[ ME.&SURZ~IEN~ READINGS that an original naming has been shaved away to permit re- BY CAREFUL PLAC~[ENT OF THE PIECE BEING MEASURED £}~D BY impressing or reeingraving -- has careful measurement been CORRECT VERTICAL SIGHTING. taken very seriously. Nevertheless, all the facts that can be produced are necessary to a scientific evaluation of any piece being studied, and measurements are an important and easily ascertainable variable which enters into the picture. From th’e prac- tical viewpoint, such a simple factor as determining the proper class of a piece in some cases hangs on a borderline measurement of a millimeter or two. Substitutions of elements or unauthentic additions to a multi-element piece of insignia may likewise be revealed. From the broader viewpoint, as accurate measurement data is accumulated, the millimeter scale can become an important tool in assigning a particular piece of insignia to a certain maker or particular period in time. Going a step further, it is anticipated that later in this series it will be possible to demonstrate that many breast stars have a built- in "time-clock dimension" that will accurately place them in proper chronological sequence by a simple micrometer measurement. Now is the time to accurately measure and record the data for every significant piece in yoq’r’-eollection ! THE CROSS AND THE CRESCENT - Moslem nations have almost invariably avoided using the design of the Christian cross in their orders and decorations, and the European monarchs were formerly equally zealous in avoiding the award to any non- believer of a decoration bearing the Christian emblems. In the Russian Empire, the orders awarded to non-Christians had the effigy or emblem of the Saint replaced by the Russian Imperial eagle, although the Caucasian soldiers objected that they would rather have the figure of a brave man than the picture of a bird on their Cross of St. George. The King of Prussia created a special star-shaped form of the Red Eagle Order to be awarded, instead of the normal white cross, to his Jewish subjects - and soon found that they strongly objected to this distinction. The British also avoided the use of the cross shape when designing awards to be given to their Moslem and Hindu subjects in India; however, they had no objection to decorating the chests of Indian potentates with insignia bearing the images of St. Michael and St. George. When political considerations made it advisable to award the Order of the Garter to the Shah of Persia, a special star was designed which omitted the red Cross of St. George in the center° It is related that King Edward VII took one look at this strange insignia, and promptly tossed it through the nearest porthole of his yacht! (Submitted by James W. Peterson) THE KOREAN MEDAL FOR WAR DEAD FAMILIES - This decoration is awarded by the Republic of Korea to the depend- ents of those who were killed in action or who died of wounds sustained while engaging in actual combat. It consists of a small silver flower placed in the center of a purple cord which is tied into the shape of a cross, of three loops above and longer tasseled ends below. Although the Koreans have a strong antipathy to anything of Japa- nese origin, this decoration bears a strong resemblance to the insignia which is presented by the Shinto priests of the Yasukuni Shrine in To- kyo, to the parents who come to the shrine to pray for the souls of their sons who died in war. (Submitted by James W. Peterson) y The Awards of the Ukraine Part Nr. 6 THE AWARDS FOR THE SICH RIFLEMEN by Dr. George L. Podlusky The Ukrainian Sich Riflemen or the "Ukra[nski Sichovi Striltsi" (U.S.S. for short, or "Usususy") actually have two different awards, each of which are for different periods. Therefore, it is important to note that they are not concurrent in their applications. They are as follows: CROSS OF THE LEGION OF THE UKRAINIAN SICH RIFLEMEN (1914-1918) XPECT 3/[rlOHT TKPA’I’HCbK X Clq, OS X CTPI3/b IB COMBATANTS CROSS OF THE U~INIAN S~CH RIFLEMEN (19iS-1920), ~OM6AT^HTCK~ ~ XPECT YKPA’I WCbKttK ¢I~OB~X CTPi~b~ 18 ~,~ -’~z@ The first we shal’l refer to as the Combat Cross U.S.S., while the other shall be called the Cross of the Legion U.S.S, Once again we must make reference to the awakening of the Ukrain- ian National Spirit within the province of Galicia within the Austro- Hungarian Empire prior to World War I. This led to the formation of various para-military organizations. Prominent among these were the many youth groups such as the "Sich" and the "Falcons". The first Sich group was formed in 1900, and just before the out- break of war in 1914, there were over i000 similar organizations through- out Galicia and Bukovina. It was during the Balkan Wars that the idea arose of the possibility of needing a military force for the success of the Ukrainian National Movement. Therefore, the Ukrainian political leaders decided that, in case a conflict occurred between Austria and Russia, that the Ukraine would take their stand against Russian Imperialism. On 7 Dec. 1912, they de- cided to form a military society called: "Sichevy Striltsi" (Sich Riflemen). The Austrial Government permitted the formation of this organiza- tion, whose regulations were similar to the Polish military organiza- tion "Strzelec" (Riflemen). The first such group was formed in Lviv (Lemberg or Lvov). In March, 1913, more such groups were created all throughout Galicia, to about 96 such formations. On the 28~ of June, 1914, there was a convention with parade of the members of the Sich and Falcons, who were greeted with immense en- thusiasm by the Ukrainian Population. Particularly, the armed units provoked m~ch such reaction. The same day, however, the fatal shots rang out i~ Sarajevo, killing the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his Con- sort. Consequently, Austria declared war on Serbia 28 July 1914 and Rus- sia on Austria on 5 August. On 2 August, the Ukrainian political par- ties consolidated in one supreme Ukrainian Council, which also took over the Ukrainian Army Organizations. In order to de so, the Ukrainian War Committee was called and they in turn requested the Austrian military authorities to free some Ukrainian officers from active duty to organize a Ukrainian Legion. However, only 16 active officers and a few non-commissioned offi- cers were actually supplied to the Legion. On 6 August 1914, the War Committee together with the Supreme Ukrainian Council issued a procla- mation to the Ukrainian people of Galicia to join the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen. Even before this proclamation was issued, masses of Ukrain- ian youths volunteered in Lemberg and other provincial cities. Dona- tions in both money and goods were also forthcoming spontaneously. Thus, in this beginning, the organization and efforts to obtain troops and equipment for the U.S.S. depended strictly upon the resources of the people. Austria had always had a double standard in their policy towards the Ukrainians and this held true in the relations with the U.S.S. Although permission to form this unit was given, no other sup- port was provided. In actuality, the Austrian Military Command did net like the entire idea. 8 Due to the approaching Russian armies, Lviv was evacuated. On 30 August, the UoS.S. moved to Stryj. Of the 28,000 volunteers, only 2500 were permitted by the Austrian government to serve in the unit. From Stryj, they moved to the Carpatho-Ukraine for further training in Gor- onda and Mezeterebesh (Uk.: Strabychiw). Each 1000 men were divided into a battalion, with 500 in a reserve half-battalion. The 1st batn. was under Capt. M. Voloshyn and the 2nd under Capt. H. Kossak. The ½ barn. was under S. Shvchevych. The U.S.S. was given to the XXV Corps (at that time called "operatives militaer-kommando in Lemberg"), commanded by Gen. Hoffmann. The 1st commander of the Legion was Theodore Roshankovskyj (in Lemberg), while in training from 18 Aug. 1914 they were under M. Halushchynsky. After a very short period of training, they were in their first engagement near Sianki, 27 Sept. 1914 under W. Didushko, having been sent to the Carpathian Mr. front on l0 Sept. Committed to the defence of Hungary, they were part of the 2nd Army, and then the XXV~ Corps (14 Sept. 1914)~ mentioned above. During this time small organized groups of 20 were sent behind the lines for recon- naisance and partisian activity. This was done, but with heavy losses. All along the general tendency was to always keep the battalions divi- ded, so as to limit any power they might employ as a cohesive unit with possible autonony. With the Russian October offensive of 1914, the XXV~ Corps along with 3 well-equipped German divisions formed the Army of the South under Gen. Linzingen. The Germans were very friendly with the Ukrainians and during the actual combat the value of the U.S.S.