"FAMOUS CHESTS" - MILITARY, DECORATIONS ~D AWARDS OF FIELD VISCOUNT BERNARD I~W MONTGO~RY, KG, .GOB, DSO. by Haskell D. Richardson O~SA # 593 My introduction to the fascinating hobby of "famous chests" was through a British ribbon aud medal collector friend of mine who had quite a reputation among collectors for his research in military awards to famous people. He included a list of Monty’s awards in a letter along with some other informa- tion I had requested. I had fought in ~ktrope with the Second Armored "Hell on Wheels" Division of the 9th U.S. Army which had once been placed under ~,bnty’s 21st Army Group. I conceived the idea of recreating the chests of my former commanders which included Eisenhower, Bradley, Hodges, Simpson, ~.bntgomery, and by stretching the point a little, Winston Churchill himself. Thus began one of the most rewarding aspects of my years of military collecting. My files now contain many personal letters, photographs, and information from some of the greatest military men of our time. ~ division was the last divisional commsmd of General George S. Patton and correspondence with Major George S. Patton Jr in Viet Nam (now a Major-General) has netted me a personal pho~ograph of his father with promise of more information to eome ¯ Sometimes even general officers do not .year their ribbons in e~act order of precedence and some of my famous chest displays rei~lect this. The follow- ing list of h~ntyls ribbons identifies them ro~/byrow as they appear in my display. Knight of the Garter Sash i Order of the Bath (GOB) Distinguished Service Order 2 War Medal 1914-20 Allied Victory Medal 1919 v/"mentioned" emblem 3 Army Geaeral Service 1914 Star v/bar Africa Star Italy Star 4 France and Germany Star War Medal 1939-45 George V Silver Jubilee 1935 Elizabeth II Coronation ~dal 1953 Norway: Order of St. Olaf Czechoslovakia: Order of White Lion for Victory (w/star) France: Cro~x de Guerre 1914-18 w/pa!m Denmark: Order of the Elephant USA: Legion of Merit - Chief Commander USA: ETO Medal w/ 3 stars Morocco: Order of Ouissem Alaouite Cherifien Tunisia: Order of Nichan IftiP~ar 7 USSR: Order of Victory Poland: Order of Virtuti F~ilitari USSR: Order of Suvorov Ist Class Greece: Order of George I !9 USA: Distingttished Service ~dsl - Army France: Legion of Honor (GO) France: Croix de Guerre 19~0 w/ palm Netherlsnds: Order of Netherlands Lion Belgium: Order of Leopold I (GC) Belgium: Croix de Guerre 191]+ Czechoslovakia: Order of White Lion Czechoslowkia: War Cross 1939 lO Luxembourg: Order of the Oak Crown Lttxembourg: Military Med~l Greece: Medal for Gallautry Ethiopia: Order of Solomon --0--0-.0--0--0--0--0--0--0-.0--0 --0--0--0--0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-- WHAT WAS IT ISSUED FOR ? FvA The composite photograph was submitted to Ray Witnik in hopes of obtaining identifieations to the items pictured thereon. For clarification I am numbering them as the top one 7303 - the one bottom left 7301 - bottom right 7305. There are many times when watch fobs take on the appearance of medals and I wonder if this case if that is the answer, however. 7303 - Spread eagle seal of the United States 7302~ - Grossed sabres for top - ea~lea~d flags in middle - crossed rifles at bottom. 7305 - Enamelled shield of U.S. - center de,ice Neptune - "U.S.A"~ and date "1892" tentative identified by owner as "equator erossing medal." .