MEDAL RESTORATION AND MOUNTING

A friend would like to get his father's Great War medals restored and mounted; can anyone recommend someone?

TIA

Watcher

 

Ask the RBL they did soms for me for nothing

 

I got my family ones mounted and framed at http://www.messdress.com/. Very reasonable and good quick service.

 

Hi all,

I am after help identifying one of my Grandads medals. Also can anybody shed any light on the order in which they should be mounted. I realise that some of the ribbons are wrong or attached to the wrong one. Thanks in advance.

S_A

 

From the left

Defence, War, Star with incorrect ribbon, Unknown, Star of Italy, Star France & Germany

Not sure of the order of mounting, but am sure whoever does it will know

 

That would depend on which town you live in. Anywhere near Windsor? If so, I know someone.

 

Thanks Taffnp. Im in sunny Deutchland at the moment Perturbed, but a grim northerner when in the UK. The medals are kept at home with my Gran. Its the first time I have seen them. Thanks again for your help.

 

This may be a bit better to help identify....hopefully (looks Italian to me) I know he served in Italy, but doesnt look British to me.


S_A

 

The medal is Italian, of the fascist in power era despite showing the king rather than Musso - quite typical. I guess this is a souvenir and further guess this is a State recognition medal as a number were issued for such as service in/to sport, admin, education, finance, culture. Can't make out all the script, but could be part states 'National Opera Balilla' which was part of the youth organisations, (more akin to Scouts and Boys Brigade than Hitler Youth), which was for boys aged 8 to 10.

No.9

 

In photo order: Defence Medal, 1939-1945 War Medal, Italy Star (with Defence Medal ribbon), unkown Italian, France & Germany Star (with Italy Star ribbon) and 1939-1945 Star (with France & Germany Star ribbon).

Assuming the Italian medal can be worn, it will go last. You will need to find out where he went in the course of the war but many 8th Army (the "D-Day Dodgers") started in Italy and then went into Germany from the South. However seeing the para cap badge and not being au fait on para history, didn't the paras drop into Italy, and then Normandy?
So on the basis of my reasoning the order is:
1939-1945 Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and Italian unkown.

Hope this helps

 

Thank you No 9 and Mighty. I am currently trying to get his war record sent to me from records. Never met him myself but my uncle says that he was in Italy and Greece. Until I get hold of his record I wont know for deffinate. I am assuming that he *found* the Italian medal and kept it as a souvenier. Thanks for all your help so far.


S_A

 

Order of wear
http://www.honours.gov.uk/honours/wear.aspx

I find
http://www.worcmedals.com
really useful for identifying medals. They make and sell medals and have a good online catalogue with pictures.
Try Online Shop>Full Size Medals>UK

 

I think you are right. The lettering appears to be, Opera Nazionale Balilla which was an Italian Fascist youth organization functioning, as an addition to school education, between 1926 and 1937 (the year it was absorbed into the Gioventù Italiana del Littorio, GIL, a youth section of the National Fascist Party).

 

Looking about today found the exact medal on the Italian ebay being sold by a dealer.

Inscription: ‘AI BENEMERITI DELL OPERA NAZIONALE BALILLA’

(BENEMERITI = literally ‘well deserved’)

http://cgi.ebay.it/Ai-Benemeriti-dell'Opera-Balilla,-bronzo,-Regia-Zecca_W0QQitemZ130263632798QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081021?IMSfp=TL081021123001r8881

Would have though a ‘shop’ dealer would ask at least double this auction figure?

On service, from what your uncle said re Italy and Greece and the Para badge, suggests 2nd Ind Para Bde who remained in the Med after 1st Air Div left. Appreciate general Para focus switches to western coast with D-Day onwards, but 2nd IPB had their share of rough times such as on the Sangro and dealing with the Civil War in Athens.

No.9

 

No 9, thank you, you are a star. I will try to quiz my Grandma about my Grandad when I get home, although it upsets her. I am currently going through the process of getting hold of my Grandads war record. Hopefully this will shed some light of where he was and what he did. Again, and I make no apolagies for keep saying it, thank you all very much.


S_A