German Colonial Uniforms - Medals awarded to German Colonial and Overseas Troops


	Examples of Miniature Medal Bars Awarded to German Colonial and Overseas Veterans Below are a number of miniature ribbon bars, all have either the 1900-01 China Campaign Medal, the 1904-08 South West African Campaign Medal, the Colonial Service Medal or other awards for overseas service. It should be noted that it is not always possible to tell from miniature ribbons what class a medal was awarded in or if it was a combatant or non-combatant award. Campaign clasps were rarely used on miniature ribbons. For more on the individual medals and awards see the Medals Page. Please respect the generosity of the owners of these bars in sharing these photographs with us by not reproducing them without prior permission.



	Bar with the China and Colonial Medals and Ottoman Awards Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Hamburg Hanseatic Cross 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Colonial Service Medal Prussian Officers Long Service Award, for 25 years service Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, judging by its position on the bar it would probably be a pre-war award without swords Prussian Landwehr Long Service Award Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal Ottoman Liyakat Merit Medal in silver with swords Ottoman War Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was an officer veteran of the Boxer Rebellion, an unspecified colonial campaign and the First World War, when he served alongside Ottoman forces in the Middle East. Judging from the varied overseas medals and the Hamburg Hanseatic Cross, he may well have been a naval officer, possibly serving on the SMS Goeben or SMS Breslau in Ottoman service from 1914.



	Bar with the Colonial and South West Africa Medals Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Saxon Albert Order, Knights Cross second class with swords Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, probably fourth class Prussian Officers Long Service Award Colonial Service Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal, although it is missing from the front, the ribbon can still be seen on the back of the bar The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Saxon officer veteran of the Herero Rebellion, an unspecified Colonial campaign and the First World War. Judging from the Prussian rather than Saxon long service award, this officer spent his career in Imperial (Navy, Marine Infantry or Schutztruppe) rather than Saxon army service.



	Bar with the Colonial and South West Africa Medals Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Saxon Albert Order, Knights Cross second class with swords 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Colonial Service Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was probably a Saxon officer and was a veteran of the Herero Rebellion, another unspecified colonial campaign and the First World War.



	Bar with the Colonial Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Honour Cross with swords Prussian Other Ranks Long Service Award Colonial Service Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was an other ranks veteran of an unspecified colonial campaign and the First World War.



	Bar with the Colonial Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Order of the Red Eagle 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Colonial Service Medal Prussian Officers Long Service Award Prussian Landwehr Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a officer veteran of an unspecified colonial campaign and the First World War.



	Bar with the Colonial Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Crown Order, fourth class with swords Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, fourth class Colonial Service Medal Prussian Lifesaving Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was an officer veteran of an unspecified colonial campaign.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Warriors Merit Medal 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Baden Silver Merit Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Bremen Hanseatic Cross Silesian Eagle Finnish Bravery Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Baden veteran of the Herero Rebellion, the First World War and the following Freikorps campaigns in Silesia.



	Bar with the Colonial and South West Africa Medals Photo © Anton Veltman The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Warriors Merit Medal Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid Colonial Service Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal Brunswick War Merit Cross The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Herero Rebellion, an unspecified colonial campaign and the First World War. The Brunswick medal indicates that the owner was either from Brunswick or possibly served in a Brunswick army unit prior to his colonial service.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © Chris Handisides Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Crown Order with swords 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal, with clasps for "GROSS-NAMALAND" and "ORANJE" (see close-up photo on the right) The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a combatant officer veteran of two campaigns in the Herero Rebellion (or more particularly the campaign against the Nama considering his clasps) and the First World War. It is rare to see miniature campaign clasps.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Crown Order, probably fourth class and with swords Hamburg Hanseatic Cross Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, second class Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, fourth class peacetime award 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Silesian Eagle, second class Prussian Officers Long Service Award, for 25 years service The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a naval officer and veteran of the Herero Rebellion, the First World War and the Freikorps campaign against Polish nationalists in Silesia. Note the commonplace awarding of medals from the coastal states of Hamburg and Oldenburg to a naval officer. As awards earned in the 1914-18 War they outranked the earlier Prussian Red Eagle and South West Africa despite being It is possible that the second medal on the bar could be another Prussian Order of the Red Eagle awarded in wartime. In peacetime the Crown Order had a blue ribbon and the Order of the Red Eagle had a red and white ribbon (as seen here in fifth place).



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Württemberg Friedrich Order Knights Cross, second class with Swords Württemberg Silver Bravery Medal or Military Merit Order Württemberg Long Service Award 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal German Legion of Honour Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Württemberg veteran of the Herero Rebellion and the First World War. Prior to the First World War Württemberg regulations required that senior medals always replaced junior ones. During the war these regulations were relaxed so that Württemberg soldiers could wear several Württemberg awards at the same time as seen here. The Honour Medal for the World War Legion of Honour ("Ehrendenkmünze des Weltkrieges der Deutschen Ehrenlegion") was instituted in 1921 by the "Verband national gesinnter Soldaten“ veterans organisation for purchase by war veterans. It was an unofficial award and was banned in 1934.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Brunswick War Merit Cross 1914-18 Honour Cross without swords 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Prussian Long Service Award Austro-Hungarian Order of Military Merit, third class The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Brunswick officer veteran of the Herero Rebellion and the First World War. This bar can be quite accurately dated. It has the Honour Cross instituted in 1934 and yet keeps the Austrian medal in final place as a foreign medal. From 1938 Austrian medals were worn with equal ranking to German ones. The Austro-Hungarian Order of Military Merit was only awarded to officers.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Hessian General Decoration 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Hessian Long Service Cross Hessian Philip the Magnanimous Knights Cross, without swords The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Hessian Officer veteran of the Herero Rebellion and the First World War. The Philip the Magnanimous Knights Cross was only awarded to officers. Note the South German style of folding the ribbons. This and his wearing of a Hessian rather than a Prussian long service award would imply that he was not a regular member of the Schutztruppe but of the Hessian contingent of the Prussian Army. He may have served in the Schutztruppe only for the duration of the Herero Rebellion, or may have earned his South West African Medal as a non-combatant.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1914-18 Honour Cross without swords 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Prussian Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was veteran of the Herero Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Silesian Eagle Prussian Long Service Award 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Herero Rebellion, the First World War and the following Freikorps campaigns in Silesia.



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © Doppler Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian 1914 Iron Cross, second class Württemberg Order of Military Merit 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Württemberg Long Service Medal which was awarded with a medal in in white metal for nine years service or gilt for twelve The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Württemberg veteran of the Herero Rebellion and the First World War. He is reported to have served in the 25th Württemberg Dragoons ("Dragoner-Regt. Königin Olga (1. Württembergisches) Nr.25").



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal Photo © Chris Handisides Collection The medals on this bar are a very curious combination, from left to right are- Nassau 1909 Commemoration Medal Finnish Cross of Liberty, second class 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau Finnish War of Independence Commemorative Award Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid Lippe-Detmold Warriors Merit Cross, second class for combatants This is a most interesting medal bar. The first thing which strikes one is the medals from different nations and their seeming lack of order of seniority. For German servicemen from any state all German awards were to be worn before foreign ones, so the original owner of this bar is unlikely to have been in German service at the time of wearing this bar. We'll look at each medal one by one then try to piece them together. There are a number of decorations from the Grand Duchy of Nassau that share the same ribbon, however given the time scale of the other awards worn by this man the 1909 Commemoration Medal ("Erinnerungsmedaille") seems the most likely of them. The Grand Duchy of Nassau was annexed by Prussia after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, yet the former heads of state continued to award medals. One was the 1909 medal to commemorate the last reigning Grand Duke, Adolphe of Nassau (1817-1905), who after being deposed in Nassau inherited the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The medal was awarded in silver to members of the former Grand Duke's retinue and officers of his army, and in bronze to NCOs and other ranks. Recommended External Links - Weitze- Erinnerungsmedaille and Wikipedia- Grand Duke Apolphe The two Finnish awards show the original owner served in the Finnish Civil War of 1918, probably as part of the German Baltic Sea Division protecting Finland's newly won independence from the Red Army. Recommended External Link- Wikipedia.de- Ostsee-Division The South West Africa Campaign Medal, as mentioned before, could be awarded to non-combatants who did useful work supporting Germany's war effort from back in Europe. The Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau had no direct relation to the former German Grand Duchy of Nassau. It was however sometimes awarded to foreigners such as diplomats, the retinue of visiting royalty or those who had assisted the Dutch royal family (for example it was conferred upon many Allied servicemen for helping liberate Holland during the Second World War). Recommended External Link - Wikipedia- Order of Orange-Nassau The last two German awards are for the First World War. The Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid shows he contributed to the German War effort in a non-combatant role, the Lippe-Detmold Warriors Merit Cross is confusingly for combatants. So who could possibly have these different awards and wear them in such an odd order? No one country's awards outrank the others, the Finns are not all in front of the Germans, yet the Germans are not all in front of the Dutch. A possible answer is that this bar is a second bar, worn below more senior medals from the holders own current country of service. One plausible scenario would be if this bar belonged to a German member of the deposed Grand Duke Adolphe of Nassau's retinue during his time as Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The Dutch award could be from the close association of the Luxembourg and Netherlands royal families and may have been awarded on a state or private visit. The South West Africa Medal could possibly be awarded as a non-combatant if the owner simply supported or facilitated the recruiting of volunteers for the Schutztruppe from the former Grand Duchy of Nassau, or maybe raised funds for them. During the First World War Luxembourg was occupied by Germany, the owner of this bar seems from his Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid to have helped the Germans at this time, probably being originally German himself. He may have earned the Lippe-Detmold medal at this time too as the Lippe-Detmold contingent of the German army, part of the 55th Westphalian Infantry Regt ("Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Bülow von Dennewitz" 6. Westfälisches Nr. 55" of the VII. Armee-Korps) was on the Western Front throughout the war. The original owner must then have gone with the German forces to Finland in 1918. After the war he would have returned to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and worn this collection as his second bar below his Luxembourg awards. This is of course not certain, merely a hypothesis that fits the awards. In a further twist to this mystery, another similar bar but with crossed swords on the Dutch Order has been seen in another private collection (see Wehrmacht Awards Forum).



	Bar with the South West Africa Medal and an Ottoman Award Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Warriors Merit Medal Hessian General Decoration 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal 1914-18 Honour Cross Ottoman War Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Hessian veteran of an unspecified colonial campaign and the First World War, when he probably served alongside the Ottoman army in the Middle East. Curiously he wears his Honour Cross behind his South West Africa Medal, whereas it would usually take precedence.



	Bar with the China and South West Africa Medals Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Hamburg Hanseatic Cross 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords 1900-01 China Campaign Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion, the Herero Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China and South West Africa Medals Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1900-01 China Campaign Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion, the Herero Rebellion and the First World War.



	Miniature Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, third or fourth class Prussian Crown Order Medal, third or fourth class 1914-18 Honour Cross Cross missing the swords that appear to have once been there Prussian General Honour Decoration, second class Prussian Officers Long Service Award, for 25 years service Prussian Landwehr Long Service Award 1900-01 China Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was an officer veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, probably fourth class Prussian Lifesaving Medal Bavarian Order of Military Merit, on a peacetime ribbon 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Officers Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Bavarian serving as a Naval officer. He was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War. The bar itself is a sew-on bar (often used in the navy) rather than the usual type held with a pin clip.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1914-18 Honour Cross, with swords Prussian Long Service Award 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Long Service Award 1900-01 China Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Long Service Award 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in rough order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal Prussian Long Service Award 1900-01 China Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War. This bar has the same medals as the previous bar but in an unauthorised order of seniority with the Centenary Medal worn ahead of both the Long Service and China Medals.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Hessian General Decoration 1900-01 China Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Hessian veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Saxon Friedrich August Medal 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Saxon Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Saxon veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Hamburg Hanseatic Cross Saxon Albert Order Knights Cross, second class with swords Austro-Hungarian Officers Merit Cross 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was an officer veteran of the Boxer Rebellion, the Herero Rebellion and the First World War. Note that he wears his Austro-Hungarian Military Merit Cross, probably earned in the First World War, ahead of some German awards whereas imperial era regulations stated that foreign medals should be worn after all German medals. This bar was probably made after 1938 when Austria was annexed into the German Reich, therefore Austrian medals were no longer classed as foreign.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, third or fourth class Prussian Officers Long Service Award, for 25 years service 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was an officer veteran of the Boxer Rebellion.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- 1939 War Merit Cross, second class with swords 1914-18 Honour Cross for non-combatants 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid Prussian Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and a non-combatant in the First World War.



	Bar with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Saxon Friedrich August Medal with swords 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Prussian Long Service Award 1900-01 China Campaign Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Bar with the China and South West Africa Medals Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Hamburg Hanseatic Cross 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords 1900-01 China Campaign Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Prussian General Honour Decoration, second class Third Reich Faithful Service Cross for 40 years service The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion, the Herero Rebellion and the First World War.



	Two Bars with the China and Colonial Medals Photo © JW Collection The medals on these bars are worn in slightly different orders of seniority. The top bar is from left to right- Prussian Iron Cross, second class (missing the ribbon on this bar) Saxon Honour Cross with swords (missing the swords on this bar) Prussian Long Service Award Colonial Service Medal 1900-01 China Campaign Medal The lower bar with later awards is from left to right- Prussian Iron Cross, second class (missing the ribbon on this bar) Saxon Honour Cross with swords 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Long Service Award Colonial Service Medal Prussian Landwehr Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Saxon veteran of the Boxer Rebellion, an unspecified colonial campaign and the First World War. Before 1935 long service medals were worn ahead of campaign medals (as correctly seen on the top bar), from 1935 this rule was changed to put pre-1914 campaign medals ahead of long service awards. Strangely this veteran has alternated them on his later bar.



	Bar with the China Medal and a Finnish Award Photo © Christophe Deruelle The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Finnish Cross of Liberty, third or fourth class 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, third or fourth class Prussian Officers Long Service Award, for 25 years service Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this bar was an officer veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War. The Finnish Cross of Liberty was probably awarded for serving in the Finnish Civil War of 1918 as part of the German Baltic Sea Division. Curiously it is worn ahead of several German awards, whereas regulations stated that foreign medals always be worn behind German medals on a bar. The position of the Red Eagle Order behind his First World War medals shows that it was awarded before 1914, quite possibly for service in the Boxer Rebellion. It is more likely to have been a fourth class award, as the third class award was usually accompanied by an award of the Crown Order, third class.



	Bar with the Lion Order Photo by Joachim Specht on WikiCommons The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- 1914-18 Honour Cross Lion Order, second class The original owner of the this bar served in the First World War in a role that assisted the colonies. The Lion Order was a semi-official award given to combatants in the colonies as a breast badge and a chest medal with ribbon (as seen here) as a second class award for those that helped the colonial war effort back home in Germany. The Honour Cross was instituted in 1934 and semi-official awards such as the Lion Order were banned in 1935, so this either accurately dates this ribbon bar or shows that the wearer was not conforming to regulations.



	Bar with the China Medal and an Ottoman Award Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Hessian War Decoration 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Bavarian Red Cross Medal or more probably the Bulgarian Bravery Cross Saxe-Weimar Order of the White Falcon Knights Cross or more probably an unidentified pre-1914 Austro-Hungarian Award Turkish War Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a Hessian veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War, when he probably served alongside the Ottoman army in the Middle East. Note that this style of folded ribbon bar was common in the South German states.



	Two Bars with Ottoman Awards Photo © JW Collection The medals on these two bars in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1939 War Merit Cross with swords (the swords are unfortunately missing on both bars) 1939 War Merit Cross without swords 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Ottoman Liyakat Merit Medal, first class in silver with swords Ottoman Liyakat Merit Medal, second class in silver with swords (the swords are missing on the lower bar) Ottoman War Medal The original owner of these two miniature ribbon bars was a naval veteran of the First World War, who may have served on board either the SMS Goeben or SMS Breslau in the Ottoman Navy in the First World War. The two Ottoman Liyakat Medals both have silver swords and look identical as ribbons in both first and second class. It is also curious that he has the 1939 War Merit Cross in both the combatant (with swords) and non-combatant (without swords) awards.



	Bars and Buttonhole with an Ottoman Award Photo © JW Collection This collection of miniature ribbon bars and a buttonhole miniature probably belonged to a South German naval officer who may have served on board either the SMS Goeben or SMS Breslau in the Ottoman Navy in the First World War. The First Ribbon Bar shows five medals in order of seniority from left to right- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Prussian Wilhelm I 1897 Centenary Medal Bavarian Military Merit Cross, second class (or Bavarian Order of Military Merit, fourth class) with swords Württemberg Wilhelm Cross, second class with swords (this ribbon is missing its swords) Ottoman War Medal The fact that he was been awarded South German medals leads one to conclude he is from a South German state, yet he wears his medals in Prussian order of precedence (with the Centenary Medal ahead of the Bavarian and Wurttemberg crosses). This points to him serving in an imperial unit such as the navy (or less likely the Schutztruppe). The award of an Ottoman War medal hints that he probably served there during the First World War. The majority of German naval personnel in the Ottoman Empire were serving either on the SMS Goeben or SMS Breslau (though other German naval officers served as staff and training officers). Ths bar dates from either the later years of the First World War (post 1915 when the Ottoman War Medal was instituted) or shortly after the war. The Second Ribbon Bar shows seven medals, the two additional being- Saxon War Merit Cross (between the Bavarian and Württemberg awards) Baden War Merit Cross (between the Württemberg and Ottoman awards) The Saxon War Merit Cross was a curious medal in that it could only be awarded in the absence of any other Saxon medals. If the recipient later earned another Saxon medal, the War Merit Cross had to be returned. The Saxon cross was instituted in 1915 and the Baden Cross in 1916, thus dating the bar to later years of the First World War or shortly after the war. The Third Ribbon Bar has the same medals but worn South German style with the ribbons folded out and without swords. Naval regulations authorised medals to be worn Prussian style with the ribbons flat. This may indicate that the medal bar was for wear in civilian life amongst other South Germans after the war. The Fourth Ribbon Bar shows nine medals, the two additional being- Prussian Officers Long Service Award, for 25 years service (between the Iron Cross and the Centenary Medal) 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords for combatants (after the Ottoman War Medal) Since the original owner had been in service since 1897 (and probably done some of those years on overseas service which counted for double years) the Long Service Award must be an officer's award for 25 years rather than a nine year other ranks award. The Honour Cross was instituted in 1934 and it is interesting to see the medals worn Prussian (or naval style again), perhaps the owner was recalled to service in the expanding Kriegsmarine of the late 1930's. It is curious to note that he wears the Honour Cross behind his Ottoman award whereas all German awards usually had precedence over foreign awards. The Buttonhole Miniature shown at the top has ten medals, the additional being another long service award (possibly a Third Reich Faithful Service Award).



	Bar with Ottoman Awards Photo © JW Collection The medals on this bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1939 War Merit Cross without swords 1939 War Merit Cross without swords Ottoman Liyakat Merit Medal, first class in gold with swords Ottoman Liyakat Merit Medal, second class in gold with swords Ottoman War Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a naval petty officer in the First World War, when he on served on the SMS Emden. The bar came from a large collection of SMS Emden material in Vienna. Judging by the Ottoman awards, this sailor was probably part of Kapitänleutnant von Mücke's detachment which made its way across the Indian Ocean after the Emden had been sunk. They were eventually picked up by Ottoman troops in the Arabian desert. either the SMS Goeben or SMS Breslau. The two Ottoman Liyakat Medals both have silver swords and look identical as ribbons in both first and second class. It is also curious that he has the 1939 War Merit Cross in both the combatant (with swords) and non-combatant (without swords) awards.



	Bar and Buttonhole with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection The medals on the ribbon bar in order of seniority from left to right are- Prussian Iron Cross, second class Saxon Albert Order Knights Cross, second class with swords Prussian Crown Order Prussian Long Service Medal 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar and buttonhole badge ("Knopflochschnalle") was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War. Note the buttonhole was made after 1934 (when the 1914-18 Honour Cross seen on it was instituted). The miniature ribbon bar is pre-1934.



	Buttonhole Miniature with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection This buttonhole includes the ribbons for- 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords Saxe-Ernestine House Order Medal 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Prussian Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature ribbon bar was a veteran of the Herero Rebellion and the First World War.



	Buttonhole Miniature with the China Medal Photo © JW Collection This buttonhole includes the ribbons for- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Long Service Award Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal The original owner of this miniature ribbon bow badge was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.



	Buttonhole Miniature with the South West Africa Medal Photo © JW Collection This buttonhole includes the ribbons for- Saxon Order of St Henry, Knights Cross Saxon Albert Order, Knights Cross second class Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1904-08 South West Africa Campaign Medal Hessian General Decoration Saxe-Weimar General Decoration Ottoman War Medal The original owner of this miniature buttonhole badge was a Saxon veteran of the Herero Rebellion and the First World War, when he probably served alongside the Ottoman army in the Middle East.



	Buttonhole Miniature with the South West Africa Medal Photo © Chris Handisides Collection This buttonhole includes the ribbons for- 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords for combatants 1900-01 China Campaign Medal Prussian Long Service Award The original owner of this miniature buttonhole badge was a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War,



	Buttonhole Miniature of the China Medal Photo © JW Collection This miniature buttonhole badge is of the 1900-01 China Campaign Medal, showing the original owner to be a veteran of the Boxer Rebellion.



	Buttonhole Miniature with an SMS Emden Commemorative Medal Photo © Captain George Albert This miniature buttonhole badge has the ribbons of the- Prussian Iron Cross, second class 1914-18 Honour Cross with swords The medal hanging below is an unofficial commemorative award for service on the SMS Emden, under Korvettenkapitän Karl von Müller. The light cruiser SMS Emden, set sail from Tsingtao at the outbreak of war to cause mayhem amongst entente shipping in the Indian Ocean and bombarding enemy ports (including Madras in British India) during the early months of the war. The allies put vast efforts into catching the SMS Emden (at one point having over 60 warships involved in the search) but she eluded them, capturing and sinking thousands of tons of Entente shipping along the way. In November 1914 she was finally cornered off Direction Island and sunk by the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney. But the voyage of the Emden's crew did not end there, while most of the crew were captured when the ship sank, a landing party that had been on Direction Island to destroy the radio mast evaded capture. They were now stranded but managed to make their way back to Germany on an epic journey, firstly across the Indian Ocean (in a captured three masted schooner, the Ayesha), then after landing on the Red Sea coastline they trekked across the desert fighting hostile Arab tribesmen along the way until picked up by Ottoman troops. They arrived in Istanbul to a hero's welcome in May 1915, travelling on to Germany from there. The surviving crew of the SMS Emden were uniquely honoured for their bravery by being allowed to add the suffix "-Emden" to their surnames. To this day some of their descendants still carry this additional name. Recommended External Link - History Net page on the SMS Emden