dad's "Gallipoli Star" Medal of WW1

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How I found out it was a Medal from Turkey (Ottoman Empire)

(War Medal image here is from Hendrik Meersscheart collection)


This lens is about an item I inherited from my father many years ago. It is a "star brooch" and it had been worn by my mother and myself for years thinking it was just an odd looking brooch. One day I was at the Library researching my husbands Vietnam Medals...I came across a book in the reference section with all kinds of War Medals, as I was flipping through the pages my eye caught a star! I turned the page back and discovered the very "star brooch"  that I had, it actually was a Turkish medal given during the Ottoman Empire during WW 1. This Star Medal was awarded to my father during his war time during WW 1 fighting for Germany in Turkey. My husband said, most likely  there is a ribbon that goes with it... Having my dad's WW1 and WW 2 ribbons, I checked the ribbon colors, the red and white with a moon crest insignia pin on top. There it was, the ribbon with the crest! I Googled this medal and found the explanation of it (refreneced below) this was also confirmed with my handwritten Ahnnentafel (German Genealogy chart) from my father. On the chart it gave confirmation of the dates and names of Medals awarded. I found this to be very interesting and wanted to share this on a lens.

Gallipoli Star - Ottoman Empire/German 

WWI Ribbon with Crest for the Gallipoli Star 

Battles, rank and awards during WWI for my dad

called Schlachten in German

Dad's actual star 

Ottoman Empire Medal

the "Gallipoli Star"


This is the Turkish War Medal of 1915....a medal referred to by a number of different informal names. The commonwealth nations often called it the "Gallipoli Star" even though it was not a campaign medal specifically for that battle. The "Iron Crescent," was another informal name, as it functioned similarly to Prussia's Iron Cross. From 1915 until the end of the war, the medal was given for acts of bravery or merit in action. Recipients of the Imtiaz and Liyakat medal were automatically eligible for this medal. The description of this medal is a star-shaped pin back badge of white metal (not iron) with a raised crescent around the bottom center, and the "Toughra" or monogram of the Sultan in the center. Flat surfaces of the badge were finished in a thin opaque red enamel. It was worn pinned to the tunic in a manner similar to the Iron Cross, and not suspended from a ribbon. When the star itself was not worn, a ribbon (red with white side stripes) was worn in the second button hole (like the Iron Cross 2nd Class)

Because the medal was frequently awarded to German and Austrian personnel who served with the Turkish forces during WW 1, many unofficial variants were made in Germany and elsewhere, of varying quality, but usually of higher quality than the originals. This difference in quality had led some early authors to speculate that there were two classes of the War Medal -- poor quality copies for enlisted men, nicer copies for officers. In fact there was only one class.

referenced from diggerhistory.com (see links)

Dad (far left) on movie set with Pola Negri a silent film star...photo copyright(C) 

dad and Baron von Manfred Richthofen (Red Baron)

Dad with the Red Baron (c) 

Beginners book on collecting Military Medals

go to the link below and check it out

Gallipoli campaign of 1915-16

a book from Australia

Collecting Military Medals and Decorations

another great book

Military War Medals

collect interesting memrobilia

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Medals on eBay

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Ottoman Empire Medals (links)

including the Gallipoli Star

If you are a War History buff and like seeing old Medals, these are interesting LINKS
Ottoman Orders
OTTOMAN ORDERS
Turkish (Ottoman Empire) Badges & Medals of WW1
The Graveyards of Gallipoli; A Digger History Associate Site A Tribute to the Men of all the Nations that took part in the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915
Turkish Medals
Medals of Turkey
1998 Micheal Shackelford.
Text by Tim Tezer, edited by M.S.
Images from Tim Tezer collection.The
Turkish War Medal of 1915. This medal is
referred to by a number of informal names. Commonwealth nations often call it the "Gallipoli Star"
UN1
Medals
Gallipoli Star (Ottoman Empire) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gallipoli Star (Ottoman Empire) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gallipoli Star badge.
The Ottoman War Medal (Turkish: Harp Madalyas), better known as the Gallipoli Star, or the Iron Crescent (from German Eiserner

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  • pawpaw911 Apr 5, 2012 @ 5:52 pm | delete
    What wonderful history. What a treasure. Your father and those with him were there when the world needed them. Thanks for sharing.
  • COUNTRYLUTHIER Mar 10, 2012 @ 2:18 pm | delete
    Great investigative work. You should be proud of the skills it takes to follow the medal down.
  • goo2eyes Dec 13, 2011 @ 2:20 pm | delete
    i am really glad to meet you. my husband likes documentaries about germany's past since his family came from schlessien (now polish) some 500 yrs. ago. your dad with the red baron? wow!
  • LoveAdviceForum Oct 22, 2011 @ 1:33 pm | delete
    This is a really cool look into history. Thanks for sharing!
  • WeirdStuff Oct 5, 2011 @ 3:31 am | delete
    Wow, it seems your dad was a real adventurer!
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About the Ottoman Empire and the Gallipoli Campaign

The National Archives | Exhibitions & Learning online | First World War | Battles
The National Archives > Research and learning > Exhibitions > First World War
The Gallipoli campaign Mired in stalemate on the Western Front,
the British war effort required new impetus in early 1915.
An attack on the Ottoman
empire, which had entered the war on
Battle of Gallipoli

Ottoman Empire History

Gallipoli Star and other Medals

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Please Respect the Copyright Law, you may not use, copy or save any part of the stories and writings by Delia Pacheco they are protected by copyrights, including images of photographs. All rights reserved.

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For many years I wore a brooch not knowing it was a WW I Medal. It was awarded to my father when he was in the Cavalry fighting in Turkey for the Ger... more »

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