my 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, this was confirmed with the Ahnnentafel (German Genealogy chart) I had from my father. On the chart it gave confirmation of the date and names of Medals awarded. I found this to be very interesting and wanted to share this on a lens.

Gallipoli Star - German

WWI Ribbon with Crest for the Gallipoli Star

dad's actual star

Ottoman Empire Medal 

the "Gallipoli Star"


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" even though it was not a campaign medal specifically for that battle. Another informal name is the "Iron Crescent," as it functioned similarly to Prussia's Iron Cross. The medal was given from 1915 until the end of the war, for acts of bravery or merit in action. Recipients of the Imtiaz and Liyakat medal were automatically eligible for this medal. The 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. The flat surfaces of the badge were finished in a thin opaque red enamel. The War Medal was worn pinned to the tunic in a manner similar to the Iron Cross, and not suspended from a ribbon. There was a ribbon (red with white side stripes) which was worn in the second button hole (like the Iron Cross 2nd Class) when the star itself was not worn.
Because the medal was frequently awarded to German and Austrian personnel who served with the Turkish forces during WW1, 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.

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

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A FAMILY CREST STORY


This is another interesting venture about an item I inherited and researched...check it out and let me know what you think...thanks for stopping by.

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My great, great grandfather Johann Meyer and his philanthropy...

Beginners book on collecting Military Medals 

go to the link below and check it out

Link for Collecting Military Medals 

A Beginner's Guide by Colin Narbeth

Collecting Military Medals:
Buy this book James Clarke & Co.Amazon.com
Barnes&Noble.com - $37.50

Gallipoli campaign of 1915-16 

a book from Australia

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  • Reply
    KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Aug 10, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
    What a great story. You may even hear from others who have inherited this type of medal. I'm featuring your lens on my Squid Angel Diary this week.
  • Reply
    NanLT NanLT Aug 1, 2009 @ 3:00 am
    What a tribute to your father. And how lovely that you have this memory of your father.

    You've been featured on 100 Lenses for my 100th Lens.
  • Reply
    ideadesigns ideadesigns Feb 18, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
    Very nice lens, I'm always interested in history! 5 stars for the original pictures.
  • Reply
    sittonbull sittonbull Jan 26, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
    Glad you did this lens. I have a history of my father's WW11 experience complete with medals and letters from fellow soldiers who tracked him down later in life to thank him for saving their lives. I have thought of sharing it on a lens and you have, unknowingly, given me the incentive to do so. He died in '91, but I appreciate what he did in WW11 and am also very proud of him as a great dad! Thank you for sharing this about your dad. 5*
  • Reply
    JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Jan 13, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
    Ah, this is quite an interesting lens! Did you say how many of these were produced; how many are in existence; what they are worth? I think your lens is the first to talk about war medals.
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Military War Medals 

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Ottoman Empire History 

Gallipoli Star and other Medals

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Ottoman Empire Medals 

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

Medals on eBay 

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by d-artist

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 Cavelry fighting in Turkey for the Germ...

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