Type 1 (1940’s) variation of the Soviet campaign medal for Defence of the Arctic. Covering principally the Murmansk and Finnish border disputes the enemy in this theatre was more the climate / weather than the axis forces.
Believed to be a Type / Variation 1 example but could be type 3. If someone could comment clarifying the matter it would be most appreciated. There are no manufacturer / mint markings on the bronze medal.
Type / Variant 1 of the Soviet campaign medal for the Defence of the Caucasus. Note that although the photos do not show it well (washed out to show detail) the medal is made of brass and has a rich golden tone to it.
Identified as type 1 due:
No rifle on soldiers in APC (Type 2)
and
No Oval ring (Type 3 or Voenkamat issue)
The Soviet medal for the defence of Moscow celebrates what was the point of inflection for German / Axis advances into Soviet Russia. Over a million of these WW2 Soviet campaign medals were issued to commemorate the defence of the capital.
Note that whilst this is a Type 1 (1940’s / WW2 issue) both the pentagonal hangar and connecting link have been replaced.
With a little over three quaters of a million examples of the Defence of Stalingrad medal produced by the USSR this is an easily obtainable medal. There are currently two known variants, Variation 1 being 1940’s issue and discernable in part by a seperate eyelet, and Variation 2 shown here which is from the 50’s onwards and incorperates the eyelet into the stamping of the medal.
The cream, red, cream ribbon is easily discernable as the Stalingrad campaign medal BUT is very similar to the Defence of Kiev medal ribbon. The Kiev medal has a white / silver line of equal thickness running alongside the Red line.
Interesting to note is that Awardees of the medal could be civilians in addition to the “standard” military and police / NKVD recipients. This is an indication of the “total defence” that was necessary to maintain Stalingrad within Soviet hands.
Interestingly a Plough takes the place of the sickle in the “hammer and sickle” rendering on the reverse of this Sovier jubilee medal commemorating sixty years of the Soviet armed forces.
Obverse: A soviet soldier stands in the foreground with a “thousand yard stare” whilst the backgound incorperates ICBM’s (Inter continental ballistic missiles) on the left and a submarine on the right. Above this scene two flanker interceptor jets fly in formation. The dates 1918 1978 are immediately above the submarine and in relief.
Reverse: The aforementioned plough and sickle combination sits centrally superimposed upon a lotus leaf stylized soviet star. In the backgound a standard rifle with bayonet afixed and a sabe sword are crossed. Cyrillic lettering around the edge of the obverse of the medal completes the border / framing of the central motif.
Just short of TEN MILLION of these disc type medals with their pentagonal ribbon hangers were issued by the Soviet authorities on the 23rd February 1988 to comemorate sevety years of the existence of soviet / CCCP forces. The particular example shown below includes the ribbon attacment ring where the manufacturer markings “LMD” for the Leningrad mint can be discerned.
Awarded to just about everyone “under orders” in the Soviet union on the 23rd February 1968 some almost 10 million recipients. The front of the medal depicts two soldiers in uniform of the different eras surrounded in the background by the 5 pointed red star. The reverse shows a crosssed Hammer and Plough above Cyrillic lettering and the obiquous CCCP
Soviet medal awarded to both civilian and military personal commemorating 30 years since the Victory over Germany in WW2.
CCCP or Soviet Veteran of Labour type 2 medal. Differs from the Type 1 (fabricated from solid silver) and Type 3 (plain metal obverse) examples with its blued metal obverse and construction from silver plated tombac. This is a commonly encountered medal with over 40 million issued.
Awarded in amazing quantities. Approximately 15 million! This example is interesting in so much as it comes with the original backing card (Basically A5 folded in two like a christmas card) which contains the details of the Soldier receiving the medal and the Russian office that issued it.