Bulgarian Military Cross for Bravery 4th Class

[mrjustinhayward]

I bought what I believe to be (hope to be!) a Bulgarian Military Cross 4th Class when on holiday over there on holiday recently. Anyone knowledgeable enough to tell whether its genuine or not?

It's a rather nice looking medal I thought.

Also if anyone could recommend a good reference work for foreign ww1 medals that would be appreciated

Many thanks in advance

Justin H

[rflory]

The medal illustrated is the Soldiers' Cross of the Bulgarian Military Order for Bravery. It is hard to tell what the metal is from the photo. If it silver, it is the 4th Class; if it is silver-gilt it is the 2nd Class.

A good book on Bulgarian medals is The Orders, Medals and History of the Kingdom of Bulgaria, by Prince Dimitri Romanoff. For foreign WW1 medals I would recommend Alec A. Purves' The Medals, Decoration & Orders of the Great War 1914-1918.

[mrjustinhayward]

Thank you very much. I shall order them from my local library. Bulgarian medals are, I think, quite elegant.

The material is what concerns me: it is silver coloured but is not tarnished and there is a base metal underneath. Despite that it has the feel of an old medal that has been worn well. I liked the brass safety pin and the rough black stitching.

Justin H

[rflory]

Justin: Your photo is somewhat small but the decoration looks fine to me. Late in the war Soldier's Crosses were made of plated base metal rather than silver and that is probably what you have.

[mrjustinhayward]

Thank you

Justin H

[yellow]

Although not officially gazetted ,because obviously the Bulgarians were not on the side of the allies, I would be interested in hearing from anyone who knows of a Bulgarian Bravery award given to a British Soldier immediately after the war for work against criminal gangs.