Foster Posted 14 November , 2018 Share Posted 14 November , 2018 My grandfather BEF Hall (1894-1976) fought in WW1 with the East Surrey Regiment and was awarded the 1914/15 Star, Victory and Bronze oak leaf (in our possession). Amoungst these medals was the one pictured below. I’ve been researching it but have drawn a blank and I’d be very grateful for any help. After his war service he continued with the Chinese Maritime Customs. He had many hobbies which I’m slowing going through to check it’s not related to one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 14 November , 2018 Share Posted 14 November , 2018 Beautiful medal! A bit of professional cleaning (it looks like tarnished silver), and it will be even more beautiful. First hunch is Oriental, although I don't recognise the (very stylised) center panel. Tried to run that center panel through imagesearch, but all I got was hordes of manholecovers.... Japanese? I' don't think a "dead" tree trunk on a medal is considered a very auspicious sign in China? Red, white/silver. blue: Korea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foster Posted 14 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2018 Thank you JWK, it is quite special isnt it. The closest I’d found was Japan’s Order of the Sacred Treasure. Struggling with the ribbon too. Just checking Spanish medals as there are similarities..... He kept a diary for 60 odd years - haven’t found mentions in there either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 14 November , 2018 Share Posted 14 November , 2018 I could not find any foreign awards to Basil Edward Foster Hall up to 1925, but this death notice for a female Hall, mentions him and the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45063/page/3287 Could be some thing for post war service???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlasdairW Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 Found a slightly less fancy version on a Hong Kong coin auction site, could maybe guess that this might be a class higher, here is the description........ "China: Finance Ministry Decoration Second Class (blue enamel on rays). in silver-gilt and enamels, Rev Chinese maker's stamps and numbered '30', 66mm (B Barac 173)." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhclark Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 (edited) No doubt that this is one of the five classes of Finance Ministry Decoration. http://wawards.org/oldsite/azia/kit/kit2/11/medal.html The parent agency of the Chinese Maritime Customs was the Finance Ministry. The one in the HK auction went for 1,100 US$. Your grandfather also wrote a short book, republished here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/history/customs/papers/occasionalpaper5.pdf There is some very interesting material at the back of this - a biography and an autobiography. Noel Edited 15 November , 2018 by nhclark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 As I can find no reference to it in the LG, It may be a case of Restricted Wear i.e. only when in China or a Chinese Embassy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foster Posted 15 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2018 I cant thank you enough especially nhclark & alasdairW - you’ve solved the puzzle and pointed me in the right direction. In all his diaries or autobiographies etc there was never any mention of receipt of this decoration. I wondered too if it had been handed to him through the family as so many other artifacts have (a pair of Epaulettes from Napoleon....!) but this makes sense and I’ll research the nitty gritty now. Thank you again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 6 hours ago, AlasdairW said: "China: Finance Ministry Decoration Second Class (blue enamel on rays). in silver-gilt and enamels, Rev Chinese maker's stamps and numbered '30', 66mm (B Barac 173)." https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=505&lot=722 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foster Posted 15 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2018 Yes JWK, this comes from a Hong Kong auction in 2013. Fantastic to have found it’s meaning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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