Bonjour a tous ,

Can anyone please identify the 3. cross and the last medal (with blue ribbon) in this mounted bar of a Norwegean former legionnaire.
I think that the cross with rosetta is some sort of a veteran association cross but what is the last medal? I have no idea.
The bar is a bit better visualised in the smaller photo.





Cordialement, Harri.

Bonjour Harri,

La 3° médaille est une croix d'Officier de "l'Ordre du Mérite Français d'Outre-Mer" et pour la dernière cela ressemble à la médaille de l'OTAN pour l'EX YOUGOSLAVIE mais est-ce possible !

Amicalement, Guillaume.

Merci Guillaume ,

thanks for identifying the Order of the Overseas.
The other one for sure looks like medaille de OTAN but is not possible for this fellow to carry one officially in his ribbon bar, or is it?
There also seems to be a Norwegean paraving in his treasure box.
Can anyone do any assumptions about the length of his career in the Legion according to his medals?

Cordialement, Harri

Hello Harri
according with the medals this guy entered service after WW 2 (1945) and leave before Algerian War (1954) ; it would be interesting to know how many citations he get for the TOE War Cross
as Military Medal (the first one) was scarcely attribued before 15 years of service ?

Hello Harri

Nice to have you wiith us again.

That picture makes me rather uncomfortable. The array of medals is strange.

I would say he served Indochina for sure. Anybody's guess for length of services, the Medaille Militaire for 15 years services at least, or for extreme and repetitious bravery in the field : the croix de guerre would then carry a number of stars and probablly palms.
He may also have received it if he had been badly wounded in combat, but his croix de guerre should then imperatively have a palm at least on the ribbon. His unofficial wound medal (before last on his line of decorations) might then go with it.

The "croix des combattants volontaires" does not go to Legionnaires, except those who joined for the duration during WW2. He may have earned it before he went to Indochina as a regular; the clasp on the ribbon would answer that question.
The cross with the rosette has, of course, no business being berween a croix de guerre and a croix du combattant. It probably just should be nowhere.
The last medal with a blue ribbon is anybody's guess.

Since he obviously is retired, no one will question his group of medals. But it would make most of the old hands wonder...

Regards
Veteran

Thanks for Alban and Veteran ,

I agree the bar being doubtfull, that's why I wanted to hear more opinions and I am happy that obviously I have learnt somethin while being a membet in this Forum.
I started wondering the placement of the Order being 3. in the bar and what about the Order itself. Is it possible for a foreign legionnaire to earn one? What is the status of this Order anyhow? Is it official?

Cordialement, Harri.

Helllo Harri

One can safely state that this "order" has no official status whatsoever. And that it has no place in a straightforward set of French military decorations to a member of a respected unit.
I suppose anyone can "earn" one. Probably just ask for it and pay a fee of some kind, since it is a totally private "award".

Sorry I sound unkind. But frankly I don't like the looks of it all, it is a mess. And the fact that this caracter wears a white cap makes me sick. Hope you don't mind.

Regards
Veteran

Dear Veteran ,

of course I don't mind, as I am seeking for information, all opinions are resppected and valued.
That is good judgement as I just wanted to know if this bar is fake or okay.

Cordialement, Harri.

Hi Harri,

the last ribbon looks líke the NATO Ex-Yugoslavia medal, but the medal doesn´t.
Aren´t the medals the same wdth as the ribbons at the NATO medailles - here ist doesn´t look like.
And I wonder how he can earn this medal according to the age of his other medals.

maybe it is another medal having the same ribbon.

Michael