Hi Everyone!

[Auke]

Not sure if such a remark is a great way to start your membership here, but welcome... Many users who used to be very active have since left the forum, so the place is more quiet than it used to be, but there are still quite a few loyal members here. In any case, there's more than enough to read and discuss.

[CtahhR]

There is so much to read through, I've not even got though half of it!

Some members have died, some given up (mainly due to lack of funds or other interests) , some decided to be dodgy rather than legit, etc. etc. Many new members turn up and they are always welcome - as is the Crimson Tide.

I previously forgot to mention Red Orchestra. That is a fine game! In fact the only game I have on steam....

None of us here are permanent but we are close to the historic events, we can only set the foundations for the future. Positively hopefully.

[desantnik]

Welcome. I don't have a lot in common with videogaming and recognize these awards were given for actual exploits - many of which involved more than virtual violence.

[Henry Sakaida]

Originally Posted by Auke

Not sure if such a remark is a great way to start your membership here, but welcome... Many users who used to be very active have since left the forum, so the place is more quiet than it used to be, but there are still quite a few loyal members here. In any case, there's more than enough to read and discuss.

He's right of course. It has been very quiet here. The big problem is that the good stuff is very hard to find and there are simply too many fakes out there. I see high end fakes on that well known auction site that I don't even alert you guys here anymore. I simply catalog the fakes for my own reference.

[CtahhR]

Long gone are the days that a fake was a rarity and had to be announced to less informed enthusiasts. Now it is more the case of "look at this real one!".

This area of interest and collecting has changed considerably not only in the items out there but the information and research available.

Twelve years ago, when this forum started, shouting "don't buy this fake!" was an infrequent cry but now it would be a full quadrophonic choir.

Hopefully this forum has been essential in many realising the fairy tales out there have been fairy tales even if sometimes it's not a happy truth that has to be realised.

[Bulmer]

I am using my lunch break to write this and it is worth losing lunch to publicly thank forum member CtahhR for all his help, hospitality and assistance.

we met at the cenotaph yesterday so i could find out if he could help me with a pair of medals i have bought on the forum but i wasn't expecting what i got! without destroying too much privacy i can say that this super-moderator is a very well known person here. i have seen him in local and national newspapers and on the tv so it was absolutely fantastic that he could share some time for me. not only did i get all the information about the medals but i got full translations too. the medals are for a trophy hunter. the sort of actions that can be reenacted in some computer games.

i was invited to his home for a meal and to look at some of his collection. his collection is absolutely stunning. some rooms are stacked to the ceiling with military pieces. medals and paperwork everywhere, uniforms and field equipment and a record collection that a dj would be jealous of. i've even seen some of his collection in local museums before but nothing like this. far too much to take in over a few hours. as well as the help with the medals i bought here he gave me a frame to frame them, some old uniforms, some other bits for my new collection and enough wine to last me until next christmas!

he has a skip full of korean awards, so many i couldn't even start to count them and so many framed groups that the walls are just covered. awards to many brave and famous people. he told me how big his backlog of things to post here is and it looks like he could post a new item every day for the rest of time. big unopened boxes of medals and paper waiting to be sorted. the amazing thing is he could find almost anything immediately. i got a chance to see anything i could think of almost straight away but there was so much that i just couldn't think.

thank you very VERY much and i hope to see you again soon. i know how extremely busy you are so giving this beginner so much time and help is the greatest.

the forum is a very lucky place! i'm so lucky to have found it. far more than i was expecting.

[CtahhR]

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I'm just sorry that I couldn't give you more attention as even though I was "off" yesterday it was rather busy with it being Remembrance Sunday. As you saw I had to be everywhere at once. It was a rather non-stop day.

I hope you got home in ease. I didn't mean to burden you with some much junk that you had to get a taxi but you're welcome to the uniforms and what have you if you're giving them a good home. Don't drink all the wine at once! It usually retails for £379 a bottle but as you know it certainly doesn't cost me anything like that and I could never drink it all.

Hopefully you got to see everything you wanted. I know it is a bit chaotic and information overload but there is never enough time. Maybe next time things can be a bit more focussed. you can have a think about what you'd like to see or do before you get here.

I'll post those Medals you brought with translated citations later today - the first time I've seen a trophy hunter's awards.

I don't know if you could call that pile of Korean awards a skip but I gave up counting them (or being able to move them) a long time ago. I was sold most of them extremely cheaply with the proviso that I keep them off the market so prices don't deflate. The same dealer sent me a picture of a warehouse in China that has so many DPRK awards in it (even the very top end and "rare" pieces) that even at a penny a piece I'd never be able to afford them. Maybe they should be sold by weight. Those "investing" are going to have a great surprise.