08-15-2005, 06:49 PM
I haven't been able to figure this one out and I would appreciate any help you can give me. I have the common reference books, plus the Gribanova reference book on Tsarist medical badges, but I'm still stumped.
The inside ridges of the star suggest that there may once have been enamel there. If so, there are no traces today. The border may be stylized grape bunches, a common theme in Georgian decorations. There are Georgian letters at the top on both sides of the top ray.
Below the lower left and right rays are letters that I don't recognize but one might be Armenian and the other Azeri. At the bottom are the Latin letters INTER ARMA CARITAS. Maybe that refers to the Tsar's Army, maybe something like "Between/Within (or simply In) the Tsar's Army". I blush at my ignorance.
Note that there are no Cyrillic letters.
The general condition suggests a dug item. As with nearly all of my collection, this badge came from Georgia.
My own entirely unsupported speculation is that this may have been a White Army or pre-USSR Trans-Caucasus Federation medical badge from the late-teens/very early '20s. Since the cross is red, I speculate that the star was some other color than red. Absent a red star or any Cyrillic letters or Soviet symbol, I further speculate that this is not an early Soviet badge.
Or, maybe a Trans-Caucasus Army unit assigned to the Imperial Army during WW I or even during the last war with Turkey.
I also note that there is no red crescent, but I don't know what to make of that. Georgia is an ancient Christian nation but they have always had regions of predominantly Moslem citizens. I kind of doubt that they would have had a crescent on a badge during a war with Turkey, but I really don't know.
So much to learn, so little time.
OK, take your best shot.
Chuck
The inside ridges of the star suggest that there may once have been enamel there. If so, there are no traces today. The border may be stylized grape bunches, a common theme in Georgian decorations. There are Georgian letters at the top on both sides of the top ray.
Below the lower left and right rays are letters that I don't recognize but one might be Armenian and the other Azeri. At the bottom are the Latin letters INTER ARMA CARITAS. Maybe that refers to the Tsar's Army, maybe something like "Between/Within (or simply In) the Tsar's Army". I blush at my ignorance.
Note that there are no Cyrillic letters.
The general condition suggests a dug item. As with nearly all of my collection, this badge came from Georgia.
My own entirely unsupported speculation is that this may have been a White Army or pre-USSR Trans-Caucasus Federation medical badge from the late-teens/very early '20s. Since the cross is red, I speculate that the star was some other color than red. Absent a red star or any Cyrillic letters or Soviet symbol, I further speculate that this is not an early Soviet badge.
Or, maybe a Trans-Caucasus Army unit assigned to the Imperial Army during WW I or even during the last war with Turkey.
I also note that there is no red crescent, but I don't know what to make of that. Georgia is an ancient Christian nation but they have always had regions of predominantly Moslem citizens. I kind of doubt that they would have had a crescent on a badge during a war with Turkey, but I really don't know.
So much to learn, so little time.
OK, take your best shot.
Chuck
