Badge For Merits In Fighting Floods.

[Taz]

(Odznaka Za zaslugi w zwalczaniu powodzi)

This award was instituted by decision of the government of February 2nd, 1961 and altered in 1984.
Conferred in two grades (gold and silver) for outstanding deeds during flood fighting as well as for merit in anti-flood protection.
Until 1973 the decoration was awarded by the Prime Minister, since then by Minister of Agriculture, and since 1984 by Minister of Water Resources.
Up to 1984 the decoration was worn on the right breast; since then it has been worn on the left breast, together with other decorations.

The award is either a gilt or silvered round medal with a diameter of 40 mm. On the obverse is a male figure kneeing on a dam, with a bush and buildings on the left, and swelling water on the right. The outside edge inscription is ZA ZASLUGI W ZWALCZANIU POWODZI (for merit in flood fighting), with a small lozenge at the bottom.
The reverse is plain. Until 1984 the badge had a holder for suspension, replaced then by an ordinary ring.

The suspension prior to 1984 was a light blue enameled trapezium metal bar, 40 x 8 mm, with a horizontal metal pinstripe through the center and an open laurel wreath in the middle. The wreath and other metal parts were gilt or silvered respectively. The reverse had a safety pin for mounting. When the ribbon bar alone was worn, it was 37 mm, light blue, with a yellow or white middle stripe denoting 1st or second class
Suspension subsequent to 1984 was a ribbon, 30 mm, blue with broad black (inner) and red (outer) side stripes. Also here when the bar was worn alone the middle stripe was either yellow or white.

Eddie.

Here are the Silver and Gold earlier versions of this medal.

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And here the later version on the ribbon. Note when the medal was worn with ribbon there was no white middle stripe. This was only evident when medal bars were worn alone.

Eddie.