Jump to content

Needing info on Vet Association Order of the Compassionate Heart


gunnertwo
 Share

Recommended Posts

Evening List,

 

I'm trying to find info a veterans organization of WWI Russian-American servicemen. The association is called The Order of the Compassionate Heart. I've attached an image, one of a members bullion

breast insignia, the other the members medal. I've found the medal on the 'net in a FS ad but no info on the organization. Appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

G2post-8930-0-45382200-1572491671.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Source: Description from WorthPoint.com

 

Brass with white and red enamel. The Medal was issued by The Russian Veteran's Society in Seattle Washington, an organization of White Russians in exile. The Medal is suspended from an orange, black and white St George's ribbon.

 

This is a highly unusual award for Exiled Great War Russian Veterans and those who have supported the Russian-American community.

 

The cross is comprised of five enameled and brass rimmed hearts capped with a golden Imperial Russian Eagle in the center. Four white enameled hearts comprise the arms of an obvious cross design while a fifth, red-enameled heart occupies the center and serves as the background for a golden eagle. On the reverse, in the raised outline of a heart are the raised initials "R.V.S.W.W." which stand for "Russian Veterans' Society of the World War".

 

The Order of the Compassionate Heart was originally bestowed upon First World War Russian veterans living in exile in the United States. It was founded in 1921, about seven or eight years before the much better known Order of Saint Nicholas the Miracle Worker was instituted in Europe for much the same purpose: to acknowledge Russian veterans of the Great War. It is impossible to estimate how many Russians immigrated to the United States in the aftermath of the Great War and the Civil War, but they joined an already large and active Russian-American community in this country, particularly on the West Coast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Source: NewspaperArchives.com

 

Note: Alexander J. Elshin was the original President of the Society and Grand Master of the Order

g11.jpg

g12.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

aznation Simply, WOW! Thanks in so many ways for the outstanding information. I tried digging for some time prior to posting this request. The medal is part of a US group I've had for years. Tonight I'll put up pics of the rest or the group. Thank you again very much.

 

G2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're welcome G2. Glad I could find some information for you. I/we look forward to seeing the pics of the rest of the group when you get a chance. Take care...Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are pics of the group. The PH is a replacement as it doesn't match the vintage of the rest of the group. The awards are to Alexander A. Cuthbertson USA WW 1 I Corps. I have scant information on him.

 

G2

post-8930-0-12351900-1572848818.jpg

post-8930-0-08932400-1572848831.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice group of medals. I'm not that familiar with medals but I have some questions.

 

Questions:

 

1) Are some of the medals from another country? If some of these are foreign medals, I'm wondering why the mix of American and foreign medals.

2) Do you know for sure if all these medals belonged to the same person?

3) What state did the medals come from?

4) Is there any other identifying information on the individual, like service number?

5) Any other information to determine the correct Alexander A. Cuthbertson?

 

The reason I'm asking these questions is there's some Alexander Cuthbertson's that have some United Kingdom (British) wartime records and some of those medals appear to be foreign. Also, there's more than one Alexander A. Cuthbertson that shows up when looking. One is from the Cleveland, OH area and one is from San Francisco, CA area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The federal medals are the PH and Victory which obviously you know. There are the WW 1 French Croix d Guerre, the Verdun and the Argonne medals. The Compassionate Heart medal and the last is the Military Order of the World War, a US veterans organization. There are single ribbon bars for several of the awards which I did not photograph. One of them is a PH ribbon that would have been included in the pre WW2 PH award boxes. I also did not photograph a I Corps 20's era shoulder patch. I appreciate your attempts at research.

 

G2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi G2,

 

Thanks for the explanation on the medals. I appreciate it. In order to help you further are you able to answer the following questions so maybe I can figure out the correct

Alexander A. Cuthbertson.

 

Questions:

1) Do you know for sure if all these medals belonged to the same person?

2) What state did the medals come from?

3) Is there any other identifying information on the individual, like service number?

4) Any other information to determine the correct Alexander A. Cuthbertson?

The reason I'm asking these questions is there's some Alexander Cuthbertson's that have some United Kingdom (British) wartime records and some of those medals appear to be foreign. Also, there's more than one Alexander A. Cuthbertson that shows up when looking. One is from the Cleveland, OH area and one is from San Francisco, CA area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as I know they are one person's grouping. I obtained them in Oregon about 35 years ago. There is no other info that might ID the person, no service number, etc. Again, thanks for your help.

 

G2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi G2,

 

You stated that the awards are to Alexander A. Cuthbertson. Can you advise how you know that? Do any of the awards have his name as such? What does have his name on it? I've still not found any of Alexander A. Cuthbertson's U.S. WWI records anywhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The info stated is all I have. Wish one of the medals had naming but unfortunately they do not. Might there be a Cuthbertson with a different first name in your search? Thanks for your diligence.

 

G2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're welcome G2. So, no medals have Alexander A. Cuthbertson's name on them. That answers one question. The other question was, "What does have his name on it?", or put another way, where did you get the name Alexander A. Cuthbertson from? It had to be from something, right?

 

After doing some extensive looking, here's my best guess IF the name is Alexander A. Cuthbertson.

 

Source: Find-A-Grave

 

 

 

l2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...