Pro Patria Medal Types, Variants and Ribbon Accoutrements - Collector

In this review of Pro Patria Medal: Types, Variants and Ribbon Accoutrements and Selected Recipients of Interest, the reviewer finds a focused, specialist compilation aimed at medal collectors and military historians. Compiled by Paul Roos, this work is essential for anyone researching South African 1952 and 1975 medal series or assembling groups linked to SAAF No2 Sqn Flying Cheetahs in Korea. The single biggest reason to buy is the depth of provenance and variant detail gathered by a long-time collector, which makes it a practical reference rather than a general interest book.

Key Features

• Complete collection overview: Presents a consolidated record of all medals, types and variants from the South African 1952 and 1975 series, useful for identifying specific pieces.
• Author expertise: Draws on over 30 years of collecting by Paul Roos, providing contextual knowledge about recipients and service history.
• Focused subject matter: Includes detailed attention to Medal Groups for South Africans who served with SAAF No2 Sqn Flying Cheetahs in Korea from 1950-1953, which supports specialist research.
• Selected recipients: Highlights chosen recipients of interest, helping collectors trace provenance and build themed groups.
• Related formations covered: Adds coverage of officers and men from the South African Aviation Corps in G.S.W.A and 26 (South African) Sqn, RAF who served in G.E.A, expanding its reference value.

Who It's For

The book is best for medal collectors, museum curators and military historians who need a detailed reference on South African medal types, variants and ribbon accoutrements. Specialists assembling Medal Groups from the SAAF No2 Sqn Flying Cheetahs or researchers tracing individual recipients will find the provenance and variant listings particularly valuable.

It is less suitable for casual readers seeking a broad narrative history or richly illustrated coffee-table book; the focus is archival and cataloguing rather than general-interest storytelling or lavish photography.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Comprehensive cataloguing of the 1952 and 1975 South African medal series supports accurate identification.
• Authored by a collector with decades of experience, lending credibility to provenance claims.
• Includes attention to lesser-covered units such as SAAC in G.S.W.A and 26 (South African) Sqn, RAF, which broadens research value.
• Useful for building or confirming Medal Groups for Korea-era SAAF personnel.

Cons

• Not aimed at casual readers; the specialist focus may feel dense to newcomers.
• Source does not indicate extensive illustrations, so visual reference may be limited for identification by image alone.

Specifications

Title	Pro Patria Medal: Types, Variants and Ribbon Accoutrements and Selected Recipients of Interest
Author / Compiler	Paul Roos
Focus	South African 1952 and 1975 medal series
Special coverage	SAAF No2 Sqn Flying Cheetahs (Korea 1950-1953)
Additional coverage	South African Aviation Corps (SAAC) in G.S.W.A and 26 (South African) Sqn, RAF in G.E.A
Collector experience	Compiled from over 30 years of collecting

Our Verdict

Paul Roos's compilation is a practical and authoritative reference for collectors and researchers focused on South African medal series and Korea-era SAAF groups. Its depth and provenance focus make it good value for specialists who need reliable variant identification and recipient context; casual readers seeking narrative history should look elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this work cover all variants of the 1952 and 1975 series?
Yes, the compilation presents a complete collection of the medals, types and variants from those series as assembled by the author.

Is there specific information on Korea-era SAAF personnel?
Yes, the book concentrates on Medal Groups to South Africans who served with SAAF No2 Sqn Flying Cheetahs in Korea from 1950-1953 and includes selected recipients of interest.

Will this help with provenance and group assembly?
Yes, the author's decades of collecting and the selected recipient entries support tracing provenance and assembling themed Medal Groups.