The OMRS has a new facebook page and you are all invited..... follow the link and join in the fun :) https://www.facebook.com/groups/omrs.org/
OMRS News

The Cotswold Branch mini-convention has been postponed until a later date, which will be confirmed once the Covid-19 situation becomes clearer.
If you require more information in the meantime then please contact John Wright, the Secretary of the Cotswold Branch.

It is with great regret that the Executive Committee has taken the decision to cancel the Annual Convention, scheduled for 11-13 September at the Bristol Marriott.
The full statement to Members from the OMRS President, Robin Thomas, can be found here.

Any member can find out information about the OMRS honours and awards, who can receive them or how people can be nominated by going to "Society Docs & Notices" then "Society Honours" within this website. Please note the closing date for nominations for this years awards is 31st May 2020 and any nominations should be e-mailed directly to the President at the following email address - robin_thomas@msn.com.

The OMRS has teamed up with Coin Collector magazine to promote our hobby to a new audience. The Spring 2020 issue of the quarterly magazine has a four page section on collecting medals including tips for collectors. Three members of the OMRS – Robin Thomas, James Kemp and Will Bennett - have contributed pieces on ‘treasured medals’ in their collections explaining why these are particularly important to them. The ‘treasured medals’ column will continue as a regular feature in Coin Collector. Follow this link for more info - https://www.allaboutcoins.co.uk/start-collecting/advice-on-starting-a-medals-collection/
The aim is to introduce our hobby to readers of a magazine aimed primarily at those involved in a different collecting specialism. While the OMRS is hugely grateful for the support it receives from magazines which are wholly or partly for medal collectors, the Society believes that it also has to broaden its horizons and raise its profile in other publications. Hopefully it can attract new medal collectors and, of course, new members by doing this.
If you would like to buy the latest copy of Coin Collector or subscribe to the quarterly magazine, just visit: www.allaboutcoins.co.uk

December's OMRS Journal includes the following articles:
The ‘fantasy’ clasps found on the Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902 - An insight into the "fantasy" clasps and their history
Scarce awards: Afghanistan Medal 1878-80 with clasp ‘KANDAHAR’ to the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment - the last campaign the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) were involved in before they became the 2nd Battalion East Lancashire Regiment
Frederick P. Wensley: ‘The greatest detective ...’ - tracking down the recipients of unnamed miniature medals to the police
George Bell with Lady Luck through the First World War: the late award of a Canadian Memorial Cross - the research of a Canadian Memorial Cross which was issued in 1963!!
Queen’s Commendations for Brave Conduct to the Queensland Police Force - a brief history of the award and its recipients
Naval surgeon’s promising career ended in disgrace - the truth behind a promising career that fell to pieces
Conduct ‘unbecoming’: Lieutenant William Kerr McClintock, The Rifle Brigade - court martialled and dismissed from the army was only the start of the story...
William Brasier Hall: a ‘most reliable officer’ in the Persian Gulf - the story behind Yorkshireman Engineer Commander William Hall
The medallic coat of arms of Sir J. Carncross, KCB - the story behind how a medal ended up on a coat of arms
Trained under sail, ex-P&O officer had key wartime job at Port Said - a well travelled individual and his story
William Arthur Leigh Tucker: adventurer, entrepreneur and sometime lieutenant, Umtali Burghers - a fascinating tale of a colourful individual

In the future development of the web site it is planned to have a web page dedicated to useful links and resources for members to aid them in their research. As a start a few have been placed below, if anyone has any other they would like to share then please email me at newscontent74@omrs.org and i will add them in here for the benefit of all.
go here for information on the Anglo Boer War 1899 - 1902 and other South African conflicts in the period 1779-1906, also has a forum for discussion of the many aspects of these conflicts.
Society for Army Historical Research
Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medals-campaigns-descriptions-and-eligibility
The London Gazette which explains the order of wear for medals and decorations
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/content/103440
From the National Archives website - British military campaign and service medals
Almost all the RAF Historical Society Journals (over 50) are available and full of articles of RAF history.
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/default/raf-historical-society-journals.aspx

The 2020 Annual General Meeting of the Orders & Medals Research Society is to be held at the Annual Convention in Bristol.
The meeting will take place in The Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre – where all Convention events will be held – on the morning of Sunday 13 September before the OMRS Medal Fair opens. In the past the AGM has for many years been held at The National Archives in Kew. The change has been introduced to make the AGM accessible to as many Society members as possible.

OMRS Convention 2020 will be held at the Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre from 11-13 September with convention events and accommodation under the same roof.
For further information please see the latest update in the Conventions section of the website or by selecting this link - OMRS Annual Convention.

Booking is now open for the XIV European Conference of Phaleristic Societies to be held in Paris from 15-17 May 2020. The event is being organised by the Society of Friends of the National Museum of the Legion of Honour and Orders of Knighthood and will consist of lectures, workshops and visits. The deadline for booking is 31 December.
Please click on the following link to download the required forms if you wish to attend