rusticalex

Thank you for that Marcon1 - it's almost certainly my ancestor. The estimate on the item is £1500 to £2000, so I'm thinking long and hard about whether or not I can afford it!!

Good evening all. Sorry for digging up this old post of mine from many years ago, but am item is coming up at auction soon that I think may have been presented to Robert Graeme, the aforementioned in this post. Is the regiment that he was in the same as the 6th Royal Regiment, please, and could this regiment have been in Jamaica in 1865? If so then I might bid on the item. Many thanks in advance of any assistance. Alex

That's great, thank you Peter. Definitely gives me something to go on. Much gratitude, Alex

Hello all - I haven't posted in here for a good while, and I hope I'm putting this post in the correct place (sorry admin if I'm not!). Today I knocked on the door of a couple that live near me, and got talking to them. I'd met her before, but not him. They invited me in and we chatted for about 20 minutes. It turns out that he originally came from Prussia. During World War II he fought for the Germans on the Russian front. He eventually got captured and ended up at a POW camp in Devon. After the war he wasn't able to return to Prussia, so he went to live and work on a farm in Devon, and ended up years later with the daughter of the farmer, who he's still with now. He came across as being a sweet natured chap, and seemed keen to tell someone about his experiences, which according to someone else that knows him are quite fascinating. It's not really something that I have time for unfortunately, nor the expertise to do a good job of it. However, if there is anyone that could spare the time to work with this man to document what he went through, then please let me know. I guess it would be very handy if the person lives in Devon! Thank you, Alex

Hello all The original post is quite old now, but I wonder if anyone can help a bit more with this, not in terms of my original question, but in identifying the medals that my ancestor is wearing in this portrait of him. Obviously one of the medals is the Waterloo medal - any further help greatly appreciated! And why would he have his hand tucked into his jacket like that? Many thanks Alex

Goodness, then I guess I was just really lucky! To know his name and a bit about him is just terrific. Thanks once again. Alex

Wow, Voltigeur, that is amazing, thank you! I never thought that someone would be able to come up with a definite name for this man. Please can you tell me more about how you can be so sure of who he is? I'm fascinated! Do you have any further info about him? We'll probably never know why our family has this image of him and his badge, but knowing his name is just amazing - I'm sure I'm not the only one that reads this post that will think this! Many thanks Alex

I like the idea of the blog, but I just won't be able to fit it in - I'm already struggling! Once I've got more stuff together I will do some more of the individual profiles in the "The Recipients Story" section that Nick set up at my suggestion. That works for me, and hopefully works for those that read it! Cheers Alex

The Gurkha button is a mystery and will remain that way, I'm sure. As for more trunks...haha! I've done an awful lot of that in the last year - ie sorting through boxes and suitcases creating an archive so that each family member has an archival number, and then I have put any photos/documents/letters/etc into individual acid free boxes for me to then go through for the rest of my life getting things into better order still! Eventually I want to create an online museum, but whilst I have started it, I am nowhere near finishing it! The militaria (ie buttons, medals, badges) is still being sorted through, and I want to store it in a more preservation friendly way than it has been. Are you saying you'd like to see pictures of the characters I refer to in this post Mervyn? Happy to do so, but not quite sure if that is what you're asking! Alex

Thank you Graham. That helps - this button probably belonged to my great, great, great uncle who was in the navy in the early to mid 1800s - nice one! Still puzzled by this, but then some mysteries aren't meant to be solved! Thanks for you help Graham.

#13 – I’m not sure about this small button at all, except that I guess it is a Gurkha button? Any ideas? and finally #14 – Seaforth Highlanders – again, my great uncle’s button, who was killed in WW1 (see my Avatar!)

#11 – Scottish Horse 1900 – this belonged to my great uncle who took part in the Boer War and was gazetted as Adjutant to the Scottish Horse in 1903. and #12 – Bengal Fusiliers – I’m a bit confused by this little one. Possibly it belonged to my Great Grandfather (see photo #3)

#9 – The Kings Own Light Infantry – belonged to another cousin, who served in the campaign on the North-West frontier of India (Ambela) in 1863, the Jowaki-Afridi expedition in 1877, and the Afghan War in 1878-9. and #10 – ID help please. Possibly Civil Defence, but when from?

#7 – Same regiment as in #6, but a smaller, older looking button with a different design. and... #8 – The Royal Regt – belonged to Captain Edward Sharp – see http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/41432-capt-sharps-crimea-medals-x-2-plus-one-i-dont-know/page__hl__sharp__fromsearch__1

#5 – ID help please. Maker is Jennings & Co, London. Maybe it is just a general military button? then... #6 – The 6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment – my Cousin’s grandfather’s button – see http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/40988-captain-robert-graeme-born-04-12-1839-dcd-14-05-1910/