Tony

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I have a bit of a thing for watches although none of mine have well known expensive movements. All except the pocket watches and gold coloured oblong art deco watch are worn regularly which explains the scratches some of them have. Every single one of them runs with perfect accuracy if wound once a day. The G10 watch is of course a modern (1997 issue) quartz watch which doesn’t need to be wound. Tony

Hello and welcome. This site should give you the information you're after regarding records and is probably the site mentioned by Brett http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/ServiceRecords/MakingARequestForInformationHeldOnThePersonnelRecordsOfDeceasedServicePersonnel.htm Tony

Here's a pair of medals I bought recently. They belonged to an African member of the King’s African Rifles making them as a group, compared to those from Canada/SA/NZ/UK etc., quite rare in my opinion, singles crop up regularly as do groups to white soldiers. The way the recipients name has been stamped makes them look amateurish however, I’ve been informed by a KAR collector that they were stamped by locals at the barracks in Zomba, Malawi or Nyasaland which Malawi was formally known as. The 1/KAR and 2/KAR were both Nyasaland battalions. The BWM has been stamped upside down and the spelling of the Soldier’s name is slightly different on each medal. Apparently this is typical of Zomba stamped medals. His number on the medal rims isn’t the same as that shown on his MIC, service numbers did change if a soldier was transferred between battalions although, the number change may have come through at a later date. I hope to meet up with the collector who was kind enough to explain why the medals were named this way and hopefully he can tell me more about the KAR but if anyone would like to share some information on the 1/KAR and their campaign in East Africa please do so. Tony

Ranjit, I've just checked some sites and could only find one showing photos of the MK 6 http://www.endicotts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=88&products_id=2151 Tony

Here you are Paul. Tony

The ribbons look very good indeed, it'll be difficult to find better ones unless you're willing to pay around £20 or buy those horrible cheap nylon ones. I've had another look on ancestry and although plenty of men had the same name there's no one I could find with the same number in either the Connaught Rangers or Royal Innniskilling Fusiliers. Tony

A great find and good to see they're still together. The ribbons look quite good from here but if you do try to get a set in better condition there are usually some to be found online. You may have to be patient if you prefer not to spend too much on them. I did a quick check on ancestry but didn't find anything, maybe you already looked there. Tony

Bill is correct. I find ancestry is a good start but searching on that site can be a real pain. You do know that most British service records were destroyed in the Blitz don't you? If you'd like to post their names, numbers etc. I can check the MIC's for you. Tony

I really enjoy reading and seeing the photos in the posts you add to this thread Christer. Tony

That would also fit in with the time it was bought by the person who sold it to me. Tony

Hello Pete, That's interesting to hear. What makes you say that, are there obvious differences between those made for the tourist industry and those made to be used when looking at older examples? Tony

Thanks for the comment Brian. I like it too and was told by the person I bought it from that he thought it may be from the 1960s. He had much older ones but I went for my example as I'm likely to use it in the garden too or possibly even take it on a trip to the Somme or Verdun if I ever get the chance again. Tony

And one more. Tony

A few more photos. Thanks Tony

Hello, Is kukri the correct spelling? I’ve wanted to buy a kukri for a while and just have done but needless to say, I know nothing about them. Is anyone able to tell roughly when this one was made? Should there be markings on the blade? Would it have belonged to a soldier or could it have been someone’s kitchen knife? Are they made to a certain length? The frog looks very modern to me, any comments on that? And finally should I clean the horn handles or are they best left alone? It’s very sharp by the way. Tony

I agree with Colin. His MIC says he arrived in France 10.11.15 and doesn't mention he was killed or received a SWB. There was a William Osbourne (no middle name, just W. Osbourne) in the 21st Manchesters who was killed 15.5.17 however, his service number was 18674. Tony

It looks like he attested 12.12.15, went to army reserve 13.12.15, mobilised 30.11.16, first went to France 1.12.16. Tony P.S only half the photo has appeared, don't know why but there isn't really anything missing from it.

Hello Joe and welcome to the forum. There was a Robert Daniel Howett who served as a Rifleman with the number 38617 in the KRRC (King's Royal Rifle Corps), he also served in the Army Service Corps as Pte. M/403798. He received the British War and Victory medals. He was born in about 1888 and joined the army in 1915, at the time he was living in Powerscroft Rd. Hackney. His attestation paper says 2 Battalion King's Royal rifles, went to France in 1917 and at some stage had a scalp wound. It looks as though he was transferred to the ASC in April 1918. There's also a page stating 21st KRRC "B" In hospital from Sept. 1917 till March 1918 27th Feb. 1919 he was transferred to Z class reserve. His trade appears to be gold blocker (?) and it doesn't look like he went to India. Tony

Thanks, it cost me a whole 50 DM (25 Euro) in an antiques shop at Steinhuder Meer back in about 1987. It isn't a KO by the way, it has a square stamp and the recipient's name is on the box in pencil between the words 1. Klasse and von dem Beliehenen but too faded to read. Getting back to the KO crosses, they're very common indeed but always seem to be well worn. Perhaps worn on many uniforms in WWII. Tony

Weren't they being awarded well into the 20s and didn't many old soldiers buy a spare? I don't know if Sascha is correct but I have a KO with certificate dated 1921 as well as the same man's spare, bought either in the 20s or 30s, it's also a KO. I have cases without any date, dated 1914 and 1914/15 as above, none of them came with KO crosses but I have no idea if the crosses are original to the cases. Alec, is this the kind of official issue you mean, cased and in a cardboard box? Tony

I still haven't tried applying for his service record and must try to do it soon. Finding the time isn't easy but I will manage it. Tony

I didn't read the whole page but half way down this was mentioned http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/b/briggs/briggs.htm Beginning in 1932, Ralph Roberts spent a good deal of time in England, helping set up Briggs Motor Bodies Ltd. in Dagenham, Ford of England’s primary body supplier. It was formed in 1930 and originally operated inside of Ford’s Trafford Park plant. When Ford opened up the Dagenham factory, Briggs built a factory next door and within a few years was turning out 250 bodies a day. Briggs also attempted to try to get other British manufacturers’ business and Roberts spent a good deal of time in Dagenham, right up until the start of WWII, commuting back and forth 3 or four times a year. See 7. here http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1960_1969/fulltext/028c02.pdf BMB merged with Ford in 1953. Tony