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

I think they bought up by Ford Dagenham after the war or were even part of Ford. Tony

Quite possibly the only valid reason to visit Canberra.

Hello, Can you see the date stamped on the liner? It should be somewhere near the helmet size. The reason for asking is because the bolt and washer are usually the same colour as the helmet although they do tend to lose the paint there. The number appears to be European, possibly German. The 'hook' on the one isn't generally seen in the UK, I'm reasonably sure a few European countries write the number 1 as seen in the photos. I'm afraid I can't make out the names but the Z in DJ (Joe D???????witz) also appears German in that Germans, as far as I know, draw a line through the middle of a capital Z. Perhaps this was done in the UK in the middle of the last century too. I haven't really seen many WWII British helmets but the rough paintwork reminds me of a Great War helmet so perhaps it's an old one re-worked and reissued in the 30s. Tony

You've gone a bloody good job there Mark. I've only ever restored one gun and then not fully, it involved making the barrel straight otherwise I leave everything as is, It was actually a gun my wife found after being bored at a militaria fair on the Somme, she wondered off down the road and came back with a joyful bundle of goodies. Tony

My surname can be found in the doomsday book but I still have to spell it and then the person writing it down usually spells it wrong. Although there are many English place names that are obviously Scandinavian in origin (at least in Essex), always having to spell Svard could make life complicated. Tony

Interesting too that he married two women in Jan 2002 (if he indeed is the only OJA Sward) and then died the following month in Feb. 2002. Tony

I still have the tin hat I bought (wasn't given to me) when I was about 7 years old. I bought it down East Lane just off the Old Kent Rd. and it cost me more than a weeks pocket money (it was 8 whole shillings), British WWII helmets probably aren't worth much more today, Here are a couple of my shell dressings. Tony

I wish it was easier to find the name of the person behind the badge without having to pay a researcher. Tony

My father-in-law told me quite a few years ago that his great uncle once mentioned the French being so easy see and aim at because of their red trousers. It was 1914 when he wrote home saying this; he was soon captured. When did they change to horizon blue and is that the actual uniform he was wearing or a spare? Tony

Hello Michael, Thanks for that and I'd say we've nailed his nationality. I've since found 12 (I think) members of the Royal Navy (Ceylon Mine Clearance) with the same name. I don't think I'll find anymore information on him but haven't given up hope yet. Simeon also crops up as a crew member many times between the wars on voyages to the US. Tony

Thanks for the reply Rob. I'll think about going for one if any turn up again. Tony

I've seen a few of these with paper packets for sale on ebay over the last 2 months, are they that common, has a stash been found or are they pehaps not original? I can't say I've really noticed them in the past. Tony

From the Great War Medal Collectors Companion by Howard Williamson. The date the recipient's name appeared in the LG (21.12.16) could possibly mean the MM was awarded for an action in September or October 1916. The book also states it took 3 months on average before the name appeared in the LG, Clive, it might be worth asking someone to get you a copy of the battalion diary for those 2 months and for August too to be on the safe side. Tony

I'm not registered there either Clive, well I was a long time ago so maybe that's why I could see the page. Tony

Oh, I did buy a Burma Star group of three recently with issue slip and box, I paid £50 but only because the recipient was very possibly related, otherwise I'd have just left them there. Tony

Hello Justin, I believe an original ACE would cost around £200-£230 wheras the Italy and Africa Stars are about £10 each, I'd have a guess at the others costing about £20 each. I should add I'm not a collector of WWII medals so my guesses are just that. Tony

Clive, His name is in the bottom half of the first column here http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29873/supplements/12442 I did an advanced search on the LG site http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/ Unfortunately I have no idea how to find the citation but wouldn't be surprised if the MM was awarded for an action during the 1916 battle of the Somme. The MM has 6th Bn Northamptonshire Regt. as his unit, now this has nothing to do with George Byrne himself but has much information about his battalion during the July phase of the battle. I found it very interesting and don't even have any Somme related medals to the Northamptonshires http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46837&hl= Tony

Thank you both for your replies. I will try to get to the bottom of this medal only it may take a while. It actually came with another I was after, in fact there were 3 in total, an AIF casualty BWM to a swede, the one to Pte. Singho and another to a Gunner. Tony

Hello, I'm trying to work out the nationality of a soldier awarded the BWM. The rank is (Ftr.) fitter and the unit IWT (Inland Water Transport) and the name is Singho. I could only find one man with that surname on the NA site, a Pte. in the Ceylon Sanitary Company. Any help is very much appreciated. Thanks Tony

One of them has been researched, he was an AM/3 discharged in 1919 due to wounds but according to the paperwork I have he was wounded in 1917 while serving with the RIR and wasn't transferred to the RAF until March/April 1918. I'd like a badge to someone in the old RFC but they don't have the RAF prefix, they're numbered in the same as army issued badges. Tony

The pins on SWB's must have been easy to break, below is a variation of repairs. I'd have a guess at saying most replaced pins were homemade repairs. Tony

Hello, Can anyone tell me where this unit first went into the line in France? I know they arrived in the line on 29.12.16 somewhere near Armentieres but an exact position would be great if anyone knows. Ta Tony

They're at the National Archives although there are the Services Rendered books which have the numbers for badges issued to officers, RFC, MGC, Tank Corps, nurses and a few other units. RN badges are available online. Those from other countries e.g. Canada, Australia, India, NZ, SA can probably be found in the archives of the relevent country if the records survive. Tony