Tony

You need to get yourself the Spitfire beer mat set, they might go down well in Germany http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop/spitfire-coasters-set-6 Was the tank behind glass or could you actually walk right up to it? I tried taking pictures of a German tank dozens of times but every time I went past it was either too bright or too dark, making the glass reflect. Tony

Welcome to the forum Aaron, It looks good to me however, I seem to be losing touch with what's good and what isn't. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will be able to confirm but don't hold your breath. Tony

I like that first picture very much. I even like the way the European style of post box hasn't changed over the last 100 years.

Thanks for feedback, the liner was an easy one to spot but the felt body itself isn't apart from the missing air vent. I might take some pics of my pickelhaube and start a new thread, I'll be gutted if it's a bad one but either way I'd like to know. You've shown a very nice example. Tony

That's a nice group Mervyn, still being together after all this time. It was probably sat in the back of the draw or cherished by a member the family. Did it turn up locally? Tony

Is it the leather trim that gives it away or something else?

Bill, Have you ever managed to visit his grave? France must have been near impossible for most families of fallen Brits to visit back in the day, let alone families from Canada, SA, India, Australia and NZ. Tony

Micha, The records for the Canadian issue badges aren't available although for whatever reason the odd one crops up in British unit records. Badge B57288 was issued to: Name: George Arthur Cooper Discharge Unit: 16th. Ldn. Rgt. Regiment: London Regiment Regimental Number: 6863 Rank: Rfn. Badge Number: 57288 George Cooper was discharged due to illness and didn't serve overseas. He enlisted 15/12/15 and was discharged 23/6/16, the SWB will be his only entitlement. Tony

Pros and cons Paul. I landed in Germany last year in time to go to the show, I found it to be mostly functioning guns (roughly 60% guns/40% militaria) and a lot of 3rd Reich. Expensive entrance fee, I think it was 18 euros but don't quote me (I'm used to paying A$10 or around £2 when in UK) and overpriced stuff for sale. Some Brit dealers mainly selling German militaria and the odd Brodie with tank mask. Oh and anything with one of those nasty hooked crosses on it will be covered in stickers. On the plus side it was good to see and handle some of the bits and pieces there but I was in and out in 90 minutes and had to go through an airport type security when a bouncer sort of bloke checked me over with one of those beep detector things but then I always get checked for drugs at the airport so perhaps it's just me. If you're in the area at the time or a collector of German militaria then get along there. If you collect Brit/Commonwealth/French/US there's not much point. Oh I did see a 14/15 Star to the RA, it was 75 euros. Tony P.S.: some say I'm tight, I prefer to say I'm careful with my money

Aha, I didn't know that, at least my felt pickelhaube doesn't have leather trim.

Now that you mention it I can see the helmet plate doesn't look right. The cockade shown looks to have been poorly painted too.

The only things that looks dodgy to me are the liner and the blue & white bobble thing on top. What about the felt? As I have a felt pickelhaube I'd be interested in hearing what to look out for. Tony

I've done a bit more searching and have found him on the 14 Star medal roll which mentions the issue of clasp and roses 2/11/22.

Under the words Action Taken is handwritten clasp .......... 4/?/22 That was the date of issue for the clasp/bar. I thought the MIC would show the issue of clasp and roses. I can't find his MIC for the medal pair but after checking the SWB list again I saw something I missed before, he was discharged due to wounds.

According to his MIC the clasp was awarded/claimed for in 1922 and it's Disch. as in discharged. His discharge came through 30/10/17 but it doesn't mention whether due to wounds of sickness. Tony

Nice brooch. I have a Brit version, also black enamel but oval and His Country Called, He Answered With His Life written on the back. Tony

:) The WR prefix is for RE Roads & Quarries Engineers as well as Waterways & Railways Engineers. All three men were Roads & Quarries (navvies?) according to the medal roll. Tony

Jock, going by the number of Islanders with the surname Duquemin I suppose they could have been 2nd cousins 12 times removed.

Paul, All Commonwealth medals are named except for Brit and Canadian(?) WWII campaign medals/stars, the odd Victorian medal, the MC and probably a few more but in general they carry the name, number and unit of the recipient. Some unnamed ones would have been privately named. Jock, John George Daubney, 2nd Manchester Regt., entitled to the BW and VM. Only one person with that name on the 1911 census, an 8 year old living in Culverthorpe, Lincolnshire. James Duquemin is on the medal rolls numbered 255526 and WR28456 and was entitled to a pair. After J. Duquemin in the rolls is W.J. Duquemin numbered 255528 and WR28458 and then W.T. Duquemin with the numbers 255527 and WR28458 so no doubt brothers who joined up at the same time. Ancestry shows 204 men named Duquemin, all are from Guernsey. It would appear as if the Channel Islanders like to keep it in the family P.S.: they've been melting them down for years Paul. As soon as silver is worth more than a medal to a Corps e.g. ASC/RE/RA or the owner just wants rid if it then off they go

Bob, I've had more info. The headlining is black cloth dating it to pre 1912, the peak is the correct size for pre 1921 caps and the chinstrap is of Great War period but, I'm still not 100% sure about the top stitching. The one you show obviously has stitching along the top outside of the headband, mine doesn't even though it must be stitched somewhere there. Also now that the cap is out of storage it seems to be getting a flat look back. I'll attach another photo when I get a chance. Tony

Should have gone to spec savers Did you save them Jock and if so from a German melting pot or back in Scotland? From what I've seen in the past, the suspenders are usually removed before melting so you got there before any damage at all was done. So, what are the names and unit details?

Mike, There's one for sale in the UK however, I've no idea if it's reasonably priced or not http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sortby=93&sts=t&tn=IDENTIFICATION+DATA+ON+BRITISH+WAR+MEDALS+AND+THEIR+INTERPRETATION Tony

A great collection there and satisfying feeling to know they're all original.

Hello Bob, Bugger, they do don't they. The headband on your one looks like it goes to a point at the front or is that just the angle the photo was taken from? Tony

Thanks for the suggestion Odulf.