Tony

They were at Cambrai in Nov. 17 but the condition is probably far too good for anything that went near a frontline so perhaps it never left Chemnitz at all. Tony

I really do like those pictures with the Brit stuff especially the first one. I think you've renewed my interest in postcards, I'll have to keep an eye out in future. Where did you find them? I mean I know Melbourne's better than Brisbane for shopping but surely not that much better that you can pick up those cards there. Tony

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, I've had this hat for so long and never knew that, until now I didn't have a clue about the markings. I'd best check where they were during the second half of the war, perhaps the hat saw a bit of France and Belgium. Tony

Interesting. Any particular reason why?

Then a lady's patriotic accessory it is. I have a few pieces of patriotic jewellery so it fits in well with the other pieces. Tony

Thanks very much Chip. I thought a soldier would have sewn that repair himself but it was obviously sent back to Chemnitz for that, if it ever left the area in the first place. Would soldiers in Thüringen units have worn the same colours? Tony

It's 45mm long, the EK is about 8mm square. Yes a brooch is quite possible, the colour resembles rose gold which was often seen in jewellery back then. Tony

Can anyone help me out with the markings inside this hat please? I imagine 56 is the size and 16 is for 1916 but the others? Thanks Tony

I have a cross with the 800 under the catch, a Y or A or perhaps it's V (I don't know) under the pin and what appears to be another mark just above the catch. My camera is buggered but I borrowed another to take some pics. Whatever it is just above the catch is too difficult to tell but I thought I should add it, perhaps it's just a dig in the silver. Tony

Do these count as skinny too? Tony

a brooch or just an accessory for a between the wars follower of fashion? I've always thought of it as being a tie pin. Tony

Nice lot Chris. Was it damage caused by poison gas that killed him? Do you have his BWM and VM? Tony

Jeff, I was thinking more of the ordinary Pte. having them swing mounted at home in the wrong order, I like to think the higher the rank the more own personal preference is involved. Tony

Hello Jens, I'm always wary of anything looking good for its age. Here's a site I've just found http://arnhemjim.blogspot.de/p/british-militaria.html About a quarter of the way down the page there are some details of how to tell a fake pegasus badge from an original although I'm not sure if it'll help you know one way or the other. Tony

I had quite a few POW cards and now only a few. Here are some I no longer have except for a copy on the laptop. Tony Sorry, those in the last photo don't look very fresh.

Nice group Jeff. It looks like he couldn't sit still for 5 minutes. I too have a couple of WWI groups in the wrong order, it's what drew me to them. I've also seen the odd trio/pair with the BWM and/or the VM reverse facing the front. I like to think the old soldier's wife sewed them in front of the fire in the order she thought was correct or looked best. Tony

Here’s a silver spoon I bought years ago, I say silver however, it’s only low content 800 silver. The top shows the Iron Cross 1914 with the wording – I was born in the iron year of 1915 – or words to that effect. The other side has the date 26/7/14 engraved, perhaps the parents married on that date, perhaps the engraver got the year wrong, we’ll never know. It’s a rather large spoon for a child though, not as large as a standard German spoon from that period but it is the size of a modern dessert spoon. If any of you have the knife and fork to this set please ‘give’ them to me. Tony

I've no idea and was hoping someone could identify it as I'd like to know too. Tony

The bloke had 3 of them and I only bought one but then they weren't cheap. Tony

Not a tailor's label but a Spink & Sons mini 4 place medal bar. Tony

Ok, my German ones. Tony

Chris, Here's a site with some information regarding the India General Service medal and clasps http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/india_general_service_1908.htm Criteria for clasps http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/india_general_service_1908_award.htm I've no idea about the value I'm afraid. Tony

Oh you silly billy, of course you're not! If you ever want to unload one of your 1913 Kugelhandgranate please let me know. If I have the time I'll photograph my two or three tomorrow although you've already seen the egg. Tony

Or at least I think so. I’ve seen plenty of 2nd class crosses that have been converted to 1st class by the addition of a needle to the reverse but after owning this for at least 13 years I’ve just realised it’s a 1st class core with a 2nd class silver frame. Yes ok, I should have seen that at once but I bought it, put it away and have only just looked at it again. It seems to be a lot of effort to go to and I wonder how the whole backplate and needle went missing in the first place. So, have the cross collectors out there seen this type of conversion before? Tony

Thanks for the reply! Going by the size I'd have a guess that it may have been used for the holidays you mention, it's probably a bit small for parades or state visits. I haven't checked for a maker's name but will do tomorrow. Tony