Tony

Thanks for the replies and thoughts. I have seen named SA Defence Medals, Canadian and I've also seen Australian Defence Medals in silver. I personally believe either the man in question moved overseas (Canada, SA, Australia, India, who knows) and acquired the extra medal because he lost his own one or felt he deserved it as he may have served in the forces in non-operational area subjected to air attack or closely threatened for only 2 years 11 months instead of the three years necessary. It's also possible it has just been added to the group but one thing in my mind is certain, the ribbons although all original do not look like they've been mounted/worn by a proud veteran of 2 world wars, they're too clean. Mounted by a family member after his death, a collector or a dealer? We'll never know. By the way the letter Y is still visible on the rim. Tony

The skimming is probably more visible in this photo. Tony

Hello all, I bought this medal group recently and after collecting them from the post office I noticed the Defence Medal is the solid silver type and also that at some point over the last 60 years it has had the name of the original recipient erased. I know some old soldiers who have maybe lost a medal or pawned it may buy another and remove the naming, other than that I don't see the point of erasing a Defence Medal, it's not as if there's any financial gain for the crims out there. What puzzles me is why a silver medal has been erased instead of using a standard unnamed cupro nickel medal or even an unnamed silver one. It's a Brit group which was bought in Australia. Did Australia issue silver Defence medals or could this be a group that originally went from England to Canada, then Australia? The original recipient could even have moved overseas after WWII and thought he was due the medal, not wanting all the hassle of applying maybe he just bought one and filed the name off. Any thoughts? Tony

Kev, You have a valid point but in my opinion a faker who really wants to con us knows what he's doing, there's enough of them around and if they want to make a good copy, have the money to do it, then what's stopping them. We're not educating them on how to make a fake better, if they wanted to, they could probably ask their friends or buy an original and make an exact copy. E.g. how many clasps to the EKII for the Franco Prussian war are around and how many were issued? I'm just of the opinion that if it's a known copy/fake we should be informed of the differences, just saying it's a copy is no use to anyone. No disrespect meant or intended Heiko. Tony

We believe you but it would be interesting to know what us uneducated types should look for instead of just saying it's a fake. Is it the colour, the shape, the pins on the back, something missing on the front or something else? In short, what's the difference between a standard fake and an original? Tony

That's very interesting Graham. He was indeed over 20 at the start of the war (26 years old actually) but I believe he was married although going by the above internet site unmarried men were preferred but not insisted upon. His QSA would tell us more but I doubt it'll ever turn up again. Tony

Thanks for the confirmation William. He was in the Queens Regt. but I don't know with which battalion he served. He was a territorial, the local TA unit being the 22nd but as I said, I don't know who he went to SA with. His QSA was was unfortunately stolen in the 70s but I have his BWM. I believe the photo was taken when he returned home and think it was in the back garden just under a mile or so from Tower Bridge so yes, a very British scene. I also have a photo of him a few years later wearing his QSA ribbon possibly in India. Tony

William, I've always assumed (since being given the photo) the tunic pictured below was standard Boer War issue. All my own uneducated deduction from knowing the soldier served in the Boer War and going by the hat he's wearing. Is it possibly an example of the khaki drill tunic you mentioned or do you think the uniform may have been used in somewhere like India instead? Tony

Hello Mervyn, I know nothing about the SATC but wonder if they worked together with British tank crews until their own corps formed 24 years later in 1940. Tony

Hello William, I'll call it an unofficial ID card from now on. About the Boer War description card, we had something similar sewn into the flap of our jacket pocket as well as the usual ID tags. We called it a zap number, don't know if everyone called them that or not and I have no idea if they're still used. Tony

Very true Brian, just like chocolate, you always want more but these are starting to get expensive so I haven't bought any for a while. I've just remembered I have another complete one with the pencil tucked away. Tony

Thanks Tom. I've always suspected it could be a key ring or similar but never knew it may have belonged to a woman. Tony

Do you have the silver screw on lids? Why didn't I buy them all back then instead of just one? I could kick myself. If you're lucky you might see some at the show over the weekend.

Hello, Could this be some kind of early ID card or tag? I believe pieces of paper were used during the Boer War and before that a soldier used whatever he liked if anything at all. This looks like some kind of calling card with the soldier's name and signed by the Capt. / Adj. in July 1889. Any help or ideas are much appreciated. Tony

Does anyone have an idea what this is? It's probably around 50mm in length, silver in colour and the ring maybe there to hang something from it. Tony

All have some contents but only a few are complete.

Some say I have a thing for old tobacco tins, they could be right. Tony

A silver spoon. On the front the EK with Mich Gebar das Eiserne Jahr 1915 with the date 26 July on the back. Born in July 1914 and christened in 1915 maybe? Tony

These photos don't show a person but show how highly held/patriotic the Iron Cross was, so I hope no one minds me adding two inanimate objects to this thread. A small tin containing jam (still). Tony

German rounds seem to deteriorate very quickly. You're both lucky to have them in good condition as well as the bandoleers. Tony

Hello Mervyn, I'd have a guess at the badge being made for the purpose of a sweetheart brooch rather than a collar dog being made into a brooch and then enamelled. I've just had a quick look at the Australian archives which turned up 147 records for a Larkin for the dates 1914 to 1918, of course, not all records were military related. I looked up WWI records purely because of the MKIII Enfield behind the rising sun. Let's hope someone can find the correct Larkin. Tony

Wires holding it together.

A hook to carry it on the belt. This must have been a right pain in the bum in narrow trenches while carrying all sorts of other kit and trying to pass others in the trenches.

This one is a US model. Its construction is a little more complicated in my opinion as twisted wire is holding it together. The first photo shows the stake to be pushed into the ground when using this small periscope. Tony

After buying an expensive approved safe a year or so ago they changed the laws again saying you have to have a Jadgschein too. Needless to say, my wife couldn't be bothered to pay out for that, not that she had the time and insisted on getting rid of everything, even the 1917 dated P08 at very cheap prices. Tony