Tony

If it can go back there's nothing to worry about, after a few moments in your mitts you'll know if the clasp is good or not. Still, depending on the price, I'd probably keep them anyway. Update - this trio's arrived, the bar looks ok, one of the hole's is still the original size, the others have been "reamed" by a needle of wider diameter than the hole, I'll post photos of the bar.

Nice one Leigh, I've always thought it might have been the Dad's Army type badge. He must have liked digging. Tony

Those drilled holes are very large Leigh, they're usually only just large enough to get the needle through. I'd have to have that one in my hands to be sure. Have you checked the MIC? Tony

I seem to remember a whole bunch of these being auctioned off a couple of years ago, original but not issued. love4history, your one is spot on I reckon, I also think it could be one of those non issued clasps as it appears to be quite clean. It may have been cleaned by someone a couple of weeks ago, who knows. It's good and that's what matters, buy it. I have one original which has the same colouring/patina as Martin's and a repro which has the drilled holes all over the place. Unfortunately I have everything packed away in boxes, otherwise I'd have scanned the copy clasp. Tony

Hello, When you say the western part of Poland, do you mean a part of Poland that was once part of Germany? I know the Luftschutz used helmets from various allied countries. Saying that, I would have thought the badge should have been removed but then even Germans go against the book on the odd occasion. Whatever the reason for this helmet ending up in Poland, having the badge attached makes it very interesting in my opinion. Tony

Thanks for the comments everyone. It seems like it was the best 5 Euro I've spent in a while, good ol ebay. Tony

Yep, I had the exact same cap (but with a plain peak) while in the RCT, dark blue with white piping. We wore it with our No. 2 uniform. Tony

Nice cap and all in all a very nice find. It's good to see Brit/Commonwealth items. Tony

David, even with the red wax it looked fantastic when held in the hand

Thanks very much for the help Perce. Cheers Tony

Hello Stijn, It looks like the regimental title worn just below the shoulder strap at the top of the sleeves. I don't know if there's any difference between OR and officer titles. Here's an example of a title being worn http://books.google.com/books?id=swdANrA3g...CY2KmRs-5sMMIus A great story and it looks as though the title was very well looked after over the last 65 years. Tony

Another picture of British prisoners. - English prisoners being transported to the rear after storming Guillemont, beginning of September 1916 - It must have been a warm day as one man appears to have a hanky on his head. Others are wearing their tin hat liner. Tony

Good on ya Perce.

Hello, I bought this photo of a L/Cpl a while back but have no idea if he's in the Rifles, Yeomanry or whatever. There's a white band around his lower right sleeve and he appears to be holding a soft cap in his hand. The photographer had his studios in Cambridge and Chatteris. Any help to dating this photo and identifying the unit would be great. Thanks Tony

Hello, I believe this is a RN submariner's badge but is it the type worn today and does the gold colour with red and greenish/black enamel denote a rank? Or is it simply a modern sweetheart brooch? Thanks Tony

The last two pages of his diary

An update in case anyone is interested. A kind collector has provided me with a photo of Sidney Dore and the following information: Reported in Red Cross Enquiry List 1 September 1916 as unofficially wounded and missing 1.7.16 His body was recovered by the Germans but grave subsequently destroyed by shellfire. Tony

Both tags

Hello all, I'm after some help with these ID tags which I picked up the other day. The large one is unusual for me as I've never seen a I've seen anything like it before. I'm having trouble working out the unit as it looks different on both tags. The large one looks like 2. ERB. 44 6/372 N. 297 The smaller one appears have IRB. 44 scratched into the surface In which unit did he serve and could one of these tags have been worn during his pre-war conscription, the other when he volunteered or was called up at the start of the Great War? Thanks Tony

Thanks Graham, I've packed a lot of my things away as I'll be moving soon but will dig it out again when I get the chance. I picked it up in London (probably Islington) years ago along with another of a bunch of soldiers in Egypt during the Great War. Tony

Thanks again Dave, that's great info. Tony

Thanks Dave, that's a great link and it's gone straight into my favourites. I have a number of ID tags and just thought I like to have at least one from each country that had a unit fighting in Europe. At present I only have UK, France and Germany. Cheers Tony

The other side.

Are these any better? Tony

Hello, Does anyone know if there's an online list of US units that served in Europe during the Great War? Thanks Tony