Avitas

Hello again,

Finally got around to scanning my "refinished" example of the WW2 Italy Star. It seems many Canadian soldiers had their medals shined up for parade purposes post-war, as compared to keeping their "dull" copper coloured finish. These are all original stars for the most part as far as I know, but as you can definitely see the refinishing job on this example. Even the second finish is a little worn on this Italy Star. The ribbon as well is a replacement to get that shiny white and crisp look for the various ceremonies etc after the war that the veterans attend. I wonder if this is common elsewhere or if it is mainly a Canadian phenomenon.

Cheers,

Pat

Here is a close-up of the front and back of this DeutscheArbeitsFront button for reference. Any help on the previous asked questions or any other pertinent information is very helpful!

Cheers,

Pat

Here are the reverses, with the RZM 3 markings.

Hello gentlemen,

OK, so I know these aren't the Knight's Cross or anything, but I thought they were unique and not very common when I saw them today. They are some type of uniform button for the DAF, and they are RZM marked with the stamp and a number 3 on all three of them. Is this normal for this type of organization to have its buttons RZM marked? Also, what is the significance of the "3". This seems like a trivial item to be officially marked by the party. Perhaps these were for a special uniform or a higher-up, but I really do not know. They are made of "bakelite" plastic I believe and are very crisply detailed. Anyone have some info or answers on these buttons out there?

Cheers and thanks in advance!

Pat

...and finally a pic showing the ribbon as well. Please feel free to leave your comments!

Pat

..the back...

Thanks Christopher, I just like the beat-up ones too (and they are much more inexpensive to buy). I will never pay full value for a damaged cross, but I think they still add to a collection. Speaking of which, I just picked up a semi-damaged Mutterkreuz in Silber with original ribbon today for a decent price. It too has some enamel damage but it can hold the place for a minty one when I come across one! Now I just need to get a good bronzer and I'll have the set. Thanks for looking.

Cheera

Pat

Well that's too bad about the stickpin being crimped off, but I still like it anyways Thanks for clarifying that gentlemen and maybe someone else has a full stickpin version to show like mine and Don's here.

Cheers,

Pat

Very interesting member badge, I have never seen one before. These must be very rare I would guess. Thanks for showing the different types and adding to the database.

Cheers,

Pat

a 17 year old who saw 3 weeks of combat at the end of the war... and they try and rip him apart :-(

He used to claim he was a Flak helper........

WAIT !!! Isnt there another famous German last year who was saying HE was a Flak helper in 44-45 as well !?!?!?!!?

Freakin' funny!

Anyways, I agree with VtwinVince about Tibbetts and the bomb in Hiroshima, it is a highly subjective area and it is hard to judge somone on what they did during a time of extreme war. I think that it doesn't matter if he "volunteered" or was "drafted" into the Waffen-SS, it wasn't black or white either way. A highly contestable subject in any event, but I wouldn't take anthing away from this Nobel prize winner as he has obviously been a productive member of society since 1945.

Cheers,

Pat

Thanks Larry,

I guess the easiest way to distinguish cap badges and collar badges is their size. The collar badges are pretty easy to tell from the cap badges if they are side by side, but some of them get tricky unless you have a detailed book if you have a smaller cap badge or a large collar badge. I would say about 95% of my badges are cap badges and the collar badges seem to be harder to find, what about your collection Larry (or anyone else)?

Cheers,

Pat

Great information guys, keep it coming! It is good to know that the Wentworth Regiment was The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and that they were at Dieppe, a mission every Canadian knows about and remembers. I am definitely addicted to the ww2 Canadian cap badges (have a couple ww1's, but I would like to collect the entire set) as they are all so unique to different areas of Canada and in their designs. I will be sure to post some more as I find them (they are quite plentiful here in the Okanagan valley). All comments are welcome on any of the badges posted in the thread and thanks again for the info.

Cheers,

Pat

Pat,

Your M1/92 is a mid-war Karl Wild badge the factory was in Hamburg nice one.

Thanks JNoble, that is very interesting that it was made in Hamburg as that is where my gramps got it, in the Hamburg area. It is part of a group of items I will never part with!

Cheers,

Pat

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the responses gents. As for the postcard being post-war, I had just assumed that they wouldn't make postcards of the enemy during wartime for propaganda purposes. So I took out my blacklight tonight and checked it (for the first time, hadn't bothered to before), along with another Kodak postcard of a LW radio operator. The one with the Knight's cross winners does not glow at all, while the Radio Operator one does glow quite brightly. This would lead me to assume that the RK winner one is either right after the war or during it and the other one is just a couple years later, after the widespread introduction of phosphourous to paper and detergents and cloth. Just my guess, hopefully someone can help out some more.

Cheers,

Pat

Hi Paul,

Not sure on the ranks, but great tabs! I love the earth-tones of these forestry tabs and I have a love for forestry related items (BC has many great huge forests). Nice collection

Pat

Reverses...

Cheers,

Pat

Here are my other WW2 Stars (posted previously as part of an 8th army grouping) for viewing. They are all unnamed Canadian issues with original period ribbons.

Cheers,

Pat

..reverses. Any comments are great and thanks for looking.

Later,

Pat

Here are my other ww2 Comonwealth Medals (all Canadian issues), the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, the Defence Medal, and the 39-45 British War Medal that I have posted earlier as part of my 8th Army Set.

Cheers,

Pat

..reverse of this 39-45 British War Medal, plenty of tarnish.

Hello all,

I picked up another British 39-45 War Medal today (a Canadian issue) and figured I should start a thread to go with my other "ww2 British and Commonwealth Stars" thread in this forum, to be updated when I find new gems in my adventures at flea markets and antique stores here in Canada. First up is the ragged looking 39-45 War Medal I picked up yesterday. A fair bit of tarnish, and on original ratty ribbon.

Cheers,

Pat

..back of unknown cap badge. Any ideas on the last two cap badges?

Cheers and thanks for any help,

Pat

And the sixth and final cap badge I bought in Vernon, BC at the fall antique show is a complete unknown to me. I could not find it either on the reference site (canadiansoldiers.com) and if anyone has any info on it please share it as this is an interesting cap badge. It could be related to an American unit or even a Soviet one I guess, I am totally in the dark on this one Any help out there?

Cheers,

Pat

The next two from my Vernon antique show pick-ups are kind of mysteries as I am not positive of the ID's on them. I checked my regular reference pages but these weren't on them. I think this first on is just a standard Infantry collar badge, but I am not sure. Any help on identifying this one is greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Pat

...reverse of RCAPC cap badge with the rare "W.Scully" marking on the beaver. I am not sure how rare these marked ones are but they are definitely a big monority. Any more info is great and all comments are appreciated.

Cheers,

Pat