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    Rayjin

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    Posts posted by Rayjin

    1. Believe it or not, an old army trick was to fill the leather boots with err . . . .human urine . . . no, I am not taking the Pee. cheeky.gif

      Urine has been used for centuries ...

      Cleaning

      In pre-industrial use as a cleaning fluid due to its ammonia content.

      Munitions

      Urine has been used in the manufacture of gunpowder. Urine, a nitrogen source, was used to moisten straw or other organic material, which was kept moist and allowed to rot for several months to over a year. The resulting salts were washed from the heap with water, which was evaporated to allow collection of crude saltpeter crystals, that were usually refined before being used in making gunpowder

      Tanning

      Tanners soaked animal skins in urine to remove hair fibers—a necessary step in the preparation of leather.

      Textiles

      Urine has often been used as a mordant to help prepare textiles, especially wool, for dyeing. In Scotland, the process of "walking" (stretching) the tweed is preceded by soaking in urine.

      As for the steel studs, once you've got them clean of any rust, why not coat them in a thin layer of Vaseline. I do this with all my tools (saws, chisels etc) if I'm not going to use them for a while, I clean them off, and rub on some vaseline with a paper towel. Keeps any moisture away from the metal so prevents rusting.

      Steve

    2. Appendix of:-

      COMMITTEE ON THE GRANT OF HONOURS DECORATIONS AND MEDALS IN TIME OF WAR

      http://www.northeast...ars_defence.htm

      Chevrons for War Service

      16. Following are the arrangements relating to the continuance of the service qualification for Chevrons for war service. In the Navy, Army, Air Force and Merchant Navy, anywhere, full time service after the 8th May, 1945, the date of the end of active hostilities in Europe and up to the end of active hostilities in the Pacific will continue to be a qualification for Chevrons. In Civil Defence services Chevrons will no longer be earned after the 8th May, 1945, except in the Pacific area. There, such service in territories subjected to aerial bombardment or closely threatened will continue to qualify for Chevrons. Part-time military service in the Pacific, but not elsewhere, will continue to be reckoned towards the award of Chevrons until the end of active hostilities in the Pacific area. In some instances, part-time service in the Forces or Civil Defence service will cease to qualify before the 8th May, 1945. This has been the case in, for instance, the United Kingdom Home Guard.

      APPENDIX

      The following civilian services in the United Kingdom eligible for Chevrons for war service are among the categories eligible for the Defence Medal :

      (a) Civil Defence services established by a Government Department or Local Authority: - Wardens Service (including Shelter Wardens).

      Rescue Service (including former First-Aid Party Service). Decontamination Service.

      Report and Control Service.

      Messenger Service.

      Ambulance Service (including Sitting Case Cars).

      First-Aid Service (including First-Aid Posts and Points, Public Cleansing Centres, Mobile Cleansing Units and the Nursing Service for public air-raid shelters).

      (b) Local Authority Civil Defence Services: - Rest Centre Service.

      Emergency Food Service (including Queen's Messenger Convoy Service).

      Canteen Service.

      Emergency Information Service.

      Mortuary Service.

      (c )National Fire Service (including service in a local authority Fire Brigade or the Auxiliary Fire Service prior to nationalisation).

      (d) Police, Royal Marine Police Special Reserve, Admiralty Civil Police, War Department Constabulary, Air Ministry Constabulary, Railway and Dock Police.

      (e) American Ambulance, Great Britain.

      (f) Civil Air Transport.

      (g) Civil Defence Reserve, Kent County Civil Defence Mobile Reserve and West Sussex County Civil Defence Mobile Reserve.

      (h) Civil Nursing Reserve.

      (i) Civilian Technical Corps.

      (j) Coast Guard.

      (k) Fire Guards performing duties under the local authorities, or at Government or business premises.

      (l) Lighthouse keepers serving under the three Lighthouse authorities, and keepers of Light-Vessels under those authorities, who do not qualify for the 1939-45 Star.

      (m) Nurses in hospitals for which Government Departments or local authorities are responsible, or in the recognised Voluntary hospitals.

      (n) Port of London Authority River Emergency Service. Clyde River Patrol.

      (o) Royal Observer Corps.

      (p) Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence. (Members of the W.V.S. may qualify if (a) they are enrolled in an eligible local authority Civil Defence Service, (b) they perform duties analogous to those of one of the eligible local authority Civil Defence Services and the section of the W.V.S. to which they belong is one which functions operationally during or immediately after enemy attacks.)

    3. Nice set ........ and I'm jealous. Been slowly collecting these myself, have a SA, RN, NZ and B versions, did have one with no prefix, but was contacted by the persons grandson who saw it after I had bought it (it came with documentation) so I returned the badge to the family.

      I still watch out for these, and for the Canadian enameled Services Rendered at the Front badge which are hard to find.

      Steve

    4. Received this ribbon bar this morning, and was pleasantly surprised :D

      bef_ri10.jpg

      when I looked closely at it, what I initially thought was a 1914-15 Star ribbon, looks like a 1914 Star, you can just see the impression of the Rose and some stitches where it was held (sadly no rose came with it).

      So now the work begins, who earned these medals. Who got the 1914 Star and bar, a Mention in dispatches, and received an OBE, and probably survived the war?

      Only 378,000 1914 Star recipients to start with to whittle it down :speechless1:

      Steve

    5. I have considered starting a series on these American Medals, similar to what Gordon Williamson did in the Japanese section with the various medals. I found those threads very interesting and quite helpful as I started collecting in that area.

      I have been thinking of collecting some of these (and ribbon bars with devices), but do not know enough about them, so a series on these medals would be very interesting for me.

      Steve

    6. Hello,

      I need your help,

      I have bought this medal on a market,

      I believe it is the south africa typ of the horse transport corps?, but I can´t identify the rank of this men.

      regars daniel

      Driver E Groep Cape Auxilliary Horse Transport Corp

      The Cape Auxiliary Horse Transport Corps was formed in 1916 and consisted of eight companies numbering 6,214 ‘Coloured’ (mixed race) men who served as drivers with the Army Service Corps in Northern France.

      Hope this helps

      Rogan

    7. Should also add...The chain is his chain of office as 'sitting Primo', without the colour of the jewel ribbon can't say which it is.

      There are 10 RAOB Lodges meeting in Plymouth (all in the same building)...You will probably glean more information from the right secretary who will be able to identify the chain to a specific lodge.

      www.raobplymouth.co.uk/index2.html

      Thanks for your help ladybird, my mother had no idea of his status in the RAOB as she lost her mother at 14 and her father at 18.

      Thanks again for your help.

      Rayjin

    8. This is my grandfather in his R.A.O.B regalia, I never met as he died before I was born. The photo must have been taken around the time of WWII,

      and my mother can remember seeing it, but he never talked about what he did.

      What I need is, can anybody tell me what the insignia, chain and medal are and what they mean?

      regina10.jpg

      He lived in Plymouth, Devon.

      Thank you in advance

      Rayjin

    9. Hi

      Just arrived

      Has 'PAUL DUBOIS' at the 5 o'clock position on the obverse, but no 'R' (Riemer) or 'LA' (Alexander Leisek) hallmarks. So not one of the unofficial Belgian Victory's. Size is 36.2mm by 3mm thick, and no markings on the edge.

      Can someone give me an opinion whether it is an Official type 1 or 2, or one of the repro's

      Thanks in advance

      Rayjin

    10. Hi Tim - I was afraid you would ask for PICs! Anyway, here's my attempt.

      Still on the subject of Italian vics - there was one on e-bay UK last night which the seller says has MCMX111 instead of MCMXIII - sounds very suspicious.

      Bill

      There are two Italian VM's on Ebay with MCMXIII, one with ribbon and one without !!!!!!! Two different sellers

      Rogan

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