Spasm

Mervyn

Looking really closely, even with a lens, I'm pretty sure it hasn't been touched. Admittedly, it hasn't been treated as the family jewels (as it should have) and has taken some knocks, clearly shown in the picture, but it has been rubbing up against two other medals in a little box for at least the last 50 years. And who knows where it's been kept before then.

I promise I won't touch it, but the ribbon is a little annoying. It will be paying a visit to the Regiment's museum soon and probably into town to S&D,N&W as well when we next go visiting the Grandkids in London.

By the way everyone, just found out yesterday (was a good day yesterday ) that the third instalment in the Grandchildren's fight over my collection is going to be a baby girl - due in January. (Cigar for you innit Chris?) Sorry Little excited, better go have a lay down.

Spaz

"The French always complain - if they didn't like it they should have surrendered - as they were supposed to do !" :lol:

Nice one :)

Mervyn

How great is that - it's the famous or rather infamous 1796LCS and gives us the story that the French made an official complaint about its ruthless efficiency and the terrible wounds it inflicted.

I think I'm right in saying that an "official" complaint was never made - it's a sort of early urban myth. But references are made in books - (the 1796LCS) "earned a unique compliment from a French Commander who protested against the fearful wounds it inflicted" - from the book 'The Life of General Le Marchant'. Probably French officers discussing the sword amongst themselves rather than making any complaint to Horseguards.

I also think Brian Robson makes some form of reference to the complaint in his book. I'll keep a look out for a scabbard.

Spaz

Gents and Gentesses

The window wasn't big enough but I've borrowed it (on a sort of permanent basis)

She arrived yesterday along with a ten bob note and two WW1 medals. I've had a joyful time proving the provenance and now know that this has been passed from the original awardee through a few generations of blood and married relatives into my sweaty palm. Isn't it just a wonderful thing?

I've only put up the one straight on picture of the young Victoria and battle clasps (I know, I know, 5 instead of 7 - I plead insanity). I'll be thinking up arty ones for the competition and until then ya'll will have to wait for the name and regiment

If you look closely you can see that the ribbon is much too wide for the hanger and clasps and has been folded - what's that all about? Has the original been replaced? has it stretched? got wet? should I change it? should I even play with it?

Pleased as punch

Spaz

Mervyn

PM sent. I'm going to try to get back there soon to wipe the place of my fingerprints.

Cheers

Spaz

Hugh

I would be glad to do that as well now that it seems as though it's a serious piece of metal. I'll be letting her know next time I go on just how serious.

Spaz

Yep, one of those :)

Yep, the name is stamped around the rim. I wasn't sure what I was holding. But I hope I will next time I go.

Cheers

spaz

Gents

Had a bit of a surprise today. It's a bit of a story but hang in as I need some help.

One of my other half's relatives is taking herself of to a home for the elderly as she's alone now and can't look after herself. We visited today and during the visit she says to me "oh there's my (now deceased) husband's dad's medals in the box there have a look". So inside are three medals - now I'm no medal expert hence this post - there are two WW1, an allied victory medal and british war medal and another that I didn't know that well but it's (I think) a General Service Medal with a young Victoria on the obverse. This one has seven (yes count them) seven clasps. I can only remember Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Toulouse but there were seven.

I believe this is a serious piece of metal and although she wasn't about to part with it (I did try), I would like to let her know just what she may have and what it may be worth.

Can you guys help? I've no pictures but I suppose I could get them if needed when we visit next.

Thanks in advance

Spaz

This post has been promoted to an article

EBJ

Yep agreed, worth all of the tuppence

Spaz

EBJ

Sounds like you've got that figured about right, I've read similar, let me go look.....

"Since 19 May 1936, by the order of Huhnlein, all scabbards were painted black or alternatively replaced......Being too expensive for a standard SA member (price of 7.05RM) scabbards of the early daggers were treated with black paint or replaced by privately purchased SS scabbards" - The Service Daggers of the SA and the NSKK.

And as there were no Gruppe marks after 1936 it looks like your guy had an issued SA within Gr P and later joined the NSKK at which point he replaced his scabbard as it was cheaper than buying a whole new dagger. I also expect the scabbards were pretty easy to come by at that time, probably a NSKK guy supplying black painted ones as a swap for the original brown one to keep costs down.

Spaz

EBJ

I'm afraid I can't help locating NSKK Br 10 (and I've spent some hours looking as well). But here's confirmation of an NSKK painted dagger marked Br 16 Gr Nm:

http://www.modern.premieremperor.com/shop/viewphoto.php?x=2

Spaz

EBJ

The Franken dagger I own and the one shown in Ralf's book are both stamped 15. But as far as I am aware there was no Brigade 15 in Franken. The only Brigade 15 I am aware of (and I have very limited knowledge on Brigades) was based in Itzehoe which is in your Nordmark Gruppe.

However, there was a Standarte 15 in Franken (as well as in other Gruppe) but alongside the Fr stamp the dagger can be identified to the correct one.

Are you sure about the Pommern dagger? As far as I am aware Pommern was only an SA marking. Could your guy have initially been SA and transferred to the NSKK painting his scabbard black? Which would fit with a later Brigade as the Gruppe mark wouldn't have been there after 1936.

Spaz

EBJ

Thanks for your post. The ID you have with different dagger and Ausweis numbers seems to blow that theory then (along with the one that is in Ralf Seigert's book). The daggers were simply numbered on the dagger and the scabbard (as K98 bayonets were) at the 'depot' and that number entered into the Ausweis when the dagger was issued. Same as a Soldbuch that has equipment numbers inside - you wouldn't expect a luger number to match the bloke it was issued to.

By the way, it would be nice to see your daggers

Cheers

Spaz

That's all sorted then. Just need to make a nice handle.

How great is that - even she said it was very impressive. Blimey, a good comment from her indoors about militaria! Outstanding. Do you have any others that we can look at?

Len

The colour used by the South African Army was officially called 'orange' when in fact it looks red to anyone not colour blind. Early in the history of the South African military it became necessary to have a colour and a red shade was selected which was distinct from the orange found in the then national flag of South Africa. The chosen shade was then "sealed" by the defence force authorities and thereafter became known as "sealed permanent force orange", originally identified as British Colour Council 97 (the colour poppy). In the 1970s this was changed to British Colour Council 98 (the colour chilli).

The red originally came from the early boer states flag - Vyfkleur - (five colours to represent all the Boer states) with the red representing the blood shed fighting for independence. The flag is on the one above, the right one of the small three but without the Dutch orange bar at the bottom.

So, any old end up, the Troopies called it the 'Blood Flag' as that's what the red represented in the Border War and, I suppose, in Afrikaaner history. (Even though it was officially orange ). The new SA Flag uses the same red chilli colour and also represents the blood shed both defending SA and during the struggle against apartheid.

As a side note, I have a couple of friends at work who are also ex Troopies. I took the flag in to show them - one immediately snatched it from me and ran round the whole bloody office with it draped around his shoulders - went all weird and got over excited. As he's getting on, like me, he had to go and have a lay down in the first aid room afterwards. (Well maybe that bits not true, a quiet sit at his desk with a cup of tea more like)

Cheers

Spaz

Obergefreiter

Assuming its all steel, I'd be tempted to cut the peen back to its original diameter so the guard slips off. Three things you can do:

Add some extra length onto the tang. You'll need a welding set and it's not that difficult to do once you have a length of similar sized steel to weld on. Or just take it to a local workshop - they'd only charge a couple of quid and have it done in a jiffy. Solid wood handle - sorted.

I'd go for a tang nut version, just need to thread the end of the tang and make the matching pommel "nut/rivet" so that you can get it off again. You'd only put it on finger tight so easy to get off again and you can get back to the original tang anytime you wanted. Solid wood removable handle - double sorted.

Do what Dan suggests, it's a good idea and saves all that cutting malarky. If you are clever you can make the wooden handle so it parts and is removable by screwing from the "blind side" depending on which way you would want to display.

It'd be nice to see which way you go. Let us see it once you've done.

Cheers

Spaz

Perfect rainbow as an aviator sees it. Met with disbelief until confirmed by the weatherman.

Transport Junkers 52 - Hans Liska 1941

Junkers 87 on their way to England - Hans Liska Calais

After an English staff? stay at a French chateau in Boulogne (or something along those lines) - anyone help with this one?

Junkers 88

Sponsored by Junkers Airplane and Engine Works AG "to please the frontline soldiers and the workers of the weapons factories" - Hans Liska

This is the cover - note cute little tied ribbon. Lighter shade on cover looking like another book has been sitting on this one for years. Artist's signature - Hans Liska.