WRANGEL

Many thanks to both of you, I believe it could be the badge of the Truth Legion but I can't find anything so far on the web to confirm this. The University of Witwatersrand holds a large collection of Union Unity Truth and Truth Legion 1932-1948 documents (including flags, photographs, pamphlets, and so on...). I will try to contact them. Yours sincerely. Bill

Hi, I just would like to correct one huge error in this topic. The order of the Francique has never been numbered. There is a list of attributions with numbers, but its only classification numbers. The badge itself is never numbered, I insist on this point, and if you see one for sale with a number than you have 99,99% chance its a forgery. There were only 2 makers for this order: Augis in Lyon, and Arthus-Bertrand in Paris, none of this makers have ever produced a numbered badge. What is really rare in fact is the attributing document that authorizes the right of wear of this order. Cheers Bill

Hi Garth, There is a breast badge and a Helmet badge that goes along with this armband. They are harder to find than the armband. Cheers Bill

Hi Hauptmann, The 1st badge is the official pilot badge. The number on the reverse indicates that this badge was given probably circa 1919-20 (so there is a little chance that the pilot saw action on the oriental theatre of operation). There is no record of the numbers in the French Military Administration (and more over the number on the badge never matched the number on the official Pilot Identification card). The other badge is a replacement badge from the 1920-1940, it is perfecty original but has less value and interest than an officially numbered badge. Cheers Bill

Hi Linas, Yes this is definitively the badge of the 1st Regiment de Tirailleurs Algeriens (1er RTA). If you post a scan of the badge's reverse, I will be able to tell you the period of this one. Yours sincerely Bill

Yes I agree with TacHel, this is a superb and highly interesting lot. :love: :love:

Hello everyone, This badge was found among a small group of german badges and medals. I have the feeling that it could be a Luftwaffe unit badge. The woman wearing a crown is seating on a wooden box and holding a shield with the german word "bestens" (= perfectly, so much...). No maker's mark and long tie pin on reverse. Does anyone know what is this badge ? Yours sincerely. Bill

Hi Brett, Thanks for the identification but something puzzles me in your explanation. This badge appears already on the cover of the 1940 book "Speeches of General J.C. Smutts", edited by the Truth Legion in Johannesburg, so how could it be used by another movement 8 years later. I am absolutely not familiar with S.A. political history so do not hesitate to tell me if I am missing a point. Yours sincerely. Bill

Fantastic, congratulations !

Hello everybody, Can anyone help me resolved this mystery ? I have this canadian badge but I have not been able so far to discover what it referes to. An "interne" is a prisoner, but where (there is a St Denis town outside of Paris, but I am pretty sure there must be also at least one town of this name in Canada), and why where this guys made prisoners in 1940-1941? Is it political? So if anyone had a clue, I would greatly appreciate. Cheers Bill

Hello, I have in my collection this lapel hole badge which I have not precisely identified. I recognised the map of S.A. (I have lived 2 years in Cabora Bassa - Mozambique when I was a child and travelled a couple of times to Johannesburg and Cape Town) and the motto "TRUTH WILL PREVAIL - WAAREID SAL SEEVIER" both in English and Afrikaans seems to refere to General Jan SMUTS. It looks to be from the 1920-1930s. Does anyone knows to which organisation this badge belongs to ? Yours sincerely Bill

I confirm what TacHel says. I have a friend who works in a company who works for the French government doing the Regimental flags. The cost of a flag is roughly between 5.000 and 12.000 euros depending on the design and the time spent. Everything is handmade with gold used for the lettering. You need to know also that no French Regimental flag can be sale (in France at least) they are the property of the French government, be they 200 years old or brand new. You can sell (or possess) a company or a bataillon flag but not a regimental flag. Bill

Hi, It is almost impossible to speak about Freikorps books without mentioning the name of Ernst von Salomon. If you want to have the best overview of the Freikorps you must absolutely read "Die Geächteten" (his souvenirs as a young Freikorps' member) and "Das Buch vom deutschen Freikorpskämpfer" (a photography album of the history of the Freikorps). They are still available in German militarybookshops. Sorry to give you the original german titles of the books, but I have no idea of the titles of the english translation. Both titles have been translated in French as : "Les Réprouvés" and "L'Epopée des Corps Francs". Not only Ernst von Salomon was a witness and a proeminent actor of the Freikorps struggles but his litererary style is also f...ing brilliant, he ranks among Germany's best XXth century writers. Yours sincerely Bill

Yes there are really nice original stuffs but also plenty of reproductions in the Belgian military shows. If you have no knowledge of paper (how it is made, how a 80 or 70 years old paper should look today) and impression techniques (litography, offset, serigraphy...) then I suggest either to pass to another theme of collection or to strongly document yourself otherwise you might have a chance of becoming victim of a crook. It is better to waste a bit of time studying vintages poster, then wasting your money on a fake poster. Bill

Hello, two "Legion des Volontaires Francais" recruiting posters from my vintage posters collection. I choosed to have them backed on linen because it helps save the posters (no more tears and desacidification of the paper) and more over if there are some paper losses it can be easily restored. When not hanged on a wall (please don't put posters too long in the day or moon light otherwise within a couple of years all the colours will fade away) you can roll them (when there big, like the one with the knight which is 160 x 120 cm it is very convenient) and put them in a tube. This method is reversible and it is used by most of the Posters museum around the world. By the way what is dry-mounted ? Bill

It is still a nice reproduction of an almost unobtainable badge (the only one I have ever seen is displayed in the Legion of Honor Museum in Paris and belongs to the Spada collection). Bill

Hurray !!! ;)

Let's have another try !

Hi benten, This ring is neither French nor American. It has nothing to do with the famous Lafayette squadron. This ring is from Belgium, it shows the emblem of squadron 9/V/I (sioux on a blue circle) or squadron II/VI/I (sioux on a red circle) from the Belgium Air Force, both emblems have the same motto "tenacite". Since the background of the indian chief on your ring is blue I think this is for squadron 9/V/I. Sorry, I am new on the site and I have not understood yet how to add a picture, otherwise I would have added a picture of the Belgium Air Force badges showing the two Indian chief badges. :banger: