James D.N.MacKenzie

Can anyone help me identify who "J.L.B." on the commando dagger is. It was presented to John D. Profumo, the British Minister for War, but I am trying to find out who gave it to him. I bought it from the estate of the late Michael Leeston-Smith, who served as the Liason Officer with the Greek Sacred Squadron during WW2.

Many thanks, James

I have been fortunate to have met quite a few of the ex-5 Commando soldiers up to now. What period Congo items do you collect? Cheers James

Hi Brian, thanks for that. I also thought cavalry when I saw the shape of the blade and the bugle. As Stuka f says, it looks like the bugle has been added. Real little puzzle. Cheers James Stuka F, I see you collect Congo items. I have researched and collected Congo Mercenary items for around 45 years now, ever since meeting a friend of my father, Johnny Hoy, who was Mike Hoare's driver in the Congo, with 5 Commando, until he was wounded and sent home.

Afternoon Gents, I recently bought this sword and have not been able to identify it yet. The elderly gent I bought it from, when I told him it looked early German to me, told me that makes sense as his family moved to South Africa from Germany many years ago and the sword has been in his family for as long as he can remember. There are no markings on the blade, none at all. I have not been able to identify the emblems on the hilt, can't find this exact sword in any of my sword books. Please help. James MacKenzie

Hi Peter Thank you. Yes, I also heard about the renaming of the medals. Have seen no documentary proof of it, but it means there are less QSA's and KSA's out there named to Bushveldt Carbineers than what the rolls tell us. I have some documentation, attestation form, rolls, copy from the BVC/PLH book, but that is all, no other mention of him in the books. Cheers James

Just out of interest sake, here is a group of medals to 620 Tpr.M.J.Condon, from my collection.

Hi Mervyn Hope you are well. I was hopeful, after seeing the Royal Marine rolls for the Southern Africa Medal, that I would be able to get the rolls for the Para Regt as well. Kind regards James D.N.MacKenzie Southern Africa Militaria

Dear Odin Mk 3 Thank you for the information, I will just have to be patient and live in hope that these files will be released one day - in my lifetime!! Best wishes James D.N.MacKenzie Southern Africa Militaria

Can anyone help me to find a copy of the South Atlantic Medal (Falklands) roll for the Parachute Regiment and for any of the clasps for the General/Campaign Service Medals? I have a number of printed rolls for the Royal Marines, including the SAM for Falklands, but have never come across any for the Para's. Would appreciate any help. Kind regards James D.N.MacKenzie Southern Africa Militaria

Hi Darrell I agree, I like those type of photos, like history is standing still. It is really very hot there at Gibeon, don't think they get much rain at all, so the trees and bushes don't grow much. All that seems to grow are the weeds and a long brown grass. Sometimes I have to use my machete to cut the weeds and grass that grow right through the grave, to get a better photo of the gravestone. Sometimes there are thick bushes or small trees, even aloe plants, growing through the grave, covering the gravestone. I don't know how far I can go with the clearing of the site before I get blamed for damage or desecration of the grave. If the plants keep growing like that the graves will be seriously damaged. The attached photo is one of the graves in Windhoek. Cheers James

Hi Peter Many thanks for that. Lots of work, but I have enjoyed the research so much, as well as hunting down the gravesites in Namibia. They are not all in cemeteries, unfortunately, some are on farms, private land, some far out in the bush - and I don't have an off road car. One town I went to, that I knew there were German graves in, far off the national road, nobody could tell me where the graves were. After driving around this small town, and spending about an hour or so going through the cemetery, I gave up, only to find out, when I returned home to Cape Town, that I had a photo of the graves, out in the bush close to the town, but not looked after and none of the towns people I spoke to knew about it. Another town, Gibeon, not Gibeon Station, I drove around for hours, also spent over an hour in their cemetery, but could not find the German grave. As I was about to give up a chap came past in his van and I stopped him to ask him. He took me to the German cemetery, way off into the bush, no signs marking the place at all, only to find that every gravestone had been removed. I know there are seven war graves there, and can see where the graves are, but don't know which is which, and which are civilians. Very sad, and I am told that the German Government pays the Namibia to look after the German graves!! Best wishes James

Many thanks James

Hi Kapten Windu, thanks for that info, but I can only do the graves that are within driving distance for me, and Namibia is already a day's drive away. Out of interest sake, would you be able to email me some photos of the grave stones some time? My email address is on my website. Many thanks James