Mark Holden

I have see period officers tunics with cuff rank lace applied directly to the cuff. A large stable of tailors made officers service dress in WW1 so variations to the accepted norm do appear. The lace is in fact WW1 lace seen mainly on NCOs chevrons ostensibly for the greatcoat. There is a picture of this type of lace on Sgt chevrons in John Bodsworth's book. While the rank pips are unusual the quality of manufacture seems to be of a high standard going by the photos. While it may well be a post war theatre piece it may be worth further study before dismissing its idiosyncracies.

Thanks Leigh

Somebody will chip in with a fuller reply, I would yhink - n theory, these serial numbers were just recorded in blocks, in fact there are records of the indvdual awards, check out other threads on the Monte Cassino Cross for more info.

All I can say is that your Cross was awrded to a member of 3rd DSK (13922 awarded to this divsion, numbered 751 - 14672).

I am not sure if this is the correct forum but I have a Polish Monte Cassino Cross numbered 12913. I have seen these identified to individual soldiers. Does an on line list of receipients exist? If not where might the list be held?

Many thanks

Mark

Bill,

I am pretty sure that some Scottish Regiments wore no cloth behind the badge, I just can't recall if the Black Watch is one of them. With all the evidence I would say you have an original cap and very nice badge I just don't have the knowledge to date it.

regards

Mark

Hello,

The cloth behind the badge is NOT faded, and is the dark blue of the top.

The badge itself is three piece, and the pieces are held together by split pins not soldered.

The "brass" does appear to be gilt, the remainder silver. and the "scrolls" are seperate pieces held on by pins visable from the reverse.

[attachmentid=63679]

I honestly do not think this badge has ever been off of this cap.

Thanks again,

Bill Unland

Bill,

I am sure you have done this already but you could see if the cloth behind the badge has not worn or faded to the same extent as the rest of the body. It won't help date the cap but will at least indicate that the badge has been fixed to it for some period of time.

regards

Mark

The badge has the flat topped Victorian Crown, so at face value was worn from 1881 (post Cardwell Reforms and the demise of numbers in favour of names) but NCOs of the Black Watch carried on wearing the old style badge with "42" in the centre instead of St Andrew for decades after.

Kipling & King 497 shows the numbered badge with flat topped Victorian Crown, KK 656 the version with St Andrew in the centre & the post Victorian Kings Crown.

John Gaylor refers to the badge with Victorian Crown and "42" as being worn prior to 1881, and that it continued to be worn post 1881 by Sergeants of the 1st Battalion, with a Kings Crown version appearing in 1926.

KK & Gaylor state that the yellow metal was gilded.

Is this badge multi ? part or are the different components sweated together?

They?re always stated to be multi part badges held together with split pins, I have a Kings Crown St. Andrew centre version that has the different metals sweated together, I?ve always viewed it as a fake.

I can?t tell from the photos whether I?d view the badge & glengary you are showing as genuine but then I?m lousy working from photo

William,

The Badge is certainly Victorian and looks like a two or three piece NCOs version. As for the Glengarry I cant help you as Scottish Regiments are not my area(I only know about the cap badge as I saw one today at ashow).

regards

Mark

Here is a view of the top, which has not faded so badly and shows closer to the original color.

[attachmentid=63465]

And lastly the ribbon attachment.

[attachmentid=63466]

Anyone that might be able to confirm the identification of this cap is invited to do so.

Thank you,

William Unland

Graham,

Good find I have seen these go at ?50 a piece!

regards

Mark

Gents,

In the past it was very rare to be able to share your finds, but with the advent of technology we're able to share our latest finds with others who have a deep interest in our hobby. For our Airborne fans I picked these two up last week at an Antique and Collectors Fair in Nairn, Scotland while on a two week's work detchment.

No need to guess what they are, but it's the fact that they're the rare first pattern printed Ordnance Issue cloth badges. Sadly they're not a pair and no printed "Airborne" strip was found, but still for a tenner the two I was happy.

Graham.

Martin,

The Stirrup Insignia is for army Rough Riders, Riding Instructors, and Remount Trainers institued under clothing Warrant dated 1865

The Crossed Swords was Initially for Best Swordsman in Cavalry Regiment and then adopted as the Insgnia for Gymnastic Instructor. Instituted in Clothing Regulations 1881.

hope this helps

PS very nice Insignia

Mark

[attachmentid=61307]Thanks to all.Yes,he was Royal Artillery from 1914 to his retirement as a warrant Officer just before WW2.I have all his medals from the 1914 Star with Mons Bar to his M.S.M.H e finished his career as gunnery instructor for The Queens Own Worcestershire Hussars.I just found this badge,looks like the type on his sleeve.

Again,thanks,Martin.

Chris,

can we see more shots inside etc.

regards

Mark

The jacket of a teenager who served in the 12th SS

I notice the remains of some dark greencloth could it be that the moths have eaten all the wool and left the cotton base, giving the impression of a 'tropical' set?

Hi Dan,

I'm really not quite sure what they are...Reichsheer maybe?

I really couldn't see these as being tropical tabs. Many Officers did place there own collar tabs onto a tropical tunics but I have only ever seen continental tabs. Many just left the em's tabs on the tunics with the only feature identifying them as Officers being the continental shoulderboards. I did once have a tunic with pioneer shoulderboards which had been sew in converted to slip on using tropical tunic material for the tongue, but these were a very unique pair.

Mark

Pikestaff,

Unfortunately this is a reproduction. The runes are too thin the wool is too coarse and the almost full covering of wool on the back is not typical of wartime manufacture, when materials were in short suppy. The metal pick and shovel are of the style used on the wartime patches but I have not seen an original one with metal insignia. I recall seeing a few of these in the late 70's when I started out. A few of the more advanced collectors may be able to show you an original one.

best

Mark

[attachmentid=56629]Afternoon Gentlemen, I would like yo know if this collar patch is original, I have owned it for over 25 years now, but that does not make it original, or does it??? comments please

Pikestaff

Anyone know of a Gravity Knife repairer? There used to be a Guy in Texas 'Battle Blades' but his website is no longer active.

thanks for any help

Mark

Johnny,

Remy Spezzanos series on KURSK is outstanding. Cost is all relative, if you are a collector these are invaluable for period close up shots of SS Camo in wear. If you are a Model Builder some great tank shots. While there are some well known pictures in the series, many have never been shown, or are very obscure. These books are in my top 5 photo books. Highly Recommended in fact I was browsing my set at the weekend. Spezanos photo books are all outstanding. Platz Der Liebstandarte, For God and Fatherland are also excellent, the former has just been reprinted. Look on amazon you can pick up reasonably priced copies of the KURSK series.

Just my opinion of course.

Mark

Hi guys,

I've just come into a few pounds by virtue of my 35th birthday and I'm just deciding what to spend it on. I'm after building up my reference books on the Waffen SS and was considering the Kursk Vol 1-6 series by Remy Spezzano. Has anybody seen these books and if so would they recommend them?

Failing that can anybody suggest any other 'must have' books on the Waffen SS? (I prefer fact based reference works to simple memoirs)

Also, I recently purchased 'In good faith' The history of the 4th SS Polizei Panzer Grenadier Division volume 1 by Frederich Husemann. However, search as I might I have not been able to find a copy of volume 2. I have not even been able to find a name for it or even confirm that it was ever written. Has anybody ever heard of such a book or suggest where i might start looking?

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

Johnny

Andre,

I believe this to be a reproduction and not even a quality reproduction piece. The stonewashed look is something I have seen on copies designed to give a field worn look. The pockets should be lined in herringbone, not camo material, which was conserved where possible, The black reinforcing thread in the drawstring holes is also off putting and finally the material looks too 'heavy' like denim not the cotton one would expect. I thinks this group has been united to get rid of a dealers bad buy.

Hope this helps

Mark

This is all I can show you at very short notice. Look closely at the edges of the green and brown areas to see the difference in the patterns. The edges of the areas in the one you show seem to be less ragged and much "tidier", which is not what I would expect to see.

This is an original Zeltbahn in the same pattern as the smock is supposed to be:

If you can find exactly the same elements of this pattern on the smock, it might be good. If these exact elements poisitoned in the same way cannot be found and the material of the smock feels like well washed, smooth cotton, then it is certainly an aged reproduction. The buttons on the smock as seen below are definitely not German: