Brian Wolfe

Hello Everyone, I should have asked this question earlier but forgot. When researching my WW I British medals I have noticed that some soldiers have two entries under the heading "Corps" on the Medal Card. In one case the soldier is listed as Army Cycle Corps 10016 Private and under this is Lancashire Fusiliers 36162 Corporal. The medal was issued to number 10016. Was this fellow transfered from the Lancashire Fusiliers as a Corporal to the ACC as a Private? My other example is a Serjeant in the Royal Engineers number 162 with the entry below this as number 477144 still as Serjeant in the RE. The discharge document I have in my collection is to number 477144 which would have been his number when he was discharged. I hope I have not made this question more confusing with my examples. In the first example the first (or top entry) is the number on the medal. However in the second example this is reversed with the second (or bottom entry) being the number on the document. I'm new new at this research game and any help you can give me would be greatly welcomed. Cheers Brian

Many thanks Tony, So much to learn and so little time. Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, Some of my British WW I medals have a regimental number that starts with a letter prefix. For example: a medal to an Army Veterinary Corps member is S.E. 30469 to a member of the Royal Field Artillery is L/7593 and to a Cameron Highlander S/30613 Could someone shed some light as to the meaning of these letters? Many thanks. Brian

Hi Ed, Very nice, it makes my heart beat a little faster. I guess I'll just keep buying those lottery tickets! Cheers Brian

Hi Laurence, I hate to see a fellow Canadian stuck with such an item so I'll take it off your hands for $10.00. Seriously, nice decoration at a great price. Cheers Brian P.S. I'm still looking for a Tamgha-i-Diffa with the Siachen Glacier clasp. Have you found one yet? I'm starting to think there are only tailor's copies on the market!

Hi Michael, That is good news. Too bad about there being no finding guide. Where do these records reside? Perhaps I'll vacation in the Archives this year if that is where they are kept. Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, If anyone has noticed several of my posts involve odd and sometimes downright ugly specimens. I'm a sucker for stray dogs, as far as medals are concerned. At times I feel like the Dr. Frankinstien of collecting. Here is another stray that was neary lost for all time to the land fill. Here is a group of medals with hat badge, collar badges and General Service pin that was given to me by my wife's aunt a number of years ago. My wife's uncle, now passed away, was helping an elderly couple to clean out their basement and in one of the boxes heading to the land fill (dust bin or garbage dump, depending on where you live) was this group. In my area we call it the "land fill", probably becuase it sounds like we are doing nature a favor rather than having a garbage dump. The elderly couple, Mr. & Mrs. Art Hickling, had no children. Art never served in the armed forces neither did Mrs. Hickling (I can't recall her first name). They had moved to Perth Ontario later in life and none of the locals knew much about their past or family and I guess no one bothered to ask. Therefore, I have no leads as to family members in other parts of Ontario. When my wife's uncle brought the medals to their attention they said they knew they were in the box and he could have them or throw them out. After my wife's uncle passed away her aunt gave them to me for safe keeping knowing I would look after them. My wife's uncle's medals are in the Royal Canadian Legion museum in Perth, Ontario. If you are in Perth try to take time to see their museum it really is quite impressive. Don't wait too long as the membership is getting on in years and the interest in keeping the museum open is getting less each year. Sad. All I know about this group is what anyone can tell just from looking at them. The recipient was Canadian, a volunteer, served in the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps and served in France and/or Germany. The medals are swing mounted which would make me think they were actually worn well after 1945. The General Service pin is serial numbered but from what I can find out the list of names and numbers has been lost by the government, if one ever existed. I have, however, a list of numbers and the dates associated with them. The pin is numbered 725348 and was made sometime detween Summer 1945 and Sept 6/45. From the medals NOT present I would guess he served less than six months before the end of the war. There is no Defence Medal or 1939-45 Star both requiring more than six months service. That's all I have on this group. I like to think it represents the Uknown Soldier of my collection. Cheers Brian

Hi Leigh, Very nice collection. Mine was going to be sold but after some thought I removed the incorrect ribbon and now it is part of my India collection. Thanks to all for their input. Cheers Brian

Thank you to both Paul and Laurence for adding to my knowledge. So..... you're saying that my medal is rare? Seriously, I have only seen one of these medals which is the one I purchased so I am completely in the dark as to why there was a ring on the back of mine. I don't think it was ever issued. It will reside in my small Red Cross collection until I run onto more medals from Japan which is what happened to my WW I German Red Cross medal. Again thanks for your assistance. Cheers Brian

Hi Paul, After I posted this medal I showed it to my wife who is pretty good at sewing. Without hesitation she said the ring was put there to maintain the shape of the ribbon. Otherwise it would just flatten out quite quickly in wear. She also suggested that perhaps this particular "supplier" of the ribbons intended them to be sewen onto a dress uniform. When we reattached the loose side of the ring it raised it to a position that would indeed be easier to sew onto a uniform. I've tried to show this in the photo. I must agree with my wife's logic that the ring would only be there to serve these purposes. Is there a chance that some of these medals were intended to be sewen onto a uniform and/or when the ring gave way the recipient would simply reattach it with a safety pin, which would be closer at hand than another ring? Any thoughts on this hypothesis? Cheers Brian

Hello Everyone, Here is rhe reverse showing the suspension (?) ring. It has come free on one side bit I don't think I will attempt to reattach it. Cheers Brian

Hi Laurence and everyone, This Japanese Red Cross medal just became part of my collection so I though I'd take advantage of your offer to add mine to your thread. I've been busy with "trades" once again and the fellow I got this from likes to glue the ribbons to a backing. The glue can be seen in the photo of the reverse. There is a ring sewn onto the reverse, is this an original attachment device? The medal and ribbon are in pretty good condition. I am sure it is Showa. A lot has been said about these on this thread so I won't bother as I have nothing to add. I hope you like my new addition. It is my first Jananese but not my first Red Cross Medal. Cheers Brian

Hi Davey, Welcome to the forum. All I can say about your posted item is WOW! Cheers Brian

Hi Alex, I thought so too, that's why I bought them. I have a fair number of BWM and Victory medals in my collection and after a while so many of the same medals (same except for the naming) it can strat to look a little repetitious. To the average person the inclusion of this pair to the collection make the viewing a bit more interesting and to the fellow collector it adds a bit of shock value. I also agree that it adds an interesting bit of additional history to my collection. Thanks to this amazing forum and its members I have gain information on the original recipient of this pair and a possible lead regarding the soldier who had them altered. I wish I had more free time to research my collection properly but that time will come when I retire. Cheers Brian

Hi Chris, I purchased one of these a few years back for around $75.00 and traded it off last year for a value of $300.00 Canadian. I'm sure they are worth all of that plus. I was told that these were issued to pioneer regiments and used in either Austria or Brazil (probably both). An old catalog of the 1960s from a large arms dealer in Florida lists this as Austrian. This is the first one I've seen worn in a photo. Nice photo. Cheers Brian

Hello Krigstrom, I understand you completely and there is nothing wrong with your English. I also agree with what you are saying. My father has good reason for the addition of the medal. When the day comes that I inherit I will probably leave it as he intended. Out of respect rather than accurace to history. Cheers Brian

Hello Doc, A former military friend of mine is fond of saying, "Only a sniper knows what goes through a man's mind". I worry about that boy at times! My own father felt he was entitled to an extra campaign star so he added it to his group. When the day comes that I inherit his medals I will be faced with the decision as to whether I should have one removed or leave his group of 5 as is. For the sake of future generations I think I should correct his decision so that no one can ask "What the H**L was he thinking?". I am a sucker for odd and courious items so I could not resist this mistreated pair. Cheers Brian

Hello Michael, Thanks very much for the research. I have not had the time to research many of my more "legitimate" medals. Time for that when I retire (in the not too far future). Cheers Brian

Now for the reverse. The victory medal has had the original reverse filed off and the the letters SY??HAN cut into the surface and the new owner's name,C. CARD cut below. It looks like there was an attempt to put something in the centre of the medal but I can not make it out. Any ideas as to what the place name SY??HAN would be? It could be a mis-spelling of the place name. The edge is named probably in an attempt to make this look as original as possible. It says, C.CARD M.T. (motor transport?). The BWM has the wording INDIA NW FRONTIER replacing the usual reverse and the name C.CARD in the centre. On the edge is carved the name C.CARD as well but without "M.T.". As you can see my collection now has the "ugly" part of the "good, the bad and the ugly". Cheers Brian

Hello All, I seem to have purchased my share of renamed medals in the past but here is a pair that I just couple not resist purposely adding to my collection. I hope you have not eaten anything lately or you might not be able to keep your lunch down after you see this pair. They started out life as a BWM and Victory Medal pair. There was enough original naming on these to make out that they were named to 7593 SJT. J.W. ________ R.A. What a shame that theses were altered! The Victory medal has had the Winged Victory removed and a crude bust of Kind Edward VII applied, probably using solder and sweated onto the original medal. There are traces of silver-like material around the bust which makes me think it is solder. The wording that has been applied reads INDIAN EMPIRE EDWARD VII, I'll show the reverse in the next photo. The BWM has been left unaltered on the obverst but you can see the welts caused by the removal of the reverse. The hanger has been removed and a wire hanger made to replace the original. The ribbons are the 1911 Coronation and the India General Service 1908-35. It would seem that this fellow felt he should have been awarded medals for his service and went out and purchased another soldier's and had them "customized". I don't know where he would have worn these as they would quickly be seen as frauds. The reverse next. Cheers Brian

Hello Christophe, This is a sobering reminder of those who gave their all so that we can live in peace. Thanks for posting it. Brian

Thanks Ed, It is interesting that the lion hallmark was used to indicate manufacture in India. I have purchased other silver items in the past (non-military) and the lion hallmark was used in conjunction with other marks. The lion in those cases indicated the item was made of sterling silver and the marks, following the lion, indicated date and place of manufacture as well as the company that manufactured the piece. Once again the ribbon is not a match! This is what happens when you venture into unfamiliar territory without doing your homework. Thanks again for your guidance. Cheers Brian

Hello Barry, That is a very nice way to display your pistol. Good work. Cheers Brian

Here is a top view which shows the holes that I think were for allowing moisture to drain. The "chain link" can also be seen quite clearly in this photo. Thanks for any help you can give me. Cheers Brian

Here is a view of the threads. You can see from the threading what I mean about this not showing any great deal of age (darn!) Cheers Brian