Brian Wolfe

At time these on-site photos have a lot more to show in the back ground that is more historically interesting than the subjects in the foreground and this is a good example.

Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.

Regards

Brian

A very interesting post Mervyn. I wonder just how well these worked in the field as saws. Most muli-purpose tools usually work poorly for both intentions, in my opinion, however, that is in the area of wood working and not military. Have any of the members experimented with such weapons/saws? If so, lets hear from you.

Regards

Brian

An absolutely fascinating post Mervyn.

Once again you have raised the bar for the rest of us.

Well done my friend.

Regards

Brian

Hello Eric,

I too agree that a period repaired Iron Cross, or any medal for that matter shows a lot of character. The idea that the original medal was awarded (indirectly) by the Kaiser himself must have played greatly in any decision to have the medal repaired rather than simply purchasing a replacement.

Thanks for posting this interesting piece.

Regards

Brian

What a fantastic group!

Thanks for posting it.

Regards

Brian

Very nice sword Mervyn. I've only seen one other (I used to collect swords) and it was in the house of an antiques dealer. I asked if she would consider selling it and she said no as it had belonged to her later husband. She then proceeded to show me his complete uniform which included all of the leather bits for the scabbard etc. That was many years ago and considering her age then I am sure the uniform and sword have both gone to collectors long ago.

Regards

Brian

Amen.

Regards

Brian

Luton Borough Police, 1876 - 1947

The Luton Borough Police force was founded in 1876 and survived until 1947 when it was incorporated with the Bedfordshire Constabulary under the Police Act of 1946. The plate shown would have been the last pattern, as there would not have been one with the Queen's Crown.

This is an interesting history in that there is little information available but more than that the force was revived, albeit for a very short time, as the Luton County Borough Police in 1964. Alas, it was only to last until 1966 when it would once again be absorbed by Bedfordshire.

There is a book, which sadly I do not have, titled "The Men who wore straw Helmets: Policing Luton, 1840 - 1947" written by T.J. Madigan that contains a detailed history of the force.

I would suspect that the Luton County Borough Police Force, 1964 - 1966, would have had helmets sporting the Queen's Crown, which is probably quite scarce, given the short time of the Force's existance. If anyone has one I hope they will post it.

Regards

Brian

You're correct that this is becoming a very interesting post thanks to members like yourself, Nick and others.

Thanks for posting these images Mervyn.

Regards

Brian

Gloucestershire Constabulary

The Gloucestershire Constabulary is the force responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire in the U.K.

The force was founded in 1839 making it the second rural police force formed in Britian. The first being the Wiltshire Constabulary. The force in its present state, headquartered at Quedgeley, dates from 1 April 1974 and consists of six local policing areas.

These areas are,

Cheltenham

Cotswolds

Forest

Gloucester

Stroud

Tewkesbury.

If any of the members have a helmet plate from the Gloucestershire Constabulary with the King's Crown please add it to the post as the one below is a newer issue with the Queen's Crown.

Regards

Brian

Very nice examples thanks for posting them.

Regards

Brian

A dangerous weapon in the right (wrong?) hands and yet a true piece of art work.

Thanks for posting this interesting and beautiful artifact Mervyn.

Regards

Brian

Excellent post, I really like the chain mail suits.

Any idea of the era in which these were worn?

Whould they date to the late 1800s or before?

Regards

Brian

Hi Nick,

Thanks for posting this article, I'm sure it answers a lot of questions in the minds of the interested members who were thinking what I was thinking.

Regards

Brian

The Sillitoe Tartan

The checkered hat bands familiar to our British, Australian and New Zealand members and to many of the rest of us through movies and television is known as the Sillitoe Tartan.

In 1932 the Chief Constable of the City of Glasgow, Sir Percy Sillitoe, adopted the checkered bands used on the Glengarries of the Scottish Regiments for their police caps. From Scottland the use spread to the rest of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The colour and the number of rows of the tartan squares varies depending on the custom of the area. The UK uses the familiar black and white while Australia and New Zealand use blue and white. The Sillitoe Tartan was introduced to Australia in 1961.

Some American Cities use the Sillitoe Tartan and in Canada the Toronto Police Auxiliary use a red and black. The regular police service uses a solid red band. The police in my area, The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), also use the solid red band and just recently began using the red and black Sillitoe Tartan for their Auxiliary Police. The WRPS is located in Ontario, Canada with the cities of Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge, to name a few municipalities, making up the Region of Waterloo.

The photo is of the band on the Staffordshire Police Inspector's cap in my collection.

A quick check of the internet will reward the reader with more information on the Sillitoe Tartan as well as the Staffordshire Police and the WRPS, if you are so inclined.

Regards

Brian

Here are a couple of photos of a Metropolitan Police Inspector's cap that I have in my collection.

Regards

Brian

Very interesting Windu, I look forward to reading more.

Regards

Brian

Hello Nick,

It looks like the hat badge has something different than EIIR, or is that just my imagination.

Also the badge looks "solid" rather than pierced.

So, what is the answer?

Regards

Brian

Chris, you never cease to amaze and inspire awe in me.

What a great collection.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Regards

Brian

Continuing on with the Mertropolitan Police, here is a cap badge that would belong to an officer (i.e. a rank above constable). It is mounted on the cap and I'll post it on the British Police Headgear section once I finish the display mount I am presently working on.

Again, like the Special Constable's hat badge shown in the previous post, this badge has the Queen's crown.

Regards

Brian

Even though we have a section for Special Constabulary items I am posting this Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary cap badge here as well because this section is for helmet plates and cap badges and also because the other section contains everything pertaining to Specials.

There's not much else to say about this other than it has the Queen's crown and is for the Special Constabulary.

Regards

Brian

I don't believe I have posted this before, if so, please forgive my lapse of memory.

It is, as you can see, a cap badge fot the Metropolitan Polcie Special Constabulary.

Regards

Brian

I can see why you would be glad to get them, dosen't look like there are any condition issues either.

Thanks for posting them Chris.

Regards

Brian

Ed - do you think it might be from that dreadful period in the 60's/70's when they used those plastic tape machines to do names ? Well made badge, but the gap has to be for a reason.

General Question - do any of our members have a 'normal' holiday or, is the entire time spent 'looting' the local shops ? (p.s. I ask out of curiousity - I do exactly the same..........)

We are a sick bunch, Mervyn. Vacations are perfect times to hunt for collectables as you are usually in places you would not normally be.

In most cases you would have to put "ab" in front of the term "normal" to best describe most collector's vacations.

Regards

Brian

Hello Alan,

Anytime I have such a problem and all of the parts, as many times the fittings have been lost through the years, I have used epoxy to reattach them. Of course this means one can only display the item as any use could break the fitting off again. Soldering is, in my opinion, a tricky business at best even without any enamel as the heat discoulours the badge.

Regards

Brian