FrontlineAntiques

Thats awesome! I really like party badges for their simplicity. I have had a few painted Zinc ones in the past, but nothing as nice as this. It may have sparked a new stream to my collecting.... :whistle:

Thanks Don Thats my mind at rest. Any idea who the maker is? M1/120? Dan

Hi Chaps Purchased today for the enormous sum of £5 But is it a good one? This isnt my main area of collecting really, so opinions would be greatfully recieved. Thanks, Dan

Hi Windu It is indeed an SS Patch - probably a sleeve diamond for an artificier. The next question is - what is the approximate value of such an item? Thanks Dan

Chris is right - Unless our chap took himself off to the UK on his own cash to enlist early, he is much more likely to be a Brit. On the bright side, if he were of Rhodesian or SA origins I would imagine he would be much more likely to be an officer due to th costs involved in travelling to the UK to enlist. Had an email from the vendor last night, he had forgotten to include a couple of bars which are on their way! lucky me!

I have just pinched a few paragraphs from here - http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=480604 , which gives a good account of the development of the Rhodesian Regiment "During the Matabele War of 1893, the Mashonaland Horse was replaced by local volunteer units, such as the Victoria Rangers, the Salisbury Horse and Raaff's Rangers from Tuli. These units were actively engaged in putting a stop to the Matabele raids into Mashonaland. The occupation of Matabeleland and the amalgamation of the two provinces resulted in the formation of Southern Rhodesia and proclamation of the name "Rhodesia" on 3 May, 1895. The defence of Matabeleland was entrusted to a new Regular military unit, the Matabeleland Mounted Police, which was disbanded as a result of its deployment on the Jameson Raid. The Bulawayo Field Force was formed at the time of the Matabele Rebellion in 1896, and two of its members, H. S. Henderson and F. M. Baxter, were awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in action. Other volunteer units raised during the 1895-96 period of the Mashonaland Rebellion were the Rhodesia Horse Volunteers, the Salisbury Rifles and the Umtali Rifles. All these units combined in 1898 to form the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers (S.R.V.). This Regiment remained in being until 1926, when it was embodied into the Rhodesia Regiment in terms of the provisions of the Defence Act, 1926. The first unit to bear the title "Rhodesia Regiment" was formed for service and commanded by Lt.-Col. Plumer, in the South African War, 1899-1902, at the instance of Col. Robert Baden-Powell, then Commander in-Chief, Rhodesia Frontier Force. The Rhodesia Regiment was engaged in the Relief of Mafeking and the Battle of Eland's River. In 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, the 1st and 2nd Rhodesia Regiments were formed from the S.R.V. and civilian volunteers. The 1st Rhodesians saw service in German South West Africa alongside the South African forces, and in 1915 embarked at Cape Town for the United Kingdom, where members of the Regiment were subsequently dispersed to O.C.T.U.s and the King's Royal Rifle Corps. The 2nd Rhodesians were forced to return to Rhodesia in 1917, due to the high ratio of casualties suffered in action in German East Africa. The unit was disbanded in Salisbury for lack of reinforcements from Rhodesia's small male white population at that time. Many 2nd Rhodesians, however, re-enlisted into British units and saw further service in France."

Here are the rest of the bars that all came together from a chap in Cape Town. Incidentally, they also came with the mystery item I posted in the Members Valuation & Identification Forum yesterday. Dan

Its a fair point Chris. And pretty much kills the Rhodesian idea.... So by my thinking this would leave us only the Mashonaland ribbon to pin down at least his regiment. Dont suppose we can be too specific even with this though....

its sad to think we will never know who earned those medals, but I'd like to think they did come from an early Rhodesian settler. I have several others which I will photograph soon and put up. All with similar awards, and according to the chap I bought from all from one house clearence so possibly all related. Dan

So would you say it is more likely to have been to a Rhodesian or a well travelled Brit?

I thinke he probably was an African recipient, as I bought a job lot of medal ribbons and bars from a chap in SA which is almost entirely made up of african awards. Have a few other bars to show, once i get round to photographing them.

The cloth is quite a heavy weave, and blacker than it appears in the photos. Any ideas?

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Hi Chaps Picked this up this morning with a mixed collection of German items. No ideas as to what it is - but it looks and feels good to me (with my very limited knowledge....) Thanks Dan

Hi David With regards to the pin I have had several replaced at jewellers for around £6. In fact, the jewellers over the road from Dixons in Bridlington will do it.... Dan

Morning chaps A recent purchase of a job lot of ribbons found this bad boy mixed in, along with a couple of similar peices. A 6 place medal bar, covering actions from Mashonaland (presumably 1896/1897), The boer war and WWI. The British South Africa Company's Medal 1890 - 1897 Mashonaland medal was awarded for the four campaigns to suppress the Mashonas and Matabele tribes in South Africa. These medals were struck with four corresponding campaign reverses. Instituted in 1896 ( Matabeleland 1893 Medal ) and 1897 ( Rhodesia 1896 and Mashonaland 1897 medals). This is the first time I have had a pre-Boer medal bar that includes a Mons trio. A very nice little lot.

A wonderful looking item! Congratulations on your first British sword! Hopefully after Xmas I will attempt to treat myself to a nice british cavalry sabre - wife permitting!

Hi Garth, thaks for your post The cap did have a sheild inside when it was found, but the stitching was completely rotted through. Having looked everywhere we cant find it. It looked the part and we remember it had a Berlin makers details on it - Possibly Errols (guessing, but sure it began with an "E")?? The piping isnt fuzzy - i think it is a combination of the effects of a hard life and my poor photography The lining I have no idea about and have no frame of reference for as i have never seen an SS cap or post WW2 West German caps in the flesh before. However, it isnt really grey in colour - more a sage green. Again my poor photography. You would think that such a good camera would help! I hav photos of the badges off the cap if anyone thinks they may help?

Hope this helps us to get an ID Thanks for your help Dan

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Stitching photos - apologies for the wait!

Landing craft T7016

Hi Chaps My Grandma's other half unfortunately passed on quite recently after a long illness. Helping her to sort out his things and pass items on to his family she gave me a couple of photos. I had known that he had served in the British Navy in WWII and had seen a fair bit of excitement in various theatres, but I found the photos very evocative and really want to know some more. Frank Wilkinson was a leading stoker and was present at D-Day as a landing craft pilot. I know that he was awarded the burma star with pacific bar (although he always said he never desrved either pacific or burma as he "had just sailed past"). He was also in Africa/Egypt. His medals were pinched years ago in a burgulary The photo of his landing craft below gives us the number T7016. This is all I know about his service Where do I start? Many thanks Dan