geoff

At last I have time to sit down and show the before and after photograph restoration that Danny carried out, the actual restored photograph shows a Dodge 15cwt truck, I would like to give a Special thankyou to Mr. John Searby for permission to use his image. Hope you all agree Danny has done a fantastic job Before:

I once read that if you want to display hats, cut a plastic football, soccer ball , in half, it acts as an excellent stand and keeps the visor free from weight, you get two stands for the price of one ball Best regards Geoff

Hi Henry, I am quite happy with the original photograph, sticky tape and all, now that I have the restored image and scanned the original for posterity, I don't believe I will do any more with original. All of the photographs from my fathers time in Palestine were taken with a Box Brownie, I can still remember the camera, alas no more, the images themselves are quite poor and are small, I believe I will have these remastered at some point now that I have seen what can be acheived. The photographs are attached in an album brought back from palestine, it's really touristy and has a camel and Arab engraved in to the wooden covers, all contemporary! the photographs are in various stages of detachment from the album leaves but I have managed to get some corners, as close to the originals as possible, and will be putting the album back together, thats my next project. I have no doubt I will be showing some of the images on the GMIC in the near future to try and idenitify the various ships and the port/s where the photographs were taken. Thanks for your interest and best regards Geoff

Would just like to pass comment on GMIC about Danny's excellent job with my fathers photograph restoration, Danny has also obtained copyright clearance for use of the image on this site, the image owner's permission is awaited out of respect, as soon as this comes I will post a before and after picture. Many thanks Danny and Best regards Geoff

Very interesting guys and some good material, for the sake of repeating a section Leigh has included in his initial thread starter, I would like to quote from James W Bancrofts book The Zulu War, 1879 Rorke's Drift "The dead on the battlefield at Isandhlwana were treated with disgusting savagery. They were disembowelled, and their entrails scattered amongst the debris. Some men were decapitated and their heads placed in a gruesome ring. But one sight more than any other sickened the men who visited the battlefield. The Zulus had siezed five band-boys, and either tied them to wagons by their feet and slit their throats, or hung them on butchers hooks by their chins, sliced them up, then cut their privates off and put them in their mouths. Because of this incident boys were never again taken on active service by the British Army" the picture accompanying the piece, (sorry no scan available) by Charles Fripp showing the 24th Regiment's last stand at Isandhlwana clearly shows a Band-boy probably about 9-10 years of age in my opinion. A couple of questions relating to active service; It would appear that children-boys were allowed on active service in Victorian times, would it therefore not require an act of parliment to stop it? or, as may have been the more probable case at the time, were the Band-boys akin to mascots? so would have come under Regimental jurisdication rather than any act of the British Government of the time? We tend to use the term boy as a descriptive for all male gender when at war, Bring our Boys home, Our Boys at the front etc. victorian and armys/navy before used children! the term boy covered their gender only. The attachments/pictures of Band-boys on this thread are cracking but would they have gone on active service? I don't know. More questions than answers I'm afraid. Best regards Geoff

Hi Leigh, just thought I'd put a query in here, 'The English Drummer Boys Letter - Writing home to Mother after the Vctory at Colesberg', strange title to the slide, as I believe the British Army never tooks "Boy's" on active service again after Isandhlwana...I must admit the guy with the drum looks very young . Your slides are great, lovely collection. Best regards Geoff.

Fantastic images Leigh, love the first one, I have a pair of medals to 4837 Pte J.Ord the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, IGSM Punjab & Tirah, QSA Pa, Drei, Jo, Belf & CC, wonder if the guy was in this picture? a cracking thread Best regards Geoff

Hi Leigh, just had a look for a guy, T./2nd Lt. James Cairns, 9th Bn. N.Lancs.R. attd. 1/4th Bn., T.F. I have his Military Cross for Gallantry at La Basse on September 30th and October 1st 1918, can't find a mention of him though, bad luck I know these volumes did not list everyone, still, an amazing amount of work to come up with a volume in the first place and then, for it to be on the web, a brilliant link, thanks for posting. Best regards Geoff

Hi Leigh, yes you believe correct, it's a Shoulder Belt & Pouch badge 1903-1953 Cameronians ( Scottish Rifles ) officers wore silver. Best regards Geoff

Hi Leigh, thanks for sharing, not a badge person myself but that's a cracking scan, couple of nice photographs as well Best regards Geoff.

Hi Motorhead, thanks for the bad news don't have a problem with your comment. I purchased this and other items, including various crosses that I have sold on since I stopped collecting Third Reich, from a very reputable dealer. I new about the Floch copies and believe it or not had this one verified by a Third Reich collector for it's authenticity, it's a few years since I purchased the cross so the pain's not that bad!!!!! Best regards Geoff

Hi Motorhead, I have this one, sorry about the picture quality, perfect matt finish......stopped collecting Third Reich a while ago but put a few things away for a rainy day!!! Best regards Geoff

Hi, I would just like to echo everybody else's comments and concern's on this thread.......I am totally shocked!!! Yes it's treason! and can only have been carried out to order.......I truley hope those responsible will be caught and the medals returned, somebody out there knows who did it and it will only be a matter of time, keeping my fingers crossed it's soon. Best regards Geoff

Hi Colin, listen to JimZ, ask any medalmilitaria collector and their advice will be not to split groups, family military/civilian, the historic value of the family items totally outweigh the value of the single item.....medal collectors spend a lifetime trying to reunite medal groups that have been split.....please ask your friends to reconsider it's difficult to put a price on the MBE as there is obviously quite a bit of research required to pinpoint what she was awarded the MBE for ie the role she had as a pilot, if that can be established then the price could go anywhere! todays figures I would suggest a run of the mill (no disrespect meant), Civilian MBE >?150GBP, Civilian/Military MBE, well depanding on its proven history the price could go anywhere!!! My advice, get a reputable dealer to have a look at the whole and see what he says don't take our suggestions as gospel, the market is a minefield for the unwary!!! Best regards Geoff.

Nice article on the BBC News Website, thought you might be interested: A bag belonging to a World War II soldier from Lancashire has been discovered in the Egyptian desert after lying there for more than 60 years. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/7118650.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/7118650.stm</a>(Link) Best regards Geoff.

That's brilliant Danny and very generous I will PM you shortly with the info. you have requested. Many thanks and Best regards Geoff.

Hi Gordon, thought you might be interested The Seven-sided Coins Both the 20p and 50p coins are seven-sided to aid identification The sides are not straight, but curved, with the centre of curvature being the opposite apex. This means that when used in slot machines they always appear to have exactly the same diameter regardless of the orientation of the coin when it is put in. The fifty pence coin originally weighed 13.5 grams and had a diameter of 30 mm. It was introduced in 1969 to replace the ten shilling note as part of the run up towards decimalisation two years later. The ten shilling note ceased to be legal tender from 22nd November 1970. In 1997 a new smaller version of the 50p was introduced weighing 8.00 grams and with a diameter of 27.30 mm. There are seventeen types of the 50 pence coin. After the introduction of the pound coin in 1983 demand for the coin dropped significantly, and although well used, fewer were tied up in slot machines, so the banks had a large surplus in stock. This is why so few have been released into circulation since 1985. Best regards Geoff

Thanks for the interest guys and yes Rick thanks, I will scan it first before I do anything else. The input has been very helpful, Redcross, Brian and Jimz, I have been on the internet since my post and was quiet amazed at the amount of companies carrying out computor based photograph restoration I have spoken with someone today who has had photograph restoration carried out recently and locally, the feedback was very positive, I am awaiting a contact number, watch this space. Best regards Geoff

Thanks for the input guys, I had been on the Sikhs website and gleaned a little of the Regiments history but, as mentioned in my earlier post, I am quiet a novice where Indian awards are concerned and have never attempted, (in all the time of owned them,) any type of research. The GMIC has opened up some new avenues for me with members willing to pass comment and share there knowledge, truley refreshing Many thanks for the info. Paul, Ed you have provided. Best regards Geoff

Can anyone provide information on the following man and his two medals IGSM Bars WAZIRISTAN 1919-21, WAZIRISTAN 1921-24 2749 NK.DASONDA SINGH,36 SIKHS, LSGC, 3005 NK.DASONDHA SINGH,4-11 SIKH R. Is it strange that a man with LSGC for 20 years service has only two medals!! I have never researched Indian recipients and to be honest these are the only two I have in my collection, hope someone out there in this global metropolis can help Photo of medals attached Best regards Geoff.

Hi all, I would appreciate any help! the only photograph I have of my father, in full field uniform, has been badly attached to an old album, his figure has been cut from a photograph and then fully covered with sticky-tape to attach it to the album page, I would like to know if there are specialists that can remove the tape and possibly superimpose the figure onto a new background! any ideas? info: My father was a National Serviceman in the Army Air Corps, Palestine 1945-48. Best regards Geoff

Hi all, thought you might be interested in how I acquired a GSM Canal Zone. I am a member of a local Band, a number of the members of the Band having seen military service, while speaking with one of these guys I just happend to ask what Regiment he had been in, it was the "Cameronians" (Scottish Rifles) I asked about his service and found out that he was very bitter about his National Service and the time he had spent in the Canal Zone! the issuing of the Canal Zone medal had been sanctioned and had been going on about a year at this time, I asked him if had applied for his medal, he replied "they can stick the bloody thing right up their backsides" and then he said "you can have it if you want, get the paperwork and I will sign whatever is required, it's yours" you can imagine my thoughts . I sent for the application paperwork, had it signed by James, that's the guy whose the rightful owner, and within a month I was the proud owner of a mint GSM Canal Zone. I never saw James again, he moved north, Perthshire I believe, so he never got to see his medal. About four months later I received an e mail from him asking if I would like some items he no longer wanted, nothing much, a Xmas card and a map, I replied I would have them and thanked him, the items came by post, and thats it, no more correspondance, he's just disappeared, he was 74 at the time I received his medal.......hope he's OK. James added a little note I would like to share with you, "Geoff, I spent all my time (Feb 52-Aug 53) in a tent. This photo (enlarged) must have been taken in the winter months of 53 because in summer we were all in khaki drill, (lightweight clothing) When the tents were new they were jet black (no doubt to absorb the heat and make it feel worse) but soon bleached white, especially the roof. That is why I appeaer to be against a sky background, it's actually the roof. Just writing these few words brings back all my resentment for 19 months 3 weeks, 5 days and 22 hours of my time in the Zone. James. P.S. There is one mitigating factor; I could have easily have been a) with the K.O.S.B. in Korea or b) with my parent battalion 1st Cameronians in Malaya, both would have been worse than Egypt and for that I'm greatful. I have attached a couple of photgraphs showing the items of 22590925 Corporal James McWhinne MacMillan Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Stats Centre GHQ MELF 17. Fayid Namur Camp - Suez Canal Zone Feb 52-Aug 53, hope you like:

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? -Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out there hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, - The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds. Wilfred Owen 1893-1918 Lest we forget. Best regards Geoff

An interesting article in Novembers issue of Medal News titled 'Last Parade' which refers to General Sir Jeremy Moore KCB, OBE, MC who died on September 15th 2007, his last parade took place on Sunday September 8th during the Royal Marines Association Parade at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone in Devon. The last paragraph of the article reads "The attached photo is of interest as it shows General Moore wearing below his "official" medals, the Pingat Jasa Medal, to which he was entitled having served during the Malaya campaign in the early 1950s and later in Brunei in 1962; during the campaigns of which he was awarded two MCs." My own opinion on this is, official/unofficial they will be worn, I attend armistace parades, association parades and dinners, although there will always be the official requirement of government, veterens will do what they want, and they do, I don't have a problem with this do you? Best regards Geoff

Hi James, I would think the same as you regarding medal rolls for the Fenian Raids, content of the rolls only of those that applied for the medal, when you take into account the number of Imperial and Canadian Forces involved in the suppression of the Raids, 1866-1870, the 16,121 medals officially issued, over something like 28 years, seems rather paltry! On the British side of the issue, I wonder how recipients of the medals over here got to know of the awards availabilty, I would have thought the vast majority of those involved in the Raids would no longer be in touch with their regiments! maybe that's one of the reasons for the low uptake on British issues, only about 850. Best regards Geoff