mariner

:cheers:

:cheers:

Found this that might be of interest...

Its of the U30 commander Fritz-Julius Lemp, clearly wearing British battledress. It appears to be the denim type as apposed to the woolen type which would make sense I suppose! :whistle:

Was this story even substantiated?

U-977 was a World War II Germany Type VIIC submarine launched in 1943. Commanded by Oberleutnant Heinz Schäffer (1921-1979), it sailed for Argentina on 10 May 1945 following German's surrender. The submarine's voyage to Argentina led to many legends and apocryphal stories: that it had transported Nazi gold to South America.

:cat:

Heres a memorial scroll & condolence slip from WW2...

I assume they loaded all the sovereigns onto camels and took them out into the desert for the tribesman. Which takes me back to other thread about bribing the taliban with gold. I assume that the modern camel would be a helicopter, but there seems to be a shortage of those if we`re to believe the news, which beggers the question, will they have to move the `gold` via roads, leaving it open to IEDs & or ambush. Glad I don`t have to come up with an answer to this problem......

The CIA didn`t seem to have any real issues moving large amounts of gold krugerrands round the place in the 1980s.......

This would only appear to be a purely British venture, to that end where pray tell is all this gold going to come from?

I was once told by a senior RN officer that no one was ever given permission to grow a beard; they were given permission to "stop shaving". Any comments?

Hugh

Now you mention it that rings a bell.

Theres certainly no lack of beards within the senior service. One can only assume that the regulations are some what different. I believe that the whole no beards in the army thing has something to do with what happens if you need to put your gas mask on during NBC, if you`ve got a full beard there wouldn`t be a full seal and you`d become gassed as it where, but I maybe wrong after all the navy uses them as well.

Not sure about whether the Crimea was the last time that everyone had a beard (well those that could grow one anyway), but there is a rather famous picture of a SAS patrol alongside David Sitrling all sporting beards, in North Africa & Chindit column mule/ pack handler with beard. Again one can only assume that this had something to do with the circumstances of the camapaign they were found themselves fighting in, but having said that this would almost certainly have been the case in the Crimea was well.

What famous beards in the British Army have we got, Orde Wingate & Monty spring to mind straight away, but I`m sure there must be others!

Cheers for all your replies guys, so I think we`re safe in saying that the OR`s didn`t wear the Flash, during the Normandy Campaign, etc (1944/45).

Thanks Taz, very interesting.

Going back to my original thoughts about seeing what Regiments served over there during this period. I`ve found this...........

Roll of Honour - Palestine 1938 - 1939 - Worcestershire Regiment

This section provides details of all those men of the Worcestershire Regiment who gave their lives during action in Arab Revolt in Palestine (covers period 1938 to 1939).

In April 1936, riots broke out in Jaffa this was the beginning of a three-year period of violence and civil strife in Palestine that is known as the Arab Revolt. The Arab Higher Committee, headed by the Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini, led the campaign of terrorism against Jewish and British targets. In August 1936 the British took military action against Arab terrorists following which there was a period of peace. However, by September 1937 the Arabs resumed their attacks. This campaign of violence continued through 1938 and then tapered off, ending in early 1939.

In September, 1938, the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, which was then stationed in Aldershot, received orders to move to Palestine. The Battalion landed at Haifa on the 26th September 1938, and the same day moved in Motor Transport down the coast road through Tel Aviv and Jaffa to Sarafand. The Battalion was given the task of maintaining public order and security in the Bethlehem and Hebron sub-districts , a task of some magnitude, involving, as it did, an area of some eight hundred square miles.

The Battalion had only been in Palestine 2 days when they suffered their first casualties, one of which was Private Hare who was seriously wounded at Beit Sahur, he died later in hospital.

At Bethlehem the Battalion was billeted in the monasteries adjoining the historic church of the Nativity.

The 1st Battalion eventually left Palestine at the end of August 1939 and set sail for action in Sudan.

Surname Forename/s Number Rank Location DOD Battalion Age

Darby Joseph 5251346 Pte. Jerusalem 07/09/1939 1st 20

Davidson John G. 4267767 Pte. Jerusalem 18/12/1938 1st 29

Dwyer Anthony 5250987 Pte. Al Walaja 11/10/1938 1st 20

Hare Bartle 5770527 Pte. Jerusalem ??/09/1938 1st 25

Hayes Charles G. 5249722 L/Cpl. Hebron 13/08/39 1st 22

Potter Harry 5251351 Pte. Jerusalem 22/07/1939 1st 19

Ryan Patrick Michael 5333597 Pte. Artuf 17/11/1938 1st 26

Notes: Pte. Darby, Pte. Davidson, Pte. Hare and L/Cpl. Hayes all died of wounds.

Private Harry Potter

On the evening of 22nd July 1939, D Company, returning from As Samu, engaged an armed band at Kilo 39 on the Hebron-Beersheba road. This gang had earlier ambushed an R.A.F. armoured car. During the engagement Private Harry Potter (5251351) was killed and Privates Darby, Warwick, Pearson and Simmonds were wounded. Private Joseph Darby later died of his wounds in hospital in Jerusalem on 7th September 1939.

http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main=inc/roll_honour_palestine

and theres more

http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main=inc/bat_1_1939

Found this, thought it might assist....

http://www.policememorial.org.uk/Colonial_Police/Palestine/Palestine_Police_Roll.htm

Now taking into account that 200 Britains, are listed as being killed, during this period, the vast amount would appear to be Police Officers, so this would certainly account for the lack of details for Soldiers who were killed during this period. I might be sticking my neck out here, but it would certainly appear on the face of it that maybe none were killed?

Information does appear to be some what scant with regards to the Arab Revolt of 1936-39, especially with regards to casualty figures. Perhaps it might help if we knew which Regiments served there, I know that the 2nd Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment served during this period, however, sadly there is no information with regards to any casualties on the Regimental website that I could see. I`m in no doubt that all the Corps would have had soldiers there, might be worth trying that avenue?

On first thoughts, I thought that maybe McCleary was in one of the TF battalions, however, having done a bit of digging, I`m now more inclinded to believe that he was with the 8th (Service) Battalion which was formed in Wrexham during August 1914, the then sailed to Gallipoli on the 28th June 1915, which also fits into the facts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/sites/flintshire/pages/flintsoldiers.shtml

"1617 L/Cpl Richard Ernest Fardoe embarked on 28th June 1915 for Gallipoli, according to the 1914-15 Star Medal Roll." "Richard Ernest Fardoe was in the 8th service battalion"

http://www.1914-1918.net/rwf.htm

Hi Guys,

I`m trying to do a bit of research on this soldier...

12265 Pte. J. McCleary, Royal Welsh Fusiliers *

The MIC shows '2B' (Balkans) on the 28th June 1915 and entitlement to a 1914-15 Star trio. His "Medical History" papers show that Joseph McCleary from Wrexham, North Wales enlisted on the 26th August 1914, aged 29. He was discharged on the 4th June 1919 due to "Malaria attributed to Active Service".

The problem I`m having is that his service number doen`t appear to relate to any of the RWF battalions that deployed on this campaign, also his date of arrival doesn`t seem to tally up either. Can anyone shine any light on this for me?

Do MIC dates relate to when the soldier left Blighty or to when they arrived in theatre?

Gordon.

Curious one this, as from what I can see none of the RWF battalions arrived in Gallipoli until mid July 1915? Unless someone else knows otherwise.....

Yes, still legal tender, though you don't see them in circulation as much anymore. Depends on the circles they are distributed in I guess.

It's kind of like $2. bills, they went out of circulation and then after a makeover in 1976, they came back. You don't normally see them in everyday circulation, but up here the ferry service uses them for change all the time.

If you're into .50 pieces, might I suggest something a bit older, more collectable with a higher investment potential, though still quite affordable?

Tim

Both .50; you don't need to buy slab coins but being graded, they hold/appreciate their value nicely.

Walking Liberty & Ben Franklin Half Dollars:

Thanks for your reply. Have a few silver eagles, but not come across the Franklin dollars, are they solid silver (.900 or more?), whats the story behind the Omaha bank hoard?

I wonder if you can get George W Bush examples?

Are these legal tender in the US, or just collectors items?

Can anyone tell me what the most junior rank wore the Flash during WWII, and did they wear the Flash on their Battledress or just their `best` uniforms?

I watched a documentary on the event and it was revealed that the role of the sharks was greatly over stated. Sure... there were some seen, but they were mainly eating the deceased.

I`m inclined to agree.

There is also discrepancies as to the species of sharks involved, the experts seem to be of the opinion that the types involved were blue sharks, silk sharks and Oceanic white tip sharks, however, on survivor at least seems to think Tigers were involved, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gugIlVcrdW8

interesting that no Great Whites are mentioned?

Not to take anything away from the sharks, there is no doubt that a lot of Sailors & Marines were eaten, but I believe that a lot of them also died due to drinking sea water, of sheer exhaustion and the wounds they sustained during the initial attack.

O my god I will be getting loads of calls of people who will be so dissapointed when they discover they are not worth ?10,000s of pounds. The off side to working in coins and medals, sedative please.

Paul

Has anyone even seen one yet?

Curious......

Certainly nothing on the Royal Mint website (but maybe they wouldn`t want to advertise the fact, that they`d screwed up?)

http://www.royalmint.com/

Nothing on Wikipedia either....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_twenty_pence_coin