Farkas

I reckon we are now as informed as anyone 🤷‍♂️ Every mention was just the same few lines cut and pasted. There is really nothing i could see with more detail than that last longer piece. tony

Hi Gents, what are these last two please? 🤔 i don’t suppose they are (faded) Austro Hungarian WW1 campaign medal ribbons? tony 🍻

Thanks both, i’m chuffed with it. tony 🍻 PS its reminded me that I’ve still got this knocking around somewhere too...

Hi Asil, W Thomlinson Ltd was a Scottish firm that was established in 1895, its famous for pioneering a style of leather football. It closed after ww2 , possibly in the 50’s but maybe later. Bit vague on this 👇 myself... you can find it though if you fancy. The British army made changes in 1902 or 1903 & again in 1908, one of which introduced a fabric webbing instead of leather. However officers retained their leather Sam Browne belts but in ww1 they were often discarded because reportedly it made them an obvious officer & target. I don’t know when pistol cases & the cartridge boxes were dropped as regular dress, i guess before 1939 (1937 saw changes) but they were both still worn on the SB with parade dress until both were made obsolete in 1955. In summary, 1895 is the earliest it could be and i guess theoretically 1955 is the latest but unlikely as it looks ‘used’... & After all that you’re still no closer to knowing 🤷‍♂️ but at least you know you can consider Victorian a possibility 🤔 tony 🍻

Good to see. Nice one Terry.

Hi Michael, You’re right, there is not much to find but first i found this... https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/caf/military-identity-system/drill-manual/chapter-6.html it’s an informative read about regulations (Canada) but doesn’t answer your questions 👇 and then this little passage but nothing to answer your Q in it either... ”The origin of the pace stick is claimed by the Royal Regiment of Artillery, who used a "gunner's stick" to measure the distance between guns in the field. It appeared more like a walking stick, with an ivory or silver knob on the end, and, unlike the modern pace stick, could only be opened a fixed distance. It was quickly adopted and adapted by the Infantry as an aid to drill” Finally i found this on👇 RoyalAnglianDirect.co.uk Best i can do 🤷‍♂️ A Short History of Pace Sticking “Stickus Pacium Romanus” Roman Military Engineers used a pace-stick almost identical to the modern British Army version, with the main difference being a length of rope in place of the modern brass locking bar. When the Roman pace-stick was fully open, the rope went taut and the stick was locked at an angle that measured two Roman marching paces. When building roads, the Roman “sticker” would turn his implement 500 times, which equated to 1 Roman Mile. A mile stone would then be erected. This would be done for the entire length of the road. The length of the modern day pace-sticking course is somewhat shorter, but it is heartening to know that even if Rome wasn’t built in a day, at least it was built with the aid of a pace-stick. The Royal Regiment of Artillery lays claim to being the originator of the pace-stick, using it to measure the correct distances between guns, limbers and ammunition caissons. Sir John Moore, Father of the British “Light” Infantry writes of the efficient use of pace-sticks” by the Sergeants, in a training manual written in the early 1800s, around the time of the Peninsular War. In 1928, the late Academy Serjeant Major Arthur Brand developed a drill for the pace-stick and promoted its use throughout the army” tony 🍻

Hi Gents, I’m hoping someone can help me with this tally please HMS Ark Royal (91), British aircraft carrier launched in 1937 that participated in the Second World War and was sunk by a U-boat in 1941. HMS Ark Royal (R09), an Audacious -class aircraft carrier launched in 1950, decommissioned in 1979. HMS Ark Royal (R07), an Invincible -class aircraft carrier, launched in 1981, decommissioned in 2011. Over the years i guess thousands of sailors served on one of the HMS Ark Royals so there must be quite a few tallies knocking around... & i’m sure there must have been many copies made, some for legitimate reasons and others to deceive. So although i like the feel of it.,, i’m hoping for a knowledgeable eye to tell me whether it is a genuine RN tally and if it is also what period it is from? 🤞 Any thoughts & comments welcome as always. cheers tony 🍻

I was wondering if, at this early stage, you are targeting particular pieces? or are you are making opportunist buys? It seems like you are finding fine examples. tony 🍻

Cheers mate... tony

Good spot with the Hussars badge, after a bit more digging i found a good source that had their different badges, turns out the officers version was white metal/silver and it was worn blackened 👍 Here’s the maker mark on the slider. JR GAUNT LONDON (wonky!) Btw, i think this one was blackened too So...It seems it was a mistake trying to tidy them up, another lesson learned! tony 🍻

Hi Gents, i picked this up a little while ago... I imagine there are a few of these knocking around but i think it’s a nice little thing nonetheless. I believe it is possibly from the 1940’s based on another example I found. A couple of moth nips but otherwise in good condition. I’m guessing originally there was a badge. There is also a nice big stamp inside which I haven’t been able to work out yet... any information on it appreciated. As always any thoughts or comments are most welcome 👍 tony 🍻

I love seeing what people are up to… so keep ‘em coming Greg 👍 tony 🍻

A lovely selection Graf.., 🍻🍻

A lovely thing to have Gordon... 🍻

I wouldn’t have gone back for another look if you hadn’t replied and made sure I didn’t miss it… so thank you Graf 👍 Its gone from ‘just a hat’ to ‘nice hat’ with owners name and the submarine he served on identified… tony 😁

👍 It leads me to look into areas & subjects I wouldn’t have done otherwise… and of course it’s a nice moment if/when you find the answer you were looking for. tony 🍻

It has! Because after your reply I’ve just had another look at the cap, I’m surprised I didn’t check previously because it turns out there is writing on the inside of the sweatband. First the word ABPAMEHKO which after a Google search seems to be a name, then B448. I Googled ‘B448 soviet navy’ From website vk com B-448 "Tambov" The ship entered the lists of ships on February 20, 1989 under the name K-448. It was laid on January 31, 1991 at the Admiralty Plant in Leningrad, launched on October 17, 1991. In 1992, she was reclassified as a large nuclear submarine and renamed B-448. There is a Soviet/Russian submarine B-448 (now ‘Tambov’) with its origins in Leningrad. as has the hat 👇 tony 🍻

I love it… great find, belated congratulations 🍻

I nearly missed your reply somehow, thanks for the nudge Graf. Many thanks for the translations & great background 👍👍 The cap did strike me as having wear through use not age. It’s been worn more than I would expect from perhaps child’s play, however it’s old enough and has travelled enough for the possibility. 👍 I’ll have another look at it and see if I missed anything. For example, pretty sure I haven’t checked the buttons properly yet. cheers tony

Thanks Tracy… 😊 Thanks Graf… 😊 It’s appreciated 💪 & still a few more to come Cheers tony 🍻

Well, the first bit is completed. & I’ve learnt a few things myself already. However... I also made a few hasty (incorrect) assumptions... A deeper dive into them to follow. So... As always, your corrections and any thoughts will be needed, encouraged and appreciated Gents. tony 🍻 PS This could take a while 😊

Cheers Graf 🍻 ————— Hi Gents tony 🍻🍻

Hi Gents, I’m still on the introduction, 🤷‍♂️! Still just the breakdown of the 35 Karl Truppen Kreuz (& counting) by makers mark, following are the last five. So by number not design, the ‘best’ may have been saved until last. I was hoping to find something unusual as well as pick up some new knowledge There are 2 marked GW The maker GW is not known as far as I am aware and it is not even on the (very helpful) list of known makers. There is 1 marked MKT The maker MKT has not been identified either as far as I am aware, though known as one and considered ‘uncommon’. There is 1 without a makers mark. There is 1 made of aluminium (that’s ‘nium’ you yanks) I didn’t even know they existed until Greg recognised it 👍 Thats the 35, finer details to follow Gents. tony 🍻

Hi Kevin, Neither do I! To our frustration , having a search of British WW2 medal records is generally still unavailable, I’ve just had a look and seems there are some exceptions. However it would seem likely the medals you have were not issued to a British serviceman, unless the inscription was done privately after receipt. The UK did not name it’s WW2 War & Defence medals or the campaign stars, which is a Damn shame. Member states of The British Commonwealth (Empire) did (though likely not all) name them however. They were often produced with different materials too. Inscriptions normally read… Number Rank Name Unit Do yours have more detail than the number and name? tony 🍻 We like pictures and they may hold clues 👍 tony

👍👍 Learnt more than a little myself so my pleasure. Let us know if you ever find him 😊 tony 🍻