leigh kitchen

One of my granfathers served on / at HMS Tamar in the 1920's & on ships including HMS Kent at Hankow during a period of resistance & rioting etc 1926 / 27.

My mother has given me a bag of cedar rings, like big Polo mints that fit over the hook on a coathanger, along with a small bottle of cedar oil which you refresh them with. These particular rings were produced in Poland & bought through one of the "Cleneze" type companies that leave their catalogues on your doorstep to solicit orders. I inspected a large bag of caps & berets bundled in the garage yesterday & right at the bottom, despite the mothballs & anti-moth impregnated cardboard flowers I found a small white caterpilar. The whole ground floor of the house reeks of mothballs & flowery perfumed anti-moth stuff & still the little swine keep coming.

Great stuff Tony, it's wonderful when so much can be gleaned from a little siver medalion.

Kenyan police served in UNMIBH too, I don't know if their military did.

A nice collection of insignia there Irish - there are leathers for some of the the shield shaped French insignia on ebay at the moment - buy 20 for £10.

Interesting to see the way the aprons are worn Graham, to one side so as not to impede marching / walking when not actually required for use. I have the histories of the 16th, the 17th & 32nd & of the 19th Bns NF (the 19th is ex-libris a certain Mr Grumpy) but no others.

Try black light, may help.

Alec I have no information re. the 8 GBJ Div badge, here's a link to an item about the division, http://www.gebirgsjaeger.4mg.com/8gebdiv.htm & a photo of the rear of the badge, which obvously represents the Gbj of the divisional insignia. This example appears to have been obtained by an American soldier in Italy, I think the 8 GBJ Div was "captured" by the 8th US Div?

Apparently the only order/ award known that can still be attributed to Nelson?.

Does a "tradition badge" qualfy? 8th GBJ Div, formed in 1942 in Norway, at partial strength fought on the eastern front, transferred to Italy in late 1944, numbering about 3000 men fighting mainly in the north as part of 10th Armee, surrendered in April 1945.

From a position of complete ignorance - could "SCH.P.53" refer to a Shutzpolizei unit?

Wonderful Dieppe connection, makes me ponder groups that should be "affordable" & that I'd like - a Dieppe, a D-Day, a Fortress Singapore, a Changi POW, Chindit, Gallipoli, 1st day of The Somme, the list goes on. Any chance of photos of your man turning up in regimental journals etc?

SA forces are not usually my subject of interest, but I have my order in for a book on Pathfinder Company, 44 Para Bde - "Pathfinder Company - The Phillistines" by Graham Gillmore....... Pathfinder Company: 44 Parachute Brigade 'The Philistines' - Graham Gillmore -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colonel Jan Breytenbach writes in the foreword: "On Ascension Day, 1978, a composite South African parachute battalion jumped onto the tactical HQ of SWAPO's PLAN army, based at Cassinga, 250 kilometres north of the Angolan border to destroy the facility, their logistics, and to wipe out a strong concentration of SWAPO guerrillas. The airborne assault, part of Operation Reindeer, was an unqualified success; the whole base was destroyed. 608 PLAN fighters were killed, with many more wounded which pushed the final SWAPO death toll to well over a thousand. We lost only four paratroopers killed in action plus a dozen or so wounded. According to airborne experts in Britain and Australia, this was the most audacious parachute assault since the Second World War; the mounting airfield was well over 1,000 nautical miles away. I was the commander of that airborne assault, which although successful above all expectations, also highlighted many shortcomings, some of which nearly led to a disastrous outcome." 44 Parachute Brigade was formed later that year, with the need for a specialist Pathfinder Company patently clear. Into the ranks came professional veterans from the UK, USA, Australasia, Rhodesia and elsewhere, from Rhodesian Special Forces units such as the SAS, Selous Scouts and the RLI, during the closing stages of and shortly after the Rhodesian Bush War.Formed by Col. Jan Breytenbach, the Pathfinder Company was organised to to provide an independent unit capable of conducting covert unconventional warfare in the border areas of South-West Africa (modern day Namibia) and Angola.The primary mission of the unit was the selection and operation of drop and landing zones for the remainder of the parachute brigade, and to establish OP's along SWAPO infiltration routes. The information gathered from these activities would then be relayed back to Section 10 headquarters who would deploy troops, such as 32 Battalion, to intercept and bring SWAPO into contact.The Pathfinder Company was disbanded in January 1982. The company never numbered more than 30 members, and given the short period of its existence, it created problems for SWAPO and its allies out of all proportion to its size. "This is their book, a collection of stories about the founding and deployment of a unit of 'Foreign Legionnaires', from different parts of the world who became welded together into a remarkable combat unit, unsurpassed by any other South African Defence Force unit in their positive and aggressive approach to battle. For me it was an honour to have faced incoming lead together with them." The Author Graham Gillmore enjoys country life in the natural beauty of East Anglia and the Fens but was born a Londoner in 1952. An innate fascination with history and all things military inevitably led him to joining the Grenadier Guards, and for six months the Guards Depot drilled into him soldiering skills of the highest standard. Graham left the British Army in 1977 to join the Rhodesian Light Infantry in their war to prevent communist terrorists overthrowing the country. After two years as the signals rep to Support Commando, 1RLI, Graham was promoted to Signals Troop Sergeant, but with the fall of Rhodesia to the Marxists in 1980, he moved to South Africa to continued the anti-terrorist fight with the Pathfinder Company, 44 Parachute Brigade. He returned to England still on crutches after being wounded in Angola and joined the Territorial Army. After a career in VIP security Graham is now a leading member of the Victorian Military Society for whom he runs The Diehard Company, an internationally known and highly regarded re-enactment group. He advises and writes articles on the British Army on Home Service and on campaign during Queen Victoria's reign. Softback, 260 x 215mm. 160 pages. 200 colour & b/w photos, maps. Dispatching early - mid July. NOTE for UK Residents: Steve Crump of '30 Degrees South UK' has invited anyone interested to attend the UK 'Pathfinder Company' book launch being held at the London Club of the Rifles, London - 16/09/10. 18:00hrs for 18:30 start. Guest Speakers - Graham Gillmore (Author) & Lt Col Stuart Tootal DSO, OBE (Former CO 3 PARA). Dress code: Lounge suits. Select 'Book Signing Copy' below. PS - there is no obligation to purchase from us in order to attend the Book Launch event, you can purchase from Steve Crump / 30DS directly. Three ordering options:- * Normal Copy - dispatch when stock in hand * Autographed Copy - dispatching from September 17th onwards * Book Signing Copy - Attend / collect at 30 Degrees South UK organised 'Launch Event & Book Signing'. We will pass your details to Steve Crump for the Invite - we will supply your copy there. (No P&P will be added to the order)

Loyal Orange LOdge? Past Master?

Nice photos & interesting info, the photo I posted is still the only one I have of the Inns of Court.

"G" is listed in Howard Williamson's "Collector's & Researcher's Guide To The Great War"" as being used by RN - "Colombo - prefix to numbers under 1907 circular no. 82 (implememted from 1.1.08)". His rank is Leading Cooks Mate - "L.CK.MTE", by the look of it. Any chance the surname is actually a Sri Lankan one, fits in with the Indian etc rather than British habit of dipping medals?

I have a jelly bean shirt/jacket with straight topped chest pockets that I was given by a NT police officer & used to wear when I worked abroad for a while as I was'nt issued anything more substantial than thin button front shirts. Got a spare brand new set of still in the bag jelly bean one piece overalls as used by Aussie armed forces & NT police "firearms" if anyone wants a freebie.Scott?

Yep, seen photos of them on "red tunics".

Try blacklight, might work.

Any change of swivel / fixed suspenders Tony? Or was that just the LSGC of the reign & not the MSM?

I had finally found the card of the print, but no signature, good job the version on "The British Empire" site is attributed. The card was published by The National Army Museum, perhaps they can assist?

I'm thinking more to protect the tunic than to absorb recoil, the rifle being "shouldered" on the left.

The button is post 1935 (till about 1952)version for The Royal East Kent Regt.

Nice that it's got chinchain & other fittings - anything to indicate use by a particular unit?

Just wondered, as I raided a coupla trees in Greenwich Park day before yesterday. They make your pockets sticky. And your comb, your loose change, your car keys, etc etc..... If they don't ward off moths they'll trap them in the resin.