leigh kitchen

A caisson is still on the beach at Littlestone, near New Romney (I only mention it because I used to spend a bit of time at Littlestone), it was washed up there after storms broke the British harbour at Aromanche up - quite neat when you consider that Mulberry components were stored or harboured just down the road at Dungeness.

My old man went ashore in Normandy on the Arromanche harbour.

The first 2 of these links refer to the Mulberrys & Hayling Island:

http://www.hayling.co.uk/gallery/haylingphoto-221.html

http://www.hayling.co.uk/gallery/haylingphoto-223.html

http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/trlout/TRA22190.html

http://www.combinedops.com/Mulberry%20Harbours.htm

http://www.normandiememoire.com/NM60Anglai...sto4_p03_gb.htm

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Engla...rryandPluto.htm

http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/mulberry-harbour.shtml

'James Lee Wood Jr, USMC - Much Decorated Veteran of II, Korea & Vietnam

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am interested in finding what information I can on this man please - he was in the USMC & fought during WWII & in Korea & Vietnam, he held the Silver Star, Bronze Star, South Vietnamese Cross of Honour (?), was wounded 11 times & was apparently captured by the enemy & escaped a number of times in Vietnam.

When he was 86 years old (about 2001) he was awarded a citation by the Oklahoma State Legislature in recognition of his military service, & received a letter from the State Governor.

I've seen the citation & letter, a photo, a couple of newspaper clippings & a few other bits & pieces to him today & would like to know more about him - a quick search on Google etc was negative.

Any info on this man would be gratefully received, ta.

Any chance of a close up of the sleeve badges and the badges on the sheet of paper?

All the best

Chris

The black bow & arrow on red square are AA Command, which was retained after the war other than by some Heavy & Light AA Regiments.

These look like the second pattern of the badge, the first pattern having a less ornate bow ? a semi circular bow without the fancy curves & twirls.

The red strip below the AA Command patches on the tunic is presumably the red half of the blue & red arm of service strip, the one strip indicating senior brigade in the formation.

The black RA on khaki patch are slip on shoulder titles, the red on blue are sew on titles, the tunic has metal RA shoulder titles & the RA?s white lanyard.

I can?t see whether the tunic buttons are the RA gun or the infantry GS pattern..

The L in wreath is Gunlayer, I can?t remember what this white on red version of the Essex Seaxes was ? an Independent Infantry Brigade? ? or a ?battle patch? of the 5th Bn Essex Regt.??......

The sidecap is in the RA colours, but does?nt appear to have a badge on it, merely the ?gun? pattern badge laid on top, instead of the grenade collar dog worn on side caps.

The black patch with bullion star design is the blazer badge of the ?old comrades? The Burma Star Association.

What are the FOUR insignia (!) on his lower left sleeve? If he had NCO stripes, he's have been "shoulder seam to cuff!"

Can?t make out the top two badges, the inverted chevron is a long service stripe.

SP in wreath is Special Proficiency Pay, which was awarded only to Privates & unpaid Lance Corporals.

The red chevrons on the right sleeve are overseas service stripes, 1940 (I think, but possibly 1939) was represented by a blue chevron the following years red.

The cloth L in wreath sown below the tunic is Gunlayer.

The crown predates QE II, so pre circa 1953.

Shaved fibres on glue plugs?

Mike,

Yes it is indeed a British propaganda piece. The message on it is not "To der Kaiser", it is "To hell mit (helmet) der Kaiser". I have one just like it and it is but one of many types of these. There are others that had the names of pillaged cities in France and Belgium on them. I would love to find the Louvain etc. one, I don't have it yet. They are of the period and quite collectible.

Dan

I have about 3 versions of these, none with the helmet but mentioning such places as Louvain, Hartlepool etc

I'll just limp along on my old 1962 edition - is that the 1st edition?

I'm not too clued up on anodised badges, but the Greenjackets badge in black is subdued either produced that way or spray painted black - it's proper colour is silver.

The QRIH badge is the second pattern, the first version being a one piece badge & the ends of the motto scroll hugged the name circlet.

I still have the idea that this red blue & white ribbon is a war ribbon, used on many different medals awarded during WWI, I just do'nt know where I would have found that info..........................

Thanks, nice photos - I did'nt realise that the cap was still in wear in the 50's.

It's a pity the tradition did'nt carry on post amalgamation into RRF.

..................And I've always wanted a Korea pair to RNF as well as a GSM for Aden, but have never actively sought them out.

Thank you - looks like "Wunsche" did'nt exist then.

Thanks, the unit is listed as previous service in a WWII wehrpas - I wonder if it's a misinterpretation of handwritten "Munchen" ?

Thank you, I'd noticed that Davis had "missed" this cap out of his book although of course he includes a few Torins & tents of other units.

I have a small WWII book on coloured FSC (which I can't locate at the moment, I think it's Regimental Badges & Service Caps, 1941), it shows an all khaki cap, as I recall it's simply the universal FSC.

Thanks, it looks like this cap on the 2nd Bn oficers, tho' Captain Eager appears to be wearing one in different colours.

I'm assuming that: "Regimental History of the Northumberland Fusiliers mentions this cap being worn 1938 to 1940 because after Dunkirk they re-designed a kharki model of the above side-cap which was worn throughout the Second World War" actually refers to the adoption of the plain khaki universal FSC rather than a khaki version of the Torin.

I may be wrong, but I understand the Red white & blue ribbon to have been used on most WWI awrded medals rather than their own unique ribbons - so I think the use of this ribbon denotes a WWI issue medal.

I shouold get around to getting some Ryker cases - I've always liked this, a frame a relative bought me, but I'm too tight to spend about ?45 a throw on them.

Theses are some of my 1914/15 Star groups, they're crammed in, but the ribbons which have medals laying on top of them are all replacement ribbon jobs so no harm being done to original ribbons.

The 23 x gold braid stripes on RAF backing are either uncut or belonged to the unluckiest man in the RAF.

Yes, I will dig out a couple of variations on the brass wound stripes as weel.

Here are 3 x gold braid stripes on dark blue, so presumably worn on Blues by army & RM, & by police, ARP & similar organistions.

These 3 have been trimmed & worn as a patch of 3 stripes.

Close up of badge, bit blurred.

The badge, presumably an officers Full Dress collar dog.

The info that I've got is that this Gosling Green & black (it's more of a brown in the photos I would think) & black cap is described (but not illustrated) in the Military Historical Society Special Booklet On Coloured Field Service Caps (Infantry) as being:

"Worn by officers, who were only allowed to wear in mess dress by orderly officers: no. 1 Blues & when in camp. It was not permitted for wear in public".

I'm also told:

"Regimental History of the Northumberland Fusiliers mentions this cap being worn 1938 to 1940 because after Dunkirk they re-designed a kharki model of the above side-cap which was worn throughout the Second World War."

Gosling Green was the facing colour of the old Northumberland Fusiliers, allegedly the name is derived from the term "goose **** green" used by the French as an insult to the regiment during the Peninsular War.

It appears that this was worn as a mess dress item item & other than that only by Orderly Officers & that it was a particularly short lived item of dress.

Does anyone know any more about this type of cap please, any photos about?

Can anybody tell me any information about this unit please?

I have no knowledge when it comes to these units and no reference materials other than the internet & I've drawn a blank there.

British protestations at sawback bayonets were rather hypocritical given their own history with saw backs - their old saw bladed yatagans too had their saw teeth ground off.

I've yet to find reference to rough treatment handed out to Germans captured in possession of saw backs other than in "All Quiet".

A similar legend amongst the British was that Lewis Gunners got "special treatment" if captured & there are written references to their "LG" qualification badges being removed & dirt smeared over the resultant clean oval of sleeve material before an attack - but I'm not sure if I've ever read of Lewis Gunners actually being singled out for the good old "special treatment"?

The plastics used in some medal envelopes actually cause damge to medals over time apparently, some materials used as backings can also cause problems eg felt causes tarnishing.

Although I tend not to bother, it seems a good idea to give medals a gentle clean when you get them in order to remove any harnful deposits such as acid from fingers etc.

A liitle soap and water & careful drying is reccommended by some collectors, tho' that's very much going to depend on the indivisual medal.

A bit of brasso or duraglit on an already polished or worn 1914 Star is'nt going to do any harm, but I'd refrain from attacking much else with those.

I tend to leave things alone, tho' as & when I ever frame up things like my collection of odds & ends single WWI British medals I might give them a bit of a clean, & I suspect it's so much easier to find a place on a wall with a woman about the house if what your sticking up on the wall is colourful & shiny.

One of my wifes objections to my British army cap badge collection is that I leave them dull & dirty looking instead of polishing them up nice & shiny, but that's deliberate - polishing those can remove most if not all of the clues that show you such a badge is genuine.

My medals live where they always have - in boxes & folders awaiting the day that I get myself organised & frame them.