GraemeR

Cracking stuff there. Are any of the Neal's related to each other?

These medals were awarded to Jimmy Sharpe, C Company, 2 Para. MM & Bar (Named to Black Watch) 1939/45 Star Africa Star '1st Army' Clasp Italy Star France & Germany Star Defence Medal War Medal General Service Medal 'Palestine 1945-48' Clasp (Named to AAC) Jimmy Sharpe joined the Black Watch and was sent to France with the BEF in 1940. He was evacuated out through Dunkirk. In 1941 he transferred to C Company, 2 Para. This was known as the Jock Platoon as most of the troops were transferred from Scottish Regiments. In February 1942 the Company received a new CO, Major John Frost, and orders to carry out the first ever British Parachute raid at Bruneval in France. Jimmy survived the Bruneval raid and went on with 2 Para to fight in North Africa (Oudna), Sicily (Primisole Bridge) and Italy (Taranto which was the first ever seaborne operation carried out by the Para's). After that it's back to the UK. In September 1944 he dropped in Holland and made it to Arnhem Bridge still comanded by John Frost. The medals are still in the family and will one day end up being donated to the Para Museum.

It's a very intresting box they came with as well. I must admit to bieng slightly jealous of that.

Oops meant to add info on the above 2 recipients but got taken away with something else and now the edit button has disappeared. Major A C Keane - Royal Army Service Corps Albert Charles Keane born on 3 December 1904. He served in the ranks for 20 years and 60 days. Both the GSM & LSGC are named to him as a Sergeant. He recieved the Coronation Medal as a Corporal. WO1 (Mechanist Sgt-Major) 18 June 1940 Lieut (Mech Offr) RASC 1946 Capt (Mech Offr) 1948 Regular Commission 1 January 1949 Transferred to REME as Capt (EMAE) 1951 Major (EMAE) 1954 Retired 3 December 1959 He was Inspector of Mechanical Transport with the RASC Inspectorate from 23 October 1950 and from 1954 until his retirement he was EMAE at HQ Eastern Command UK. He died in 1977. Lt Col W A P Court, Royal Engineers William Anthony Philip Court BA psc born on 13 May 1912 in Leceister. Educated at Kimbolton School and Selwyn College Cambridge. Commissioned from the TA into the RE in 1935 (University Candidate) Lieut 1936 A/Capt 1939 War Substantive Captain and promoted Temporary Major 6 May 1941 A/Major 1941 A/Lt Col 1941-42 Major 1946 A/Lt Col 1952-54 Lt Col 1954 Retired 11 August 1959 Served with the Egyptian Army 1938-1941. MID for Middle East in London Gazette 30 December 1941. Instructor OCTU 1944-45. War Office 1945-46. DAQMG Canal North District, Egypt 1947-48. DAQMG War Office 1950-52. CRE Cyrenaica 1956. Commander RE Port Said during the Suez Crises. CRE BAOR until retirement.

Could also be Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry

Lt Col W A P Court RE 39/45 Star Africa Star '8th Army' Italy Star Defence Medal War Medal with MID Oakleaf GSM 'Near East' 1953 Coronation Medal

A C Keene RASC GSM 'Palestine' 'Malaya' 39/45 Star Burma Star Defence Medal War Medal 1937 Coronation Medal LSGC Medal

Ed, I must admit I have followed these threads with total and utter fascination. Great stuff. Cheers Graeme

Lt Col Hankey OBE DSO Kings Own Scottish Borderers

The Army Gold Medal awarded to Lord Lynedoch for the Battle of Barossa with added Clasps for the Battles of Ciudad Rodrigo and Vitoria.

The Army Gold Cross awarded to Lord Lynedoch for his services in the wars against France.

Breast Star of the Turkish Order of the Crescent. Awarded to General Sir David Baird by the Sultan of Turkey for his part in the defeat of the French in Egypt in 1801.

Breast Star of a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. Awarded to General Sir David Baird in 1815.

Breast Star of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath. Awarded to General Sir David Baird in 1809 at the end of his active Military career and for his part in the Battle of Corunna.

Earl Haig's death mask.

The Eagle captured by Ensign Ewart at Waterloo.

I have just visited a few Museums in Edinburgh and Berwick. Managed to take quite a few pics of awards and medals. Graeme Private R Dunsire The Royal Scots For conspicuous bravery on Hill 70 on 26th September 1915. Private Dunsire went out under very heavy fire and rescued and wounded man from between the firing lines. Later, when another man considerably nearer the German Lines was heard shouting for help he crawled out again with utter disregard for enemy fire and carried him to safety also. Shortly after this the Germans attacked over the same ground.

Close up without the frame. Nice cloth pilot's badge and smoking a pipe at so young an age!! Shocking!! Can anyone identify the unit from the meagre markings that can be seen on the plane. Cheers Graeme

I picked up this nice framed photo a couple of weeks ago, Graeme

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this but I couldn't think which other forum would work. Graeme Personnel The MoD have on their books 716,360 staff. This splits down as; Regular Forces 202,350 Reserves 201,370 Volunteer Reserves (TA) 38,850 Cadet Forces 155,590 MoD Civilian Staff 118,200 A split of the Regular Forces is; Army 109,850 (+ 3,540 Gurkhas) Royal Navy 40,160 Royal Air Force 52,340 Out of all this the UK has a depolyable Infantry contingent of 20,630. Equipment - Army Armour 386 Challenger II 136 Sabre 54 Striker 320 Scimitar 1,467 FV 432/430 667 MCV 80 Warrior 637 Spartan 605 Saxon 11 fuchs (NBC) Artillery & Mortars 450 81mm Mortar 2,093 51mm Light Mortar 178 AS90 63 227mm MLRS 112 105mm Light Gun Air Defence 57 Rapier 145 Starstreak 135 HVM Army Aviation 116 Lynx 113 Gazelle 5 BN2 67 WAH-64D Apache on order (20 now in service - sort off)

Jim, Thanks for that. I was going by what the guy who gave me the 3 pics told me. Nice to know the for certain though. Cheers Graeme

He only recently had the bar extended with the OSM. He has never actually worn them. He has them 'just in case'. He hasn't even added a miniature OSM to his mess bar. He is too tight to buy one. If his missus hadn't paid for the re-mounting of his full size bar he would never have got it done. I have a mate that works through in Glasgow that has 8. He got his ribbon bar re-done by a Glasgow company and the idiots put all 8 ribbons in a single row. It sticks out so far it looks ridiculous but he is also too tight to get them re-done. Marcus, that is a nice group you have as well. Cheers Graeme

Just picked up a really nice photo of HMS Eastbourne returning from the 'Cod War'. The Forth Rail Bridge is in the background. The damage to the ship was caused by being rammed by, I understand, the Icelandic vessel Thor. Sorry for the quality of the pic but the photo is that big that I can't fit it onto my scanner. Graeme

Ed, Yes, very interested. Keep them coming. Cheers Graeme

Firemedals, Thanks for that useful info. I don't know much about these medals at all. Rick, All they have are the Rank and Name of the person. Much like the Special Constabularly Long Service medals. Although they only have a name - no rank. It can make them a bugger to trace. Graeme