John

Any takers....?

Hi Guys,

This is my first FJ badge. It is quite heavy compared to other FJ badges, and has no makers mark.

Can any one tell me about it?

Thanks

John

What's this? One for you aircraft buffs...

Received a piccy from my Dad , of me , a very long time ago. Its a Commando armoured car, ambushed by the rebels, with an RPG-7 and small arms fire, in the early seventies, i think. It's taken on Salalah plain. All the crew were killed.

Looks really good! Another place to list on my 'to'do' pad....

John

Hi James,

Lovely post, and my hat off to you for taking the time and effort to visit his Grave. It's nice to have his memory kept alive.

Regards,

John

Nice post, chaps.

A terrible shame, but I thank him for our freedom.

It made my blood boil that 'they' ie the PC brigade want to do away with Remembrance Sunday. It's men like this who we owe a great deal to. They carried the mental and physical scars to enable us to live the way do today.

I think one day a year isn't to much to ask. I do hope Mr Anderson found his peace.

regards,

John

Hi Gordon,

I am no expert on this, but I did have a QSA to a chap in the 95th Yeomanry, and the service papers showed only a mention of previous service , i think he did six yers elsewhere, but these papers were only interested in the year he did in the yeomanry.

I hope that helps....

john

Hi hinrich,

Yet anpther great post. I know you are away at the moment, but please keep it coming. For me it's something competely new , and I find it fascinating!

Do you have shotgun restrictions in Iceland? What is the Armed Forces like there?

Regards,

John

Hi Hinrik,

Really great post. Thank you very much. Oh, and please pardon my ignorance.... there really is very little information available on Iceland during the Wars.

I would love to see and hear more on the topic, particularly of your museum.

Are you enjoying China?

Regards,

John

Gordon,

Blinding post! I didn't realise that there were still yeomanry units around.

Regards,

John

Hi Marc,

Have you tried the Royal British Legion? They would be a good place to start, and should have info on various Naval Associations.

Regards,

John

Hinrich,

Thank you, that was an interesting response. What does Iceland's Navy consist of today?

Regards,

John

Thanks Tony.

I'm not too far from there, so I'll have to visit!

John

Hi Paul,

It was bought from a dealer in London, who got it from another dealer who didn't know what he had... He in turn had bought it from a French farmer in Normandy.

Regards,

John.

Sounds Great. What's the Museum called?

Regards,

John

A close up of the liner...

The liner...

The Decal

And another view...

another view...

What do you think, guys?

One for BJOW that I'd forgotten about...

Footnote: William Thomas Harland was born at Woolwich, Kent in September 1886 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in June 1903. Three years later, however, he purchased his discharge, was enrolled in the R.F.R. and joined the Metropolitan Police, in which latter force he served as a P.C. in ?Y? and Thames Divisions until recalled by the Royal Navy in early August 1914.

Harland died on 22 September 1914, when his ship, the cruiser H.M.S. Aboukir, together with the Cressy and Hogue, was famously sunk by Lieutenant Otto Weddigen in the U-9, about 30 miles from Ymuiden - the total loss of life in this triple disaster was over 1400 officers and men. The Aboukir was the first to be hit:

?At 6.30 a.m. came the first intimation of danger when a torpedo exploded under the Aboukir?s starboard side, causing that ship to take a list of 20 degrees. The order to ?abandon ship? was given after a very short time, but only one boat, the cutter, was got away, and those in the water had to avail themselves of anything which would float. The first idea in the mind of Captain Drummond was that his ship had struck a mine as no submarine was visible. The Aboukir remained afloat for some 25 minutes, after which she capsized and lay for a time with her keel above water ...? (A Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).

Sold with original memorial scroll; Admiralty communications to the recipient?s mother regarding his death and a gratuity payment; an old photograph of H.M.S. Aboukir, together with more recent photographs of the Chatham Naval Memorial, on which Harland is commemorated; together with two metalled numbers from his Police uniform collar.

I really enjoyed all of your posts, chaps. Thank you very much for sharing.

Regards,

John

Hi Chaps.

In what circumstances were the LW Ground Assault badges awarded ? Were they also awarded to the FJ?

Regards,

John