paul wood

It is a members lapel badge for the Scottish Union of Dock Labourers a Glasgow based organisation which existed from the Glasgow Dock strike of June-July 1911 until it was amalgamated with the transport and General Workers union in 1922. Nice and probably quite a scarce survival. Paul

http://earlyaviators.com/eferrar1.htm Should give you a taste of this Whacky Races flight all it lacked was Dick Dastardly and Mutley. Lovely badge by the way. Paul

That is possible Mervyn but one would expect some engraving on the reverse. The other possibility is that it could be a sports prize medal. Paul

Get rid of the crap on the supension and it looks a lot less trashy in bronze. Had they not bothered to plate it they would have saved money and made a nicer medal to boot. Paul

Amazing you couldn't even have a decent nights drinking for $20. If I saw a mounted group at a fair for that price I would be tempted to buy it even though it is not my collecting field. I certainly am not aware of the Marine Corps version being discontinued and as I know a few ex marines at OMSA I am sure it would have come up over a few beers. Paul

Timo, I think you mean the 3rd China War of 1900 (1st 1842, 2nd 1857-60) Two DCMS were awarded were awarded for China 1860 but both also served in the Crimea 13 DCMS were awarded for China 1900 QMS E. Brooke Duke of Wellington's Regiment (attached Chinese Regt of Infantry) Pte W. Crew 2/r. Welsh Fusiliers (He was KIA July 1900 and DCM awarded posthumously so that rules him out) Pte. J Doodson 2/R Welsh Fusiliers Sgt Gi-Dien-Kwee Chinese Regiment of Infantry Corp David J. Gowney R.M. Pte J Jackson 2/R Welsh Fusiliers Cpl. T. Johnson R.M. Sgt J. Murphy R.M. Pte. J.A. Myers R.M. L/Sgt J. E. Preston R.M. C/Sgt R Purdon Coldstream Guards (attached Chinese Regiment of Infantry) Havildar Rooshan Khan Hong Kong-Singapore Batallion RGA (I'd sell my grandmother for that one) Sgt. C.W. Taylor 2/R Welsh Fusiliers Hope this helps (if you picked it up in Dublin then Murphy would be a fair bet) Paul

Even the dealers didn't want them. Paul

3 IGS 1908s to Frontier Force Rifles, comprising a) Northwest Frontier 1908, b) Waziristan 1919-21, and © 3 clasps North West Frontier 1930-31, Mohmand 1933, Northwest Frontier 1935 were in auction 2 weeks ago, estimate £120-150 and were unsold, so much for $100-125 per medal. Paul

Also forgot to mention that medals for NWF 08 and Abor were named in engrave running script the rest were impressed in capitals, the NWF 08 and Abor medals were also issued in bronze to non-combattant troops and followers, after that everybody got the silver medal. Paul

Sorry forgot to mention that the Waziristan 1925 clasp was only issued to RAF personnel. Paul

The India General Service was established in 1908 for the North West Frontier Campaign of that year, this bore the portrait of Edward VII. In 1912 a clasp and medal for the Abor campaig in North East India was issued, the medal bore the type 1 portrait of George V with the title of Kaisar-i-Hind, which was used until 1930. The next campaign for which a clasp was issued was the third Afghnistan War of 1919, the clasp was Afghanistan NWF 1919, this is by far the commonest clasp for the IGS 1908 and single clasp medals can be purchased for £30-40, this clasp is frequently found in combination with clasps for, Waziristan 1919-21 Mahsud 1919-20 and Waziristan 1921-24, two and three clasp medals are frequently encountered and 4 clasp medals are not uncommon, 5 clasp medals are rare and I have never encountered a verified 6 clasp although they may exist. with he North West Frontier 1930-31 clasp medals were issued with a second portrait with British as well as Indian titles, the final clasp for the medal was North West Frontier 1935. In order of rarity the clasps are Waziristan 1925 of which approximately 260 were awarded, Mahsud 1919-20 as a single clasp (extremely rare to British servicemen (only a handful awarded) and rare to Indian troops), Abor 1911-12, Malabar 1920-21, Burma 1930-32, Mohmand 1933 (but rare to British forces), North West Frontier 1908, Waziristan 1921-24, North West Frontier 1935, Waziristan 1919-21, North West Frontier 1930-31, Afghanistan NWF 1919. Obviously there are common clasps which are very rare to certain units and scarce clasps which are common to others. As a collecting theme the IGS 08 is reasonably priced (most clasps can be purchased for less than than a great war trio). Medals to Indian troops are cheaper than those to British as far more medals and clasps were issued to them and with the exception of the Waziristan 1925 clasp one can reasonably easily get an example of each campaign clasp (the Mahsud in combination with Afghanistan NWF 1919). Hope this is of help, Paul

Paul For a French made example of the Baltic Medal see ANS part 2, lot 588, sold with a 2 clasp French Crimea, made more than double the estimate which would seem to confirm your view as to the rarity of the French made Baltic, the piece mentioned was on anotably thineer flan. Paul

These are quite common clasps and a relatively common clasp combination to a Sepoy (Indian equivalent of Private), in the 2/25th Punjabis who was serving the North West Frontier between 1919 and 1924. These regularly turn up in dealers lists and usually sell for around £50 or so. Paul

Chris the Gazetting of the award is not a sudden legitimising process, there are cases of immediate awards, in the Great War there are examples of George V pinning the medal on the recipient sometime before it is gazetted, Surely you can't get more offical that the sovereign bestowing the award. Also for various reasons some awards were never gazetted for various reasons, some for national security, some because they were awarded to foreigners, some because there was a cock up between the awarding of the decoration and the publication of the London Gazette and it was omitted. The Gazette in my opinion is the dotting the Is and crossing the Ts, the actual bestowal of the honour is what counts. I would have thought a picture of the Kaiser decorating an identified soldier would be as good as any document. Paul

By the with documents showing entitlement (and they can come in many forms) I tend to use award documents it covers a multitude of sins. Paul

Trust me Chris is right, you see what you think is a tomato in a buffet in south London, you bite it and discover it is the hottest West Indian chili you can possibly imagine. After such such a traumatic experience you never look at a tomato in the same way again. Paul

Technically the group is possible he could have been a boy sailor for the 1914-15 Star and therefore in his mid 50's for the NGS Cyprus. The GVI LSGC is quite possible as he may have been discharged following the Great War and rejoined in 1939-40 thus being entitled if he stayed on to an LSGC. However the points you have made and the illustrations suggest that it may be an E-bay special, made up from individual miniatures. Paul

We could devise some interesting Orders based on native fauna, Greenland, the Order of the Fallen Lemming. China order of the Celibate Panda. Kenya, Order of the Hornless Rhino. Brazil, Order of the Scarlet Macaw. Britain, Order of the Urban Fox. Perhaps other members could deivise other orders. Paul

Ah old friends. Paul

Only fascists not Hitlerites, you get more points for killing Hitlerites. Paul

Basically a member of the Volunteer Forces who were attached for the duration. Paul

Can't find him in any of my IALs however the 1944 or 1945 IAL lists which alas I do not have may well include him. I suspect he was a war time attached volunteer. Paul

Ah had missed those posts, thanks Nick for posting them. Paul

Sorry I was looking at the uniform not the ribbons, War Medal and India Service Medal, was presumably India based for the duration. Will see if I can find anything about him. Paul