Mervyn Mitton

I did Hugh's press Ctrl and + and to me it looks like an elephant - with the trunk hanging to the Left ?

Yes - your looks O.K. - but there is an inherant weakness and there aren't many that haven't been fixed. People expect it - so doesn't affect value. Apart from the QSA's I have only seen these recent additions to your collection. Are you 'branching out' or, are these just new ones ? Certainly, you have added some fine examples. Mervyn

Lorenzo - you will have to buy a warehouse to keep this enormous collection in - do you find that interest has been maintained from other collectors ? BDSM has been posting some nice Iraqi flashes under Police - Foreign. Best wishes Mervyn

Thankyou Laurence. Will follow this up and report back.

No - a good guess - but it goes back to the 12th Century and the various Crusades to the Holy Land. Scallop shells were sewn onto the tunics of the pilgrims to show their destination and also, when they returned - the few that did - to show they had been. The ports of the time , from where they took passage to Europe to start the pilgrimage, identified the honour by adopting a scallop shell in the Arms. A number of towns have them - including Poole in Dorset. Where they wern't a port, it showed the local Lord had been. Similarly, those that had made the trip are shown on their coffin sculpures as having their ankles crossed.

Darrell - I was going to comment on this lovely medal earlier - however, dinner came first.... This has always been one of my favourite 'small' campaigns - very few troops were involved and they were there mainly by accident. The medal is very 'un-British' with it's style of clasp - mainly it is famous for always having had to be re-affixed at the top. There is a weakness where the medal top meets the ball of the ring - never a problem - it is part of the medal. I think yours looks as if this may have happened, but it doesn't affect value. The famous African explorer - I think Lawrence Durrell - mentions the campaign in one of his books. His Father was the British Advisor in Ethiopia - or, Abyssinia,at the time. The Emperor got the shock of his life when we turned on him.

Another superb addition to the collection. I always like the original spelling of Peking.

Ed - at the risk of getting my head 'bitten off ' , I am going to take issue with you on this not welcome bit. When I first joined - a year ago on the 3rd. I was impressed with your posts and your knowledge. You and I have had limited exchanges, but I would welcome the opportunity for us to exchange banter and info.. Please re-think your position on all of this - from my contacts I know that it is all a mis-understanding. After all, you, Rick - and for some reason, myself, have been elevated to the 'purple' - so , at least we should be corresponding. Best wishes Mervyn (Sorry, Darrell that this is 'off topic', but it seems the right time to clear the air....) ( Take 'no notice', Jeanette)

Leigh - I think this enamel shoulder title would fall under your heading. I think it must be Denmark and it was for the handing over of South West Afica to become Namibia. Helpfully, the badge shows where Namibia is. The diamond is because it is one of the main areas for them. They can be found on some beaches - which is why they shoot you if you go near them.....

Hello - Paul. I'm anxious to know if any more 'treasures' have arrived ? I have a question that you may be able to assist with - I have the only Tipstaff known for Canada - although , I think , it was practise in the early days , for Supt's. and above to carry them. How would I find out if the RCMP have any examples in their Museum. Mine is for the North West Mounted Police and I intend posting it soon. The only decorated truncheon known for Canada is in the Ontario Museum. Many thanks for any help. Mervyn

Hi - Kevin. Draw breath !! Let some of these interesting - and I do mean that - posts get absorbed by the members reading them. Not everyone has the same deep interest in history - and , as you will know from PICA, are more artefact and badge collectors. I personally will be going back to re-read the Northumberland archive - but, have to admit that even I get 'cross eyed' from yet another list of wheelbarrows... The WW1 Specials identification lapel pins have always had a big following and are now quite valuable - particularly the solid silver ones,as City of London. I would think the variation of colour indicates rank - as with the Met. Police. Brian showed some good ones a little while ago. The gilt one may be the Head Special ? A little side note - who knows why Grimsby has a scallop shell above the arms ?

I appreciate this is a new member and I do not wish to be rude - however, this uniform should be on the Polish sub-forum. Not under British Medals. Could a Moderator transfer both posts ?

South Africa was first settled by the Dutch in the 17th. century. The British fought a short campaign in 1810 and took Capetown from them - this was mainly due to our superiority in warships. We gradually expanded out and once a way was found over the mountains this proceeded Eastwards quite quickly. British merchants were never slow to come forward and they started a scheme - with Government backing - to bring settlers from Britain to establish towns along the Coast. They became known as the ' 1820 Settlers' - although ships brought new immigrants in for many years. They were responsible for the cities of Port Elizabeth; East London; Grahamstown ( the administrative centre ) - and in fact the whole area which was to become known as the Eastern Cape. There was one major problem - the local inhabitants already living there, were not at all happy to see them - the result was that we fought a total 9 Kaffrarian Wars in the Eastern Cape. Not all of them were full scale wars, but the locals were ferocious tribes and put-up strong opposition. We have already on this sub-forum, mentioned Moroisi's Mountain - where three V.C.'s were won. Including the Swede - Brown . Three campaigns were fought early-on. 1834-35 ; 1846-47 and 1850-53. The Imperial General Service medal awarded in 1853 looks the same as the one I illustrate here , including the ribbon, but in the exergue has the date 1853. For the 1877-78-79 the date becomes a Zulu Shield with four spears crossed beneath. The dates 1877 and 1878 are for the Ninth Kaffrarian War and 1879 - of course, for the Anglo-Zulu War of that date. The word Kaffraria was how we called that part of the Eastern Cape - it's full title being British Kaffraria. The local tribes were known as Kaffirs - which was merely a shortening of the area name. Nowdays, it has become a serious insult and no-one would think of calling someone this. Now - to the medal. Although it is the standard issue IGS it has several features which make-it special. Firstly - the Unit. Named to Pte. C.H. ELTON FRONTIER ARMED AND MOUNTED POLICE. Formed in 1855 they started with 17 officers and 500 men. They were South Africa's first Police Force. They were very effective and later became the Cape Mounted Rifles. 156 medals for the Ninth Kaffrarian War were issued to the F.A.M.P. - of which 30 were returned unclaimed. This leads to the second unusual point - only 76 were issued to this unit with the bar 1877-78 - and we don't know if any of the 30 returned were for this issue. I have included a brief history of the unit - which is very sought after.

I'm only replying to say Welcome ! to GMIC. With all the new S.A. members, the coup is on track for end of the year....

Ian - close-ups would be great. Perhaps if you sent a photo by mail I could attach to your post - not that I know what I'm doing most of the time.... p.s. - I think this is the first Police pistol on the sub-forum ?

Kevin - it is great that you have found such a good place as this sub-forum, to start publishing these archives. Whilst, I am sure, that similar papers exist in Govt. record offices and perhaps, some specialised libraries these are not general circulation documents. I mentioned in an earlier thread - these give , virtually, a day-by-day up-date on events and for new thoughts on how Specials could be involved. You mention how these Specials Committees appear to be left to work things out on their own - the last 'secret' document makes it quite clear that the local guidance committees had regular officers of Police - and Army officers, actually giving the orders. However, they clearly relied on the local knowledge of the freshly enrolled Specials. I am amazed at just how thorough their planning was - remember, these documents were issued right at the beginning of the War in 1914. Where did the background for these plans originate? The vast refugee civilian movements in Europe had not yet happened - and to actually plan for a German invasion certainly was a leap of faith against all current feelings on our invincibility. The South African War (1899-1902) is generally held to have been the training ground for events in WW1 - but, the British populations were never affected in this way. Mention is made that the Army H.Q. in York is to have all reports sent to them - the question must be - over what area did they have control. Probably for Nthn. England only. Scotland would have had it's own H.Q. One question - at least - has been answered. The secret document of 1914 gives orders for identification badges for the Specials to be made. May I make a suggestion - many of the members who read this section are - or, have been - Specials. How about seeing if there are any documents left at your old Stations for this period. Vickers - would be great to know what the City has on record ? One final point - are you happy Brian - with your posting taking off at a slight tangent ?

The portrait - warts and all - bears a remarkable resemblence to that 'Toad' - King George 4th.. From 1812 to 1820 he was the Prince Regent whilst his Father George 111 was deemed insane. Could it be a possibility that he is wearing the uniform of one of his regiments ?