Ian Shepherd

A superb pair of pistols. Ian

Hi WSc, you didn't say which war. 2014 Medal Year Book values are given as. george V £2000-£3000 GeorgeV1 £2500-£3500. Hope this is what you are looking for. Cheeers Ian

I Had one of these some years ago but the blades on mine were copper. same decorations on the blades and scabbards. Ian

Hi oliver, another site you could try is www.pmc-club.co.uk. this is the site of the police memorabilia club. there is one section that shows pics of most of the british forces helmets. Ian

Robin, this style was used by Manchester not Cheshire. Ian

What a superb post Mervyn. Ian

Hi Mervyn, Salford is a city ajoining Manchester. It had a police force from 1844 until 1968 when it combined with Manchester City police, The medal was introduced as a round one in 1824 changing to the cruciform type in aproc 1889 and was withdrawn in1922. Ian

Brian, You have made a superb job of repairing the scabbard.If I need one repairing I know where to send it. One of our club members uses shim brass for his repairs. Ian

Cris, Robin is right. The Lancs Fusiliers are now officially the 2nd battalion of the Fusilier regiment. Ian

Two other famous regiment's that are to go are the Lancashire Fusiliers (6 VC's before breakfast) and the Green Howards. Politician's have no regard for History and traditions. Ian

Alan, it could be a British Fire Services Association badge but I am not sure. Ian.

He wasn't he was a war reserve constable. Ian

Mervyn, leather swagger sticks wiith a concealed blade are quite common. Ian

Decorated truncheons have beem faked for a long time. There were some around when I started collecting about 25 years ago. No doubt Mervyn can confirm that they were about even before that.It has got to the stage that it is rare to see one that is not a fake or a repaint Ian

Dave, welcome to the GMIC. I hope to see some pics of your collection soon. Ian

HI Bill, I take it that you are going to the Stratford fair. It is a very good fair for medals, I haven't been for about 2 years but always enjoyed it. Yes discounts are probably expeted. Always ask before taking a medal out of it's envelope.Cash is always wecome and helps discounts. Most dealers at fairs are honest but as in a shop and online there are doggy items out there.Yes go all round the fair, it is a big one,and check prices but remember the old saying while you are thinking about an item the person who was thinking about it before you has bought it. Hope you have a good time there but get there early. Mark has a system where you can get in before the official opening time for a small extra charge. Cheers Ian

Craig - I'll ask Ian Shepherd to tell him - they know each other.

I have sent the badger an email. Ian

Hi Brian, this is one that should please you. It is stamped SCC for Staffordshire County Constabulary. Made from Lignum Vitae. Note the different Grip. Ian.

Hi Mervyn, the 2 knobkerries were not my post but Davids. I wouldn't dare show the post to Ann. Ian

Hi Mervyn, I have never seen one of the Irish bog oak truncheons named before. I have several in the collection from 8" to 17" and have over the years seen many more but that one of yours is a first. Ian

THE EXECUTION OF AN ENGLISH TRAITOR

In the 1970s I picked up the accompanying picture while on holidays in France. It is a page from a French magazine named Supplément Littéraire Illustré du “Petit Parisien”, unfortunately the page is undated but obviously it is from the Boer War. This picture of an execution intrigued me then, but it still puzzles me today, and for many reasons.

UN TRAITRE ANGLAIS

EXECUTION D’UN GARDE-SÉMAPHORE

Un garde-sémaphore ainglais a été convaincu de correspondence avec l’ennemi, dans des conditions exceptionellement graves.

Voici comment les faits se sont passes: Ces jours derniers, un navire charché de troupes entrait au port de Durban. Au moment où le bateau passait devant le promontoire en haut duquel se trouve un semaphore l’officier de quart remarqua des signaux de télégraphie optique qui étaient faits de l’autre côté de phare. Il dénonça aussitôt le gardien du semaphore qui fut tout de suit soumis à une surveillance discrete.

Bientôt, on acquit la certitude que ce dernier signalait chaque nouvelle arrive de troupes et d’armes à des complices postés sur une montagne, à quelque distance de là.

Ces complices communiquaient les renseignements, par le meme procédé, de hauteur en hauteur, à des individus qui, en deux ou trios jours, les transmattaient au quartier general boër situé sur la Tugela.

L’ennemi fut ainsi assez exactement renseigné sur les forces anglaises envoyées au general Buller, et qui, toutes, passaient par le port de Durban.

Le gardien du semaphore inculpé fit des aveux; on apprit que ses exercices de télégraphie optique duraient depuis le commencement de la guerre, et que chaque télégramme lui rapportait quinze cents francs. Il avait gagné ainsi environ cent cinquante mille francs: un joli dernier.

C’était un Anglais pur sang, d’une soixantaine d’années; il occupait la place depuis longtemps et avait su inspirer la plus grande contiance.

Sa femme et ses cinq enfants qui ignoraient ce manège se livrèrent à un désespoir déchirant quand on embarqua le gardien à bord d’un navire de guerre où il fut fusillé.

L ‘exécution eut lieu aussi discrètement que possible, mais pas assez cependant pour que le fait ne fût connu par les habitants de Durban.

From the French explanation on the reverse(above) it can be deducted that the culprit was a 60 years old English semaphore guard in the harbour of Durban. He admitted that since the beginning of the (Boer) war he transmitted telegrams containing military information to the Boer HQ on the Tugela River for money (1500 francs a time) and in total he gained 150,000 francs. Thus he informed the Boer HQ at Tugela about the reinforcements general Buller was landing in Durban. He was taken on board a British warship and shot. The execution took place as discreetly as possible, but not enough however so that it was known by the inhabitants of Durban.

First there is the brutality of the scene. Like Admiral Byng in 1757, this (yet) unknown man was shot in the back while sitting on his knees on the deck, blindfolded and facing forward. The only method of capital punishment in the Royal Navy I have knowledge of in the 19^th century, is hanging. Did more shootings like this occur on board Navy ships?

In the explanation there is no mention about any form of trial. Why bring a traitor on board of a Navy ship to shoot him? Instead they could have hanged him ashore. Why was the execution carried out by the Navy?

Even stranger is that the shooting is executed by seamen commanded by the MAA instead of a marines detail. The hapless Admiral Byng was shot by marines, rather obvious when you know that most rifle jobs on board were carried out by marines.

And most puzzling is, in all these years I have found no record of this exceptionally execution, and this makes is even more sinister. Why did no local or regional paper report about it? Is it a French hoax perhaps, made up to stir anti-British sentiments? Or is it just a case of juicy journalism based on hear-say? But still, it is an intriguing picture.

|nteresting that the rifles are Martini Henrys. Ian

Here's the text from the book. I took the easy route and just photographed it.

Regards

Brian

Hi Brian, thanks for your information. I will tell the club members that they got it wrong at the next meeting. Cheers Iam

Hi Simon and Joe. Thanks for your input. I took the knife to our militaria society meeting and the general consensus was that it was an early pattern dingy knife probably from between the 2 wars. Ian

A Cheshire Police Shako. I think that Cheshire were the last force in England to wear the shako. They were worn up 1935 when one of Sir Jack Beck's first acts was to abolish them. Ian

I think this knife was used for cutting harnessbut the fact that it has no point indeed the point area is reinforced has me puzzled. Both the knife and sheaf are marked up with a viewing crown but no letters or no underneath, AM, 1877/35mu/c428/21f/254. the obsolete mark and Rogers Sheffield England.The sheaf was designed to be worn on a belt Ian