peter monahan

Ah, yes! To quote the police reports "Alcohol may hve been a factor."

The skulls on this helmets were cork for the most part and got "distressed" very easily. I recall seeing one once beautiful helmet which had become essentially a a cloth bag of cork dust with metal fittings because it had been dried and wet and dried and squashed one to many times. What a shame!

Yes, the copper maple leaf was the standard issue for Canadian troops who weren't wearing a numbered CEF badge in WWI. Also worn as a collar dog by almost all CEF troops, I think. The British made badge is interesting. Many years ago I was priviliged to know a retired RSM of the 48th Highlanders. He'd been General Crerar's driver bodyguard (as a 17 yr old corporal), served in N. Africa and served on with the militia into the '70's. His son was a peacekeeper for 20 years and Bill - Wiliam Elms - wrote a history of the 48th. I remember Bill talking about an advance party of Cdns. going to Aldershot - I think in '40, not '14 but can't swear to it - and immediately contacting a local company to make badges for the hordes they expected to follow. Some were made and used but were always "unofficial", though Bill says better quality than the issue ones! He actually got some for other units and even a die or two later in "his" war from the company, because the practice was quashed by the Cdn. authorities as soon as they found out. "Can't have the men exercising initiative" (or looking better on parade than the officers)! William Scully made huge amounts of stuff for the Canadian Army in WWI and was still in business at least into the '50's but I suspect by WWII was too small to supply much stuff - began as a jewellers, I think. Great stuff, Pat!

Dave Live and learn! I was going to suggest setting the keyboard for "Canadian Multilingual" as an alternative. Then there is one command (Ctrl + ___?) to switch to a "french" keyboard, where the quotation mk keys and some others become accented vowels. Windows help would give Bear the details but your way may be easier for occasional use as opposed to long passages of French text. I know this BTW, 'cause my old computer used to default to French by uitself and refuse to type English punctuation for me. Grrrh! I love technology!

Pat the badges with the single vertical "hook" - usually called a "slider" by the books/experts or for use ona beret, where the pin & loop system would stick into the wearer's head! (It does, I've tried.) The pin and loop is standard for both Canadian and British and Indian (and, I'd guess, everybody else) for earlier badges. Pins are a very secure attachment, unlike the slider. In fact, some later sliders have a small "lobe" on the end: two indentations 1/4 inch up from the end, presumably meant to catch the fabric of the headgear and keep it from sliding out. Modern CF berets also have a re-inforced, padded slot sewn in which is a very snug fit for the slider and serves the same purpose. Wouldn't want the Sergeant Major dying of apoplexy on the parade square whyen some sprog shows up on parade without a cap badge! Size is the principal determinate for collars. They should be rare too, not used for nearly as long in our army. Tell more abou the treasure trove! Peter

I believe the "other German" has the same story: he was drafted in and threatened that his family would suffer if he didn't go. Even so, after a few weeks he deserted. War criminal? I don't think so. God knows I did a few things I'm still not proud of when I was 17 but was lucky enough that I lived in a place where/when all my personal choices were easy ones: get drunk or not, respect the girl or not, as opposed to kill people or not, and so on. And maybe what I've done since makes up for it. What he's done certainly does, in my mind. The real tragedy is that the man felt he had to lie for 60 years. And again, did he create the atmosphere in which millions of basically decent people were made to feel guilty for the sins of the monstrous minority? No. We're a weird bunch, we humans! Peter

And a classic case of gilding the lily! Not my field but was there not at one point a move to "recall" some of the Civil War Medals of Honour - I'm thinking last century, not this - because "too many" were given out? BTW, not a US "problem" only. A cynic might note the high number of VCs awarded for the Indian Mutiny, especially Delhi, and suggest it had more to do with placating the British citizen than with the admittedly brave acts of the recipients! My point, long-winded bu**er that I am, is that both VC and Medal have now acheived a semi-sacred status among both military men and the public but such was not always the case and "improving" one's uniform, accouterments or awards has a long history too! I mean adding to legit. awards or buying better quality than the cheapsters who issued stuff provided. Maybe the general just didn't think the Medal looked special enough! Peter

Gary Can't log onto the other site. Can you give us a thumbnail verbal sketch of the uniform in question?

This is fascinating! Just as the "Tommies" were surprised that the Afghan Army - as opposed to the tribal "badmashes" - wore uniforms, marched in line, etc., I'm ashamed to say I was surprised that the Afghan government (Nur Shah?) issued medals. I suppose I thought of it as a European custom plus, of course, a little latent racism showing through. Thanks for the eye-opener, Ed! Peter

There are a few Lefebure's - spelled that way - in British service: a Lt. Col. in the Second Grenadier Guards, WWI, a Gunnner killed in the Peninsula, etc. Initials or first name, any other circumstantial evidence - years served, Br. or Indian Army, etc. would all help. Plus checking the spelling too! Peter

Two not too useful bits of "non-information". No one of that name appears in the 1924 Indian Army List or the 1939 Supplement to the IA List as having WWI service - not very surprising - nor in the 1939 as having graduated Staff College, so he may have been a wartime commmission or a British regular officer as opposed to Indian Army. Not much, sorry. Peter

I'm dating myself here, but I recall when the "Bonnie" was finally retired - with impeccable gov't logic, very shortly after she underwent a multi-million dollar refit. Forget who bought her but I don't think she went to the wreckers, just to an even porrer navy than ours! The brother of a school mate used to fly Trackers off Bonnie and told us once of "sneaking up on" the infamous Russian "trawlers" - actually electronic intelligence gathering ships which used to dog the NATO fleets wherever they went. Our boys would choose a windy night, throttle back at 5 miles out from a trawler and glide in over her then, as they crossed her bows, switch on the million-candlepower searchlights some of the Trackers had mounted in the nose. Or that's the story!

Tosun Lovely pictures! Glad to see the ANZACs still honour their dead with visits: it can't be easy or cheap. Attaturk's words are particularly appropriate as Remembrance Day (Nov. 11 here) approaches. Peter

Sorry Jacky ! My bad. "CF" is short for "Canadian Forces", used because about three decades ago the then government decided to amalgamate the Army, Navy and Air Force for reasons of economy, though they never admitted that. Everyone got nice new uniforms in "CF green" - like what you'd call "Lincoln green", I think. Then, over 30 years, the three began to drift apart again. Quel surprise! The air side guys wear blue again, the Navy white in the summer and so on. I think the current regime has even muttered about "restoring" the separation but the official designation of our men and women in uniform is still "Canadian Forces". More than you needed to know!

RA There is another thread active at the moment re a Liverpool Artillery Volunteer - "An Elegant Uniform in Liverpool" . A photo ID query. Anyway, it looks like Stuart Bates and Graham Stewart, who've posted there, are your best bets for this field . Good luck. Peter

All the references I found are to Private Jason Lamont, except one, from a personal blog: "I remember the face of the man who patched the wounds in my legs and saved my life, Corporal Jason Lamont, M.M.V." So, presumably a recent promotion. (Another version of the blog has the same sentence but with "Who shall remain nameless" instead of the name. Red sashes are authorized wear for CF sergeants in some orders of dress.

This makes The Onion sound like the Times of London! In a similar vein, a friend of mine was wont to point out - tongue wedged firmly in cheek - that Native North Americans were actually immigrants from Asia! "We oughta build a bridge across the Bering Strait and charge them Injuns $10 a head to go home." Remember, the two commonest elements in the galaxy are hydrogen and stupidity. Peter

bigjar I believe, on no other evidence than my memory of something read a decade ago, that the rumour originally ran something like this: "We know that the Nazis took gold teeth and fillings from camp inmates before murdering them. We know that some Nazis stashed gold, currency, art wroks, etc. in Swiss banks, on the off chance that the Thousand Year Reich wasn't. Ergo it follows that some gold in Swiss banks comes from the mouths of Jews and others murdered in the camps." The only answer I believe we can or will ever be able to give is "Yeah, maybe. Maybe even 'probably'." Who, for example, keeps the CSI -like forensic database on the exact 'chemical' (?) make-up of the 100's or 1000's of types of gold bars in the world? Who got hold of a certifiable "Swiss" gold bar and compared it to the "normal" bars? Why would gold from teeth even have more mercury in it? (Gold fillings were used instead of mercury) I believe there is indisputable evidence that some of the wealth in Swiss banks is from Nazi sources and therefore stolen goods. And I don't believe for a minute that the banks are keping it for the originals owners or their heirs. They're just keeping it! (How to get rich: get money any way you can, Don't give it away again.) From there to "Mercury=teeth. Gold with mercury in = gold from teeth... and so on" is one H*** of a leap. Great TV but poor historical scholarship unless they quoted names, dates, etc. Peter

Either that or the Royal Catering Corps, Poultry Division, Squab section ! (No offence intended to our Italian members.)

Nick & Ralph That was goinfg to be my guess too, but the wording "In Commemoration", rather than something celebratory suggests, maybe, a memorial medal - something from 1900 or later. My tuppence worth. Peter

Two more tidbits: This is the FIRST TIME either the Star of Valour or the Medal of Valour has been awarded since their inception on Feb. 1, 1993. Listened on the CBC national news an hour ago as Sgt. Tower was interviewed. He say that the "real heroes are our comrades who didn't come back." One of the Corporals was also interviewed and said when he was called into the Colonel's office he thought he was in trouble! In other words, not only did he do what won him the medal but he obviously didn't figure it was anything special or that he'd hear about it again. To paraphrase one of the Gospels: "Greater love hath no man than this that [he is willing] to lay down his life for his friend. God bless them, and all who go in harm's way. Peter

Did you notice that Pte McHale is wearing his VC in the "wrong" spot: second instead of first. Tsk tsk! Anyone want to tell him?

Jerome I was not suggesting that this photo showed a horseman, only that he might be a volunteer. I was aware of the "bearded return" but, as you say, no medals. A puzzle! BTW, apologies for not identifying you when I posted the address of your site. A wonderful site! Peter

Ah! Thank you, Stuart. I've long forgotten what very little I knew about 19thC British uniforms - my interest for that period was the Indian Army. The site I mentioned for bearded horsemen is: www.hussards-photos.com If you click on "Bretagne" and scroll down to "yeomanry" there's a shot of a Royal Gloucestershire Yeo with a very nice bush and two others, under "Lost..." with magnificant facial hair. For what it's worth, Eduardo! Peter

Did anyone notice that his sleeves don't match? Does this mean something or nothing? As to the beard, I was looking at some lovely shots of British hussars from the 1860's and several members of yeomanry units are bearded, with the captions suggesting that this was common/the norm. Peter PS I'll find the shots and put in the link - it's in another forum of GMIC!