peter monahan

And does the abbreviation make any more sense in the SA context than it does elsewhere?

Well done! Uniforms of regular regiments. Nice to see that you've found some and can now safely ignore my comments.

I agree that the finish on the pommel is not of high quality and that, plus the lack of any markings at all may indicate a copy. Issue weapons almost always have some marks, usually on the top of the blade or the hilt.

Yes, try the 'Indian' thread on the Brit Badge forum - all the experts lurk there. I haven't seen enough IA Ordnance badges in the flesh, so to speak, to have an opinion on these two. The diffrence in toning is odd but not completely unknown - one a replacement or issued from two different lots originally might explain it.

Interesting question indeed! The plate you shared - I suspect from an Osprey book - pictures a 'Chieftan', a 'Boyar' and two others who I assume are of high rank, leading irreegular troops, so my guess would be that there may not have been actual uniforms as such. You should, however, be able to put together a 'look\ based on traditional ethnic dress plus whatever weapons would have been commonest in the area. Not much help, I know!

The 81st were raised in 1777, became the 10th Battalion, 1st Madras Pioneers in the 1922 re-organization of the Indian Army and were disbanded in 1933 Both the 1st/81st and a second, 1917 raised battalion, served on the North West Frontier during WWI, then went to Persia in 1918 to build a railroad and back to the NWF for the 3rd Afghan War, so they were awau from Madras for 6 years. Interestingly, the unit composition included Tamils, some Madrassi Muslims, Chrisitians and 'Paraiyans', a low caste of labourers. A fairly unusuakl mix, even for a southern Indian unit. The card below, painted by A.C. Lovett in 1911, shows a man of the 81st. He is the fourth from the left - second from the left wearing khaki - and is in service dress.

Congratulations! History aside, I have always thought that this is one of the more attractive awards the British system created and if I'd ever owned one I suspect i still would!

I did wonder about that, and you're right. I was suggesting that there might be similar schools in the Uk, though, not that he was Canadian. Here they're 'Normal Schools' but I wonder if there might be 'Normal Colleges' in Oz, or SA or somewhere similar. Or, we may be on the wrong track.

The Orders and Medals Society of America - 'OMSA' - has a 'ribbon bank' for its members, though I have no idea what it consists of or how one gains access. But probably worth contacting them to enquire. We also have at least a couple of South African members in the GMIX, one of whom is a researcher, so perhaps she'll see this and respond too. Good luck!

'Normal College Cadet Company' would be my guess. Over this side of the water, 'Normal School' was what we called a college where one went after Form 5 for a one yeaqr course which quailfied one to teach elementary/public school. Very likely that they had cadet companies. In fact, our war musuem has a new exhibit on conscription which gives particulars of 5-6 men who have appealed their call ups and asks the viewer to decide. For the school teacher, the verdict is 'Of course he goes!' 'Somebody else [old, female, daft] can teach in his place.' is clearly implied.

This is not an area in which I have any expertise at all but my understanding of the Ottoman armies is that they included units and/or recruits from various 'subject' states. Part of the 'taxation' system, at one level - 'You owe us X hundred young men per year.' I'm not sure how long this practice lasted. The Janissaries were officially abolished in 1826 apparently, but I would think that Wallachians and Moldavians might still have been recruited, perhaps as auxilliary troops, into the Ottoman army, as it would seem odd not to use the manpower resources. My two cents worth!

See new thread - Yemeni Wound Awards

Quite possible, Smudge. IA equipment is often a closed book to collectors - myself included - with references far scarcer than for the equivalent British issue.

Been there for years, Chris! Everybody needs a hobby.

This is a tricky one. Unlike the UK, and most of the Empire/Commonwealth, the US seems not to have had one, centralized veterans' organization, but somewhere closer to eight or a dozen, at least in the early years. Each had it's own rules, membership lists, specific purposes - socializing, econimc support, etc - and many if not most would have produced a variety of badges and medals. A quick look shows at least 10 'US veterans'groups which may relate to WWI and one document says that there are 45,000 non-profit groups registered with the IRS and devoted to 'veterans. Your best bet may actually be to cruise ebay, searching for 'veterans' badges / medals' and look for similar pieces.

Completely off topic and really dating myself, but I cannot see the word 'gatefold' without thinking 'Playboy Playmate of the Month'. I suspect that makes me a sexist swine as well as just old.

Nice work, Morar! I know nothing of photo restoration, but I would guess that sicne you seem to have scanned the original to colourize it you should also be able to share it electronically with experts outside your local area. There a number of people in France and the UK colourizing WWI photos and I know that one can do amazing things with the right software and some training and experience. Good luck with this project!

I wOuld think you might be able to ID the man - 'Hardcastle' isn't quite 'Smith', and you do have a regiment as well. I think I would have resscued this one too! Well done, sir.

I would guess a private photo. Travelling photographers were a feature of Victorian life and chronicling one's travels and service was becoming common so, absent evidence to the contrary - archive or gov't stamps - I'd guess this one was 'commissioned' by the men it pictures. Just my tuppence worth, though.

He was a member of 'the 1st of the 1st of the 1st', a distinction also claimed by the Grenadier Coy, Royal Scots [1st Foot] in an earlier period: 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Cdn Division. The 1st were in trenches around Neuve Chappelle from March 7th, 1915, in support of attacks by the 4th Battalion. german shelling caused a number of casualties of which, presumably, Jackson was one. If you are interested, PM me and I'll send you the relevant pafes from the war diary of the 1st Bttn. Peter

And, of course, gallantry awards are merely public recognition of the kind of act which 'the authorities' in that time and place have decided deserve to be recognized. By their very nature, the 'unsung' acts of heroism can never be catalogued or acknowldeged but must, I think, greatly outnumber those which are 1) observed 2) reported and 3) after investigation by many and interference by some, deemed worthy of recognition. It would be fascinating to know, for example, whay % of recommendations for the VC, DFC and so on are actually approved and what % rejected, replaced with a lesser award, or simply 'lost' in the maze of paper and opinions whihc surrond such a process.

Here is the link to Library and Archives Canada's research portal for military records: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/Pages/military-heritage.aspx The records on the WWI soldiers are fairly complete - complete service files for men surnamed 'A' to 'P', attestation papers for all soldiers, 'Circumstances of Death' cards for most and war diaries. For WWII, unfortunately, far fewer of the records are either open or available electronically. because of the 70 year rule, actual service files can only be accessed - I think - by relatives. If the spouse or child of a serviceman/woman requests the records in writing, with proof of death, they can get it. Otherwise, there is a list of published records at the LAC site. Medal entitlement is not to difficult to make an educated guess at, for WWII and Korea, and Veterans Affairs and other sites will tell you the qualifying period for each medal. So, for example, if you know an uncle went to Europe with an armoured unti, he almost ceratinly earned the 1939-45 Star, either the France & Germany Star or the Italy Star, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with bar for overseas service and the Defence Medal. Canadians in Korea earned the British 'Korea' medal and the UN Korea medal, in general. Check here for descriptions of some: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations I hope this is of some help. feel free to post other questions or contact me if you like. Peter

Excellent story to 'liven up' what would otherwise be, for me, a neophyte on Russian awards, a not-to-interesting award. Thanks for sharing it!

Do NOT use water, for all the reasons cited above. One technique sometimes used in museums for old fabrics is to rub, gently, over the surface of the ribbons with a bit of dry white bread. Strange but true. It may pick up some of the bits of surface dirt and other than crumbs leaves nothing behind. A bit like using an art eraser, but even gentler and certainly less likely to cause damage than a brush. Or just leave them. Age has it's own beauty.