peter monahan

I know just enough to be dangerous when it comes to preserving textiles and what I do know is that it is specialist work! The only easy and safe advice I have is: wrap it in acid free archival paper - art stores may have it - and keep it away from light. After that, if you want to do more, plan to spend money with a profesional conservator. Anybody else may well do more harm than good. The US National Parks Service publishes a series called "Conservo-grams". https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/cons_toc.html Section 16 has some on textiles including one on riolling and storing flags. Good luck! Peter

I think that the first medal on his chest is the India General Service Medal (1909) - a very disntinctive gree/blue/green ribbon. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_General_Service_Medal_(1909)] So, he must be older than he looks, as the last bar for that was the NWF 1935 bar,before the medal was replced by the IGS 1936. On a second look, the rest of the ribbons look as if thewy could be WWI, not WWII. Does that fit with his age as you know it? The gent on the left is wearing a very odd tunic, with the exposed buttons and both appear to be wearing some sort of [temporary] slip-on rank tabs on their epaulettes, which makes me think 'officer cadet' or 'officer', though perhaps they belong to some irregular unit, uniformed by the British or Indians as the war wwas ending. A close-up of the badge he wears on his left breast pocket would be very very helpful.

The rank appears to be 1st lieutenant Mulazim awwal. Other than that, I'm afraid I have no information.

The 4th, his unit, were in the 1st Cdn Infty Bde with the 1, 2 & 3rd Bttns. Initially in reserve, the went into action at about 9:30 a.m. around Thelus and had 43 KIA, 130 WIA by the end of the day. The war diary has the complete 8-10pg plan for the assault and a literally minute by minute narrative which runs 6-8 typed pages.

I think it was in the 1980s, back when I still paid attention to ODMs and their sales that a change aoocurred. An acquaintance got a Garter Star or some such and, as had been his custom, wrote to the relevant office in the UK to ask if they could put a name to the number on the reverse. He and others had done this for years but this time he got a quick respnse saying 'That's the property of HM and we'd appreciate it if you'd send it back to us.' That from the new head of the office in question. I'm not sure he surrendered tio but I recall the discussions around 'Now what?' and how quickly collectors stopped trumpeting their acqusitions after that.

Rebecca I'm sure you know that a bit of information on James Olde is already available on line at the Archives in Ottawa - enlistment papers and the war diaries of his unit. The Archives are also in the process of digitizing the complete service records of all 660,000 members of the CEF. For the last 8 weeks or so the 'count' so to speak has been stalled at A - McLLeland but they should be through the 'Mc's this summer, I'd guess and 'Olde' will appear in due course. 'Complete' service record means, typically, copies of the attestion papers, all the pay records and medical notes and reports plus at least one and sometimes two small cards which list every unit with which the man served, their locations ad the dates when they joined and left each. That last is invluable for marrying up the unit records such as the war diary with the man's service. I hope this all is of some use to you. Thank you for sharing the clipping on your relative! Peter Monahan

What a coincidence! I was at a 'launch' for my recent book last evening - on 'Local Boys' from my area - and one of the guests had a granfather who fought with the 4th Battalion. None of the men who enlisted here in the 157th Bttn saw action as 'Simcoe Foresters' because 2/3s of the Cdn units were broken up on reaching France and re-assigned. Many of them went to the 4th and 19th Bttns, both titled 'Central Ontario'. I was able to establish that this lady's granfer reached the 4th on July 17th, 1917 and on August 17th, while attacking Hill 70, was hit by a piece of shrapnel. It actually lodged in his right breast pocket! But, it also gave him a 3" scar and did enough damage to his lungs that after 7 months in hospitals in England and France he was invalaided out and sent home. His grand daughter, who remembers him, said he would hide in the basement omn remembrance day and never ever spoke of the War.

What a lovely group! I actually belong to a group which portrays/re-enacts the Canadian AMC, so it is of special interest to me. You asked about the staus of 'terriers' in WWI. I know very little about it but the excellent site 'The Long, Long Trail' says this: The recruitment of men into TF units was very localised and remained so well into 1916. The TF was mobilised for full-time war service immediately war was declared When TF troops agreed to overseas service, they signed the "Imperial Service Obligation". They were then issued with a special badge, known as the "Imperial Service Brooch", to be worn on their right breast. If you have a photo of a soldier wearing this badge, he is definitely a Territorial. Many TF units also issued distinctive insignia, notably the "Shoulder title", a brass badge carrying the name of the unit worn on the shoulder. Here is an example. The badge of the 4th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders, a Territorial infantry unit. The T and the general arrangement of this title is typical. When war was declared, all TF troops received orders to mobilise. Many of them had just gone onto the annual fortnight's training camp and were hurriedly recalled to the home base. Most TF units had a pre-arranged war station and the units moved quickly to take up their allotted places. Some were sent to garrison duties at various points around the Empire, replacing the regular units that were required for service in France. On 15 August 1914 orders were issued to separate the "home service" men from those who had undertaken to serve overseas, with the intention of forming reserves made up of those who had not so volunteered. Those men that did not agree were separated out into "Home Service" or "Second Line" units. The original units now became known as the "Foreign Service" or "First Line". These terms are often seen on TF men's service records. http://www.1914-1918.net/tf.htm

True story!

My only contribution is to suggest that perhaps the square is meant for an ascot. The use of canvas is odd and suggests, to me a s well, a warmer climate than the UK. The colour scheme is also a bit 'loud', IMO. A school of some sort but perhaps not a service institution would be my guess.

I agree that these are likely NOT navy issue. I don't believe, for example, that there was a US flag on any US Navy clothing tags. I too have owned a number of pairs of very 'military looking' shorts, all purchased at local clothing stores.

We may be enablers, Michael, old scout, but you were addicted before most of us ever met you!

Welcome to the GMIC, ByDand. I'm afraid I have nothig to contribute to the ID of this tunic except to note that it's being found in London, ON may or may note be significant. The amount of British militaria available in Canada is surprisingly high and a tribute both to the close connections between Canada and the Uk and to the number of veterans who immigrated and the number of 'British' collectors over here!

Interesting shot. Do you suppose his right hand/arm are missing or injured? It looks to my old eyes as if his left hand does NOT have a glove on and the way he holds it is very off.

Unlikely to win any design awards, IMHO, but I can see the need after 30 years. I'm surprised that many L1 coins are out of circulation, though, given their purchasing power. When Canada first introduced the 1 dollar coin, popularly known as the 'loony', for the bird on the back, many guys I knew started 'loony jars' to replace '25 cent piece jars' as a painless way to save 'spare change' for the hobby/beer/dog races or whatever. However, it quickly bevcame clear that one could easily wind up with a week's wages or more in the jar and it became in fact a measureable drain on one's finances rather than an unnoticeable trickle down.

posted in error

If the 'SUP' was 'SUB' or in error for 'SUB' it would be 'Subedar', a Viceroy's Commissioned Officer - we'd say 'warranrt officer' in the Imperial indian Army or modern Indian Army.

I'm late to this party but my vague recollections, from an interest in German WWII armour many many years ago, is that second line divisions - which included, as Spasm says, the police divisions, would have been fairly unlikely to have gotten Tigers, which were always in very short supply. Just my tuppence worth, though. Interesting uniform.

Original overseas unit 5th University Company. Joined the P.P.C.L.I. in the field June 9, 1916. Wounded September 15, 1916. Struck off strength September 23, 1916. Subsequently became a Lieutenant with the Royal Air Force. http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=79426 And you've probably go this by now, from C. War Graves. Lieutenant Date of Death: 27/06/1918 Age: 23 Regiment/Service: Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and 102nd Sqdn. Royal Air Force Cemetery: PONT-REMY BRITISH CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Charles S. and J. Ernestine Reynolds, of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Previously wounded Sept., 1916. So, born in Montreal, parents reident there, presumably working ? - 'Insurance' in NJ, then at school in Victoria - with the 5th University Comopany, which was one of the training companies at Cdn universities. He might be in the University of British Columbia Roll of Honour. Try this link: https://www.ubc.ca/ubc-remembers/student-soldiers-remembered.html

I agree with Coldstream that exact dimensions and perhaps a phot taken in brighter light would help. The style suggests, to my not very expert mind, late 1700s [1780 on?] to 1840 or so, when this 'stirrup hilt' was popular with a lot of armies, usually for cavalry and artillery. The style of crown would help prove it British but most of the British ones seem to have had metal, not leather covered, scabbards and the 'iron' grip is a bit of a puzzler too. perhaps it was leather wrapped and that leather is now missing?

Matarius, welcome to the GMIC! I'm afraid I have no real insights to offer about your dagger, except to agree that it looks as if it was made for use by a local and not a tourist item. I spent some time in West Africa many years ago and the style doesn't look at all familiar. As far as recall, every knife I saw there had a leather sheath. I own/owned a couple blades of Tuareg workmanship and have seen a few more sub-Saharan West African styles and I'd venture to say it's NOT from there, which is not much help I grant you coming from a layman but does suggest it was acquired in the east or south parts of the continent. Perhaps other members will be able to help - we have an incredibly eclectic and knowledgeable bunch here. Good luck with the queries! Peter

49 minutes! You guys are incredible!

See my previous comment.

If he was from the 'class of '16' he would have been a very young soldier in WWI and presumably either stayed in the Army or rejoined for the Second War and stayed in after that, retiring in 1954, so the medal is certainly one he could have earned. As you can see from the site Tony posted, there was no single pattern for these tags/bracelets but if I had to guess I'd say that his ID number was '413' and that the 'EV1916' may mean, as Peron said, simply that he was a volunteer.

Nope. Sorry!