peter monahan

What a lovely piece. And when war, at least for the upper ranks, still permitted of some elegance, with silver mounted toiletries. Not many of those who served at Delville Wood would have enjoyed such luxury!

I agree with Andrew. It's definitely not an issue item, being a primitive copy of an early nineteenth century box [1790-1830 ish]. I hadn't caught the size thing, but is definitely home made and Andrew's explanation makes sense - a toy or prop. Peter

What a shame! I wonder who he was.

Actually, if you're referring to the dirty bits, after 30 years teaching teenagers I'm hard to shock. If you mean the quality of the translation, who am I to throw stones! My Flemish vocabulary is smaller than my Cantonese list - I know 2 Cantonese words and phrases, 1 of them polite!

Wow! A well deserved honour!

Jock Sadly, your comments can be applied to Canada too, with not too much changed, and would be spot on. They deserve better than what the paperclip counters in Ottawa [or London] give them, and that's God's truth! Peter

Stuka Flemish language let's me out. One of the things I mean to do, right after I finish mastering Basque, is to brush up on my Flemish. Thank for the info. anyway. Peter

Nor me.

Ver' nice.

Well, the entries are in and the judges thank you all for giving them some real meat to chew on. Pretty close to 200 entries all together - pretty impressive total. We will work away individually then consult on the results and publicize the final results as quickly as our various schedules in real life permit. I thank you in advance for your patience! Peter Monahan, Judge

Very classy!

I'm not sure when the RAF switched to unit cap badges or shoulder badges from the universal RAF pattern, but would have thought it was well after WWII, Nelson. The various squadrons and stations had unit crests, but those were not displayed on aircraft or uniforms during the Second War, so I'm not sure when that would have changed - perhaps with the introduction of 'coveralls' as work dress, perhaps in the 1960s? So, as Mervyn suggests, post your request on 'Wanted' in the Sales section. Also try eBay. Here's a site with 3 crests: http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/raf-plaque. And try these people: http://www.crestinsignia.co.uk Remember to specify unit CREST, not badge, and then say you want it in lapel pin/pocket badge size and format. Good luck Peter

Ted You're lucky too - to get the stories! Many vets are/were quite reluctant to open up about their experiences, for various reasons ranging from reviving the trauma to modesty, and now of course many of those tales are gone for good. Write yours down for your kids and grandkids some day. Our share them here on the GMIC! Peter

There were three strikings of the QSA: 1ST TYPE, with dates 1899-1900, is quite rare. A few, for example, were awarded to the first contingent of Lord Strathcona's Horse, a Canadian unit, and command big dollars over here. The unit also adopted the springbok, a SA antelope, which it still wears on its badges, during the Boer War 2ND TYPE: after it became clear that the war would not end by 1900, the dates were ground off the medal dies, but still show up on the second type, especially when the medals tarnish. Dealers advertise the ghost dates as if they were something rare, which they're not really. 3RD TYPE: new dies made without dates. So, Jock has a second striking. Good eye, Nelson! Peter

I would very much like to see that information. Do you have a link to the web site, Stuka? Peter

Brett Your impressions math my own but, as you say, a well ordered POW would probably have been ok.

Well said, Lawrence.

Probably a veterans badge or meant to be worn in mufti, not on a uniform would be my guess, as your correct that lapel bagdes were not worn in uniform and would have been all the same if they were.

Paul I'm not sure about that - genuine question. The Germans had black troops and at least one black soldier served in a German regiment in WWI - I think his photo came up recently somewhere in the GMIC - so perhaps he's have been ok. I would hope and assume that WWI Germans in the colonies had a somewhat different take on the 'other races' than did the Nazis and their ilk in the '30s & '40s. Peter

I should have replied to this sooner. Primus: I was being [mostly] humourous. Even emoticons, sadly, don't do 'nuance' and I should know better than to try. Secundus: avoiding [mostly] the politics of this or a bygone age, Kornel, I don't even disagree with you. I often tell people of a memorial tablet on the wall of St. Paul's Cathedral, London which I saw some 35 years ago and will never forget. It listed the names of 4 brothers who had died 'for the Empire', three in the West African political service and one with the Indian Army. None was 30 years old on his death. Not sure whether dying of blackwater fever would be worse than dying from a hand hammered jezail slug through the guts, but neither would be by any stretch 'glorious'. And none of the four, I'd guess joined up to get rich or famous! Kipling's "The White Man's Burden" is most often cited to be parodied and we won't get into the US in the Philippines, but I agree that many many of the old Imperials were in it for the best of motives, for which they get little credit these days. Again, without judgement of them or we probably hypocritical moderns, I believe that our god or gods must judge us on what we meant to do and that, if we meant to do good, that will count for a lot. I certainly hope our age is judged that way in 200 years, and not on the demonstrably lamentable results of so many of our efforts! Peace Peter

The Efficiency Medal was awarded for a minimum of 12 years service, with war service counting double, so even if she was in for all or most of WWII she must have been in before 1939 or stayed after 1945, I think, to qualify for that! A nice find to an important service.

David WWII groups are a bit tricky to research directly, as the personnel records are not currently available, I don't believe, except perhaps to close relatives. That's the Canadian situation, anyway, and a quick look at the Archives in the UK suggests the same. Here's a site to poke around on, though. There look to be some interesting things on HQ orders and so on, plus the educational section on Western Europe might be a good background read. Good luck with the hunt! Peter

Kornel Oh, I agree - good fun! But mustn't forget: the Times is always 6 weeks late, blackwater fever and servants who will not boil the water hot enough for a proper cuppa. Bad show, old man! Peter

As far as I know there are no rolls for the awards made. In fact, I'm sure that's te case, because I have Mohawk friends who've looked for years because their traditions and some fragmentary records prove that there were warriors at actions not recognized by the 'authorities'. The numbers were in the thousands. Tecumseth had at least 500 warriors, Shawnee, Pottawatomi, Ottawas and Lakota/Sioux at Detroit and at the Battle of the Thames, were he died and which I re-enacted 2 weeks ago, 600 warriors covered the 'retreat' pf the British forces, who fired 1 or 2 volleys and bolted in the face of Kentucky mounted rifles. Tecumseth died there. Had he lived the map of Nrth America might look vey different, with an Indian homeland in the center - think, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky. Native warriors in the old North West - at Fort Michilimackinac on the Michigan Peninsula, now Mackinaw Island Michigan - were a significant factor in restraining US plans to attack Upper Canada. In fact, in the winter of 184-15, a British officer, Lt Andrew Bulger and John Dickson of the British Indian Dept. occupied a captured US fort on the Mississippi River, protecting 'Canada's back door'. This in turn meant that in 1814 Britain was in a far stronger position at the negotiating table than they would otherwise have been. The part played by Natives in the War of 1812 cannot be overestimated!

I'm quoting on the 'no units' thing. Maybe the RAF and RN were so big - and dressed so oddly - that they figured it was ok to say who they were!