peter monahan

Christerd There are 66 men named Brett listed in the Library and Archives Canada as ser4ving in WWI with the Canadian expeditionary Force. You can see their names and research them at this site: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=0qhb99a615aa01ejgbqrudc8d0&q1=brett&q2=&q3=&interval=20 Regards, Peter

"The most common "combat" use of bayonets is for crowd control. In fact, this is about the only "bayonet training" most troops get anymore. The bayonet is used somewhat differently in these situations. For one thing, the troops don't just rush at the crowd carrying their bayonet tipped rifles. They march forward, neatly lined up, with the rifles held so that the crowd sees a line of bayonets coming at them. The troops do this while marching in step, and are trained to bring their right feet down as heavily as possible. The sight of the advancing troops, the bayonets and the rhythmic thud of boots striking the ground usually causes the crowd to scatter." One of the most intimidating crowd control I've ever seen was a video clip of NZ riot police getting ready to defend a soccer pitch against anti-South African protestors. The unit advanced with shields locked and batons projecting horizontally forward. Every time the right foot came down each man gave a grunt or shout and the baton pistoned forward about 12 inches. In lock step, right foot hammering down, it looked like a giant machine - a thresher made of men - scary as hell! And in our 1812 reenacted battles, the guys love the "Charge bayonets" command. The muskets come down from 'port arms' in unison, with a loud shout as they come level and then the battalion marches forward in lock step, no rushing and no further noise or commands. As we always tell the crowd, and as your BA instructor says, "They wont be there tio be stabbed!" Even in 'play' it looks intimidating. For real, terrifying.

Hear, hear! Peter

Fort Henry, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada regularly fire their 32 pounders at the sunset ceremonies. Common lore has it that the 32 pound muzzle loader was the cannon which established the '3 mile limit' as the limit of a country's sovreignty on the coast, because they could throw a ball that far. Can't recall whether or not that's true but I believe it is. The Fort will doubtless have footage of the ceremony and there are sure to be shots on YouTube, to save you a flight over. Fired at night they are truly impressive to see and the crews, all summer students, have a very high standard of drill and deportment. Good luck with the film!

Gentlemen A small shop in my town has for sale a War Medal & a Defence Medal in the box of issue, with unused ribbons, a guide to wearing and the award document/certificate. They were awarded to "Sq. Ldr. Z. J. Pekarek" and there is a stamp for RAF Farnborough [i think - didn't have a pen] and a signature 'squiggle squiggle Smith' A Supplement to The London Gazette of 6 AUG 1954 lists "Emergency List": The undermentioned relinquish their commissions under the provisions of the Navy, Army and Air Forces Act, 1954, and have been granted permission to retain rank with effect from 10 February, 1954. ... "Flight Lieutenants retaining the rank of Squadron Leader... Sq. Ldr Z. J. Petarek (84574)" Petarek is apparently a Czech name, a deminutive of "Petar", which means 'baker'. Is this gent likley to be researchable? And, is anyone interested in owning this pair of medals - the seller is asking $150.00 Cdn. for them. I don't know whether that is negotiable but am willing to enquire. Peter

I got the "Albert Ernest Ind" part but missed the VC part! Interesting however: rank and name, no unit mentioned. Perhaps a renamed or replacement? Peter

I spent 1978-1980 in Nigeria, West Africa and just after I arrived the government switched over the entire currency of the country, with something like a 90 day period to hit the bank and, if you were very very lucky, get new bills for old. There were severe currency controls: no 'naira' to be exported and all foreign currency to be switched for naira within 30 days of arriving in country. Both laws were widely ignored and I recall that the crash of an entire plane load of Naira in a neighbouring country was the proximate cause of the change. I also recall being offered the old naira for weeks and months after by little old market women who hadn't got the word in time. They tended to have been folded 10-15 times and tucked into clothing for security, so they usually looked like sweaty lace doilies. Yuck!

Blame it on early morning brain and a caffeine deficit! Peter

Mervyn From the wording of your post it sounds as if these were worn during the Boer War, as opposed to after, to mark veterans. Was that the case? I'm only familiar with the [very similar] WWI badges issued to ex-servicemen. They are numbered as well and I'd always assumed that was to allow people to catch fakers and wanna-bes by running the numbers, as everything from preference in hiring to discounts in shops were available for pukka veterans. Peter

Noor Is the same name on the Star? You say it's 'broken'. Did you mean missing a ribbon or soemthing else as well? The BWM was issued to non-soldiers: nurses, members or various Labour Corps [Chinsese, Maltese, etc.] but most of those have some sort of unit title. The medals were issued unnamed to officers. Nice one! Peter

I too suspect that off-make calibre ammuntion may be a problem to acquire. And, while I know little about old revolvers I have a very little bit of experience with old ammunition and old rifles & muskets and I would be very loth to try firing a pice like this. Consider: inevitably, even with immediate cleaning afterwards, there will be at least a little added corrosion as a result; small parts such as firing pins can weaken over time and break when used again - I've had one firing pin and one musket main spring go while blank firing quite new [less than 50 years old] weapons; if its [post 1900 manufacture its almost certainly proofed for 'modern' [cordite] rounds but there's always a chance it isn't. I assume it does NOT say 'Nitro proofed' or the equivalent. Previous user(s) have over-stressed the breech and barrel, which you could only find out by Xray or by firing. And if anything catastrophic happens while firing, you could wind up being nicknamed 'Lefty'. Just my tuppence worth. Peter

Ver' nice, ver' nice! :cheers:

Here's what the official RCAF web site has to say: "Ever since the birth of the RCAF, the heraldic descriptions of the various Air Force badges have described the bird as "an eagle volant affronté, the head lowered to the sinister", clearly answering the question. As Wing Commander Hitchins put it, "...it was still an eagle and always had been - although the albatross was a very nice bird, too." The debate on what kind of bird it is has gone on since 1918, when both the British Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air service adopted the badge. So web-footed half of me was kidding! :whistle:

Indeed! Not worth risking your fingers, hand or life over, however it turns out. Peter

The dark tip on this is probably an industrial diamond. Used to use cutting bits for mining with very similar 'gems' in them. Probably worth a pint of lager on the open market! Peter

The eagle is ugly. One person mentioned it "would be an insult to the reich" You mean, just because it looks like a seagull and is holding the emblem off center? Boy, what a skeptic! Clearly the seller means it was cast by Adolf himself [in his garage, of course] and that's why it looks so rough: the man was a military genius [ ] but a lousy goldsmith! :cheeky:

And the supporters are a deer and a moose, both 'rampant'. No points for figuring out which is which! :cheeky:

Tim Unit diaries or divisional orders may be the only way. I re-searched the Gazette with only the following results. London Gazette, 29 JUL 1902, p4837 I would also beg to bring to notice the following names:— Lieut. - General Sir H. M. L. Rundle, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O. Lieut.-General H. J. T. Hildyard, K.C.B. Major-General Sir B. Blood, K.C.B. ...… p4854 OVERSEA COLONIALS. CANADIAN CONTINGENT. Lieut-Colonel T. D. B. Evans, C.B. Captain T. H. Callaghan. Lieutenant R. H. Ryan. Lieutenant and Adjutant F. Church. Squadron Serjeant-Major M. Docherty. Serjeant D. P. Bliss. OVERSEA COLONIALS—•continued. [column 2, p4854] CANADIAN "SCOUTS. Major C. Ross, D.S.O. Captain A. McMillan. Captain T. H. A. Williams. Serjeant-Major K. J. Stallwood. Regimental Quarter-Master-Serjeant G. Saunders. Private A. Chesworth. The dispatch starts somewhere before page 4837 for that date and, starting at Generals and the Life Guards, covers MIDs for virtually every unit in the British Army! As each page requires a separate download to get past my ‘net nanny’ program, I didn’t go all the way back to the first page. The despatch ends on page 4858 with the following signature: I have, &c., KITCHENER, General, Commanding-in-Ghief,South Africa I suspect that this is the only ‘citation’ which exists, as there do not appear to be any other references in the Gazette to your Bliss between 1 January 1901 and 30 December 1902. . But if you go to this site, you can do that at your leisure: http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/1902-07-29;1902-07-29/atleast=D.C.F.+BLISS%2c/start=1 Peter

London Gazette, OCT 31, 1902 "To Have the Distinguished Medal p1609 "Sergeant D. P. Bliss, Canadian Rifles" p6911 "2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles. For "Staff Sergeant D. P. Bliss" read "Staff Sergeant D. C. Forster Bliss." " Sorry, no details - the list runs 3 full pages, 100s of names. here's the site for LG searches: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/1898-01-01;1898-12-30/exact=army+regulation/start=1 Peter

My suggestion would be to leave well enough alone. I assume that the flags are silk and I believe that water damage to silk is generally irreparable. However, I'm basing this on recollections of a course on artifact preservation I took several years ago so you might want to get an opinion from a museum or professional conservator. The US National Park Service publishes a series of absolutely invaluable papers/pamphlets of artuifact preservation, intended for theior museums and historic sites and available on line. Google "US Park Service artifact conservation" and variations on that and see what they have. Peter

Wow! Fabulous! Don't know what else to say except that, if she was a relative of mine those medals and photos would be front and center in the most important room in my house. Talk about a person who made a real difference to the world! Peter, lost in admiration [and getting soppy about it! ]

An Indian Korea Medal is named in English - still part of the Commonwealth back then, before Republic status in 1959. There were two issues of the UN Korea Medal to the Indian Army, both named in English apparently. This site gives more Info: http://www.korean-war-medals.com/india/medals.shtml BTW, Urdu is a lingua franca for many Indians of different linguistic/cultural backgrounds and is still, I believe, the official language of the Indian Army, as it was under the British. The script used to write it is called "Deva Nagri". I don't know its relationship to Arabic/Persian script. Sanskrit is an ancient language, used to write the Vedas [Hindu scripture] and only spoken now in a few religious sites and groups in India. I don't believe it is used for writing, except for religious texts.

Mervyn I stand corrected. I had 'American Revolution' stuck in my head as the probable date, which is close enought to the period I do know a bit about to have me stick my neck out. And get it promptly whacked off! As the original poster says there are no navigable rivers near the find site - something else I missed first time round - a 'bring back' seems posiible / plausible. As you say, people are fascinated by artillery bits. Over here we occasionally get to see things which purport to be cannon balls which are in fact iron spheres from a 'rolling mill', a primitive mining device in which the balls were tumbkle in a drum of some sort with chunks or ore to break the ore up for easier smelting. Needless to say, they never have any markings on them, but then neither do cannon balls, so the only giveaway is the odd sizes they tend to be. Thanks for the correction - and another factoid for the mental files! Peter

Clever and lucky both! Nice score, but I'm not sure I'd have been keen to play with cartridges whose primers have been sitting God-knows-where for 95 years! It looks lovely, though, all done up again. Peter BTW, are you domiciled this side of the pond theses days? I think I recall seeing "Toronto" on your sign=in info. not long ago. Or is my middle aged brain slipping gears again?