peter monahan

According to wikipedia: "The Lancashire Artillery Volunteers were first raised in 1859 as part of the Volunteer Force raised in response to threats of French Invasion.[1] A total of 23 Artillery companieswere raised initially. However, in Manchester, numerous units that would later form the Lancashire Artillery Gunners had existed from as early as 1804, when the Duke of Gloucester inspected the Heaton Artillery Volunteers before they were shipped off to the fronts of the Napoleonic Wars The style is defineitely Voctrian and there are several for sale, including one which at a quick glance seems almost identical to the 5th Lancahsire Volunteer Artillery, described as 'officers, full dress' and found here: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/laidlaw-auctioneers-and-valuers/catalogue-id-srlai10004/lot-2a500189-2467-40e6-af43-a4250003ef87 If you google 'Victorian volunteer sabretache' you'll find a number of examples, including a Pintrist page with at least a dozen. Sorry, I'cvwe no idea of value but not cheap, i shouldn't think. Perhaps the sale at the auction house will help, if they publish their prices realized.

Call me when they actually bring it ashore and post photos.

I guessed that but couldn't resist. I am/was a librarian and one not infrequently comes across truly bizarre titles, most often on books which began life as Phd theses.

That's what I was alluding to but had forgotten the origins. Thanks, Bilco!

So, exactly one verified example in captivity? Wow. I suspect that " Photos as Historical Witnesses: The First Ethiopians in Germany and the First Germans in Ethiopia, the History of a Complex Relationship " is hardly a household item either. Thank you for sharing that, James. Ethiopia is on my bucket list, with a num,ber of other African nations I've never seen.

Lovely! Thank you for sharing and welcome to the GMIC.

I'll just go drink some absinthe then step in front of a trolley! 'Depression porn' sums it up perfectly! Any nineteenth century writer who visited/lived with troops [or, I suspect, prison inmates] knew cafard well. Kipling has a story of a Gunner, stationed in India, going mad, stealing a rifle and some rounds and shooting a couple of comrades before being tackled by an officer, who risked his life to take the man alive. Where I was stationed in Nigeria in the early '80s, there was a 'dust fog' which hid the sun and dropped the temperatures for 3-4 months and was ended only by the rains. legend has it that crimes committed during that period were regarded in a different light due to an assumption of some equivalent of cafard being at least partially at fault. BTW, Hugh, I assume that is Wren you're posting. Which story, please?

I believe they are being repro-ed for re-enactors and collectors and for that kind of money faking one might be worthwhile, but I have no idea personally.

I actually thought, as I typed that message, that there are in fact lots of Ethiopians in North America - I've taught a couple over the years - so in fact I should have said 'non-Ethiopian Amharic speakers'. [blush] I'm sure there's an interesting story too, as to how a gent with a name like yours is a native speaker. One Amharic speaking parent at least, or raised in an Ethioian communit, I'd guess. Anyway, thanks again for the translation and very glad to have you on the GMIC.

The term was used in the 19th century by French troops in the colonies, most noticeably the Foreign Legion, with whom the term is associated in literaure and popular culture, and referred to more than just 'ennui' at times. It was like the 'cabin fever' suffered by the early over-winterers in Canad's North and the symptoms ranged from depression and enuui to full out violent psychos - 'going postal' in modern US parlance. I think the 19th century British Army term was 'dolally'. P.C. Wren's stories of the FFL, with whom he served in the 1920s before writing Beau Geste, often use 'cafard' as the motive for anything from drinking binges to desertion and murder.

Thank you, Jarod. Do you read Amharic yourself or are you relying on some other source. Either way, it's great to have the information and I am jsut curious - I suspect Amharic speakers outside Ethiopia are few and far between. Peter

Completely irrelevant to this chaop, but one of my first exposures to the allure of 'Inja' was a reference I ran across to the 'Bundlekund Legion', whihc name struck me both as humourous and intriguing. I was probably 16, but from thence sprang my life long fascination with British India and its armies. Kerry, glad one of the members was able to help.

Another forum** just posted some photos of 'Brazilian Poles' who volunteered to serve, apparently, with the Free Polish forces. The poster mentions that his mother was an Argentinian Jew, of Polish and Bielorussian descent. It may be that the Polish mechanic was likewise from somewhere other than Poland, that he spoke Spanish or simply that somebody decided to lump all the foreigners into one unit! Not uncommon, however, to see such oddities. The other Forum also contains, today, photos of a tunic badged Somerset L.I. but with the national flash 'New Zealand' on each sleeve as well, though no details on how that came to be. ** [Wehrmacht Awards, British and Commonwealth sub-forum]

Good luck with your hunt for photos! What a shame that the group is no longer with your family.

Quicksilver, Sorry to hear that! My editied post suggested that there might be info. in our 'back issues' but that is not the case. Not sure what else to recommend. Peter

Not unattractive. In fact, I've seen far worse! Well doen for posting it.

My bad! It is, as you say, an ordinary OR's field service cap. I can't say much from the photo about the oil cloth liner but I will note that, for some reason, most of the repro. stuff coming out theses days seems to be dated '1917', if that is of any importance.

I agree that its probably a copy, made for the re-enacting market. Condition far too good for an original, IMO, with no real signs of wear. Jerry's comment on patience is also on target. Peter

True story! One of the [few] downsides of re-enacting WWI in the US is the percentage, admittedly small, of 'ex-military' types who fall into this category. One we call 'Super Sergeant' has, by his own testimony, been decorated by the head of a special forces unit AND the Commandant of the Marine Corps and... You get the idea.

Californian, welcome to the GMIC! From Galt! That's just down the road from where I live. Well, an hour or so. Pity the reflection from his glasses gives such an odd look to the photo. Where did he serve in Nigeria? I was lucky enopugh to spend two years there, many many years ago.

This is a private purchase ID tag, as soldiers were issued with two official tags, in fibre, one green and one red. Eventually a second red one was provided for attachment to the Gas mask case. The official ones listed name, rank, serial number, religion and unit, so were chagned when a man was promoted or transferred. Many men also got these private ones, as gifts or for themsleves. French soldiers wore them as well - the metal ones on braclets, that is, tough I'm not sure whether they were official or just very popular. Sorry, no idea about value but the fact that it is to a confirmed and idnetified casualty probably makes it worth a couple pounds/Euros.

It certainly looks as if it could be a French 'bonnet de police', first worn by Napoleon's troops and made from old coat sleeves apprently. The style was adopted by many armies and, as it was a 'camp hat' often not marked with any insignia. The French continued to wear variations right up until WWI but this one looks to my fairly untutored eye to be Napoleonic or post-Nap. in style. Very unfortunately, the amount of stuff produced for various Napleonic anniversaries over the last 200 years make it virtually impossible to accurately separate the original 200 year old originals from the pre-WWI [100 year old] examples, which are often hand sewn and use period appropriate materials. So, I'd believe French and 1820's era unless there are warning signs to the contrary but I'm not sure how one would prove it, sans markings or clear provenance. Very nice find either way.

Welcome to the GMIVC, Gary. I'm a Canuck and so can offer nothing concrete about SA WWI research but we do have some SA members including, I believe, Audrey of Rhino Research, who some of them have spoken highly of. If none of them are able to help, perhaps contacting her would be worthwhile. rhino.research@icon.co.za Good luck and, again, welcome aboard! Peter

" I see there are many types and thus it is up to the Buyer to know what they are bidding on as the details between the types can be very small to tell. " What a cop-out, especially as there is no indication that it might be a copy or off-make and the starting price - $US 1,500 - would lead an unwary buyer to assume ti was an original. I'm glad to see it didn't sell!

"not motivated by money alone. It is a combination of play‐acting and a desire for adventure " Heavy on the play-acting!