peter monahan

Likely either jewellery or, more likely IMO, a fund raiser. Turned out in quantity and relatively low quality and sold to provide comforts for the troops or some such. That sort of thing was very very common in France and ceratinly not unknown in the UK too.

No mementos of him, but my Dad very occasionally refers to my Great Uncle, 636904 Private Frank Maurice 'Whitey' Deacon, who joined the 155th Battalion (Bay of Quinte) but went to France as a reinforcement for the 21st Battalion. Frank was a clerk in civilian life, which I think explians why he spent 18 months in England. He made it up to Sergeant in the 155th but got busted back, fined and jailed for missisng the 'tattoo' just before the unit shipped overseas. He went to the 21st as part of a draft to replace the battalion's Vimy Ridge losses and was invalided out with 'impetigo' just before the big push in September '17, so he was one lucky guy. He never spoke of the war to my Dad but used to have my dad and his brother down to visit and they'd play euchre with Frank and one of his comrades. Died in 1975. Two weeks ago I got my first, and probably last, tattoos: a replica of the Canadian cap badge which many of our 660,000 men wore in the Great War. My small tribute to Frank Deacon and his comrades.

Just received the latest edition of the Legion magazine - I'm an associet member of the Royal Canadian Legion - which includes articles by two historians on whether the Somme was a total disaster or a clever ploy to wear down the German Army through attrition. Really! All I can say to that is: if that's you're 'clever ploy', God help the poor sods on both sides who have to take part in one of your stupid ideas! Right up there with a knife fight in which each guy hopes the other will bleed out first so that he'll 'win'!

Of course it was a 'conspiracy'. That's what illegal terrorists/freedom fighters/extreme nationalists do: conspire. If anyone is suggesting it was master minded by some mysterious higher power, I'd repeat my mantra. Well, Machiavelli's mantra, actually: "It is uncecessary to attribute to mailce [read 'plots'] what can be explained by stupidity [read 'extremism'].

Don't know where they served but I agree that "I 21" almost certainly means "Infantry [battalion] 21". Rack or issue number '206' which was for some reason changed to '191'. I'd guess that the 'EAB' might be the same as the 'EAJB' marking on the guard - a manufactory mark.

I wouldn't touch it.

I have to agree with Mervyn about the skull being two pieces - not a good sign, IMHO. That plus the cloth liner rather than leather may indicate that it is a good quality copy, perhaps done by a regiment for a colour guard some time after the originals were worn, or made up as a display piece rather than something intended to be worn regualrly by a serving trooper, as that cloth lining would make it hellish uncomfortable, I suspect.

I don't think the style is as early as 1790s - looks mid-Victorian to me, but I'm not an expert. Very lovely piece anyway.

I'm obviously missing something, as I don't see any reference to the KAR.

Well done, Christerd. It's always good to hear a family getting back important memorial objects. Pity the medals are gone.

I can see the authorities deciding that a CD would be a nice gesture, in place of a second LSGC. Interesting group. Any idea where/what he was doing after the war?

Yes, good call, Trooper! Just getting into WWI stuff myself, so I would not have spotted that. This is why I hang out here! Irish - hope that helps!

Ain't that the sad and sorry truth! The same everywhere, I think.

The Archives in Ottawa has his enlistment papers under "Robert" Maynard. He was from Neuville, just west of Quebec City, almost 40 years old when he enlisted and joined at Valcartier on 24 September, 1914, so one of the First Contingent' . Noor - PM me and I'll send you his enlistment papers.

I'm guessing that the answer probably lies in the "M. O. R. C./G.", which presumably is the organization or unit to which he belonged. Does that abbreviation ring any bells with anyone? If he were a Yank attached to a British unit or group he would presumably get dog tags if he were not in the US military and did not already have a set. That could apply to journalists, civilian employees, and probably many other categories of people.

Just read in an article on Harvard that 17% of seniors there admit to having cheated academically. The head of Toronto's school board resigned a few months ago after getting caught plagiarizing newspaper articles and it now looks as if he'll have his PhD lifted form the same offence. So, its not just 'made up' universities! Sad and disappointing.

I've seen several like it over the years, but don't ask me for specifics. I'd say, pretty confidently, that its a eighteenth or nineteenth century Indian copy of a British style, so probably made for one of the princely states, either in India or the UK but probably the former. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it was quite common for Native States to adopt bits of British uniform. The Afghan Army actually had a kilted regiment at one point! Here's a link to a particularly fine example from Gwalior: http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1952-06-4-1 And here are three more examples: http://www.jbma.com.au/militaria/default.aspx These are clearly higher quality and made for British Indian forces, but the principal holds, I think. Yours may be intended for cavalry or even artillery of one of the raja's armies. Quite rare and, I should think, fairly valuable if you can get a clear identification. I'll poke around and see what I can find out.

Not sure about the lining - that one looks like a shako rather than helmet, though not wrong for the probably period. yrs should be leather. A lovely piece though, especially as a fixer-upper as the estate agents say!

Good to know, Hilary. What Hugh said, too, about hours spent!

Angelina Jolie for her work to end violence against women, ok. But David Cameron's hairdresser? Really?

I certainly see Odulf's point but, as Steve says, he's rescuing stuff which would otherwise rust or dust away and creating truly impresive art from it!

Didn't we get as high as a '10' to go on the ribbon of the UN Medal for guys who had multiple Cyprus postings - Signalers and so on? That might be one solution and perhaps a little tidier than multiple bars, which might end up looking like some of the Legion medals I see, with a 6" ribbon to accomadate the bars for each of 27 successive annual barbeques or whatever they are.

The first medal I ever bought - Pte. R. Milne, 7/W YORK. R, killed on the first day of the Somme - came into a shop where I was in a cigar box with 50 others, on iits way toa smelter. Silver was $11.00 an ounce and the fellow sold the medals to anyone who wanted one for $10.00 each! What a shame and, in some places, a crime.

Aboslutely! Quarter Master 101: "If you give you one, there'll be paper work and a space on the shelf and... So just p*** off, there's a good soldier!"

I, with my British colonial bias thought '15th Prince Albert's [Own?]... and never finished the thought.