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    peter monahan

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    Posts posted by peter monahan

    1. Another angle to try on these guys is to google the units and see whether there is a re-enacting group who portrays one or more of them. These groups often have a lot of info on the units and individuals they portray. I've done this for one unit and got nominal rolls (on line) of the whole unit. Worth a shot, anyway! Good luck.

      Peter

    2. Given the picture - is AFL the 'Australian Rules' version of football?

      Megan

      Yes, 'Aussie Rules Footba' is sorta like rugby, only without the girly-man rules about biting or eye-gouging and none of those poofy pads the North americans wear in what they call 'footbal'. ;)

      In fact, I believe it was footage of AFL games and (incoherent) interviews with former players which finally convinced the NHL - National (ice) Hockey League - to water down Canada's unofficial sport by introducing a mandatory helmet rule! Fewer concussion, sure, but just not the same somehow! :rolleyes:

      (BTW, Canada' official national sport is lacrosse, known to our Native brethren as 'the little brother of war'. A real man's sport!)

      Peter

      (I favour chess and poker, myself - I only lose blood when the bottle opener slips!) :cheeky:

    3. 1st Reg't of Foot - Grenadier Company - forage caps (the "baker's cap was the Lt Coy.)

      The num,eral 1 is stiched on, as is the "band" - it is a false cuff on the bottom, though some units make them so that the band is the top od a large turn-up and the top can be tucked into the side of the turn-up. There is a small tassel in the facing colour on the end of the cap

    4. My notes also show the "Mac-Paps" in the XV Lincoln Brigade (founded February 1937, Lincoln-Washington Brigade from March 1938).

      Any idea how many "Mac-Paps" survive?

      Ed

      There were about 1600 Mac-Paps in all and somewhere between 30-50% were killed/died in Spain. Many did eventually enlist for War Two and obviously didn't all survive that, so 700-800 by 1945 is probably a safe bet.

      There were about 40 alive in Canada a decade ago when the Cdn Federation of Labour launched a campaign (abortive, i think) to put up a memorial to them. So, call it 25-30 today, if that!

      Peter

    5. This is a forage cap to a Line regiment c1800+. The woollen ball to the top would be of the colours as described above. Note the facing colour as the colour of the cap's side.

      Similar caps were worn by Cavalry regiments of the time.

      Stuart

      LineRegimentForagecap-c1800.jpg

      Stuart

      Can I ask where this illustration is from? Forage caps have been a source of great interest and even controversy among the Napoleonic War / 1812 reeanacting communities: here in Canada many of us wore the type illustrated in #3 for years until evidence - contemoporary prints, mostly - suggested that they were worn only by cavalry.

      The newest version, which letters show were shipped out to the Canadas and therfeore must have been ubiquituous in England first, are a really ugly bakers cap: a straight side (1 band of cloth) in white, with a blue top, no decorations and no regimental distinctions. We know 6000 were shipped out to Quebec in 1813-14, enough for every man in the Canadas. However, being hobbiests, with different levels of commitment to absolute historical authenticity, many of the units won't "re-cap" to something so ugly (though cheap)! So, we also have references to some reg'ts wearing their own patterns, modelled on the French "cap de police". Here's a link to a very good article. (Robert Henderson is generally held here to be pretty expert on this period. ) "An Item of Comfort" http://www.warof1812.ca/foragecaps.htm

      If I can find a photo of some of our guys in the 'baker's cap' I'll post it. All the best TTYL

      peter

    6. Great photos , Bob! thanks for sharing.

      Yes, #30 is a Priest (armoured, self-propelled), named for the "pulpit" look of the front.

      I believe #39 may be a Walker "Bulldog", a mid-generation US tank named for the famed Korean War general. Don't know that they ever saw much action, though some must have made it to 'Nam. Could be wrong on this, though - haven't cracked the armoured books in some time.

      Please share more!

      peter

    7. The Canadians who fought Franco - none I've ever heard of ton the other side, though possible, I suppose - called themselves The Mackenzie-Papineau Brigade, after two Cdns. who led our 1837 Rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario & Quebec) for responsible government. I believe they were, at least initially, brigaded with the American volunters of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

      The "Mac-Paps" not only didn't get medals but were regarded with deepest suspicion by the Cdn authorities and in many cases were not allowed to join the Cdn, Army because of their alleged infection by Communism! :(

      As far as I know, none has been given any formal recognition by our government - I could be wrong - but their place in history is now recognized a little bit in text books. (For eg, I spent the winter writing a new grade 10 History course for the Ontario Ministry of Education and made sure the Mac-Paps figured in the section on WWII).

      My tuppence worth.

    8. Rick and Robert

      I have never heard of any undisturbed wartime German military cemetery anywhere on recaptured Russian territory.

      Rick

      I did wonder, but this looks as if the Russians may be changing that policy/reality: the size of the "coffins" suggests incomplete skeletons or bones "piled" as opposed to laid out anatomically, but OTH, they seem to be putting each set of remains into its own container with an ID number on it. That and, perhaps, the presence of a Russian soldier (as opposed to a labourer) suggests to me that someone is trying to do the right thing by these remains.

      I wondereed if anyone else over there had heard anything on this topic, as it suggested to me - if accurate - a surprisingly open and heartening attitude on the part of the current administration in Russia, as well as on the part of the individual Russians of the sort Robert references.

      Peter

    9. Today's Toronto Star (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) has an interesting photo in the "World News" section.

      The title reads: "All That Remains": Some 43,000 German soldiers killed in World War II near Leningrad have been reburied so far in Russia.

      The photo shows a pile of wooden caskets - perhaps 1 meter long - each with a number on it - all in the 36400-36800 range. The caption reads "A Russian soldier carries the remains of a German soldier to a final resting place at the German military cemetery in Sologubovka, northeast of St. Petersburg, Russia. About 95,000 soldiers died in the region, but only about 70 per cent of the remains have been identified."

      Unfortunately there is no acompanying story! Sounds intriguing. Does anyone know more?

      Peter Monahan

    10. About once a year I open every Ryker Mount and clean the Glass ...there always seems to be a "film" that clouds the inside of the Glass...

      I remember some Collectors saying that since they are not sealed Air Tight , any "gasses" produced by the Cardboard or Glue should vent....if that was true , then where is that "Film" residue coming from ?

      Yes, the gasses will vent, but not till after they've filled up the inside and done whatever damage/left whatever deposits they can.

      BTW, "damage" is a relative term: for professional curators, any change is bad, even at a microscopic level, so tarnish from case chemicals or sunlight on air, surface dirt deposits from uncased display, etc etc all count as damage, though not as serious as say abrasive cleaning or acid-full paper rotting ribbons and so on. One can get anal about it all and everything does degrade at some rate whatever we do, but if the aim is to preserve "old stuff", then anything we can do to help is good: acid free papers, vented cases, etc.

      My tuppence worth,

      Peter

    11. I use about 30 Ryker's and never noticed any tarnish or damage . About once a year I open every Ryker Mount and clean the Glass ...there always seems to be a "film" that clouds the inside of the Glass.

      I remember some Collectors saying that since they are not sealed Air Tight , any "gasses" produced by the Cardboard or Glue should vent and not harm the Medals ....if that was true , then where is that "Film" residue coming from ?

      Always wondered about that :unsure:

      Yes, the gasses will vent, but not till after they've filled up the inside and done whatever damage/left whatever deposits they can.

      BTW, "damage" is a relative term: for professional curators, any change is bad, even at a microscopic level, so tarnish from case chemicals or sunlight on air, surface dirt deposits from uncased display, etc etc all count as damage, though not as serious as say abrasive cleaning or acid-full paper rotting ribbons and so on. One can get anal about it all and everything does degrade at some rate whatever we do, but if the aim is to preserve "old stuff", then anything we can do to help is good: acid free papers, vented cases, etc.

      My tuppence worth,

      Peter

    12. I use about 30 Ryker's and never noticed any tarnish or damage . About once a year I open every Ryker Mount and clean the Glass ...there always seems to be a "film" that clouds the inside of the Glass.

      I remember some Collectors saying that since they are not sealed Air Tight , any "gasses" produced by the Cardboard or Glue should vent and not harm the Medals ....if that was true , then where is that "Film" residue coming from ?

      Always wondered about that :unsure:

      Yes, the gasses will vent, but not till after they've filled up the inside and done whatever damage/left whatever deposits they can.

      BTW, "damage" is a relative term: for professional curators, any change is bad, even at a microscopic level, so tarnish from case chemicals or sunlight on air, surface dirt deposits from uncased display, etc etc all count as damage, though not as serious as say abrasive cleaning or acid-full paper rotting ribbons and so on. One can get anal about it all and everything does degrade at some rate whatever we do, but if the aim is to preserve "old stuff", then anything we can do to help is good: acid free papers, vented cases, etc.

      My tuppence worth,

      Peter

    13. Here's a tuppence worth from somebody who's recently taken a course on "Artifact Preservation" as part of getting a Museum (worker's) Certificate:

      All wood's give off some gases; oak is the worst (most acidic) and the description of the effects of Blue Eyc. on steel and skin sounds BAD!

      Any wooden case should, according to museum types, sit empty for a year to let it "outgas" !!!

      All glued substances, but espcially modern laminates, also outgas, some a LOT, as they dry and cure. Again, a process which takes months, not days!

      Cover the poly foam with archive grade "inert" paper to protect medals from chemicals too.

      Sorry to be a wet blanket, but there it is! Use metal cabinets lined with paper and get the magnicent looking TO case and wait till it "cures" if you really want to protect the medals.

      Peter

    14. Well., I'm not a gunner, but #2,3,4 seem to show a mid-nineteenth century heavy muzzle-loader, either British or American made. Many examples of these in US and British forts (all over the world for the Brit stuff).

      #16 looks like an early 19th/late 18th century bronze "long gun": a 32-36 pounder. No way to tell who cast it, I don't think, without close-ups but on the balance of probabilities, French or British.

      Great photos!

      Peter

    15. Chris

      Why you go pick on dem Nigerians?

      That is capitalism and the entrepeneurial spirit in their purest form: "Hello stupid person! Please send me your lifes' s savings and I will keep it after promising you whatever unbelieveable thing you want - millions of dollars, world peace, clean air..."

      Oh, sorry, that's my politician speech. Har Har!

      Works for casinos too: "All you suckers throw all your money into this machine and we promise someday to somebody some money... maybe. If we feel like it... Or not"

      The only difference in the Twin Towers scam is the added bonus of being able to appeal to people's patriotism as well as their credulity. Which I personally find quite sleazy, BTW, but it's different from what hundreds of other scam artists do only in the degree of it's tastelessness!

      Peter

    16. Spot on, Walrus!

      The "Hasty P's" are the "Hastings and Prince Edward (county) Regiment". A noted Canadian author Farley Mowat served with them in WWII, in Italy, as a 19 yr old intelligence officer - bright lad. He wrote of it in a book titled "And No Birds Sang" (biog.) as well as in "The Regiment", a more general work, and even describes his own breakdown and running away after days of sehlling and no sleep. Excelent account of a really nasty campaign for our boys.

      The "Rileys" are the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, whose first battalion were decimated at Dieppe (70% killed, wounded or captured, I believe).

      Peter

    17. Hi guys,

      I have been told the loops were for supporting the sporran belt or vice versa. If you have a look at the hanger(which I believe is an original hanger for the kilt) it has two closures at to clip onto both sides of the kilt. A collector from another site who is familiar with kilt wear provided that information.

      I may be wrong about the loops being for hanging but they are very unlikely to be for the sporran belt. A sporran belt is too small to support a kilt, which is fitted anyweay so it won't fall down, and the belt, properly worn, starts below the top of the kilt at the back and crosses the hips on a downward angle, essentially held in place by the weight of the sporran and the wearer's hips. Check some photos of kilties and I think you'll see what I mean.

      My tuppence 'orth

      Peter

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