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    peter monahan

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    Posts posted by peter monahan

    1. When I actually actively collected I.G.S. medals, back in the dawn of time [a.k.a. 1985ish] there was a spate of publications of medal rolls, starting with gallantry stuff and working outward to thiungs like individual campaign bars for some of the I.G.S. medals.  Sadly, most of these were privately published, with very small printing runs, by avid collectors and are now like the proverbial hen's teeth. :( 

       

      Abebooks, whose stock I love to browse, has this on their U.K. site:

       

      Capture.JPG

    2. 18 hours ago, Great Dane said:

      If you flip it upside down, could it be the second row with 2 foreign ribbons at the end (and the Victory medal in the first row)?

      I like this better.  Although the Star and BWM ribbons are swapped in position, and there is no Victory Medal, I think it quite unlikely that anyone would have gotten both the Star of India and the OIE.  Typically those two come on a bar with 4, 6, or even 8 other medals.  So, two foreign orders on an incomplete or, just perhaps, 'made up' bar. 

       

      Sorry, I know that's not a lot of help.  

    3. Just noticed this post.  Gordon's British Battles and Medals, at least the addition I have handy, is not very good on Indian units, but it does list at least a dozen Bengal Native Infantry units.  The 10th is not one of them but his listings are often incomplete and 'outliers' - singles to units not officially present - are quite common for the IGS medals.

       

      SO, as there was no 'Burma Infantry Regiment' except the 93rd Burma Infantry, and that not till 1902, my guess would be '10th Bengal' with a bad spelling and the 'NI' left off.  Most of these medals were named by Calcutta Mint employees who were officially English speaking, but did weird and wonderful things with the English alphabet at times.

       

      If you would like to give the name of the recipient, that might help pin it down as well.  Here or by PM.  Cheers.

       

      Peter

    4. Yes, I have a friend who went to school in Belgium and is/was vefry interested in the Star of Benin.  As I recall, a lot of the awards he discovered were 'diplomatic' or 'Send a batch around to the Allies, please.' and did not suggest that the recipient had any connection with Benin, Africa or even France, really.

       

      I had a WWI group to a British officer in an Indian cavalry regiment, which included a Roumanian Order of the Crown.  The gent who found it actually knew anothe Brit who had served with my chap and said 'Oh, yes!  Consolation prize for not getting an MC.'  He had no connection at all to Roumania except that he served on the 'same side'.  And I would never have figured that out on my own. :(

       

      So, I am very oinclibed to sahy that 1812 is correct in his explanation. :)

       

      Peter

    5. Hello Sebastian, and welcome to the GMIC.

      I'm not sure I understand your question, but are you saying that you have 30 'cards' with pictures of Canadian Militia officers on them?  If so, yes, they may have some value, especially as a 'collection'.  

      A little more information and, if ;possible, a photo of one example would be very useful.

       

      Again, welcome to the group.

       

      Peter

       

    6. That is a lovely thing indeed, Brian. 

       

      May I ask your permission to share the photo on the South Asian Military Heritage Facebook page?  One of the members there is shgaring 'badge pics' every day, including some of the State Forces units and I think the members would enjoy seeing this.  Thanks.

       

      Peter

    7. The Bombay Light Horse was an 'Auxilliary Force India' unit - the equivalent of the British Territorials, and recruited from British resident in India.  Many of these units were little more than givernment subsidized social clubs in reality, but in theory could be called out in war or for 'aid to the civil powers' [riots].

       

      The Bombay Light Horse was not mobilized as a unit during either World War, though individual members would certainly have served in the India Army.  As Simius Rex points out, this style of mess dress became popular in the 1930s and could in theory have been worn right up to 1947, although among regulars it was considered 'a bit much' to wear full dress or mess dress during hostilities.  Can't speak for the Auxilliary.  So, it could very well be pre-1919. 

       

      Are there any marks at all on the inside?  Very nice piece, by the way. 

       

      Peter

       

    8. Hello, John, and welcome to the GMIC!

       

      If you read the posts above, including one by me, you'll see that most of us seem to feel that replacement is o.k., to create something which looks good in display.  However, keep the old ribbons safe if you do this, so you can always say 'with original ribbons' if you sell or even catalogue them.

       

      A serving soldier would have replced the ribbons on his medals as they got worn or dirty - or risk the wrath of his Sergeant Major - and when I wear WWI uniforms for historical events I wear reproductions that look as the originals did 100 years ago, not as they no look in museum cases or attics: faded, torn and spoiled.  

       

      However, in the end, it's a personal decision.  Again, welcoem, and good luck with your collecting.

       

      Peter

    9. I suspect Trooper D is correct about what the looters hoped to find.  The idea seems to be that if the bodies are that well preserved there must be other thongs of 'value' there as well. :( 

       

      Not too long ago now I saw photos of a 'dig' in France which uncovered a mass grave in which almost a dozen Tommies had been buried, all on their sides as if 'spooning', to fit the bodies into the short trench.  Sadly, the night after the excavation was closed up, looters dug it up again, presumably looking for things to sell.

       

      As to the attitude of the German war graves people, the explanation may lie in the fact that it is a privately funded organization, with no official support, and therefor, I suspect, l;ikely to be chronically short of money. :(

       

      Peter

    10. 19 hours ago, cazack said:

      Hi Peter

      The reason for the interest is I have just purchased a AGSM with 2 clasps awarded to a member of the  Baluch Camel Corps so are always interested in the involvement of the unit.

      Nice!  I lived in West Africa for two years and always coveted at least one AGSM but not long after got married and invested all my 'spare' cash in silly things like rent and food.  And children. ;)

      That must have been the first campaign, then for a unit formed in 1901.  I wonder if some canny Poilitical Officer or army liason type persuaded  the Nawab to form this unit soit wouyld be available for African adventures?

      Paul's point is interesting too.  I suspect you may have more luck researching the Somali CC, a much better known unit, I think.  With luck, perhaps, references to the BCC in those accounts too?  Good luck!

      Peter

    11. The Baloch Regiment had  associations with the State Forces of  Bahwalpur, which raised a Camel Transport Corp.  Is that what you are referring to?

       In 1889, a small force from Bahawalpur was accepted as Imperial Service Troops, placing them at the disposal of the British for use in emergencies. However, it was not until the 20th century that these units began training on modern lines. In 1901, Bahawalpur State raised a camel baggage train with an escort of mounted infantry, called the Bahawalpur Imperial Service Mounted Rifles and Camel Transport Corps, which would go on to become the 1st Bahawalpur Sadiq Battalion in 1924.

      If you Google 'Baloch Regiment' you may find more info. :)

       

       

    12. Sly

      The 35th Scinde Horse was a regular cavalry unit of the Indian Army in 1920.  That meant that it had Indian ORs, NCOs and warrant officers - called Viceroy's Commissioned Officers - and British 'King's Commissioned Officers'.  The VCOs were long service men, usually risen from the ranks and would serve as second in command to British officers in command of, for example, a troop or squadron.   T

      Indian Cavalry Ranks: Ranks: Sowar [Trooper]; Naik [Corporal] ; Daffadar [Sergeant].  The Kot-Daffadar [Sgt Major] was Indian and the other VCOs were [Jemadar, roughly a lieutenant]; Risaldar [roughly a Captain] and a Risaldar Major, which had no British equivalent.  He was the senior Indian in the unit and respponsible, with the Colonel, for the specifically 'Indian' aspects: food, religion, etc.  Plus British officers: Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel.  The Indian 'VCOs' were treated as officers for pay, salutes, etc, and ofetn took command of troops or squadrons if no British Officer was present but could never give orders to a British Officer, even one 'below' them in rank.  In the 1930s several regiments were 'Indianized': Indians were given King's Commissions.  However, any Brit could transfer out of those regiments and no Indian officer ever outranked a British one. It's complicated!

      So, the regiment was made up of three  squadrons, each divided into four  troops.  Squadrons and troops would be commanded by British Captains and Lieutenants respectively, with an Indian Risaldar as 2ic of each squadron and an Indian Jemadar as 2ic of each troop.  Each troop was either all Sikhs or all Dogras.

       

      Political Officers were civil servants, working for the Political Department in India and whatever government was in charge in Mespot.  They had no military command power at all but advised regimental commanders when appropriate.

      British Officers would not have used their chargers, or other government owned horse for polo, but 'ponies' purchased locally.  I suspect if they were in Iraq and playing it would have been on Arab horse purchased in-country.

      I hiope that helps.  Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

      Peter

    13. Good call, I think.  One washing with no negative effects.  I might, if it were mine, try chesterpiglet's idea of using talcum powder.  It might pick up dust and old oiul from the fur and probably won't dry out the underlying skin of the pelt unless you leave it in for a lengthy period.  it seems to me - trained in theory but little practical experience - that this would fit the musuem standard of not doing anything nonreversable, nor adding anything to the actual artifact.

      And, of course, you're prepared for the fact that it was 'worn with pride' and will never be 'new Guardsman' standrad.  But thanks for sharing your experience!

      Happy 2021.

      Peter

    14. I don't collect to Zimbabwe but I know a bit of the history and it's my thought that the 'traditional' form is the right-facing eagle.  But I may be wrong about that.  Possible explanation for a switch to 'right' from 'left' is that it appears to have been a right on Rhodesian coinage and state emblems.

       

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