Owen

For me, it is the WW1 'Anthem, for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen. I studied Wilfred Owen at school, back in the mid 1970's, as part of the English Literature curriculum, and this poem had quite a profound impact on me then and still does (it is the only poem I have never forgotten all the words to): What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells, Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, - The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.

Hello Peter, my turn to apologise now - missed your post. I will put it down to the Olympic fever which has been gripping Blighty and chez nous. Glad you got the contradiction joke! Hope things are cooling down a bit for you over there...if I could box up some of the rain we have been having through (and here is another contracdiction in terms) our 'British summer', then you would be very welcome to it! I hear what you say about numbers etc, but the ESDP medal would lend itself to multiple bars on the same ribbon - I lose track of how many different ESDP missions there are now, but the number is beginning to stack up. This evening, I finally got around to ordering a mini ESDP medal from Eekelers (thanks Kapitein). As Kapitein suggested, I will swap the given bar for the spare EULEX Kosovo bar and get it mounted with the other miniatures (courtesy of our local military tailor) and hopefully 'Bob's your uncle'. Owen

Just added another item to my increasingly eclectic Napoleonic collection! This contemporary and quite naive hand coloured woodcut depicts the land and sea bombardment of Copenhagen in early September 1807, by forces under the command of Wellington (then General Sir Arthur Wellesley). British forces numbered some The seller tells me that it came (to him), in an album, directly from the descendents of Admiral Sir Charles Brisbane. Brisbane (1769-1829) had a distinguished career, serving with distinction under Nelson (other pieces from Brisbane were sold at Bonhams last year). There is some great detail in this print, which I hope you find as interesting as I have...it really draws you in...the more you look the more you see...the ammunition tumbrils, the mortar teams, the disposition of the encircling forces... mortar, cannon and congreve rockets were used between the 2nd - 7th September in the bombardment...naive as it is, this picture actually gives a sense of how terrifying the ordeal must have been for the people in Copenhagen. An interesting article, relating to the bombardment of Copenhagen, appeared in this Spring edition of the 'Waterloo Journal' (by Gabriele Eilert-Ebke and Hans Ebke)...it relates the part that the Hannoverian KGL (some 10,000 of them) played. I can't find any definitive record of this print, so if anyone knows anything about its origins, I would love to hear:

Hi, you are right...the EULEX medal does seem to be a much cheaper version (I have no idea where it was made, or who by). Thanks for the www.eekelers-centini.be link - perfect. It had never come up on my searches for the EU medals, but I definitely get a miniature from them and follow your suggestion of using the spare ribbon bar. Thanks again, Owen

Just to add to my post above. Firstly, I was wrong...the medals are not identical...having just looked properly at mine, there are slight differences in design and size, The EULEX medal measures 36mm in diameter and has a vey thin border, whilst the EUPOL COPPS medal is 30mm in diameter with a broader border. Also, the suspension clips are slightly different. There is also a difference in the sizes of the clasps. The medal ribbons are the same width (34mm). Also, I am still not certain which of the EU medals they also issue miniatures for. I received a miniature with my EUPOL COPPS medal, but not with my EULEX Kosovo medal. Did anyone else get a miniature with their EU medal? Also, the ID chart (link kindly provided at #12) is great to have. However, I see that the medal & clasp they show for the EU mission in Palestine is only for the former name (i.e. EU COPPS). The medal I have (from 2008/9) is for EUPOL COPPS....i.e. the name of the mission changed from EU Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support to EU Police Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support. Here are some pictures of the medals, including the EUPOL COPPS mini on my own medal minis bar, but I obviously can't add the EULEX Kosovo mini...because there isn't one!

With ref to non EU mission members, we had officers from what the EU terms '3rd Member States' with us in both EUPOL COPPS (Palestine) and in Kosovo (EULEX). In Palestine, we had Canadian and American police officers. In Kosovo, we had American police officers. Other non EU countries who have provided police officers to the EU missions I was in are Norway and Switzerland. You are right on the clasps - each medal stands alone and you can't put different clasps onto the one medal. In these days of austerity, it seems a bit of madness as all the medals/ribbons are exactly the same....only the clasps differ. Unlike the UN medals - I have a UN medal for Bosnia - the EU medals have not adopted a number system, for when you serve in the same mission more than once. I may be going back to Palestine (EUPOL COPPS) shortly, so I will let you know if this has changed since I left Kosovo last August.

Mervyn, I am happy for you to sahre....also....had a bit of a Eureka moment today. I have been doing some online searching on an address that William was writing to in 1815 (letters pub on John Franklin's 1815 website) and (long story short) found that William was the brother of a certain disgraced British Naval Captain (John Drummond) living in Hobart, Australia at the time of Waterloo (perhaps the reason that his Waterloo medal ended up for sale in Australia in 1971). I will probably need to go to Kew to get more depth on Williams military career, but today has certainly opened a fascinating window into his immediate family (at the time) and his ancestry...... ......There is a fascinating story on Captain John Drummond (which gives some 'shocking' insight into the life & times of William Drummond) here (http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/drummond-john-1996) and some very tangible evidence of the connection between the brothers here (http://www.auspostalhistory.com/articles/420.shtml). You will see that the handwriting on the first envelope is the same as that of the inscription in the book (I had already noted the wobbly nature of William Drummond's handwriting....which I had put down to his probable state of mind/body in the aftermath of the Battle (he would likely have had some dreadful experiences at Hougoumont). But, maybee he just had wobbly writing! I Also, William has famous scottish lineage with literary (i.e. William Drummond of Hawthornden - famous Scottish poet) and Royal connections (i.e. to King James VI of Scotland / Charles I of England). I have spent quite a bit of time going back through his lineage...but following captures both of his most notable ancestors in one easy paragraph.....taken from (http://spenserians.cath.vt.edu/authorrecord.php?action=GET&recordid=32773): "William Drummond of Hawthornden, son of John Drummond, gentleman-usher to James VI and the nephew of the poet William Fowler, was knighted upon the succession of James to the English throne. He took his M.A. from Edinburgh (1605), studied law abroad, and became laird of Hawthornden in 1610. Drummond was devoted to the Stuart dynasty and was said to have died for grief at the death of Charles I. His poetry was particularly in vogue during the Elizabethan revival at the end of the eighteenth century."

Hello Mervyn, thanks for your interest & encouragement - much appreciated, Sadly, I have not had enough time recently to do much more research (I am also researching a Waterloo medal to an Officer of the 1st Foot, which I bought recently). A bit more though....it seems that Drummond went to Portugal with 2nd Battalion 3rd Foot Guards, as part of the British Intervention force (5000 strong Division) under Lt Gen Sir William Clinton (1826 - 1828). I admit to wondering about his medals too! It would be great to find them....according to the spreadsheet kept by Alec (at British Medal Forum) - http://www.britishmedals.us/resources/downloads.html - his Waterloo Medal sold in Australia back in 1971, but no sign of his Military General Service (yet!). Owen

Thanks for the kind words Mervyn. It is a very satisfying and quite poignant reunion - especially as we run in towards the 200th anniversary of the Battle. I will provide any follow up detail as and when. With regard to family resemblances...we at least have a description of George Cooling, from his papers (Height: 5 feet and 4½ inches Hair: Dark Brown Eyes: Hazle Complexion: Pale). For me, the reason for collecting is the tangible link with the past event and time and to be able to bridge the family gap of nearly 200 years has real depth of meaning. It sort of makes sense of everything and I am sure that I am not alone in feeling this. I have something else going on, with another Waterloo medal, that quite excites me, but I will post detail of that a bit later! Owen

I just thought some of you might like to know that as a result of this Waterloo medal (to George Cooling, Royal Waggon Train) being posted here on GMIC, I have been contacted by the great great great grandson of George Cooling (Phil Cooling) and we are hoping to get Phil (and his family) together with the medal before too much longer. Interestingly, Phil Cooling and his family still live in the same area of Buckinghamshire that George Cooling was born (Bearton) and grew up in. When George was medically discharged from the army, in 1832, he settled, with his wife (Eleanor) and children, in Orlestone, Kent (which is just a stones throw from where his medal surfaced). Phil Cooling tells me that, from his own research: both George (Cooling) and Eleanor died (in quick succession) in 1845 and their three youngest children then moved to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire where they were listed as being in the Work House in 1851. Aylesbury is the major town near Beirton (this is the current spelling of Bearton) where George was born. Phil's family have lived in the area virtually continuously since. Phil Cooling still passes through Beirton on his daily commute! This is posted with Phil Cooling's permission.

Hello, apologies for late reply but just seen this thread....I collect 18th/19th century silver as my other hobby and think that you mark is actually French post 1838. It is really hard to see (so I could be wrong), but it looks like it might be the Franch post 1838 'Boars Head' mark, There is a link here (http://www.925-1000.com/Ffrench_marks.html .....if you have a look at the bottom left picture of the web page, you will see the 'small' silver guarantee mark of the boars head. Your picture shows what might be a very indistinct makers mark (opposite side of the ring)....but I am nearing the realms of guess work here. Not sure how this would tie in with you source. I can't imagine that there will be too many Waterloo medals with French hallmarks!

I just thought I would share what I think is quite an interesting find. We keep horses, so I am often buying books related to their health/welfare etc. Imagine my surprise (and delight) when looking (a couple of days ago) at a 19th Century book on Equine Vetinary Medicine to find (quite by chance) that it had an owners inscription, handwritten in ink for: "Major Wm Drummond 3d Foot Gds 1815" Needless to say, I bought the book! It did not take long to find that William Drummond was at Waterloo with the 2/3 Foot Guards...an erstwhile defender of Hougoumont! He served in Lt Colonel William Keate's Company. There are quite a number of references to Drummond (including two of Drummonds letters (written pre and post Waterloo) now published on John Franklin's 1815 website) and of course many to 2nd Battalion 3rd Foot Guards, I am reading into William Drummond as I write, so won't include too much here. But, in brief, born in 1786, he joined the 3rd Guards as an ensign in 1806. He then served through the Peninsula campaign (earning MGSM clasps for the battles of Talavera, Busaco and Fuentes d'Onoro)...he was at the siege of Burgos (and the subsequent retreat) ....also at the bombardment of Antwerp...the storming of Bergen op Zoom fortress...Quatre Bras, Waterloo and on to Paris.... . He retired in 1844 and died in 1862. He appears to have been pronmoted all the way through to Brevet Lt Colonel without purchase (he then purchased his Colonelcy) and was then promoted again without purchase (quite extraordinary achievement). His potted history is listed on one of Lionel Challis's Index Cards: I have taken the liberty to include some 2/3 Foot Guards Hougoumont history here - from the Scots Guards own website http://www.scotsguar...uk/history1.htm: "At the glorious crowning victory of Waterloo on 18th June, 1815, the 2nd Battalion was on the ridge behind the farm of Hougoumont, with its Light Company in the farm buildings with those of the Coldstream and of the two battalions of First Guards. Throughout the long day, from eleven o’clock in the morning until eight o’clock in the evening, these four companies, and subsequently the whole of the 2nd Battalion of Coldstream and Third Guards frustrated the desperate attempts of nearly 30,000 French to capture this key position. No finer feat is recorded in the history of the Regiment than this defence of Hougoumont against overwhelming odds. One historian, Robinson, has written: “probably the gallantry of the defenders of this post has never been surpassed on any battlefield.” A note on the book itself: The book (published in 1812) is about the size of an average adult hand, so certainly one small enough to carry in personal belongings and one that any caring British Officer would have wanted refernce to at that time. It was written by Vetinary Surgeon James White (Vet to the First Dragoons) and contains easy to read and highly practical information on horse care (quite a focus on looking after hooves etc)...still very relevent today. There are very faint, but clearly written, old hand-written page references, to things a caring horse owner would have wanted to understand. Of course, I will never really know...but it seems realistic to think that Drummond carried this book with him (and referred to it) in and around the time of the Battle and the days/months that followed in 1815. With the peculiar tradition of the Guards 'double ranking' (i.e. you could be a Lt/Capt and a Lt Col at the same time) it is a bit confusing to decipher Drummonds exact ranks/promotions at around the time of the Battle of Waterloo...however, the Army List for 1815 is very explicit: Drummond was promoted Major on 18 June 1815 (presumably at the time of the battle itself?):

Having paid my Euro 17.50, I have now received the results of my enquiry to the State Archives in Wolfenbuttel. They replied by letter (in German), giving the following information: Confirmation that Christian Krug is on their copy of the Brunswick Waterloo Medal Roll (they give a line serial number); Confirmation that he is listed as Company Surgeon with 1st Line Batallion; That his place of birth is given as 'Alt Brandesleben', near Magdeburg; That he retired from the army (no date given). They also give me the correspondence address of the local archive (Landeshauptarchiv Sachsen-Anhalt) which they say will hold more detail on Krug. So, aside from the 'next steps' address, they have really just confirmed the information that Marc so kindly provided. It would have been nice if they had included a copy of the medal entry in the roll (but again, thanks to Marc, I have at least seen that now). I think that the next steps need to be a visit, in person, to the Landeshauptarchiv Sachsen-Anhalt (with a German friend (fortunately I have one who lives in Berlin!)).

Thank you, I have found ‘Altbrandsleben’ - your information has been extremly helpful.

Marc, many thanks indeed - after a long search, it is good to see his name in print! I will PM my e-mail address to you so that you can let me know when your book is ready. With regard to the picture of his entry in the roll, I am afraid that I can't read the place name? I can only read "Alt Brand????" on the first line and can't read the 2nd line at all. Also, I can't really read the first name (after Krug) very well...but I assume that it is 'Christian'? Can you help tell me what it says? I am a member of the Waterloo Association - their name changed recently from Waterloo Committee to Waterloo Association (but website still showing it as a Committee) (http://www.waterloocommittee.org.uk/welcome.html) and a 'friend' of 'Waterloo 200' (http://www.waterloo200.org/countdown/) and will certainly mention your forthcoming book to friends there - I know that there will be interest. As you can imagine, there is a good deal of planning underway for events to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle in 2015, Thanks again, Owen

Hello Marco, I am very grateful to you and have replied to your PM. Owen

Mathew, I have just received a letter from the Staatarchiv in Wolfenbuttel saying (in German) that they have carried out some research and have results to send me. They are asking for payment of a Euros 17.50 fee befotre releasing the results (so I don't know what they have yet!). Anyway, I have just sent an on-line payment to them - let's see what comes back. I will keep you posted. Ref suspension ring etc, the ring on mine is original (split suspension) - pic follows, so you can see it in close-up...I have a feeling that (www.dixonsmedals.co.uk) sell replacement medal rings (at least they would be a start point). Not sure about replacement ribbon though.

Many thanks, I will do as you suggest. I asked on the Napoleonic forum (alas no joy) a while ago, but didn't think to ask at 1815, Also, very interested in how you get on with the Nassau & Hanoverian rolls. Thanks again.

Hi Mathew, yes the database is very much a 'work in progress' and relies on people sending in medal details, in order to grow it. With regard to German, I don't speak German either...but, 'Google Translate' works well enough to get around that little hurdle (I am sure that they have a laugh at the other end, but it gets the message over!). Their reply was in German, but again Google translate did the job. The e-mail address for the Brunswick State archives is: stadtarchiv@braunschweig.de. Not much more I can do to help, but if I get any joy with the other source, then I will let you know. Good luck. Owen

Hello Mathew, I have also asked the question on here about researching a Brunswick Waterloo medal recipient. Aside from an assertion that the Brunswick Waterloo medal rolls are available (but I have failed to locate any copies...my fault I am sure), there has been no advice. I had virtually given up hope, but decided to write to the Braunschweig (Brunswick) State Archives - they have kindly replied with some limited information, but helpfully passed me on to another source of help (which I am waiting to hear back from). In the first instance, I think it would be worth you writing to the Braunschweig State Archives with your query. They can be contacted through this website: http://www.braunschw...iv/kontakt.html (their e-mail address is around about the centre of the web[page!) Hope this is of some help, Owen Edied to add a P.S. I have checked the excellent resource here (http://www.britishmedals.us/resources/downloads.html) to see if your man is listed on the Brunswick medal recipient section of their Waterloo Medal database. Unfortunately he isn't, but I think it is worth you sending in the detail of your medal to be included for wider reference value.

Ah, sorry forgive me...I just assumed (so, I guess the 'joke' about logic got a bit lost too!)....anyway, its good to see the DRC medal. Yes, I was in both those missions - I seem to have spent my life bouncing around the dodgy parts of the world (I spent time in the DR Congo ....many years ago). Owen

Hello Troy, well done on your medal (I am sure you earned it out there in the Congo) and thanks for posting the pictures. Out of interest, did you get a miniature medal issued with it? The reason I ask is that I have got two of the same EU medals (although the boxes are far less impressive!) - one for the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo EULEX (Kosovo) and one for the EU Policing mission in Palestine EUPOL COPPS - the one from Palestine (issued in 2009) came with a miniature (and a small EUPOL COPPS ribbon clasp), but the more recent EULEX medal (last August) did not. When I asked in the mission about a EULEX miniature, they looked at me as if I had two heads and had said the most ridiculous thing ever! Also, it seems that the medals for all the EU missions are exactly the same and it is just the clasps that vary....I wonder why they don't just issue the clasp for subsequent missions (ah well, I must stop trying to apply any logic to EU Missions!).

Unfortunately, I didn't download any of the catalogue content and now find that the links don't work. Investigating the cause, I find a report in the Daily Telegraph (online) today saying that the sale has been postponed due to a legal injunction by a member of the family: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/artsales/9181815/Raglan-collection-sale-postponed.html

Some incredible lots and unique pieces of Peninsular wars, Waterloo campaign, Indian wars/campaigns and Crimean war history going under the hammer at Christies on 4th April... http://www.christies...sreleaseid=5386 If only I had a spare 350,000 pounds (and quite a bit more I suspect)... http://www.christies...bjectid=5544832 And of course there are these... http://www.christies...eb-040daab7fc41 Mind you, I will be at the auction on the 4th...

Just received mine and it really is 1st class. Well done!