Kev in Deva

Hallo Tiger89 Still hard to define the crosses, the ribbon ring fixing looks dodgy on the big one Welcome to the forum Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gentlemen, Just spotted this little gem one on Ebay Germany http://cgi.ebay.de/ORDENSPANGE-ORDEN-1-WK-...1QQcmdZViewItem And another Gem on American Ebay http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...A%3AIT&rd=1 surely not possible as the seller claims to a woman. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo DanCz Your comment is confirmed by whats written on page 141 of Christopher Ailsby's WW2 German Medals and political awards. " This award takes the form of the crosses described in the Faithful Service Decorations for 25 and 40 years service, with the exception that the field of the upper arm of the cross has a raised Arabic "50" superimposed upon it. The body of the cross is silver plated while the wreath and the 50 are gilded. The reverse is again identical to that described in the faithful service decorations for 25 and 40 years service, with the exception that the inscription has been changed to "F?r, Treue, Arbeit" (Loyal Work) The wreath on the reverse has also been gilded." I also attach a picture scanned from:Mr. Nimmerguts O&E 1800- 1945, 2005/6 edition. Kevin in Deva.

The following continues the list of County Mayo men who served in WW1 with the CONNAUGHT RANGERS from country areas outside of the large towns listed above. In some cases the spelling of the area names varies from that of today, some names exsist in more than one area, and some are not known today. KILMOVEE: (nearest town Ballaghderreen). 28 / 08 / 1915. 2904 Private Walsh Michael, 5th Battalion, K.I.A. Gallipoli. DOOGERRI: (Possibly Doogary 5 exsist near the major towns in Mayo). 09 / 09 / 1916. 7267 Private Frain Thomas, 6th Battalion K.I.A. France and Flanders. KILCOLMAN: (two exsist, one near Claremorris and one near Ballaghderreen.) 05 / 04 / 1919. 8216 Private Griffin Michael, 1st Battalion, Died in Egypt. RAFNAMUFT: (Unknown location as yet). 25 / 12 / 1918. 8076 Private Barrett Michael, 1st Battalion, Died in Egypt, Formerly 33730 Scottish Rifles. KILCOMMON: (near Kilmaine, Ballinrobe,). 08 / 07 / 1917. 7497 Private Gibbons John, 1st Battalion, Died in Mesopotamia. GLENSAUL: (Unknown location as yet). 21 / 03 / 1918. 7869 Private Casey John, 6th Battalion, K.I.A. France and Flanders. BALLAGHDEEREN: 10 / 11 / 1917. 11155 Private Connolly Robert, 6th Battalion, K.I.A. France and Flanders. BALLA: 07 / 09 / 1918. 5991 Private Corcoran Patrick, 6th Battalion, Died in France and Flanders. KILTIMAGH: 20 / 11 / 1917. 4728 Private Walsh Michael, 6th Battalion, K.I.A. France and Flanders. 21 / 07 / 1918. 1574 Private McNicholas William, 6th Battalion, K.I.A. France and Flanders NEWPORT: 11 / 01 / 1917. 6237 Private McIntyre James, 6th Battalion, K.I.A. France and Flanders. ANNAGH: (old parish name for Ballyhaunis,also Annagh a townland in Aghamore near Ballyhaunis) 18 / 09 / 1916. 3987 Private Treston Michael*, 6th Battalion, D. o. W. at Home, *Resident of Ballyhaunis. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gentlemen, unusual variation of the EK First Class 1914 for offer on Ebay Germany: http://cgi.ebay.de/EK-I-sehr-seltene-Varia...1QQcmdZViewItem Any thoughts Kevin in Deva

Dutch-American Sergeant Louis M. van Iersel with his breast full of medals - including the Medal of Honor. In the Great War, 135 soldiers got the Medal of Honor, the highest American military award. Louis van Iersel was an American immigrant. He was born in the Netherlands and still had the Dutch nationality. About 360,000 immigrants served in the American army in Europe. According to recent research by Martin Kraaijestein there were between 1,000 and 2,500 Dutchmen among them. Van Iersel got his Medal of Honor when he was sent out at night to ascertain the condition of a damaged bridge at Mouzon in France. The official report states that he "volunteered to lead a party across the bridge in the face of heavy machinegun and rifle fire from a range of only 75 yards. Crawling alone along the debris of the ruined bridge he came upon a trap, which gave away and precipitated him into the water. In spite of the swift current he succeeded in swimming across the stream and found a lodging place among the timbers on the opposite bank. Disregarding the enemy fire, he made a careful investigation of the hostile position by which the bridge was defended and then returned to the other bank of the river, reporting this valuable information to the battalion commander." Anybody got a better picture so the other medals may be identified?? Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Keith, just a comment with regards how it seems to have been adapted to fix to a medal ribbon ring, I doubt it was originaly so because of the hole drilled into the design / head area, something the designer would have taken into account, it looks like it was a type of commemorative token first, then adapted. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Keith, just a comment with regards how it seems to have been adapted to fix to a medal ribbon ring, I doubt it was originaly so because of the hole drilled into the design / head area, something the designer would have taken into account, it loks like it was a type of commemorative token first, then adapted. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Dan I visited Verdun a few years back and from my understanding, most of the villages were evacuated of their civilian occupants, before the serious fighting started, after the war ended the area looked like the surface of the moon, scared with shell craters, littered with the remains of the dead, and tons of Ordnance from the fighting, so it was decided to relocate the people in other locations for safety. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Igor Sorry for the moment I have no help to give regarding the numbering of the Polish Medal, the bar is very interesting because somebody posted a partial picture of the Red Enamel Cross with large Crown (Serbia?) on a Romanian website and nobody there was able to identify it. I think there was a Serbian King Carol as well but am not 100% sure hopefully some body here might hazzard a guess what it is Kevin in Deva.

Irish National enlistment in 1914 -- and its forgotten causes The Greening of the Khaki By Jim Woods The majority of people who have read or heard about Ireland over the last thirty-five years have had their minds filled with gory pictures of explosions, murder and mayhem. Many people, when considering Irish history, see a small nation fighting for its ?freedom? from the ?brutal tyranny? of an Imperial neighbour. Many have heard about Tone, Pearse, Connolly and all those ?patriots? who made the ultimate sacrifice to ?free us all from the oppressive British Crown?. But there was an even greater ?blood sacrifice? made for the cause of Irish freedom, which Republican propaganda has caused to be largely forgotten by the Irish people. This sacrifice was made by the men of the Irish regiments, which fought so bravely in the various theatres of the Great War. Among these men were Catholics and Protestants, fighting side by side against a common foe. Those who were Catholic, and wore the khaki uniform of the British army, have often been considered by Republicans as anglicised Irishmen, traitors to their country, and being more British than the British themselves. Not true. These men were as patriotically Irish as any Republican and fought for Irish freedom more bravely than those who foolishly died in a vain and stupid effort to free Ireland through bloody revolution. There is no doubt that Catholic Ireland had suffered under British rule. There were the Penal Laws, the unnecessary starvation of the famine, the Evictions, the Property Laws and a range of other devices placed against their progress. Under O?Connell and Parnell to win their freedom by political means, and by 1913 the Nationalist Irish Parliamentary Party under John Redmond was a major force within Westminster. The Liberal government was obliged to listen to their counsel and the possibility of freedom through a ?Home Rule Act? had almost come to fruition, despite the opposition of the Protestant minority inhabiting the north of the country. And yet, despite all the anti-Catholic laws and actions, and the constant delays to the formation of an Irish Parliament, Irishmen flocked to the army as volunteers after the outbreak of war in August 1914. Why? The answer can be found in the life, which the average Irish Catholic worker lined in Ireland. To find the answer we must therefore consider his social, economic, political and religious background. These areas define the lifestyle a person lives, and a combination of these areas has a direct bearing on the decisions that a person makes. Huge Gap in Wealth and Lifestyle In general the average Irish Catholic labourer made up the bulk of those Irish soldiers who fought in the trenches of the Great War. With regard to the strata of society occupied by such men, it was definitely of the lower variety. They had their world shaped and controlled by events dominated by those in the social strata above them. These upper classes strove to maintain the ?status quo? in society, within which a huge gap in wealth and lifestyle separated the groups. Just like society in Britain as a whole there was a deep gulf between the working classes and the rest of society, and this was an accepted fact of life. However, unlike Britain, Ireland was not industrialised to any great extent and people?s attitudes tended to be more parochial. In simple terms there was no united and militant working class to stand for the improvement of the worker?s lot. In Ireland before the Great War the labouring class made up the bulk of those who were unemployed or, at least under-employed. Generally they lived dangerously close to total poverty, earning well below the average wage in Britain, and made no financial contribution to the government?s coffers by way of tax. In squalid, over populated and cramped communities among the narrow streets of Ireland?s towns and cities these people were further handicapped by illiteracy or, at best, semi-literacy. For such people there was very little if any prospect of being able to drag themselves out of this lifestyle and satisfy any social or economic aspirations that they may have held. In their case there was a definite lack of opportunity to improve their social status, or that of their children. Ignorance, poverty and lack of hope led to an apathy among the Irish working classes. To help relieve their condition many turned to alcohol and other vices, much to the despair of the clergy, who were concerned about the unemployment situation, though not enough to wish to disturb the existing social ?status quo,? of which they were an integral part. There was, of course, the old cure of emigration and this was officially encouraged by local and national leadership In Ireland many took up the opportunity to emigrate to other lands, where many prospered, though many more did not fare so well. Hard Existence Those who remained in Ireland continued to face a hard existence, ever striving to avoid the constant presence of pauperism. Despite their poverty the respectable Irish working class would do anything necessary to avoid falling into that abyss. Paupers at this time were obliged to live under the charity of the wealthier classes, forming a group of third-class citizens without dignity and deprived of even their most basic rights. For many working class men the prospect of their families falling into the trap of pauperism was enough to encourage them to enlist in the army and benefit from its regular pay and allowances. Within the cities and towns of Ireland the working classes generally lived a cluttered existence. Usually each family rented a room in the small, dilapidated houses, squeezed together in a maze of narrow streets, lanes and entries. And yet, these communities were close-knit, static groups of people in which good neighbourliness and friendships were forged and grew strong. As today, in Ireland, religion and politics go hand in hand and are not easily separated. Prior to the Great War, just as much as the present day, the political divisions in Ireland followed closely the religious divide. Many in Ireland claim Irish Nationalism to be the emblem of the Catholics, and that this has affected the social and political behaviour of Catholics over the last two hundred years. However, in the years prior to 1914, the attitudes of the Catholic working class combined with the existing class structures to make a potent political mix within the government of the United Kingdom. It was a political mix that the middle and upper class Catholics wanted to harness for their own aggrandisement. The upper and middle class within Irish Society shared a dominant status and controlled both political and economic power in the land. The nationalist politicians focussed their attention on the perceived differences between the average Irish worker and the British. By clever oratorical skills they obscured the aspects of common heritage between these two groups, while disguising the social and economic gaps between themselves and their audiences. Proud Part of the British Empire Admittedly very few Irish Catholics were not fooled by such propaganda. These people were proud to be a part of the British Empire and were very willing to defend it when the call came in 1914. In fact some prominent nationalist politicians were somewhat honoured by the apparently honoured place held by Ireland within the British Empire. Nevertheless, service within the British Army still aroused latent conflicts within the minds of many Catholic Irishmen at this time. The attitude of those Irish men, who had already donned the uniform of the British Army were far from simple, whatever the reasons behind their enlistment. They could quite happily celebrate the efforts of those fellow countrymen who had fought in the various wars of the British Empire, but they could just as easily denounce the British army as an occupying force of tyrannical power. One well-known Irishman who fought in the Great War, John Lucy, accurately recorded the conflict he had felt when he had enlisted in the army. Though he would have preferred to pledge himself to serve the cause of Ireland, he felt honour bound to Britain by his oath as a soldier. He undoubtedly would have wished that Britain had treated Ireland much better in the past, but he felt no less Irish or catholic because of his enlistment. In fact it appears that, overall, nationalist disapproval of the British army carried little force with those Irish men who were already serving in the pre-war army. Such men were usually poor, apolitical and had joined the army as a matter of practicality rather than political ideology. These men cared little for either nationalism or imperialism, and they saw the army solely as a practical way out of their poverty stricken lifestyle. Mobilisation in August 1914 saw British and Irish regular troops stationed in Ireland being sent to the front. British territorials, who were charged with the home defence of Ireland, subsequently replaced these men. During the years prior to the war the use of militia and volunteers to create a special reserve in Britain to support the regular army, and the formation of territorial force for home defence, was not extended to Ireland. The powers that be within the War Office did not trust the Irish with their own home defence and thus delayed any decision until it was too late. Thus, when war came and Irish men were needed to fill the ranks, community leaders, clergy and politicians, were recruited to lead the recruitment campaign. The Persuave Voice of the Clergy The Catholic religion was central in the lives of the majority of Irishmen in the first half of the twentieth century and, as such was their standing within the community that their views had a significant impact on the attitudes of the devout and practising Catholics, whose faith was also exploited for recruitment and propaganda purposes. Calls to action in defence of ?Poor Little Catholic Belgium? being just one effort to obtain the sympathy of the working class Irish Catholic. The religious role and status of the priests made these men social leaders and the ordinary working class Catholics were almost in awe of them. The labourer?s lack of sound education obliged them to depend upon their priests in various practical matters and gave them almost a mystical aura to their parishioners. In response many priests developed a paternal attitude towards the lower classes, who were expected to show due respect by doffing their caps or covering their heads. This status, which was accorded to priests, was important in the conditioning of the Irish working class to enlist in the army when war was declared. To the persuasive voices of the clergy were added the equally persuasive voices of the nationalist politicians, eager to exploit the deeply held nationalist sympathies of the working class Irish. Nationalism served to make the community a more homogenous unit and strengthen common loyalties. Most importantly it also encouraged a powerful loyalty to the constitutionalist cause espoused by the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, John Redmond M.P. Such was the potency of this loyalty at the time of the outbreak of war that it overrode any interests that would encourage them against enlistment after Redmond?s call to arms. The spread of militant Trade Unionism through Britain prior to the war had little effect in Ireland. It represented only a small fraction of the unskilled Irish labourers, who made up a large proportion of Irish society. Moreover, the Trade Union movement was perceived as being a major threat to the existing social order in Ireland and, therefore, invoked a large amount of hostility among the middle and upper classes. The Catholic clergy, in particular, could not voice support for a political programme, which refused them the traditional status of mediator between the classes. As a result of all this, on the eve of the First World War, Irish labour was much more docile than its counterpart in Britain. Catholic Ireland was almost a one party state with Redmond?s IPP exercising its monopoly of political power to stifle any diversity there might be in political expression. Redmond's Call to Arms Confidently, on 3rd August 1914, John Redmond told the House of Commons in London that British troops could safely be removed from Ireland, which would be defended by ?her own sons?. On 16th September newspapers in Ireland published his call to arms and, four days later, at Woodenbridge he told a mass gathering of followers to ?account for yourselves as men, not only in Ireland itself, but wherever the firing line extends.? Subsequently, at the Dublin Mansion House, on 26th September, Redmond publicly supported Prime Minister Asquith?s call for Army recruits and he asked that an ?Irish Brigade? be formed as part of the Expeditionary Force fighting abroad. Despite the political deadlock over the amendment to the ?Home Rule Bill? proposed by the House of Lord?s, which called for the permanent exclusion of six northern counties, Redmond?s prestige and personal influence was at its peak among the nationalist working class. To these unskilled men the army?s pay and allowances system was a definite attraction. Whereas skilled soldiers could earn up to six shillings a day (30p), the normal pay of an average soldier was usually one shilling and nine pence (9p). In present day terms it does not seem to be much, but in 1914 it was a major inducement for some Irishmen to enlist. Army pay and allowances provided Irish working class families with a regular income for the first time. In Ireland this income was even more attractive in a society where the standards of living and rates of pay were lower than those in Britain. In conclusion the main cause of Irish Catholics joining the British forces in 1914 was the living conditions, which they had to endure at that time. There was no thought of betraying Ireland by donning the uniform of an ?occupying power?. They were concerned mainly with the survival of their children, the promise of a better life, freedom from the indignity of poverty, and the fulfilment of the British promise of ?Home Rule? for all of Ireland. Taken from: Irish Soldiers: Traitors or True Patriots at: http://www.greatwar.nl/

Hallo Dan on this site http://www.greatwar.nl/ under the heading HERIATIGE OF THE GREAT WAR "Shot at dawn" it gives the number of those executed by British Court Martial at 306 soldiers, among them were 25 Canadians, 22 Irishmen, and 5 New Zelanders Even for all the time I lived in Ireland and all the research I have done for my book I never came across any reference to 239 Irish Executions Kevin in Deva

Hallo Dan, with regards Verdun it was the villiages that got obliterated in the war around Verdun not towns, Verdun was the town for the area. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Igor naughty boy, please show the whole Romanian bar Kevin in Deva

Looking at the design on the Vellum, the coat of arms has me confused is it the coat of arms of the City of Budapest? and not a hammer and sickle, or red flag in sight Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gents I took the liberty of highlighting the medal, any chance to see the ther side ?? Just a thought, Hungary - Bulgaria Bridge over the Danube??? Kevin in Deva

Maybe the seller should have put some of these photos on the original auction page!! Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gentlemen Just receieved the follwing from the seller in request for better pictures, and its only fair to add them here; Hi, As requested please find clearer pictures of the 1813 Iron Cross also we show pictures comparing the 1813 and the 1914 Iron Cross clearly showing the difference between the 2 showing that this is indeed not a converted 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class.With regards to size the Cross actually measures the correct size for 1813 39mmx39mm what we are saying is that the silver frame is smaller than the earlier 1813 Iron Crosses however on looking at the Iron Time book the bible of Iron Crosses the frame on some of the early ones look very similar to the one we are offering on ebay so as we say it is all a matter of opinion we state this is made in the 1870 period however could well be earlier and a Cross of the period.Hope this clarifies everything for you and if you bid on this item good luck in your bidding. Best Regards, Malcolm Gordon Email: malcolm@cocollector.co.uk Mobile: 0976266293 GORDONS MEDALS LTD. G14-15, Grays in the Mews 1-7 Davies Mews Davies Street London W1K 5AB. UK Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7495 0900 Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7495 0115 Web: http://www.cocollector.co.uk

Hallo Gents thank you for your useful and informative input, looks like I will pass on it and save my money for another day, again many thanks Kevin in Deva

Hallo Dan, While I agree with some of the points raised, Irish Units might have made up 2% of the Regimental Units in the British Army but a far larger number of Irishmen were in Welsh, Scots, and English, Regiments. I was refering more to after World War 1 when DeValera sent his "Bully Boys" to the Commemoration ceremonies around the country to stir up trouble, much in the same way Adolf used the S.A. in the early days of the Reich, DeValera wanted no sympathy for the "traitors" who joined the British Army to fight against the Kaiser (and not for love of the King) in my research connected with my book I have found reference to whole units of the Irish Volunteers (pre 1916) and marching en-mass and joining the colours, escorted to the train station by their Volunteer Bands to go fight against the Prussians, what slowed down British recruiting in Ireland was the way the British handled the 1916 Rebelion and the execution of the leaders. Facts have since shown the Irish executed more Irishmen for "offences" commited in the Civil War, than the British executed for the 1916 Rebelion in Dublin. The saddest part for me is the fact that the brave Irish men who served in France & Flanders, Salonika, Gallipoli, Mesopatamia etc, and survived to come home to Ireland, were denied the chances to gather at Old Comrades Associations, to reminise about old times, to collect or even wear their medals for service "In the Great War for Civilisation", Letters, Postcards, Photographs, were dumped to spare any embarresment to the family and conform with the New Republic of Ireland. Even today this has to be a missing chapter in Irish history, not many places have a memorial to the men who died in WW1, I recall a monument in Sligo and of course the one in Dublin at Islanbridge. and if my memory is correct a plaque in the train station in Galway to members of the railway service who were killed in WW1. A couple of years ago there was a project started to erect a War Memorial in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, to men from the town who died in WW1, WW2, and other conflicts including UN service, again if my memory serves me well it was to be erected in the old Catholic graveyard away from the "Mall" in the center of town, which boasts a fine green and was traditionaly where the Regimental played cricket and military bands played and next to the Infantry and Artillery / Cavalry barracks. Kevin in Deva

Taken from the RTE We bpage at: http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0701/somme.html Ceremonies take place on Somme anniversary 01 July 2006 23:16 Ceremonies have taken place in Ireland and abroad to mark the start of the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. President Mary McAleese was among the dignitaries to lay a wreath at the War Memorial at Islandbridge in Dublin in honour of Irishmen who died in the battle. Over 200 members of the Defence Forces took part, the first large-scale involvement of Irish troops in ceremonies to mark the First World War battle. The Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, represented the Government at ceremonies which also took place this morning in Thiepval and Guillemont in France. More than 3,000 Irish men were among the half a million soldiers who died in the battle in northeastern France which began on 1 July, 1916. END OF REPORT. Its about time Ireland remembered her brave war dead with pride instead of shame, May God Bless them Kevin in Deva

Hallo Gentlemen Opinions sought on this offering: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Iron-Cross-1870-1st-...1QQcmdZViewItem Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gentlemen just found this online: "THIS IS NOTTINGHAM" the website of the "NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST" 12:00 - 30 March 2006. While researching various branches of his family tree, Notts businessman Richard Bignall discovered a relative who helped make history. ANDY SMART reports The battle to capture the crucial Rhine bridge at Nijmegen had been bloody and costly. British and American soldiers, who formed XXX Corps, came up against crack German panzer divisions fighting to keep the Allies from crossing the border into the Fatherland. The bridge at Nijmegen finally fell after several days of bitter fighting but, amid the confusion of war, there was some doubt as to who could actually claim the honour of capturing the crossing. In some accounts, the credit is taken by American troops of the 82nd Airborne Division, but Richard Bignall, from Keyworth, discovered the truth was somewhat closer to home. The man who captured the bridge at Nijmegen was his great uncle Sergeant William 'Bill' Chambers of the Grenadier Guards Armoured Division - and that is official. Delving through documents and newspaper cuttings that belonged to his grandmother, Mr Bignall came across a notice of presentation dating from June 6, 2001, and referring to a ceremony held in Anzac House, in Perth, Western Australia. The guest of honour and recipient was to be William Chambers's widow Grace. Sgt Chambers died in 1982, still suffering from the wounds he received during the Second World War. The occasion was to present her with a Diploma of Honour from the French government for the part he played in the liberation of Normandy. But the notice also included a paragraph which read: "Sgt Chambers was officially announced by the British War Office as capturing the Nijmegen Bridge on September 19, 1944. "Sgt W Chambers (commander) with Guardsmen H Watson, driver, and R Jarvis, wireless operator, was on patrol in the Nijmegen area with two tanks under his command. When it became necessary for them to cross the Nijmegen Bridge, encountering heavy German resistance, they were officially announced as capturing the Nijmegen Bridge." A plaque at the scene now records the fact. A report confirming the deed also appeared in the Evening Post soon after, to say that Sgt Chambers, of Fenton Drive, Bulwell Hall; Guardsman H Watson, of Furlong Terrace, Arnold; and Gdsmn R Jarvis, of Claypole Road, Hyson Green, were fit and well. However, in March 1945 Sgt Chambers was wounded and evacuated to Britain. He later emigrated to Australia where he died. Mr Bignall was amazed to find the information as he carried out his research and hopes there may be family members still in the area who can tell him more. His principal subject has been the Bignall name and he has traced every Bignall in the Notts area back to one man, Robert Bignall. Robert was born in Ireland in 1750 and later enlisted in the British Army. He fought with the 57th (Middlesex) Regiment at the Battle of Brandywine during the American War of Independence, and was wounded in the foot by a musket ball. He later returned to England, married in Newcastle and then settled in Nottingham. When he died, at his home in Stoney Street, he was 97 years old. Mr Bignall said: "The line stops with him. Irish records were lost in a great fire, but from my research I do know that all local Bignalls descend from Robert. "At times, the research can be frustrating, but then one piece of information sparks everything off and it all makes sense. "The whole thing can become something of an obsession, but I wanted to know where my family came from." Anyone who would like to contact Mr Bignall about his own family name or Sgt Chambers can contact him by e-mail at richard.bignall@gap-personnel.com Kevin in Deva

My good friend, Mr. Alec Harper a true Brum sent me the folowing link: http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birmin...20summers%20day A short but interesting read on one of the worst days on the front in WW1. LEAST WE FORGET: 01. 07. 1916, 90 YEARS AGO. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Stogiemen I propose it be known as the "PLM with woodpeaker head" Award Kevin in Deva