QSAMIKE

Updated picture with new additions from my previous picture......

Here is my latest find.......  More later.......

Mike

Ok OK OK I know that this is way way off my collecting theme but was something that I could not resist.....

They are all to a Robert Lloyd Kelly a Calgarian, RCAF. Pilot.....

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
1939-1945 STAR
AIR CREW EUROPE STAR
ITALY STAR
DEFENCE MEDAL
C.V.S.M. and OVERSEAS BAR
WAR MEDAL

CANADIAN QUEEN ELIZABETH GOLDEN JUBILEE MEDAL (possibly WIFE as he died 1999)

2 sets R.C.A.F. PILOTS WINGS

R.C.A.F. RESERVE PIN
A COUPLE OF CIVILIAN PINS ONE WITH A REAL RUBY

2 PILOTS LOGBOOKS - 57 COMBAT OPERATIONS AGAINST GERMANY AND ITALY FLYING WELLINGTONS (Mostly), HALIFAX and VARIOUS TRAINING AIRCRAFT

AIRCRAFT FLOWN
TIGER MOTH
CESSNA CRANE
AIRSPEED OXFORD
AVRO ANSON
MILES MAGISTER
WELLINGTON III
WELLINGTON VIII
WELINGTON X
WELLINGTON XI
WELLINGTON Z (Never hear of this one)
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX

LETTER WITH CITATION FOR AWARD OF D.F.C. APRIL 11, 1944

LETTER OF CONGRADULATIONS FROM AIR OFFICER COMMANDING R.C.A.F. H.Q. ON AWARD OF D,F,C, APRIL 27 1944 SIGNED

LETTER OF CONGRADULATIONS FROM AIR OFFICER COMMANDING #6 (R.C.A.F.) GROUP H.Q. ON AWARD OF D,F,C, APRIL 27 1944 SIGNED

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE:

CANADA: MAY 8, 1941 – AUGUST 6, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: AUGUST 7, 1942 – JUNE 23, 1943
MIDDLE EAST: JUNE 24, 1943 – NOVEMBER 5, 1943
UNITED KINGDOM: NOVEMBER 6, 1943 – DECEMBER 31, 1944
CANADA: JANUARY 1, 1945 – JUNE 13, 1945

DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE – MAY 29, 1947 – ON DISCHARGE HE WAS 24

MENU DATED JANUARY 3, 1945 WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES

CANADIAN CASED $20.00 LANCASTER AND AIR COMMODORE JOHN FAUQUIER DSO** DFC COMMEMORATIVE COIN WITH CERTIFICATE

14 SINGLE AND GROUP PICTURES OF ROBERT AND HIS CREW

9 VARIOUS GENERAL PICTURES

5 PICTURES OF THE FUNERAL OF SQUADRON LEADER J-15246 R.A. BUCKINGHAM D.F.C, DIED 15 JANUARY 1947
 

Congratulations,,,,,  I have only been able to do 2 in 50 years and just missed out on one yesterday buy when the fates let it happen it feels great.....

Mike

Did a little more digging......   Very possibly be a Blazer Badge of the Irish Guards, there are a couple on ebay right now.....

Mike

Found this man on FMP.....

1 hour ago, MartinKa said:

The diameter of the star is 10,5 cm. Thanks .

With that size it is most likely an Officers Peaked Cap Badge.....

This star was used by a couple of different British Regiments as their badge or part of their badge......

Mike

For Your Information.......

This is an Officers embroidered cap badge most likely worn on a wedge cap......

Mike 

On 31/01/2022 at 04:33, Zulu_00 said:

Story behind that one?

I understand he fought with the Germans in German East/West (not sure which) Africa in WW1 and surrendered to the British, who he later joined and ended up in the SA Army in France and won the MM......  It was in a collection here in Calgary and was fully verified.....

Forgot to add he started off as a private and the MM was named to a Sargent-Major.....

Another one I do not know the story but have seen them was a Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class from WW1 and a Civil OBE with 3 other British WW2 medals, again verified.....    Possibly a Jewish refugee who worked for the British Government?????

Mike

1 hour ago, ostprussenmann_new said:

That is interesting; I never knew that.  I know after WWI, most medals besides gallantry were not named, besides on rare conditions like an issue of medals to a family member of a fallen warrior

It was only the period of World War Two that they were official not named.....    98% of medals before and after that were named.....   Some but only a small few Victorian medals were issued not named but were named at the expense of the regiment in which they served examples are the Crimea / Baltic / Northwest Canada.....  All the medals after WW2 were named.....  Gallantry medals to Other Ranks were named by the Government and those to Officers were often privately named at their own expense, again all the V.C.'s were Government named and Dated.......   In WW2 some Commonwealth countries named theirs, e.g. Australia, New Zealand and South Africa etc...... 

Just a little information.....

The naming of medals / medallions started in the 1700's as I have seen formally named medals that go back to the Capture Of Quebec in 1759 but these were only to officers and mostly Senior Officers.....   The naming of medals to all ranks started with the Waterloo Medal and then to cover the French Wars the Military and Naval General Service medals were instituted in 1847 and named to all ranks.  The naming of medals continued from Waterloo to a break in WW2 and continued afterwards......  They were named to give each officer and man recognition for their service in a specific campaign and battle..... 

Mike    

Peter......

He was definitely in combat and not supply as the unit was in a large number of actions.....   You did very well with the purchase about 50% of market value.....

Mike

Hi Peter......

To find out his occupation you would have to find a professional researcher in South Africa to dig out his original documents if they still exist not many do.....

As for value I am sorry I do not offer values as this sometimes causes arguments.....

Mike

Hello Peter.....

Everything looks OK and for your information your man's name is:

LAVITS OLEG JOHN JENSEN

He is on the nominal roll and on the medal roll WO-127 Colonial Forces.....

Good Medal.....

Mike

I hate to say but this looks like it is a badge that that is a reproduction that was made by a man in the UK..... He was sent to court for making fake and copy badges and medals.....  Mostly from the wrong materials and for a long time fooled a large number of collectors, they were that good, I hate to say even myself.....   It would be a good filler...... Looks like a Scottish Collar badge.....

Mike

Can you provide a picture of the naming on the edge.....   Also the full name and regimental number,,,,,,  The medal it'self looks OK......  There are 4 men listed with that name.....

Mike

I would like to add my welcome to the forum......    Great Post.....

Mike

5 hours ago, River45 said:

If there is anything more that people can find/tell me about Trooper/Lieutenant Robert Harold Semmence?

What period are you looking for.......   Boer War / W.W.1 / W.W.2 .......   Do you know regiment he served in.......

M.

There were complaints by British servicemen at that time that compared to their American and French allies their chests were very bare......  No fruit salad......   It was decided to issue a ribbon so that they had something to wear.....  The Canadians issued the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal ribbon for the same reason......

Mike

From the Cavalry List:

Hallett,W.,4361,Private,10th Hussars, Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1901. Home

03/12/01

From Find My Past.....

The first picture is WW2 or Pre-WW2 Italian, the second with no identification badges I am not sure.....

Mike

Hi Hugh,,,,,,

Of the 4 medals that I have to Kaffrarian Rifles, 2 have the Wittebergen bar......

Mike

Extra info. from BWF......

In the reports by General Forestier-Walker of 18th October 1899 and subsequent dates, given in the Appendices to the War Commission Report, the Kaffrarian Rifles, strength 385, were stated to be embodied at that date, and to be the garrison of East London.  They were soon taken farther north, and when active operations under General Gatacre commenced the corps was given a post of honour.  The officer commanding the corps was Major H W Cuming.  On 21st November General Gatacre visited Sterkstroom, where the bulk of the Kaffrarian Rifles were stationed, also Bushman's Hoek, where a mounted company was posted, both these places being considered important points.  Major Pollock, in his 'With Seven Generals', says: "The General paid some well-deserved compliments to that excellent corps, and thereby pleased them greatly.  Realty, the Kaffrarians had done plenty of hard work during the past three weeks, and they had, moreover, been exposed to no inconsiderable danger, holding the post of honour at the head of the Division, and, until Thursday, being wholly unsupported by any other troops nearer than Queenstown".  The Kaffrarian Rifles did not take part in the Stormberg expedition.  All through December and January they continued to hold Bushman's Hoek and other posts, and to patrol their district—work which they did so well that the wily enemy never caught them napping.  Fighting frequently took place in the neighbourhood, and when the enemy in great force, probably 2000 to 3000, attacked the camp of the Cape Police on 3rd January 1900, a mounted company, about 60 of the Kaffrarian Rifles under Captain Maclean, reinforced the Police in time to take part in the very excellent defence (see Cape Police).

The corps, now 600 strong, were in the Colonial Division, under Brigadier General Brabant, and took part in his rapid and very successful operations in February, which regained possession of the Dordrecht-Jamestown and Aliwal North districts and drove the enemy out of many strong positions in the north-east of Cape Colony (see Cape Mounted Rifles).  On 5th March, at Dordrecht, this corps lost 1 killed and' 7 wounded, and on the 11th, at Aliwal North, they had 1 man killed and Captain E Muller severely wounded.  A portion of the Kaffrarian Rifles, about four squadrons, took part, under Colonel Dalgety, in the splendid defence of Wepener in April, and one squadron was in the relieving force under Brabant.  During the siege they had 1 man killed and Lieutenant Lister and about 12 men wounded.  The corps afterwards took part in the other work of the Colonial Division, which has been already briefly sketched under the Cape Mounted Rifles.  They were several times sharply engaged in the Orange River Colony and Transvaal in 1900, particularly on the march from Zeerust to Krugersdorp in the latter half of August 1900.  At Quaggafontein, on 31st August, the Kaffrarian Rifles lost 6 non-commissioned officers and men killed, and Captains P Farrar, Rose-Innes, J M Fairweather, J Donovan, and R H Price, Lieutenant Beswick, and about 18 non-commissioned officers and men wounded.

Before Lord Roberts left South Africa the Colonial Division was broken up, and in October 1900 many members of the corps were allowed to return to their homes.  On their arrival at East London, on 3rd November, the Kaffrarian Rifles got a magnificent reception.  To their credit an immense proportion expressed a desire to take the field again immediately after 1st January 1901.  The corps was soon well filled up, and going north again joined a column under the command of Colonel Crewe of the Border Horse.  This column took part in General C Knox's operations in the Orange River Colony against De Wet in January 1901.  In his despatch of 8th March 1901, paragraph 9, Lord Kitchener mentioned that the Boer leaders were, towards the end of January, concentrating in the Doornberg, north-east of Winburg.  Knox and Bruce Hamilton were ordered against this body, but De Wet on 27th January broke up his laager and marched south with great rapidity.  Knox followed, and the columns of Pilcher and Crewe fought a very hotly contested action with De Wet's rear-guard at the Tabaksberg on the 29th.  In this action the Kaffrarian Rifles bore the bulk of the casualties, their losses being 5 killed and about 20 wounded, including Lieutenant Weber.  The troops of Knox and Bruce Hamilton were entrained for Bethulie and then moved rapidly west to Philippolis, but they were unable to prevent the enemy's force from crossing the Orange.  Knox and Bruce Hamilton crossed at Sand Drift,—a most difficult undertaking, as the river was in flood.  They now joined in the pursuit, in which the corps suffered a few casualties.  De Wet having been driven out of Cape Colony, Crewe's column moved from Orange River Bridge on 4th March 1901, and crossed to Bloemfontein via Koffyfontein and Petrusburg.  Near the latter place they had an engagement with Brand's commando.  On this march the column took 5 prisoners, 21 waggons with teams, and 2000 horses.  After this the column was again taken to Cape Colony and commenced a series of pursuits and skirmishes which was to go on for another fifteen months.  The despatch of 8th July 1901, appendix, shows that Colonel Crewe's column at that time consisted of the Kaffrarian Rifles, strength 301, with 374 horses and two machine-guns; the Queenstown Volunteer Rifles, 78 men and 137 horses; 44th Battery RFA, two guns, one pom-pom.  Casualties were suffered on various occasions, as on December 15, near Jamestown, when Captain Fairweather and a party of his men surprised a laager.  In rushing the Boers Captain Fairweather was wounded for the third time in the campaign.  A Dundee man, located when the war began at Port Elizabeth, he put off his civilian's clothes and took to fighting as the proverbial duck takes to water.  Sandhurst could not have turned out a better adjutant.  The corps continued to operate in the east of Cape Colony until peace was declared.

The miniature medals as you know are not officially issued and are purchased by the person who they were awarded to for civilian and mess dress.....    The MC original does not have any silver marks on it so therefore I think that this also has been privately manufactured......

Mike

Just Bumping to The Top......   Still Looking......

Mike

Just Bumping Up To The Top......   Still Looking......

Mike

Hi Gordon......

I put in a high bid thinking that it would not be that much interest to anyone but I guess I was wrong......   Was working at the Stampede so missed the ending......

I have Coetzee's South African medal in my collection......

Mike