Few Korean War items from my collection

[Brigade-Piron]

Hi,

I haven't been to this forum for a while, so I thought I would add a few of my recent acquisitions.

Colombian Batallion Cigarette Case

Front:

"Batallon Colombia" in capital letters. The design beneath it is the insignia of the Colombian Batallion in Korea, and subsiquently used to this day by Colombian peacekeepers.

Back:

"Campaña de Corea" with map of Korea and key cities picked out. This is common to cigarette cases made by this same company (T.I.P. trade mark).

This cigarette case was brought back from Korea by a soldier in the Middlesex Regiment who bought/swapped/nicked it from a Colombian soldier. It isn't very common to see Colombian stuff.

Belgian Brown Beret

A new unit was formed especially for the Korean War. They are quite unusual for a military formation in wearing a brown beret if you think about it. The cap badge is of this same unit - the scroll reads "Belgium" and is still worn by its successor unit (3rd Para bn.) today. This version was made in 1951 for sousofficiers/onderofficiers (NCOs) and the beret is dated 1952.

No information on the wearer.

1st Commonwealth Division formation patch

These are the Queen's Crown version - worn post 1952. The specimen on the right has been "backed" with a piece of muslin/cheesecloth by the owner at some expense.

North Korean Flag

This is a small flag unusually, it is of cotton construction and sewn rather than printed. It is also only one sided (which is odd!). It was brought back by a Pfc. Gustav "Gus" Brown of the US Army who found it in a village he entered and pocketed it, however, I don't have any information on his unit and since records in the US seem to be deliberately complicated, the prospects don't look good. If anyone can help me however, I'd be very grateful.

Le Patriote Illustré magazine

Le Patriote Illustré was a popular Belgian magazine from the turn of the centry to the 1970s. These issues focus on the Korean War and the Belgian Batallion. These are the only issues from Korea that I have loose - I have the whole of both 1951 and 1953 in albums from a friend.

I hope you enjoy these!

All best,

BP

[Brigade-Piron]

A few more:

Insignia of the Dutch Batallion in Korea

This insignia was adopted for the Dutch contingent, commanded by Major Den Ouden. When it was worn, it was cut to a shield shape. This particular example is unissued, but has guidelines on the reverse for how it should be cut.

Like many other contingents in Korea, the Dutch batallion's insignia is still used by UN peacekeeping missions today.

Brassard of a Captain of the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), 25th Brigade

This brassard was bought with a job-lot of 1st Commonwealth Division insignia and was worn by a Captain (you can see where the rank pips have subsiquently been removed), probably towards the end of the conflict.

Letter sent home by a soldier of the Belgian Contingent

Not usually my area, but it was cheap! This was originally sent from a Field Hospital in Japan (curtosy of the Red Cross) to an address in Jette (a suburb of Brussels) in Belgium in 1951. I have so far been unable to find any information about Pvt. Ribaucourt 5/5/940.

Bullion insignia of 1st Commonwealth Division

Unlike the Queen's crown version above, this is the earlier King's Crown version which was made some time before 1952. It was very common for UN soldiers - particularly American, British and Canadian to buy similar bullion insignia on rest leave in Japan.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free!

BP

Edited July 3, 2012 by Brigade-Piron

[Hendrik]

Hi,

Pvt. Albert Ribaucourt, S33940, departed for Korea on 18 December 1950 and returned to Belgium on 15 June 1951.

Regards,

Hendrik

[Brigade-Piron]

That's excellent information! I don't suppose you could tell me where/how he was injured?

I've been looking for ages, so thanks so much again for your help!

BP

[Hendrik]

That information would likely be in his military file kept in the Evere (Brussels) military base. You'd need to make an appointment and go there in person ...

[Brigade-Piron]

I should be in Brussels for about the next month, I might be able to pay them a visit - would I be prevented from seeing the records if I am not a relation?

[Hendrik]

Quite possibly. I don't know the current regulations about opening files publicly and not enough time may have passed yet ...

[Brigade-Piron]

Ah, well. I have enough information now to keep myself happy - confirmation that Ribaucourt was, indeed, a soldier in the Belgian contingent which is certainly a good start ;)

[Brigade-Piron]

Got the records I was looking for! Thanks Hendrik!

Pvt. RIBAUCOURT was wounded accidentally at the Han river in the left foot by a rifle bullet and evacuated to Japan, where he returned to Belgium. Fortunately, it had "no long term effect".