The South Staffordshire Plastic Economy Cap Badge

The South Staffordshire Plastic Economy Cap Badge

 Above is The South Staffordshire Regiment War Time plastic Cap Badge. These badges were introduced during the Second World War when metals became more strategic materials. You can see from the picture below that there should be two blades, one of which has broken off. The South Staffordshire Regiment were involved in glider operations during D-Day. Also operated as part of operation Market Garden in Arhnem.

Reverse, one of the blades is missing

WW1 Silver War Badge

WW1 Silver War Badge

 The above is the WW1 sliver war badge. This badge was issued to UK service personnel who had been honorably discharged due to wounds or sickness. The badge was worn on the right breast whilst wearing civilian clothing. It became common practice for women to hand out a white feather to men not wearing a uniform  So this badge was introduced to prevent this from happening. Each badge is numbered on the reverese as can be seen on the picture below.

Reverse

After a small bit of research online. I used ancestry.co.uk, I came up with his silver war badge record shown below and from that found out his name and number and used that to find his Medal index card. Also shown below.

Recipient of above silver war badge

 He's name was Spr James Childs and was in the Royal Engineers. He was wounded 26 June 1918 he was entitled to the Victory medal and British war medal. His medal index card shows his entitlement to the Silver War Badge.

James Childs Medal index card

Junior Parachute Company Wing

Junior Parachute Company Wing

 The above is the Junior Parachute Company Wing. This is an early one. I got this wing from a friend who was in the Para's. He tells me they used to chase the Junior Para's and cut there wings up. This means that this badge is pretty rare nowadays


Junior Parachute Company Wing

The Junior Parachute Company was part of the Parachute Regiment and consisted of boys aged between 15 and 17. All hoping to become Para's by the age of 18. The company no longer exists. It was formed in 1961 and disbanded in 1993.

British 8th Army corps

British 8th Army corps

The 8th Army Corps charging knight was adopted in February, 1943 as it was composed of two armoured divisions. It landed in Normandy and subsequently took part in the operations and reached the river Elbe in spring of 1945. The above is an original printed cloth badge.

15th Middlesex (London Scottish) Rifle Volunteers Belt buckle

15th Middlesex (London Scottish) Rifle Volunteers Belt buckle

Picked this up the other day. It is the 15th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers, also know as the London Scottish, leather belt and Buckle. It would date around 1859 - 1880. They were founded in 1859 as part of a Volunteer force The Highland Society of London and The Caledonian Society of London.

The London Scottish have changed titles and lineage over the years, today they are A (London Scottish) Company of The London Regiment.

The showing leather belt

 It has to be quite rare. The leather is still supple but I probably will put some cream on it.

Reverse of buckle

Listed here for sell

Size adjustment buckle

WW2 German Kriegsmarine u-boat combat clasp in bronze



WW2 German Kriegsmarine u-boat clasp in bronze

 

The above is a U-Boat Combat Clasp. This one is the bronze class. Instituted on 15 May 1944, it was awarded for acts behind the scenes or an event beyond the call of duty. To commemorate and recognize greater courage performed by the U-boat service. Ninety percent of U-boat crews were lost at sea and they were all volunteers. It brings to mind the bravery and valour that this decoration was instituted to commemorate.

Reverse

The designer of the badge was Peekhaus and this is found on the reverse of the badge along with the makers logo. Maker marked AUSF SCHWERIN BERLIN — ENTWURF PEEKHAUS as can be seen in the above photo. Most badges have a fluted pin as can be seen.

Side detail

Hinge fitment

Hinge fitment

Catch

Finsbury WW1 War Memorial Clerkenwell Islington, London

Finsbury War Memorial, Clerkenwell Islington

Thought I would post some pictures of the War Memorial in Clerkenwell . It is known as the Finsbury War Memorial. The reason for this is Clerkenwell from 1900 to 1965 was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury which then became part of the London Borough of Islington. It is located in Spa Green Gardens see map below:

The War Memorial is in memory of those who died in the Great war of 1914-1918 who came from the Borough of Finsbury. The Memorial consists of a plinth with a winged figure of Victory, the Roman goddess, holding a laurel wreath. It was designed by Thomas Rudge, who's other work can be seen on top of the Royal Opera House, Covent garden and Claridges, London. It is I think the only War Memorial that remembers all three of the armed forces, the Army, the Navy and the Royal Flying Corps.

Inscription to those who lost their lives

 The above insciption reads: 

Borough of Finsbury

In the name of god the most high

and to enshrine in perpetual

love and reverence the glorious

memory of the men of this

borough who in death made the

supreme sacrifice for their king,

their country, and their kindred

in the Great European War of

1914-1918

This monument is erected

by grateful fellow citizens in

whose hearts the record of their

comrades hardships and achieve-

ments in the cause of international

humanity freedom and justice

will remain for ever ineffaceable

and imperishable

On the first side of the Memorial is the memorial to the the Royal Flying Corps. Can't be many of these around! On top of the wording which reads: "In memory of those whoe served and died in the Royal Flying Corps 1914-1918" there is a circle with a central propellor blade. This seems to based on the roundels found painted on the planes for identification.

Royal Flying Corp Memorial

Below the Royal Flying Corps memorial is a memorial to the Honourable Artillery Company. This shows the "Battlefronts"which are Egypt, Palestine, Italy, France, Belgium, Aden and Syria. The reason for them being on this memorial is probably because they are based in City Road about a twenty minute walk from here, again in the Borough of Finsbury.

Honourable Artillery Company Memorial

Just below the Battlefront Honours is a brass plaque which reads " In memory of those members of the Honourable Artillery Company who lost their lives in the Second World War 1939 - 1945"

Memorial of the Nava attack on Zeebrugge

 On the other side of the memorial is that to the Navy as seen in the above photo. It reads:

These are they

that went down

to the sea in ships

and did business

in the great waters

they have seen

the works of the Lord

and his wonders

upon the deep

and have reached

there desired haven

T

Naval attack on Zeebrugge

The memorial is for the Raid on Zeebrugge which took part on 23rd April 1918. It was a plan to naturalise the key Belgium ports which at the time were being used by the German Navy as a base for submarines and light shipping. The idea was to send older ships fall of concrete into the harbour and scuttle them. However this did not happen and some 500 casualties were incurred at the end of the action, 200 of which were fatalities. The british anounced the raid as a succese, but the German controlled ports were fully operational a few days later. A total of 9 Victoria Crosses were awarded for that one night of action.

11th london regiment, Finsbury Rifles attack Gaza

Last but not least is the memorial to the 11th London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles). They took part in the Palestine campaigns during the Great War as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force  The above shows the Finsbury Rifles attacking Gaza on Tuesday 17th april 1917. This date is the start of the Second Battle of Gaza. The action was to attack a coastel strong point situated at the edge of sand dunes 2 miles in land. The image shows the Finsbury Rifles climbing up the ridge southeast of the town (seen in the middle right of the image) under heavy bombardment.  Interestingly in the top right corner it shows a bi-plane. These were used for ariel bombardment. The effort proved a failure as the Turkish were well prepared and outnumbered the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Approximatly 6000 casualties were accounted for.
Below show the Battlefront of the Finsbury Rifles which were Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, France and Belgium.

11th London Regiment, Finsbury Rifles Battlefront