Mat McLachlan Posted 23 November , 2004 Share Posted 23 November , 2004 This follows on a bit from the 'Most significant battlefield find' thread. What's the most significant item in your WWI collection? Mine would have to be an AIF trench sign from Pozieres (acquired from an estate sale). What great pieces of history do other pals have in their possession? Cheers, Mat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 23 November , 2004 Share Posted 23 November , 2004 The Victory medal of a man who saved the life of one of great-uncle's at Messines - bought it off eBay from a Canadian Medal Dealer. Great find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 The favourite in my collection would be a camera used by a Lighthorseman in Palestine. Also have a few photos that he took with it. Matt Was your machine gun one of the war trophies that came back to Australia after the war? Cheers Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 The identity tags of my great uncle who was KinA in 1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Robertson Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 My Great-Grandfather's BWM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harribobs Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 I'm very lucky and proud to have my grandfathers medals (and my fathers!) and obviously they come first... but second to them in my collection is an Original Manchester Pals cap badge which I keep with a Pals sweetheart badge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcderms Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 Great uncle's and great grandfather's medals. A machine gun? How do I top that? Dig out a howitzer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krithia Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 A pair of binoculars that belonged to an officer in the Royal Scots who was killed at Gallipoli in June 1915. They were recovered and used by a RND officer who later lost them during the evacuation of Gallipoli in January 1916. The bins turned up 70+ years later in a UK auction room. An amazing story they could probably tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chip Minx Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 My most prized WWI possessions are my recorded interviews with my grandfather and his stories of the Great War. The item I have that is of the most historical interest is a colonel's shoulder board from the commander of one of the German army's best wartime units, the 3.Jaeger Regiment. It belonged to Oberst Ralf von Rango. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrick Posted 24 November , 2004 Share Posted 24 November , 2004 G'day My most prized posession is not my life firing lewisgun what most would exspect but my 13th Australian Light Horse ,dancing devil collardog. An original with makersname on it. As far as i know is the only one never have seen another one ore heard about it. Coo-ee patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koyli Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 Hi, My prized possesion is a slightly damaged sterling silver bugle for the DCLI. It was found after the war on the Messines front. KOYLI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anzac16 Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 mine is a Lee Enfield with wire-cutter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadier Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 My most prized WWI possessions are my recorded interviews with my grandfather and his stories of the Great War. Chip I, and I suspect, the majority of Pals, am jealous as hell. My grandfather had a wealth of stories but I wasn't interested then. If only I had recorded them What you have is probably worth more than anything else in this thread. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 25 November , 2004 Share Posted 25 November , 2004 This is a tough question. I have many favourites, all for different reasons. Obviously family related items are at the top of the list; a Soldier's Prayer book with an inscription from William Swain to his sister Alice (see my signature below) dated 1915, two French bullets fashioned into chess pieces brought home by Edward Swain (also see signature) and the medals of 2 great grandfathers and a grandfather. But there is the picklehaube bought for me by my father, and an M1916 helmet that I really like. And then there is the rusted, battered, full of holes 'Tommy' helmet. Found many years ago by a friend's French farmer friend near to Luke Copse on the Somme. When I look at that helmet many questions come to me; Whose was it? What happened to him? Was it a lost item, or could the previous owner still be laying out there in that farmer's field? If only that piece of rusty metal could speak..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Wright Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 I, too, am fortunate enough to have eight hours of taped interviews with my grandfather's recollections -- as well as his helmet, his uniform blouse, and trench mirror with its cover on which he wrote all the places and dates he went. If the house ever catches fire -- those things go with me! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birkettm Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 Have to be my gt grandads 14 trio. Also, not ww1 related is my grandads merchantmans log book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud Trevor Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 If only that piece of rusty metal could speak..... I also have items of which I've asked the same question... Then recently I bought a button which had been turned into a hat pin, nothing unusual except its owner on sending it to his friend in Oct. 1916 sent an accompanying letter. "This button ........... was one of my souvenirs from France, being attached to the only tunic I possessed, during my period of ten months at the front. It was through a very heavy bombardment just to the north of Albert on February 15/16, and many other artillery battles in the same region on various dates, often has it left its impression on the walls of the trenches when I have been seeking cover from the whizzing shrapnel. It was also in the trenches during the bombardment prior to the British advance on July 1st 1916, and was in the first attack on Thiepval. On this date it was turned green with gas and lay for several hours covered with mud in no mans land in a shell hole, after which I was picked up and placed in the advanced dressing station en route for England. Lance - Corp. Tindale 11the Border Regiment. B.E.F An item that actually tells its tale. Spud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsman64 Posted 27 November , 2004 Share Posted 27 November , 2004 My favourite item is not yet complete, NOT YET. I have the complete service record including the M.M. Citation of 5107 Sgt William Wheate 20th Battalion Australian Infantry, my Wifes great uncle.(Gratitiude and respect to the wonderful Australian civil servants whose record retention and open access policy is a world benchmark as far as I am concerned) It confirms what we already knew. William Wheate a native of Liverpool England and a pre-war member of the Kings Liverpool Regiment Volunteers sailed to Sidney Australia in the spring of 1914 by the time he arrived the War in Europe had started. His shipmates begged him to return to Liverpool to join up. William decided the action and adventure could "All be over by Christmas". So he jumped ship and enlisted in the Australian Army's 20th infantry Battalion. He was wounded promoted L/Cpl, wounded promoted Cpl, wounded promoted Sgt and awarded the MM for gallantry using his Lewis gun to deadly effect and rallying the troops around him. Then he was killed in action 1917 and buried in the field by his commrades, his body was never recovered and his name appears on the Menin gate. When I say this item is not complete, sadly his MM 14-15 Star Trio and plaque are not in the family. I have set myself a mission (God willing) in 2017 I will visit the Menin Gate with Williams MM Trio in my pocket! However I will be perfectly happy to achieve this in 2007 2006 or 2005 if the group turns up! Mind you if it takes till 2017 a 20th Batt. MM/Trio and plaque will probably mean a remortgage the way medal prices are going! To our dear friends in Australia if an Australian collector aquired Williams MM/trio then subsequent research revealed he was a errant Scouser (native of Liverpool England) who had jumped ship in order to join up, would they be a less desirable group than to a natural digger? Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted 27 November , 2004 Share Posted 27 November , 2004 My favourite WW1 group belonged to my Great Granfather a DCM, MM, 1914/15 trio & Defence Medal. I was lucky that I had the last 14 years of his life with him. When I look at these medal's they still bring a tear to my eyes knowing what he went went through to get them. I feel very lucky the medal's have survived in our family as a lot of families have sold, lost, split the groups up etc. My second favourite group are his brother's my Great Uncle John's 1914/15 Trio who served with Collingwood Btn RND, finally awarded his medal's after a long fight & a wait of 85 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat McLachlan Posted 28 November , 2004 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2004 Paul, I don't reckon the value of the medals to a collector would be reduced if they found out Sgt Wheate was originally a Pom - about a third of the soldiers in the AIF were British-born. My hope is that any collector who heard your story and was in possession of the medals would negotiate a reasonable price for them to be returned to you. Fingers crossed! Cheers mate, Mat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.B. Posted 29 November , 2004 Share Posted 29 November , 2004 Tough question..... Inherited items -without doubt my Great-grandad's Victory Medal, and the Army Will completed by my other Great-grandad. They both survived WWI. Purchased -a M1915 tunic worn by a German soldier in Reserve Infantry Regiment 216 in 1918. All the best Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 29 November , 2004 Share Posted 29 November , 2004 I have been watching this thread with interest and unable to decide what to post here? My collectibles are all like old friends and each I feel as important as the next. So I decided to add to the mix one of my more recent additions. This is by no means the ‘best’ of my lot, as I view even a mere single medal to a Pte. as a worthy part of my collection. The collection attributed to: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davben Posted 29 November , 2004 Share Posted 29 November , 2004 I have to say without a doubt that the photos that my grandfather gifted to me are among the most favorite things I have , I was 18 when he died and I was just starting to ask some questions about ww1 , some he answered and others he just warned me that "I wouldn`t want to know the answer to" , and here I am actually telling my father some things about ww1 that pop had said ! Here`s just one of my favorite pic`s, I quite often just gaze at the photos and wonder exactly where he was and what it was like. Dave B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle bill Posted 29 November , 2004 Share Posted 29 November , 2004 I have to agree with David in the sense that every item in my colection is precious. If I really had to choose to things to keep it would be my soldiers tunic to the 6th Bn. Dorsets with 17th Div flashes and my trench map used in the high Wood and Delville wood battles with hand written notes and drawn trenches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redrum Posted 29 November , 2004 Share Posted 29 November , 2004 A purchase of a Brodie helmet second pattern/sand coloured camoflage with the owners name and serial number written in pencil. He checked out to having survived and come home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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