Binoculars to Canadian Lt.Col.W.O Smyth 209th Battalion.CEF.

[jwp2007]

Picked up an interesting pair of binoculars in my local antique centre here in yorkshire, they are maked inside the case to the above officer, plenty of info online regarding him :

Swift Current's first lawyer and judge, W.O. Smyth was very active in Swift Current's armed defenses both before and during World War I. He was the Commanding Officer of the Swift Current Squadron of the 27th Light Horse, but could not leave with the 27th for Active Duty because as a judge he was not permitted to leave his post. He was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel in October of 1914. It was W.O. Smyth who secured permission from Ottawa to raise the 209th Battalion of southwest Saskatchewan men. Smyth defied orders to not go on Active Service in order to accompany the 209th Battalion to Europe for a few weeks before he was called back to Canada by the Minister of Justice.

The binoculars are 8x30 and marked supplied by Broadhurst,Clarkson and company, London and are stamped with the same companies maker mark on the opposite side. there is also two broad arrow marks, one next to each of the front lenses. the binoculars fit the case perfectly but the case is stamped Bausch and lomb Rochester .NY. so not sure if the two have always been together !. another name, Fred Hebden, is also written in the case lid, took a quick look through the CEF nominal roles, lots of Hebden's but no Fred or F's, the name Hebden is a common surname in this area of yorkshire, curious to know if i have got the officer's binoculars or some other's in his old case .cheers, John.

Ps: sorry think i got this in the wrong section, should be in other equipment, maybe a mod can move