BJC Posted 7 January , 2017 Share Posted 7 January , 2017 I have discovered a photo of 18 survivors of prisoners of war from KUT EL AMARA of the 2nd Batt. Dorsetshire Regiment amongst who is a Sgt Frank Castaldini 8695. also a certification from 2nd Battn. The Dorsetshire Regiment 1914 - 1919 stating that he served his King and Country etc. I received these from his widow about 60 years ago and with them also was a small lapel badge with a lion and turkish crescent on it in enamal. I saw a picture of Gen. Townshend with this badge saying it was presented to all survivors. it is the size of a 1p piece. Could this be what Sgt Castaldini would have received ? and from whom? I can find no reference to this badge anywhere, any help please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 8 January , 2017 Share Posted 8 January , 2017 It sounds quite likely - I've done quite a lot of reading up on Kut but none of my books is here, so I can't check. Might be worth contacting the Dorsets regimental museum at Dorchester to see if they've come across it: http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjustinhayward Posted 8 January , 2017 Share Posted 8 January , 2017 Are the 18 named? thanks Justin H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJC Posted 8 January , 2017 Author Share Posted 8 January , 2017 Yes, TOP ROW Pte. Wheeler, Sgt. Furmarge, Sgt.Barfoot, Pte. Wright, Cpl. Stanley, Sgt. Briers, Pte, Cole. Pte. Butcher. MIDDLE ROW CQMS Drew (DCM), CSM.Dibbs, RSM. Delara (DCM), Lt, Col. G M Herbert (DSO), RQMS Harvey, CSM Cox, CQMS Maidment, (DCM). BOTTOM ROW Cpl. Scott Duthie, Sgt.Castaldini, Sgt.Shaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJC Posted 8 January , 2017 Author Share Posted 8 January , 2017 Just realised that my badge has a white crescent not blue. Comrades Association Badge Maybe. Ass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beestonboxer Posted 8 January , 2017 Share Posted 8 January , 2017 A great looking badge I haven't seen one like it before. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 7 September , 2023 Share Posted 7 September , 2023 (edited) I am reading PW Long's "Other Ranks of Kut" and noticed the front (1938 Edition) binding has this very same badge on it (photo below). I thought it might be a 6 (Poona)Div/IEF(D) formation badge of some sort but have turned up nothing to connect it as such. The motif appears again this time associated with Kut-El-Amara memorial "Erected by their surviving comrades" in St. Paul's Crypt, Nelson Chamber (north west bay) and is described in the IWM Register as "a polished limestone wall panel with memorial inscription painted in red, the curved upper edge enclosing a carving of a lion standing on a crescent moon with a trail of foliage on either side." (photo below). I must admit this looks like a wreath to me rather than a part of the memorial. The motif becomes a regular feature on the 'Annual Dinner of the Garrison of Kut-Al-Amara' programme by the 1960's (I've seen 1962, 1965 programmes) as does wearing this particular lapel badge around this time as evidenced on several photos at this excellent site: Siege of Kut-el-Amara · Oxford Community Collections The motif does not feature on the first 'Annual Re-Union Dinner for Survivors of the Siege of Kut-El-Amara' programme of 1930. n.b. the subtle name change, from 'Survivors of the Siege' to 'Garrison', was made by the 1939 10th Annual Dinner ..... but maybe earlier. In the hope that there may be a parallel undercurrent of similar research ongoing somewhere amongst that GWF .......... Has anyone come across the pre-1938 origin of this motif? Has anyone seen the Kut-Al-Amara memorial in St. Paul's and can confirm this is an actual wreath and not a part of the memorial? Has anyone got a date for the unveiling of this memorial? Regards and thanks. TA. Edited 7 September , 2023 by TullochArd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 7 September , 2023 Share Posted 7 September , 2023 (edited) 14 minutes ago, TullochArd said: I am reading PW Long's "Other Ranks of Kut" and noticed the front (1938 Edition) binding has this very same badge on it (photo below). I thought it might be a 6 (Poona)Div/IEF(D) formation badge of some sort but have turned up nothing to connect it as such. The motif appears again this time associated with Kut-El-Amara memorial "Erected by their surviving comrades" in St. Paul's Crypt, Nelson Chamber (north west bay) and is described in the IWM Register as "a polished limestone wall panel with memorial inscription painted in red, the curved upper edge enclosing a carving of a lion standing on a crescent moon with a trail of foliage on either side." (photo below). I must admit this looks like a wreath to me rather than a part of the memorial. The motif becomes a regular feature on the 'Annual Dinner of the Garrison of Kut-Al-Amara' programme by the 1960's (I've seen 1962, 1965 programmes) as does wearing this particular lapel badge around this time as evidenced on several photos at this excellent site: Siege of Kut-el-Amara · Oxford Community Collections The motif does not feature on the first 'Annual Re-Union Dinner for Survivors of the Siege of Kut-El-Amara' programme of 1930. n.b. the subtle name change was in use on the 1939 10th Annual Dinner programme ..... but maybe earlier. In the hope that there may be a parallel undercurrent of similar research ongoing somewhere amongst that GWF .......... Has anyone come across the pre-1938 origin of this motif? Has anyone seen the Kut-Al-Amara memorial in St. Paul's and can confirm this is an actual wreath and not a part of the memorial? Has anyone got a date for the unveiling of this memorial? Regards and thanks. TA. Very interesting and not something that I’ve seen before TA. If there’s any forum fellow that I could recommend it would be @michaeldr , who has substantial knowledge regarding the MEF. Edited 7 September , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 7 September , 2023 Share Posted 7 September , 2023 (edited) The badge posted earlier has white crescent. Another held by the Hockaday family (Devons attd RWK) also has white crescent so this looks to be the survivors version. Edited 7 September , 2023 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 7 September , 2023 Share Posted 7 September , 2023 Dorina Neave's book "Remembering Kut" was published 1937 about the same time as Long's account and it too has the Lion over a crescent inscribed Kut, on the cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 7 September , 2023 Share Posted 7 September , 2023 3 hours ago, TullochArd said: Has anyone seen the Kut-Al-Amara memorial in St. Paul's and can confirm this is an actual wreath and not a part of the memorial? Has anyone got a date for the unveiling of this memorial? IWM just have this, but it seems clear that below the tablet is indeed a wreath but within the tablet is the badge. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/11707 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRC Posted 7 September , 2023 Share Posted 7 September , 2023 Image courtesy Flickr member Rex Harris and restrictions on re-use apply. Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 8 September , 2023 Share Posted 8 September , 2023 16 hours ago, FROGSMILE said: If there’s any forum fellow that I could recommend it would be @michaeldr , who has substantial knowledge regarding the MEF. Sorry chaps; I'd love to help but it's the wrong MEF for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TullochArd Posted 20 September , 2023 Share Posted 20 September , 2023 (edited) The lapel pin is confirmed as that of the Kut Garrison Annual Reunion Dinner. This organisation was the focal point for survivors to preserve the memory of their lost comrades and provide ongoing comradeship and support. It should not be confused with separate battalion "Dinners" held shortly after the War. The first was in 1930 and the last in 1966. It is interesting to note that the term 'survivors' was only used on the initial newspaper mustering calls for the First Dinner and was replaced shortly after by the more appropriate, and inclusive, Kut Garrison Annual Reunion. Not surprising really. Survivors excludes fallen comrades who were to remain central throughout. The representation on the lapel badge first appears on the early 1930's programmes and as we have seen features on Kut related books appearing from the late 1930's. The wreath on the old photo (above) and small representation carved on the Kut Memorial at St. Paul's indicate that the Kut Garrison group were central to it's design, placement and no doubt funding. Lapel badges are in evidence on the attached photo* of the Kut Garrison Annual Reunion of (most probably) 1960 ......... there's a few stories being told there that night. *This material is made available by the Lest We Forget project (http://lwf.it.ox.ac.uk) under a CC BY-NC licence @ John Hockaday Edited 20 September , 2023 by TullochArd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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