George Armstrong Custer Posted 26 November , 2005 Share Posted 26 November , 2005 So that's how you hold a pickelhaube when not wearing it! Ciao, GAC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 26 November , 2005 Share Posted 26 November , 2005 Here are a couple of pics to show the .303 Mark VII bullet. One is a complete WWI period Mark VII cartridge and the other is from Army Ordnance Services Part 7 Pamphlet 11 of 1944 and shows the construction of the various .303 rounds. Whilst these are WW2 rounds, the ball Mark VII shown on the lower right is identical to that used in WWI. Also, the Armour Piercing W Mark I is identical to the WWI AP round introduced as the Mark VIIW in 1917. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 26 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 November , 2005 Tony you did it; thank you for solving another enigma; I am not sure what this greenish residue on pic/post #361 on the bullet shell is about; but i do not dare to remove it; it is a soft materiel. Could that be the souvenir bullet from the 1st Chshire 14 Nov 1914 when he was wounded in action? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 26 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 November , 2005 I have compiled the informations on the bullet subject: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 26 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 November , 2005 Another sober reminder that all these soldiers had a private life next to their deadly soldier's life. This is an envelope, text written by Grandmother. Text in english says: " Our dearest …. Dad sent this first message of spring to his “Golden Three”, 1918 from the battlefield in France A ringlet, from our Dad’s beautiful hair (Sent from battlefield) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 26 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 November , 2005 The dried flowers almost flew away a couple of minutes ago, when i took the pictures outside; i think I lost some = Gone with the wind! You see the small red band? = Attached is a small batch of Granddads actual hair from 1918! Why do you send own pieces of hair to your NOK? Because you may have a foreboding that you will not make it back home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 26 November , 2005 Share Posted 26 November , 2005 Egbert, Well at least we know we got his hair colour approximately right in the colour pic! Another great piece demonstrating the human side (and cost) of war. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 26 November , 2005 Share Posted 26 November , 2005 You see the small red band? = Attached is a small batch of Granddads actual hair from 1918! Why do you send own pieces of hair to your NOK? Because you may have a foreboding that you will not make it back home... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You do get the feeling he had some sort of premonition, egbert. How sad, to be thinking of his"golden three" and that he might never see them again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JIM EDWARDS Posted 26 November , 2005 Share Posted 26 November , 2005 Ref the Ballistic info, I would have thought the C of G as far FORWARD in the projectile as possible would have been the best solution for directional stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 26 November , 2005 Share Posted 26 November , 2005 Another sober reminder that all these soldiers had a private life next to their deadly soldier's life. This is an envelope, text written by Grandmother. Text in english says: " Our dearest …. Dad sent this first message of spring to his “Golden Three”, 1918 from the battlefield in France A ringlet, from our Dad’s beautiful hair <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Another lump in the throat. Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 27 November , 2005 Share Posted 27 November , 2005 One cannot not say thankyou enough times, Egbert, for sharing these things of your Grandfathers. Regards Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 27 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 November , 2005 The last pocket watch in the trunk; come on this one should be a "souvenir"? It's a Swiss watch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 27 November , 2005 Share Posted 27 November , 2005 Egbert, The pocketwatch is very attractive. I was very taken with Grandfather's hair he sent home. (I think it was an old English custom to keep tiny lockets of hair in ladies lockets) I wonder if the same was for Germanic custom. And the colour of the cotton (used to tie the hair). I wonder if it was "regimental issue" if Grandfather needed to repair anything. I think its truly wonderful that you can actually touch your own Grandfather's hair 87 years after it was cut. Thank you again for this. Susan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 27 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 November , 2005 Susan, You are very much on details, I would never have questioned myself: true the red cotton must be "Imperial Issue", maybe for tying several letters together or parcels. Nice observation! Yes it is/was absolutely German custom to keep hair samples of NOK. Grandmother not only kept this sample, but also another one from my father, envelope dated 13 March 1920! And also thanx to the other pals with their latest replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 28 November , 2005 Share Posted 28 November , 2005 Egbert, Is that bullet silvery in colour with green corrosion on it? I THINK - I am no expert - that either the Vickers or the Lewis gun fired nickel-jacketed ammunition which would be dull silver in colour (and nickel's corrosion products tend to be green). Does anyone have a picture of a brass jacketed round fired from a Lee-Enfield by comparison? Asking a lot I know but again I THINK that the MG requiring the nickel-jacketed rounds was rifled in the opposite direction to the Lee-Enfield. This is, of course, assuming that it is a British bullet! There are other possibilities... Oh, and assuming that it's true for WW1 bullets as well because I'm fairly certain I learnt it about WW2 ammunition. Adrian (I'm getting carried away here - it's the detective instinct. I love to try to work out what happened from bits! And I'm deeply jealous of your treasure trove, however much tragedy is hiding in it.) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> All British .303 inch ball ammunition in WWI had a silver coloured cupro-nickel envelope (jacket). It was not until WW2 that copper coloured gilding metal came into use as an envelope material. A couple of special purpose rounds in WWI had turned copper bullets (Buckingham Mark I and AP VIIF), but even these were usually nickel washed to give a silver appearance. There was no distinction between ammunition for rifles, Vickers or Lewis guns in land service during WW1, all ball ammunition being normal Mark VII. The RFC used specially selected ammunition for synchronised Vickers guns that was known as "Red Label" ammo from the colour of the packet printing, but it was externally indistinguishable from normal ammo. You may be thinking of the Mark VIIIz ball round which was introduced in 1938 for Vickers guns.This was a boat tailed bullet for long range barrage fire and was copper coloured with a gilding metal envelope. Pictures of all of the above available if anyone is interested. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 29 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2005 Here are 20 Goldmark: and reverse side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J T Gray Posted 29 November , 2005 Share Posted 29 November , 2005 All British .303 inch ball ammunition in WWI had a silver coloured cupro-nickel envelope (jacket). etc... I would be interested - perhaps a seperate thread so as not to hijack Egbert's? Always nice to learn something new - must try to find the box of bullets and see what I HAVE got! Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 29 November , 2005 Share Posted 29 November , 2005 Here are 20 Goldmark: and reverse side Would I be correct in thinking that this was a high value coin? I don't mean now, to a collector, but in grandad's day in purchasing power. How would it compare to a gold sovereign? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 29 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2005 Would I be correct in thinking that this was a high value coin? I don't mean now, to a collector, but in grandad's day in purchasing power. How would it compare to a gold sovereign? Well I googled a bit and found: 1914, a worker's monthly salary was 80 Mark 1923 after stabilizing the hyper-inflation, 10 Goldmark were equiv. of 1 Billion Mark, 10 Goldmark had an equiv. value of 10 pound of butter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 29 November , 2005 Share Posted 29 November , 2005 Terrifying amounts! Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 29 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2005 Would I be correct in thinking that this was a high value coin? I don't mean now, to a collector, but in grandad's day in purchasing power. How would it compare to a gold sovereign? Terrifying amounts! Marina Well here is for the 2 of you the 1923 equivalent for 5 Goldmark = Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marina Posted 29 November , 2005 Share Posted 29 November , 2005 Looks like Monopoly money. 500,000,000. Difficult to take the ampunt in - and it probably only bought a loaf! Marina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Hi Egbert I've just joined this forum and this is my first post. I just wanted to say how wonderful it is of you to share this with us all. I have papers and items from both my granfathers time in the Great War, but not on the scale of your treasure. Best wishes Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Welcome to the Forum, Gunner Bailey. If you'd like to share your family treasures with us here, I'm sure we'd all be delighted. Look forward to your postings Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunboat Posted 30 November , 2005 Share Posted 30 November , 2005 Yes welcome to the forum I am sure your family story will be just as compelling as egberts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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