Guest Eagle077 Posted 25 November , 2005 Share Posted 25 November , 2005 In the course of my long areer in the US Army I seem to have collected a fair share of odd items. One of those items is a bronze bugle with the crest of the Welsh Fusiliers on the bell. Incised in the crest is the number "28". I have had several offers for it but I'd like to know what I might be parting with. It looks great except for some punishment the edge of the bell took. I'm curious about who the Welsh Fuiliers were (in the Great War) and what the "28" signifies. Tom Delaney Warrant Officer - Retired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 25 November , 2005 Share Posted 25 November , 2005 Tom This site will give you the Regiments details. Is it definately a '28' as '23' was the original number of the regiment. Dave http://regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/023RWF.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 25 November , 2005 Share Posted 25 November , 2005 For starters, the regiment is called The Royal Welch Fusiliers, and had 43 battalions in the Great War [some dispute: over 40 and less than 45]. There was not a 28th battalion, so that leaves a problem. Rgt was the old 23rd Foot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Eagle077 Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Tom This site will give you the Regiments details. Is it definately a '28' as '23' was the original number of the regiment. Dave http://regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/023RWF.htm I see I need to find a suitable symbol for myself. I'm tasking my son to get me the number from the bugle. I looked back at it's acquisition and recalled the ocassion. I was participating in joint exercises (with British Marines) on the island of Malta. We didn't have much free time but enough to wander. I took off for the "other side of the island" and landed in a community of British retirees. After a few pints, a gentleman asked me if I had served in combat. I did 2 tours in Viet Nam so I ventured a "yes" to that one. He started talking about "his war" (the Great one). I don't believe I said a word for over 2 hours. Some of his tales were amusing and some were grim enogh to make an owl cry. The trenches were another world. After 50 years, he still called some British Generals murderers. Strong feelings there. Yanks were on his list of good guys as they had an endless supply of condensed milk. The Fusiliers favored condensed milk mixed with Brandy. At any rate, we saw his medals - two for heroism - the rest "campaign". He took out a bugle and told me it had belonged to his friend "Liam". Not long after I told him it was time to find my cot. He wouldn't let me leave without the bugle and told me it was his way of saying thank you for the condensed milk! You can find old machine-gunners in strange places! Tom Delaney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Coincidence? Listed in last 24 hours on e-bay. VINTAGE WW1? COPPER BUGLE ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS 23 Item number: 6584606674 Sorry not 'techy' enough to do links direct to item. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinbelfast Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...fromZR40QQfviZ1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Mark Thanks for the link. There must be advice on here somewhere how to do this so I will now do a search. Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Copy and paste does it for me, John. Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Thanks Phil Now if only everything was that simple! Regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddo Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 I have one of those also.I have seen others They vary in quality.Mine has a cast badge soldered to the bell. Definatly the 23rd.Wonder who was producing them & why the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.Maybe the regimental museum was flogging them at sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshdoc Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Interesting points raised about bugles Ive seen lots around in particular copper ones which are clearly souveniers. I would not think that real ones would be copper like the one on E BAY or if WW1 era would look a little worn ! . Anyone any idea what regimental bugles were made of and did they ever have cap badges soldered on ??. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddo Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 I had a look at the one on ebay its exactly the same as the one that I have-cord.repair -everything.I think the vendor may be wrong in describing it as an antique.Either the Royal Welsh had a hell of a lot of buglers or somebody produced a job lot for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 welshdoc, IIRC, army bugles were usually made out of brass; silver for Rifle regiments and Royal Marines. Don't know about badges being soldered on but would think this unlikely or very rarely done. Might, perhaps, have an engraved badge and inscription if it had been presented to the regiment or an individual. Was once told by an ex Manchester Regiment bugler who learned to play in the Boy's Brigade that he bought his own silver mouthpiece as it gave a more mellow tone than the issue brass one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshdoc Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 Thanks Squirrel for clarrifying this my gut feeling was brass but it was just a guess, glad Ive never bought one. I dont know how many buglers there were in the RWF, but I bet there there were plenty of right Bu**ers . Bless em. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 May I draw your attention to :- http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...=34383&hl=bugle Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 I'd be very wary of the originality of any wind instrument made entirely of copper perporting to be from any time in the 19th or 20th century. I might be wrong of course but I'd still be very wary. OK checked the link and some bugles were made of copper. Good explanations though - worth a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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