Souvenir from Mesopotamia ?

[kinsalegreg]

My grandfather was in the Connaught Rangers - 1st Battalion from 1901 - and family story says he fought in Mesopotamia. This is a souvenir of his - does it ring any bells with anyone ?

[Max Poilu]

It's a very decorative trench art letter opener. Possibly soldier made more likely a commercial purchase. Cannot see the inscription from the pics - can you post a larger set of images?

[kinsalegreg]

Hi

I should have said it is not full size which suggests a letter opener indeed. Here is one closer images of the inscriptions - I have one other which I'll post separately as it is a large file. The key for me is what this might mean for his location with the battalion - is it mesopotamian ?

[kinsalegreg]

Image Two: Given the 1918 date he must have done it on his return - he reenlisted in 1919.

[centurion]

Might I suggest that the basic paper knife was bought in the region and decorated on his return? I've seen similar letter openers but undecorated when fossicking around in 'antique/junk' shops in Cairo.

[James Blonde]

There was a massive trade in so called "Trench Art" much of it made immediate post war

and of a far to good a standard for anything that could have been fabricated in a trench.

In fact a whole cottage industry sprang up with the end of the war,

and masses of surplus brass lying around.

Connaught Stranger.

[kinsalegreg]

Thanks folks - does anyone know which Battalions of the Rangers were in Alexandria and when ?