GRANVILLE Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 If anyone ever turns up a spoon clearly stamped 3 GG (don't have the serial number to hand at the moment) I'd very much appreciate hearing as mine was stolen along with all other kit in my possession at that time (in France) and hasn't been seen since. It was the one thing that had been handed down and I've never really got over it. On the spoon/puttees subject, I do accept that puttees were used to carry the spoon, photographic evidence supports this, and no doubt men from a very different time used to use the spoon to eat their scoff - and possibly scrape the mud of their boots all at the same time! I get a feeling that this may well have been one of the 'old sweat's' tricks, possibly a throw-back to times in India where water was possibly too scare to use for the luxury of washing your cutlery - when sticking it in a sand dune did a perfectly good job. You can imagine many of the new recruits picking up this idea and quietly adopting it. As for using this technique in a shell torn trench, heavily contaminated with high explosive, gas and the remains of the dead I somehow very much doubt it and would suspect the shirt tail being much more preferred? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislock Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 These guys must have been great eaters. Many of the spoons are much bigger than the ones in my kitchen and what about the forks? I found one at Railway Wood that could double up as a hay fork! Or I guess they were simply a hopeful bunch and their cutlery was just in case the field kitchens produced banquets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Cheers Taff - can't argue with veteran's evidence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief_Chum Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 "As for using this technique in a shell torn trench, heavily contaminated with high explosive, gas and the remains of the dead I somehow very much doubt it and would suspect the shirt tail being much more preferred?" British trenches were always kept clean and tidy unless there was a battle going on. There was a limitless supply of manpower to carry out repairs and the dead were always taken away for burial. It's worth reading divisional trench routine manuals to get an understanding of how important it was considered to keep everything clean and tidy and in a good state of repair. Obviously there are times when everything is knocked about but everyday trench life was much more mundane. Faced with the options of cleaning my spoon in the dirt at the side of the trench, or having a shirt tail covered in a weeks worth of rotting food, give me the dirt any day... "These guys must have been great eaters. Many of the spoons are much bigger than the ones in my kitchen and what about the forks? I found one at Railway Wood that could double up as a hay fork!" I agree Chris. Even the WD issue pre-war spoons are like shovels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulfrik-the-wanderer Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 hello everyone, having a look at this thread would the fork and spoon I have that I picked up from my grandads among a few items after he passed away be correct? I currently have them in a my mess tins in my small pack for ww2 as 'civie/captured cutlery'. But they do seem to follow the earlier patterns of spoons correct for ww1? just not numbered or war department marked. warm regards, Haydn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulfrik-the-wanderer Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 "just not numbered or war department marked"; then they are possibly only Victorian or Edwardian fiddle backed spoons as used by many households in Great Britain at the time. Exactly the same pattern as the military ones and possibly made by the same manufacturers, just not military issue. fair enough, as I though, thanks for the answer, then they shall stay with my mess tins as period correct but non issued 'aquired' cutlery warm regards. Haydn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Although as mentioned, may have been acquired by a Kitchener battalion, so who knows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulfrik-the-wanderer Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Although as mentioned, may have been acquired by a Kitchener battalion, so who knows all 3 of my relatives that fought in the first world war joined up in 1914 so possibly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnumbellum Posted 4 December , 2012 Share Posted 4 December , 2012 All Spoons are stamped with the MOD Arrow. If it has not got that, then it is NOT Govt Issue. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) was not set up until 1 January 1947 and did not become responsible for matters such as equipment until 1 April 1964. The relevant authority at the time of the Great War was the War Department (WD). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iristaylor Posted 4 July , 2013 Share Posted 4 July , 2013 This is a fascinating post especially as my Mum has just given me a spoon 'she has had in the kitchen for years'!! She only mentioned it because we have just been to Thiepval Wood and was told about the spoon found there! So, i have it in my possession supposedly my Grandad who was in the Suffolks and Labour Corps. Trouble is it is not either of his regimental numbers. It is marked 3 SK 48501. I have searched all reliable sources to look at Medal Cards but there does not seem to be this regimental number in the Suffolks. I am very much hoping that some of you Suffolk Regiment Experts can tell me why this is? The only thing I know is that Edward Frank Sturgeon, my Grandad joined the Army before the War so I suppose was an Old Contemptible. Thanking you in advance! Iris Taylor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovetown Posted 4 July , 2013 Share Posted 4 July , 2013 The 3rd Suffolks (as all? most? 3rd bns) was a reserve battalion so did not see overseas service as such. If he has an MIC it's likely under a number assigned for another battalion/ regiment, assuming he was in theatre. Cheers, GT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 5 July , 2013 Share Posted 5 July , 2013 I have a spoon very similar, no maker's marks, magnetic steel, silver wash and looks as if it was stamped metal. khaki (older maybe?) Considering the description I doubt if would have been made for anyone apart from the military, as no self repecting person would want it on their table. thoughts anyone khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscott Posted 2 May , 2014 Share Posted 2 May , 2014 Thanks all for a very informative thread! I just picked up a spoon and I thought I would post some photos. The spoon has the worn edge that is referred to earlier in the thread and is marked on both sides to separate battalions of the coldstream guards: 2CG [2]292? and 3CG 425[1]? Frustratingly both numbers are slightly unclear to me. There is also a war department marking. Is it normal for these spoons to have multiple unit markings like this? Thanks, Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 3 May , 2014 Share Posted 3 May , 2014 I nearly fell off my chair when I saw this 3GG spoon, half hoping it was the one I've been looking for for a few years since it went 'awol' in France. Mine bears the number 12628 and if anyone knows of it's whereabouts I can't tell you how pleased I would be to hear from you. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke0000 Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 I picked up a ww1 spoon in a car boot sale years ago and half and inch the tip of it was worn away. A few months ago I seen a ww1 spoon for sale on ebay and it was in the same condition. Is there the slightest possibility that these spoons were deliberately ground down so you could cut with it as well as use is as a spoon? Regards. Tom Well maybe not by manufacturers...but maybe it was a trend of soldiers in certain area's...maybe they used their knives for non food purposes...(i dont know what that purpose might be) and then replaced the job of knife with a spoon...by sharping part of it Or perhaps the ground just wears it away like that I nearly fell off my chair when I saw this 3GG spoon, half hoping it was the one I've been looking for for a few years since it went 'awol' in France. Mine bears the number 12628 and if anyone knows of it's whereabouts I can't tell you how pleased I would be to hear from you. David Hey why not make a lost and found thread...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Hey why not make a lost and found thread...? At the time, the first thing I did was run a thread about the theft of my collection, but sadly none of it has ever been seen again, so I just keep my eyes open in the hope that some of the items might pop up. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B Posted 10 May , 2014 Share Posted 10 May , 2014 Adding a unit marked spoon, 4th Bn Wels/ch Regiment. Not sure on the date and it is not WD marked and might be 1920's?. I have two WD marked examples from 1930 and 1942. The former has a 4 digit number on it, the date is part of the original manufacture, but the WD arrow is stamped on it, whilst the latter has both as part of the manufacturing process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 13 May , 2014 Share Posted 13 May , 2014 Just borrowed my neighbours Grandfathers spoon. It is marked on the upper side with his four digit service number and 4KRR. No WD arrow . Maker marked on rear, nicely worn paddle and typical pattern that matches my field found examples. He was gassed we think at Loos and his name was Henry Wilkies or Wilkes(will check and add photo). Anyone able to check the MIC? Would be grateful. Thanks TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reese williams Posted 14 May , 2014 Share Posted 14 May , 2014 I'm suspect of the idea that the spoons were intentionally shaped. The reason being that I have purchased several pieces of cutlery (upwards of 2 dozen), some broadarrow marked, most unmarked and undoubtably civilian. Virtually all of the spoons and forks show the same pattern of wear. Looking down on the item with the handle closest to you, the spoons are worn on the front left corner, consistent with a right-handed user both eating and stirring with the spoon. Forks are worn in a manner that would indicate being used by a right-hander and wear from a knife wearing against the tines as something was cut. Most of these are made of pretty mild metal and would show wear quickly. The fact that civilian utensils are worn in exactly the same manner as WD issued ones speaks to me of normal wear rather than deliberate reshaping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluevanman Posted 14 May , 2014 Share Posted 14 May , 2014 I have a fork i found on the Authille slope approach to thiepval some years ago marked-Union Jack Club Edinburgh with a nice little union jack stamped on it.Can only imagine the fork was borrowed by some young jock home on leave.Pardon from changing topic from spoon to fork.Anyone have a knife story to complete the KFS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 22 May , 2014 Share Posted 22 May , 2014 If the number on the spoon is 4620, he was Henry J Wilkes, 1st Btn KRRC. To France 13/9/1914. Later transferred to the Labour Corps 135586. Many thanks thats my man!!! TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark holden Posted 4 June , 2014 Share Posted 4 June , 2014 I have just got this one today along with his uniform and other personal bits Close up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 5 June , 2014 Share Posted 5 June , 2014 Mark, Great spoon, but pictures of the rest of the stuff would be nice tooo Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark holden Posted 5 June , 2014 Share Posted 5 June , 2014 Joe, I will post over the W/E. regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark holden Posted 7 June , 2014 Share Posted 7 June , 2014 High Wood, very possibly as I have letters from him to his wife sent from hospital in Grimsby from late May 1915. regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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