BRITISH DRAGOON HELMET COLLECTION #7

[Peter B]

Peter,

Your artillery sword is fabulous! It appears to be near mint condition... the etched blade is so clean and well defined. Approximately what was the period this particular pattern was in use? I think it is a wonderful find!!

I was an aviation Major and pilot in the United States Army flying attack helicopters...

Cheers,

David

The real experts can probably answer that but I believe generally around WWI.

I retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel and was both Field and Air Defence Artillery. Did some jumping out of airplanes as well.

Here is a much me in Fort Bragg getting my US Jump Wings.

 

[Yeohelmetguy]

The real experts can probably answer that but I believe generally around WWI.

I retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel and was both Field and Air Defence Artillery. Did some jumping out of airplanes as well.

Here is a much me in Fort Bragg getting my US Jump Wings.

Peter... The sword is really terrific and like he way you have it displayed... it's lovely...

I think we are probably of the same age... we were all such babies then...

David



Getting ready to go fly... Hanau, Germany Command performance Fi Rucker


Working hard at Headquarters V Corps Frankfurt FRG

 

[Yeohelmetguy]

Thanks David.

I think you are right about the artistic license taken by the artist. He was definitely 5th DG. I have copies of his "two" service records. A family story was confirmed when I got them. He ran away from home as a teenager and lied about his age and was found out and released. It has it right in the record. Then his parents gave in or he came of age and joined again in the 5th DG.. From the service record I was able to determine all the bars on his QSA medal as I only have his KSA. I was able to get a duplicate made then with the correct bars.

Cheers.

Peter

... what a wonderful bit of family history... how long did your great-grandfather serve in the army... out before World War One?

David

 

[Yeohelmetguy]

David
You are welcome to visit any time
Just let me know ahead of time
thanks
Steve

Steve... you are just a very short three hours away!!

David

 

[KAGGR#1]

Steve... you are just a very short three hours away!!

David

Anytime
I have friend over in Ala
who gets over here from time to time
He is a retired Army Sergeant Major
also a retired airline pilot lives very close
and sometimes we have get togethers.
Steve

 

[Peter B]

... what a wonderful bit of family history... how long did your great-grandfather serve in the army... out before World War One?

David

He did 12 years with the 5th DG serving in India and then the Boer War finishing as a Corporal. He was in the last Cavalry charge at the Battle of Elandslaagte.

He immigrated to Canada and then went over to England during WWI as a Canadian Private. Was made a Lance-Corporal and then reverted to Private. No idea why - maybe he got into a pickle as the Brits say or didn't want to be an NCO any more? He did have poor eyesight by then so was probably in a training billet and he did not go to France. I have attached a picture of him with his two brothers, who also served in WWI.

Thanks for the nice comments on my sword.

 

[Yeohelmetguy]

He did 10 years with the 5th DG serving in India and then the Boer War finishing as a Corporal. He was in the last Cavalry charge at the Battle of Elandslaagte.

He immigrated to Canada and then went over to England during WWI as a Canadian Private. Was made a Lance-Corporal and then reverted to Private. No idea why - maybe he got into a pickle as the Brits say or didn't want to be an NCO any more? He did have poor eyesight by then so was probably in a training billet and he did not go to France. I have attached a picture of him with his two brothers, who also served in WWI.

Thanks for the nice comments on my sword.

... the photograph is marvelous, a wonderful bit of ancestral history! Do you know what became of your great grandfathers two brothers? Did they actually serve in France with the CEF and did they survive the war and then did your Great grandfather retire from the Canadian Army? My father was a career Army officer as well, serving 37 years and was a combat veteran of the Second World War, landing in France on Utah Beach with the lead elements of the 4th Cavalry (Reconnaissance), ending the war in Lintz, Austria with the military constabulary: combat veteran of the Korean War and two tours of duty to Viet Nam. My father met my mother, who was a displaced Russian citizen and declared a stateless person, (her identification documents below) in Lintz. My mothers' grandfather was a lancer officer in Czar Alexander III and Nicholas II army in the Ulanskii Ego Imperatorskago Vysochestva Tsesarevicha Konstantina Pavlovicha polk (His Imperial Highness the Tsesarevich Constantine Pavlovich’s Lancer Regiment)... I have a photograph of him in full dress secured in a safe deposit box...

David

Postscript... I will be doing a post focusing on my named officer's 5th (Princess Charlotte of Walses) Dragoon Guards helmet...

 

[Peter B]

... the photograph is marvelous, a wonderful bit of ancestral history! Do you know what became of your great grandfathers two brothers? Did they actually serve in France with the CEF and did they survive the war and then did your Great grandfather retire from the Canadian Army? My father was a career Army officer as well, serving 37 years and was a combat veteran of the Second World War, landing in France on Utah Beach with the lead elements of the 4th Cavalry (Reconnaissance), ending the war in Lintz, Austria with the military constabulary: combat veteran of the Korean War and two tours of duty to Viet Nam. My father met my mother, who was a displaced Russian citizen and declared a stateless person, in Lintz. My mothers' grandfather was a lancer officer in Czar Alexander III and Nicholas II army in the Ulanskii Ego Imperatorskago Vysochestva Tsesarevicha Konstantina Pavlovicha polk (His Imperial Highness the Tsesarevich Constantine Pavlovich’s Lancer Regiment)... I have a photograph of him in full dress secured in a safe deposit box...

David

You have some fascinating family background with a great military tradition.

Albert Deville on the left served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and survived the war. Joined in August 1914 and went through the entire war. Lived until 1962. William Thomas Deville on the right also survived the war but died of a brain tumour in 1938. My Great Grandfather had retired from the 5th DG after 12 year's service and did two years in WW1. Looking at his WW1 records again I think his health kept him in England.

Family military history is fascinating. My wife has a Second Cousin, three times removed, Lance-Corporal Frank Leslie Minns of the Ox & Bucks, who was in Glider Number one in the assault on Pegasus Bridge in WW2. Sat three seats over from Maj Howard, the Company Commander. Great scene in the Longest Day of the assault. He was 30 years old and greatly admired by the soldiers in his section for his steady leadership. Dennis Edwards mentioned him twice is his book, The Devil's Own Luck. Unfortunately he was killed on the 9th of June when a bullet his his bayonet scabbard and was deflected into his heart. He is buried in the cemetery at Hérouvillette, about four kilometres form Pegasus bridge. We plan to visit his grave the next time we get to Europe.

Cheers.

Peter

 

[Peter B]

You have some fascinating family background with a great military tradition.

Albert Deville on the left served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and survived the war. Joined in August 1914 and went through the entire war. Lived until 1962. William Thomas Deville on the right also survived the war but died of a brain tumour in 1938. My Great Grandfather had retired from the 5th DG after 12 year's service and did two years in WW1. Looking at his WW1 records again I think his health kept him in England.

Family military history is fascinating. My wife has a Second Cousin, three times removed, Lance-Corporal Frank Leslie Minns of the Ox & Bucks, who was in Glider Number one in the assault on Pegasus Bridge in WW2. Sat three seats over from Maj Howard, the Company Commander. Great scene in the Longest Day of the assault. He was 30 years old and greatly admired by the soldiers in his section for his steady leadership. Dennis Edwards mentioned him twice is his book, The Devil's Own Luck. Unfortunately he was killed on the 9th of June when a bullet his his bayonet scabbard and was deflected into his heart. He is buried in the cemetery at Hérouvillette, about four kilometres form Pegasus bridge. We plan to visit his grave the next time we get to Europe.

Cheers.

Peter

P.S. Love that identity card of your mothers. A very nice looking lady.

 

[Yeohelmetguy]

P.S. Love that identity card of your mothers. A very nice looking lady.

Hello Peter,

Thank you, yes, I think my mother was a lovey woman... she came to the United States in 1949 after marrying my father in 1947 in Lintz, Austria... a year later my father was off to the Korean War... my mother spoke several languages, her native Russian, German, French and a smattering of English. She, to the day she died was always self-conscious of her eastern European accent... I always thought it so novel and unique that my mother was Russian! Both my parents would relate the most incredible stories of their experiences living through the Second World War... my father from his perspective of a combat soldier and my mother from the perspective of a soviet Russian jiving through, first the German invasion of the Soviet Union and then their ultimate retreat from the same and their very unique views about living with, dealing with, and fighting the German Army.

My father was wounded twice... once in the Hurtgen Forest in late 1944 and then, again, at Janggu, North Korea in 1951. He was also awarded the Silver Star Medal for valor for action in World War Two...

Cheers,

David