A Few small finds today at WW2 camp site

[SatansCabanaBoy]

Here's look at a couple of Canadian tags, and an American one. Note that Canadians is written on one, and CEF on the other. It appears there were no standards for the information on the tags

[harry211]

It's kind of spooky to read when you read it... its all glorious Captain X and wondrous Lieutenant Y did this today...oh, and by the way, 6 other ranks were shot dead this morning...

I thought the same thing - I have only read a few of the war diary entries but really shows the rigid class structure at the time - "other ranks" were really viewed as cannon fodder - very sobering is the very matter of fact way they reports the death and injuries. Thanks again for the great links.

[harry211]

. So I am assuming he didn't see the end of the war.
...

did a bit more digging around for Mr Taylor. There was no record of him on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site. Eventually found him on Ancestry.com and he did indeed survive - he moved to the US in 1944 and died in 1950 aged 61. Here he is (no photo I can find of him in uniform but nice to be able to link a relic directly to an individual.

[harry211]

No dog tags for ages and then 2 come along together - typical

This one is in worse condition than the first unfortunately. I can see that his name is Brown - nice uncommon name there and think that some of his service number is 300_ 2 - do you eagle eyed people out there agree with my guess at the numbers?

[SatansCabanaBoy]

Associated Image(s) - Soldiers of the First World War - CEF - Library and Archives Canada



Regimental number 430049

That would be my guess dude. The only thing is, there is two dots in front of the surname, which might be two initials, and the cat's attestation papers I sent, there's only one first name, Adam...

[harry211]

Managed to get down to the site today for a while and here's the result. Loads more drill rounds in clips - never manage to find one with all the rounds intact - a few inspection rounds, a couple more Canadian buttons and shoulder tab, part of what I assume is the instep for a boot, marked "Foot Arch Pat'd 7-14-14 Guaranteed German Silver" (bit ironic considering where the guys were heading).

Also found a mark III LE brass Oiler bottle, without lid unfortunately.

Not sure what the item to the right of the oiler is, but it has serated edges on the pointy bit (apologies for being too technical )

Also found an unfamiliar cartridge case, it's stamped RL, with what looks like a C, has the broad arrow and dated '11. Any one know what this one is?

[Steve T]

Nice finds. Not sure what the serrated thingy is, but you cartridge is an old blank. At work at the minute otherwise I'd put a picture up of a complete one. Nice cartridge

[cornishboy]

nice finds again Harry

[TonyE]

Your blank is a "Cartridge S.A. Blank .303 inch with Mock Bullet Mark VI". It is a normal short crimped blank with an additional thin brass mock bullet crimped on the top to allow more efficient feeding from the magazine. Unfortunately it was not a success in service as the mock bullet often blew off and lodged in the barrel, causing a bulge when a live round was next fired. Also, there were instances where the mock bullet left the barrel and injured another soldire.

The Royal Navy ordered the mock bullets removed in September 1906 and the army followed shortly after. It then became "Cartridge S.A. Blank .303 inch without Mock Bullet Mark VI". Your example was made at Royal Laboratory, Woolwich (RL) and was made from a reject Cordite Ball Mark II case (The "C" and "II")

Picture of complete round attached.

Regards
TonyE

[harry211]

Thanks Tony - great info as usual.