The binoculars of Pte Sam Eastman of the 2nd Battalion, the Monmouthshire's

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Another set of binoculars from my collection...

This rather small pair belonged to 2396 Pte Sam Eastman of the 2nd Mon's.

The 2nd Mon' were a Territorial Battalion and were warned for active service on August 4th, 1914. the Battalion took part in the fighting around Ypres in November 1914, where many of the Battalion's former miner's put their skills to good use. . They were the first Territorial unit to have a serving member awarded the DCM. Pte Eastman appears on the SWB list.

I had uploaded his medal index card... But the bl**dy file showed as corrupted when I tried to add it to this post!

[James C]

a beautifull set steve

[Jerry B]

Always good to see unit marked Bino's especially to a Welsh unit and to 2nd Mons even more so as they are not a common unit to see being as you said Steve a TF unit. I have a 1909 dated cap to the same Bn, one of my most prized possessions. Interesting that they were owned by a Pte, he must have a been in a specialist task. They are French made but officially issued to the armed forces.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I have to say Jerry, that I have never seen a pair in this size before. They really are small! maybe they were not considered large enough for an Officer! Although the optics are only graded as S4, and they are not of the prismatic type, they give superb images. I have noticed in the past how it always seems to be the prismatic binoculars which suffer the most from the ingress of dirt on the lenses. The Galilean-type are usually free from such defects.

Cheers,
Steve.

[Gunny Hartmann]

Very nice mate!...

[Jerry B]

I have to say Jerry, that I have never seen a pair in this size before. They really are small! maybe they were not considered large enough for an Officer! Although the optics are only graded as S4, and they are not of the prismatic type, they give superb images. I have noticed in the past how it always seems to be the prismatic binoculars which suffer the most from the ingress of dirt on the lenses. The Galilean-type are usually free from such defects.

Cheers,
Steve.

Though look to be a small size Steve but even so he must have had a particular function to be issued with Bino's as far as I am aware. Most of the French made civilian issued pairs are of the this type and though they have clear optics the magnification is not very strong. I have a pair of S4's of this type, another Galliean pair with no markings and a prismatic pair marked SII, though none are as small as these appear to be. Great to see a pair for the 2nd Mons whatever the story with them.

I have attached his MIC and medal roll entries for the 15 star and war and Victory medals and for the silver war badge.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Thanks Jerry. I'll get around to looking him up properly and find out why he was discharged. The trouble is I'm that bl**dy busy researching Pte Smallshaw at the moment. I'm just covering where W & X Coy took over the posts near Neuve Chapelle. Just five men and One NCO to each post! Jack recorded in his diary... "Friday August 4th/16... Left Les Lobes and took over trenches near Neuve Chapelle with only a few men."

[Jerry B]

He listed as no longer physically fit for service, without any more detail than that, though perhaps you have another source such as his pension or service records that list why.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Must have been all that digging in the tunnels and trenches!

[Jerry B]

Must have been all that digging in the tunnels and trenches!

It was a pretty knackering existence and many seem to fall into this category. Perhaps he was a bit older or developed some sort of illness. If he had been wounded it should list that so he probably had other issues. I researched a soldier the other day and he never even got out of the country before he was classed as no longer fit, with VDH, a heart problem.