O.R. 1950 56th. Infantry Division [London], 'Black Cat' Formation Badge

56th. Infantry Division [London] divisional [flash] insignia.
Printed example of the black cat [Dick Wittington's cat] combined with the sword of the City of London on a red square of wool. The regiment was later formed as the 56th Armoured Division [London] with the sword. The regular WW2 56th insignia has no sword. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, the division was mobilised as motorized infantry under the title of the 1st London Division. It was reorganised as an infantry division in June 1940 and renamed the 56th (London) Infantry Division on 18 November 1940. The divisional insignia during the Second World War was changed to an outline of a black cat in a red background. The cat stood for Dick Whittington's cat, a symbol of London.

The division remained in the United Kingdom during the Battle of France, moving to the Middle East in November 1942, where it served in Iraq and Palestine, until moving to Egypt in March 1943 and thence forward to Libya and the front, in April. This involved the division, commanded by Major-General Eric G. Miles, travelling some 2,300 miles (3,700 km) by road, a notable achievement and testament to the organization of the division and the ability of its mechanics and technicians. The division sat out the Allied invasion of Sicily (except for the 168th Brigade, which was attached to the understrength 50th Infantry Division) and moved to Italy in September 1943, where they fought in the landings at Salerno under the command of the US Fifth Army. During this time the 201st Guards Brigade joined the division, to replace the 168th Brigade which returned to the division in October. In January 1944, the 56th Division, commanded now by Major-General Gerald Templer, saw service in the Battle of Monte Cassino, serving there until March 1944 and participated in the Anzio Campaign. After being withdrawn to Egypt at the end of March, the division, under Major-General John Y. Whitfield, returned to Italy in July 1944, where it took part in the Battles along the Gothic Line and remained there until after Victory in Europe Day. During the fighting of 1944 and 1945, some of the infantry battalions that suffered heavy casualties were disbanded, to make up for an acute manpower shortage. The division also took part in Operation Grapeshot, the Allied offensive which ended the war in Italy.


Members of the 10th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, part of the 168th Brigade, climbing the heights of Calvi Risorta shortly after the invasion of Italy, October 1943
After crossing the Volturno in October 1943, the division entered the town of Calvi Vecchia. Their attempts to radio the Fifth Army to cancel a planned bombing on the town failed. As a last resort, the 56th released an American homing pigeon, named G.I. Joe, which carried a message that reached the allies just as the planes were being warmed up. The attack was called off and the town was saved from the planned air assault  read more

Code: 20401

A German WW2 Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery BeVo Breast Eagle

Green ground with yellow eagle. A nice original Kriegsmarine yellow example. Coastal artillery was the responsibility of the Kriegsmarine, and most of the weapons employed in this manner were captured or obsolete weapons, their role was a defence against invasion, rather than proper coast defence against naval attack many of these guns were mounted in defensive works of either turrets or casemates. Marine Artillery Units were trained as ground artillery. There are several accounts of Naval Artillery Forward Observers during the Market Garden operation. Coastal batteries were used against ground targets all the way up the French coast, that is, if they could be turned towards the landward side.

Also, something to keep in mind, Naval Artillerymen are trained to hit moving targets such as ships, not much of a stretch to hit relatively stationary ground targets and the like such as a battalion area or a road junction. Coordinates, angles, grids, and trajectories are calculated much the same and a big shell is a big shell regardless of the target?  read more

Code: 20358

A Very Attractive Imperial German Bullion and Gilt Officers Brocade Belt

With royal crown and crest of Kaiser Willhelm II. Superb gilded buckle with silver bullion belt bears two horizontal stripes. Some of the cloth inner lining to belt has worn away  read more

Code: 20338

WW2 Australian Instructional Corps - Officer Bronze and Enamel Hat Badge

A mighty rare badge of WW2. Australian Instructional Corps - Officer Bronze and Enamel Hat Badge 1921 - 55. Worn from 1930 to 1942.

The Australian Instructional Corps (AIC) was the permanent force posting unit for the Warrant Officer Instructors of the Australian Army from 1921 to 1955. Complete with two lugs.

A highly desirable hat badge. These were worn by Warrant Officer trainers who were responsible for the training of the Militia Battalions and Regiments (Citizen Military Forces) from 1921 to 1942 and the Volunteer Defence Force (VDF) from 1942 to 1945 as well as the 2nd AIF post 1939.
The AIC ran qualification courses for militia and AIF officers and NCOs at specialist schools across the country.

Many of the instructors were commissioned as Officers or were employed as senior NCO's in these war time formations.
The AIC reached its peak in 1942 with 234 quartermasters and 889 warrant officers so both types of these insignia can be quite hard to come by  read more

Code: 20266

Malta's British Empire 'George Cross' for Heroism Commemorative Medal

Available to veterans who served in Malta between the dates of 10th June 1940 and 8th September 1943 to be worn with pride not alongside gallantry decorations, but separately and distinctively.
In April of 1942 King George VI in a dramatic and unprecedented gesture conferred the George Cross medal on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta.
As it transpired April was the final month of the great Luftwaffe offensive and possibly the most difficult period of the siege so devastatingly enforced by the Axis powers. The island and its population had been subjected to a constant and unrelenting bombardment since June 1940 and were not to experience any relief from these conditions until the final months of 1942 when supplies and aid began to reach the defenders in significant quantities.
All over the world the people of the United Nations had followed the resistance of the islanders and those trying to bring aid by sea and air. The news of the award of the George Cross was internationally welcomed as it served in a tangible way to mark the heroism of all concerned.

The Government of Malta dignified the fiftieth anniversary of the presentation of the George Cross to the island in 1942 by striking the 'Malta George Cross Fiftieth Anniversary Commemorative Medal'. The closing date for application was 15th April 1994.
Next of kin could also apply for the medal which would only have been issued on receipt of a completed application form and proof of service in Malta between the dates of 10th June 1940 and 8th September 1943.
The colours of the ribbon, two narrow stripes of white and red on a background of blue, are representative of the Malta flag and the George Cross.  read more

Code: 20219

WW2 Burma Star Association Lapel Badge

The Burma Star Association was officially founded on the 26 February 1951 with 2,000 founder members. The badge of the Association incorporates a replica of the Burma Campaign Star. Permission to take advantage of this singular honour was supported by His Majesty King George VI in consultation with Earl Mountbatten and Field Marshal Viscount Slim and the badge and title were accepted by the College of Heralds. This fact recognises the rigorous nature of climate, topography and the extremely debilitating conditions in which to wage a successful campaign against a determined and fanatical enemy, thus making this Association unique among post war ex-Service Associations.The first President of the Association was Field Marshal Viscount Slim (Uncle Bill) who held this position until his death on 14 December 1970.  read more

Code: 20133

A Pair of Franco Period Late1930's Spanish Nationalist Officers Epaulettes

On green wool cloth with gilt bullion.  read more

Code: 20104

History of the Prince of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles

Published in 1921 principally the detailed history of the regiment, the men who served and who died in the Great War. The original Westminster City Reference Library copy [offically withdrawn]. A superbly detailed work of one of the famous volunteer regiments of WW1.  read more

Code: 20053

8th Punjab Indian Army Regt. Officer's Cap Badge

Single pin mount. The 8th Punjab Regiment had its origins in the Madras Army, where its first battalion was raised at Masulipatam in 1798. Four more battalions were raised in 1799-1800. In 1824, they were designated as the 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Regiments of Madras Native Infantry. In the early 19th century, these battalions were engaged in fighting the Marathas and took part in a number of foreign expeditions including the Anglo-Burmese Wars. Between 1890 and 1893, they were reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims and Sikhs as Burma Battalions and permanently based in Burma to police the turbulent Burmese hill tracts. Under the Kitchener Reforms of 1903, they were redesignated as the 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd Punjabis, and 93rd Burma Infantry. They were delocalized from Burma before the First World War The 8th Punjabis have a most distinguished record of service during the First World War. Their long list of honours and awards includes the Victoria Cross awarded to Naik Shahmed Khan of 89th Punjabis in 1916. The 89th Punjabis had the unique distinction of serving in more theatres of war than any other unit of the British Empire. These included Aden, where they carried out the first opposed sea-borne assault landing in modern warfare, Egypt, Gallipoli, France, Mesopotamia, North-West Frontier Province, Salonika and Russian Transcaucasia. All battalions served in Mesopotamia, while 93rd Burma Infantry also served in France. The 92nd Punjabis were made 'Prince of Wales's Own' in 1921 for their gallantry and sacrifices during the war During the Second World War the 8th Punjab Regiment again distinguished itself, suffering more than 4500 casualties. It was awarded two Victoria Crosses to Havildar Parkash Singh and Sepoy Kamal Ram, besides numerous other gallantry awards. The regiment raised a further nine battalions. Two of its battalions, the 1st and 7th, were captured on Singapore Island, when the British Commonwealth Army surrendered there to the Japanese on 15 February 1942. Four battalions fought in the Burma Campaign, while others saw service in Iraq, Iran, Italy, French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies. Two men from the 8th Punjab Regiment received the Victoria Cross: Havildar Parkash Singh in Burma and Sepoy Kamal Ram in Italy. By the end of the war, the Regiment consisted of 14 Battalions.  read more

Code: 19938

A 1930's Essex Regt. Silver Officers Cap Badge

Essex Regiment Officer?s 1935 silver cap badge. Fine example. Within an oak wreath surmounted by a Sphinx resting on ?Egypt? tablet Castle and Key of Gibraltar, across the base a scroll inscribed ?The Essex Regt?. The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958, and served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot and the 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot.  read more

Code: 19937