TOPIC:

Good Morning Everyone.....

One of the things that I pick up every so often is Carved Pipes as used by the soldiers in the Boer war and original pieces of Trench Art...... I have a number of them with initials of the soldiers on them and have never been able to identify them until now.....

I picked up this pipe on our favourite auction site and even though I normally do not pay much for them I went a little higher than I normally do because it is to a Canadian.....

On the bowl is carved the Cap Badge as worn by the Canadian Contingent..... Above the badge in a scroll is “1899 BOER WAR 1900” which is basically the period covered by the main Canadian involvement...... Below the badge are the initials H.Y.B. ......

I was able to find on the LAC website only one person with those initials......

26 PRIVATE HENRY YARWOOD BALWIN, CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES

On checking on this man I found some very interesting pieces of information......

On his Attestation Papers:

No.: 26, Private, Baldwin, Henry Yarwood
Corps: Canadian Mounted Rifles
Enlisted at: Regina
On: 5th January1900
Age: 39 years
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Former Corps: None
Trade or Calling: MILITARY SURGEON
Religion: C.E.
Next of Kin: (Brother) Robert Baldwin
Married or Single: Single

Remarks:

QUEENS MEDAL WITH FOUR CLASPS: Orange Free State, Cape Colony, Diamond Hill, Johannesburg

On the reverse of the Attestation Papers is written: APPOINTED CIVIL SURGEON TO THE REGIMENT 1st MAY, 1900

One of the things that struck me is his Trade or Calling...... A Doctor enlisting as a Private......

Have attached some Photos, will not repair stem and leave it as it is......

Hope you enjoy......

Mike

Very Nice Mike. That is a piece to envy. I congratulate you on your ownership.
I have one as well, but not to a Canadian. I will dig it out and post a photo.
BP

Mike
As a reformed pipe smoker, I must say that your CMR pipe has a remarkably fine briar bowl! I suppose that OOM Paul's preference for pipes of this type led to numbers of them being adorned with units, names, etc.
Regards
IL.

Mike
Congratulations on a great addition to your collection. Like IL I am a reformed pipe smoker and I once had a small collection of pipes. The only one that survives is made of soapstone. It was used by a Nama (Hottentot) in Namibia, and I collected it there in the mid-1960's.
Regards
Brett