TOPIC:

Wonder if any forum members have ever come across an item like this - was it a common type of soldiers trench art or possibly a later rembrance of service item?

It is an old small wooden plaque 4 1/2" x 3 1/2" with an affixed Scots Guards Cap Badge - surrounded by 2 brass cartridges and a lead bullet ball. The top of the plaque is hand painted (still somewhat visible Boer War 1899 - last date illegible?

On the reverse in pencil hand writing:

Hand written in pencil on the back (photo 4):

"Cartridge
Cases
Scots
Guards
Badge
&
Dum Dum Bullet
from Battlefield
of Boer War
Africa"

The bullet casing end marks are British R L V11 32 and. would appear to be a .303 calibre cartridge.

It is a great item and I am proud to have it displayed with some other Boer War items in part of my collection but am curious if anyone has any opinion on it at all?

Amazing what you can find in the USA - the attached beautiful plaster oval bubble glass photo of a British soldier wearing his QSA/KSA and another medal I am not sure on?? - was found in a very small town second hand store in the middle of nowhere Montana!!

142bravo
If the cartridge cases are indeed head stamped "R-arrow-L VII 32", then they definitely were not used during the South African war. The bullet casing marks (head stamp) indicate production at the Woolwich Arsenal, London during 1932; the cartridge type being a .303" Mark VII ball - introduced 1910. The lead ball may be a remnant of case shot .
The first medal worn by the soldier in the very nice portrait is the India Medal '54 with two clasps.
Regards
IL.

Great to know - as they are affixed differently than the other items it's a good bet that they were added later (perhaps to replace original ones as there is an old outline of casings on the plaque??) but it is nice to know that they are at least British casings!

Many thanks .. Bruce

142Bravo.

I hope you don't mind but I have inserted your excellent photos in to the message so that they are easier to view.