TOPIC:

Today I bought a button stick from a gentleman , whos surname is Machanic, who's grand father fought with the British during the 2nd Anglo-Boer war. I believe this button stick belinged to him, and that he was an uitlander volenteer as he owned a family bicycle shop in Johannesburg.
I believe this button stick has a unit marking and a 'issue number' on it. Does anybody recognize this unit?

Thank you;

J.I.W











..

Morning Post 5 January 1882



So the button stick could date back to the Boer War. In shape and finish it looks identical to ones depicted in various online sites and claimed to be WW1 ones. Not being expert in such matters I cannot comment further.

Btw the Bodill Parker are still operating but in much smaller premises in Tipton in the Black Country/West Midlands.

Out of interest, I have attached a photo of the gentleman's grandfather, a L/Cpl. Phillip Machanik in 1901. He us standing in front of, what I presume to be, one of his bicycle shop's bicycles.



..

Button sticks of this design where most definitely used during the war, and the numbers stamped on them are also seen on boer war examples. I have attached a photo of a boer war example found in the field of the same design, and another example, also found in the field, of a slightly different design with these stamped numbers.





..

This example being sold on Etsy is said to be from the second Anglo-Boer war, and has the same makers marking and issue numbers and a unit marking, which is said to be that of the 2nd Dragoon Guards. It does however have a slightly different War Department stamp on the other side. I also found this information on the manufacturer, Bodill Parker and co, from the Oldcopper.org website:

www.etsy.com/listing/924647834/2nd-drago...s-brass-button-stick
The link to the Etsy product.




..

How sure are you about the Machanic connection?

I'm pretty sure that "2 NL" is an abbreviation for the 2nd Bn. North Lancashire Regiment (see bayonet below).

If this is correct, 4657 Private Thomas Ashcroft, who on joining the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was first posted to the 2nd Battalion, would seem to be a good contender. He served in South Africa with the 1st Battalion.
















..