Over the years there have been a fair number of unusual LRDG artifacts that have shown up in personal collections and in auctions around the world.
This second one was brought to my attention by a family member of Private Clifford Smith. Story I received from the family was that the "cane" was made by a P.O.W. for Clifford. Now the cane was to long to get a complete photo.
Now this particular item as crossed my "computer" twice in the last few years.
First time with just the two photos and no explanation , that I recall; obviously a large cannon shell "festooned" with quite a number of unit cap badges, including what looks like an original LRDG badge.
Just recently bought at auction with some "provenance". Buyer reached out to me for information on a Rifleman W.H. Sutherns. And sent additional photos; and yes it is a British 25 pound casing. Sutherns did serve with the LRDG with R1, R2 & S2 patrols in the Adriatic. This item came from his estate, now if he was instrumental putting it together with all of the different cap badges; we will never know.
Now here in the U.S. if you were to ask about WW II cigarette lighters; 99 out of a 100 would say Ronson. As it was the premium lighter with the U.S.Troopers and anyone who smoked had one.
This next item belonged to Captain Joseph Braithwaithe R.E.M.E. He joined the LRDG with the LRS as a Sergeant, was sent to OCTU and came back as a 2nd Lt. and somewhere along the was promoted to a Captain. As this unusual cigarette lighter has his Capt. rank and service number. This item was on E-bay a number of years ago. Sorry for the photos but that is what was posted at the time.
Well since we are on the subject of cigarette lighters, the next subject should be cigarette cases.
Twenty years ago I was approached by an advance badge collector in New Jersey. If I had any information on an LRDG Trooper with the initials "MF" or "FM"; as he had a cigarette case with the LRDG Badge on the front and those initials in script in the top left hand corner.
After diligently searching my data base; I came up with the name "Sgt. Malcolm Black Fraser". The complete story will be in "Tracts II". Which has been printed and available via Kuno Gross.
Long story short he finally sold it to me.
Now for the second I cannot vouch if it is authentic or not. On the first one the Silver Proofs were easy to check out. On the second one it has not been as easy. It showed up about a month ago on e-bay; listed as "Rare 1946 Vintage Silver 8th Army Commando Scorpion Silver Badge Cigarette Case" Still there for a Buy it now price of 295 pounds.
These are one "off's" of LRDG collectibles; not sure just when they were made and some have names on them for who they were made for.
This first is a "Brass Ashtray" which I first saw in Brendan's second edition. It is a depiction of the early LRP Scorpion Pin . It is now in a private collection in England.
I just remembered that I saw another one on a trip to New Zealand back in 2006. Spent some time Brendan, his wife and an advance collector. He had one that was a little different. If I had know that I would be doing this; I would have taken a better photo.
I don't know much about this piece. But the background is that a Captain J. Sharp, was a member of the LRDG, unfortunately I do not have his Military ID number or other information on him. He is mentioned in the "Sting of the Scorpion" and another LRDG roll.
I have not been able to find out about a "Castle Benitto". There was an Italian airfield at Castle Benito which was just outside of Tripoli, Libya but I can not find out if the LRDG was ever stationed there or even near there.
So if anyone out there has more information, please e-mail me at: lrdg@Prodigy.net.
Well we covered a Cigarette Lighter and a couple of Silver Cigarette Cases; now here is what I think is a Cigarette Box. At this point in time however I think that it might have been made post WWII but do not have any proof of that. It is in a private collection.
