Nice simple pickup last weekend at the local antique fair. This is a souvenir belt put together from a Prussian infantry belt and the tunic buttons from a wide range of Allied and German units. This example has a predominance of Canadian buttons so I am guessing that it was Canadian in origin. The rest are French, Australian, New Zealand, German and one single U.S. General Service button. You see these in all sorts of configurations, some on Allied belts, some with cap badges and other oddments. The legend is that these were put together from souvenirs taken from dead bodies but that sounds overly complex to me and likely nonsense. More likely most of the buttons were swapped at rear area camps between bored soldiers making up a souvenir. The U.S. button suggests a late war job, 1917-19. The Empire buttons make sense as often these units found themselves together in the line. The Canadian Regiments are from different divisions so that’s why I think this is a rear area put together. Still, a great belt, in fine condition and worth it just for the buttons and belt IMHO.
Archive for New Zealand
WW1 Canadian Hate Belt
Posted in Belts & Belt Buckles, Insignia with tags Australia, Canada, France, Germany (Imperial), Hate Belts, New Zealand, Souvenirs, United Kingdom, United States, Western Front, WW1 on August 5, 2017 by The DudeMemorial Cross (GVI)
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Civilian Medals, New Zealand, WW2 on August 14, 2016 by The DudeJapanese Surrender Documents
Posted in Paper with tags Australia, China (Nationalist), Empire of Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Occupation of Japan, Pacific Campaign, Soviet Union, Surrender 1945, United Kingdom, United States on January 1, 2016 by The DudeThis booklet, dating from 1946, is a facsimile of the surrender documents signed on the USS Missouri, in Tokyo Bay, on the 2nd September 1945. These were produced by the National Archives in the US for distribution to institutions and individuals in education. I have the German ones here.

New Zealand Post Commemorative Issue
Posted in Stamps with tags New Zealand, WW2 on January 17, 2015 by The DudeA Group to a New Zealand Pacific Casualty
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Groups with tags Empire of Japan, Groups, New Zealand, Pacific Campaign, Solomon Islands, WW2 on June 3, 2014 by The DudeThis is a wonderful New Zealand 3rd Division group to a courageous young man, sadly KIA endeavouring to save others under terrible conditions. 2nd Lieutenant Colin David Griffiths was a 24 year old ex-shop assistant from Timaru, New Zealand who was killed in action at Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands on the 2nd of October 1943.
He lost his life during a third attempt at rescuing a cut-off patrol from the Japanese. Swimming a line ashore to the party, consisting of a number of wounded, sharks had to be held off by tommy-gun fire. Griffiths was killed in the water, along with almost everyone else in the rescue party, by heavy Japanese small arms fire. To be clear here, this was Griffiths third attempt and the second that day to reach the beach.
A 2nd New Zealand Division Veteran Group
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, 1945 + Medals, Groups with tags 2NZEF, Empire of Japan, Groups, Italian Campaign, New Zealand, Occupation of Japan, WW2 on August 14, 2013 by The DudeThis group is an unnamed rack belonging to a veteran of the 2nd New Zealand Division in Italy who later served in the Occupation Force in Japan between 1946 and 1949. It consists of the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal, the 1939-1945 Victory Medal, the New Zealand 1939-1945 War Medal, the New Zealand 1946-1949 Occupation Service Medal and the LSGC Medal for the Legion of Frontiersmen. These medals belonged to James Stuart Farquharson, Private, 624746, NZ 2nd Division. James somehow managed to get to Italy in time for the surrender, then got sent to the Pacific in time for the surrender there. Lucky bugger!
The Legion of Frontiersmen Medal is an unofficial non-sanctioned medal so really it should not be included with the others in this rack and I can only assume that the veteran placed it here so he would have a little more tin swinging on Anzac Day parades.
The Vietnam War Medal
Posted in 1945 + Medals with tags Australia, New Zealand, South Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam War on August 1, 2013 by The Dude
The Vietnam Medal was a joint Australian and New Zealand campaign medal awarded for service in the Vietnam War. The medal was jointly developed by Australia and New Zealand, although there were separate Royal authorisation warrants for each country.
Australia
Qualifying service for the Vietnam Medal includes:
- 28 days in ships or craft on inland waters or off the coast of Vietnam.
- One or more days on the posted strength of a unit or formation on land.
- One operational sortie over Vietnam or Vietnamese water by aircrew on the posted strength of a unit.
- Official visits either continuous or aggregate of 30 days.
- One day or more by members of accredited philanthropic organisations attached to Australian forces in an official capacity for full-time duty between 29 May 1964 and 27 January 1973.
New Zealand
The medal was awarded to all members of the New Zealand armed forces who, between 29 May 1964 and 27 January 1973, either:
- served for 28 days, continuous or aggregated, in ships or craft employed in operations on inland waters or off the coast of Vietnam;
- served for one day or more on the posted strength of a unit or formation on land in Vietnam;
- conducted one operational sortie over Vietnam or Vietnamese waters by aircrew on the posted strength of a unit allocated for direct support of operations in Vietnam;
- served for 30 days or more, continuous or aggregated, on official visits, inspections or other occurrences of a temporary nature on duty in Vietnam, or in ships or craft engaged in operations off the Vietnamese coast.
- Service terminated by death or wounds, or the award of a decoration for gallantry, led to the immediate award of the medal, regardless of whether the qualification period had been fulfilled.
I have two of these, a single here and one in a small New Zealand group.