Swiper's 53rd Welsh Division Collection

Discussion in 'WW2 Militaria' started by Swiper, Jan 11, 2011.

  1. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    This is certainly not all of it, and a large amount was stolen at Stoneleigh a year or so back when I was pickpocketted with the famous 'Sospan Fach' original and £50 of other Welsh Div patches.

    Its upsetting, as whoever nicked it must know what they were. :(

    Anyway...

    Its not all pictured here by a long way, but what I have on display...

    [​IMG]
    MkII Inglis 1942 Bren, and MkIII Lions Bros Sten - No4 is on loan

    [​IMG]
    Display cabinet...

    [​IMG]
    My grandads RSAF Enfield helmet. Also original pics of Monty awarding the MM in 1945 to members of 6 RWF.

    [​IMG]
    Signed copy of 53rd Welsh Division's History by a member of 1 East Lancs, 1944 53rd Div Christmas Card, 'They Fought for a Month' leaflet handed to the men of the Div after the Reichswald fighting, to the right a 4 RWF Christmas Card from 1945, 38 Welsh Div Badge, a few 53 Div batges and capbadges... and pic of 6 RWF in the Ardennes.
    [​IMG]
    Original map of Hamburg from another 53rd collector who sold up on eBay. Dedication from another 53rd Div History signed by (formerly) Lt Dryland, 7 RWF IO, 1943 Church Parade, Monty awarding MM to another 6 RWF chap,
    [​IMG]
    Original GS cap with RWF capbadge, signed copy of 'Destiny' by Archie Brown, signed copy of 53rd Recce History by 2 IC, original photo of 53 Recce near s'Hertogenbosch, original (v. v. v. rare) copy of Red Dragon Divisional newspaper for VE Day, 53 RASC OR and his wife, contemporary photo of s'Hertogenbosch Shield, early war RWF OR. To far right... original 1937 pic of 159 Brigade Signals at Annual Camp.
    [​IMG]
    Copy of Team Spirit with 53 Divisional Signals stamp, original RASC cap, original 2 SWB cap with badge/Regimental buttons, another one of Monty and 6 RWF, OR with wife. Official programme of Victory Celebrations (former 1 East Lancs book) with bus fair inside, 2 Mons capbadge and insignia...

    Its rather cluttered now, need another cabinet!
     
    Chris C, Medwyn Edwards and Paul Reed like this.
  2. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    Have you scanned the 53 recce photo? Wouldn't mind a look if you have. Very nice collection
     
  3. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    Its a copy of the one on the IWM album, I'll get a pic but it'd need enhancing tbh. I acquired it from a newspaper archive that was split up and sold individually, got the original little WD piece of paper with it with caption as well! (Its very similar to the one on the Osprey Recce title cover)
     
  4. AndyPants

    AndyPants Junior Member

    Great collection Swiper, and nicely displayed too....I like the bren and sten!
     
  5. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    Nice collection
     
  6. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    Ok chaps, had a fair few additions over the last few weeks... and thought I should double check the list of signed books...
    1. Original 4 Welch Sospan Fach, ultra-rare...
    2. 53rd Recce Regt bowl
    3. 'For Gunners Sake' book on 83 Field Reg signed by the author
    4. Red Dragon, RWF History signed by 6 RWF vet (Fusilier)
    5. History of 6 RWF - signed by Battalion MO, one of 2 Officers to go the whole of NWE with the Battalion
    6. 6 RWF MO's Diary for 1945 - signed et al...

    Most money has gone on books of late, but getting an increasing amount of my collection signed!
     
  7. singeager

    singeager Senior Member

    Hi the victory celibration programme, does it say who takes part?

    I own a dingo svout car that was used by the royal navy on that day and am trying to find out who was in it!

    singe
     
  8. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    Unfortunately 'Naval' Forces only covers:
    Seamen
    Engine Room Department
    Band
    Miscellaneous Branches and Reserves
    Royal Marines
    followed by Queen Alexandra's Royal Navy Nursing Service and VADs
    Women's Royal Naval Service

    (In that order... helpful at all?)
     
  9. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Does this help?

    From War Illustrated No 236, July 5th 1946

    Cheers
    Paul
     

    Attached Files:

  10. greglewis

    greglewis Member

    Great collection. Good to see the s'Hertogenbosch material.
     
  11. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    Cheers Greg. The collection has greatly expanded of late thanks to some VERY generous donations, and some remarkable acquisitions. Its now sadly far too large for even 3 display cases and desperately needs some proper cataloguing/filing system! Hope to have an update of what it involves posted in a few months after a gargantuan sort out...
     
  12. lancaster103

    lancaster103 Member

    Hi,

    Gratulations with such a nice collection. I have a good friend who have a hugh interest in the 53rd Welsh and have a nice collection too. I will ask for pics. His village(Hapert) was liberated by the East Lancs. If you wish I put him in touch with you.

    Regards,
    Adrian
     
  13. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    That would be really useful mate.
     
  14. Bond

    Bond Senior Member

    Great collection and a real shame that some of it was stolen. Any chance you could post some pics of the cloth insignia please?

    Regards,

    Jerry
     
  15. ronald

    ronald Senior Member

  16. singeager

    singeager Senior Member

    Does this help?

    From War Illustrated No 236, July 5th 1946

    Cheers
    Paul

    Yes Paul thanks for that, my car is the one with Admiral John Cunningham in it!

    on the Movietone film i can clearly read the car number.
     
  17. singeager

    singeager Senior Member

    Hi Swiper (Pinkie)

    Hope your well, nice to see you again at Chatham.

    Some friends are looking to form a new British reenactment group next year to do a few shows.

    It will represent a cross section of army services and we will have a number of WW2 soft skin vehicles, motorcycles plus a half troop od armour consisting of dingo’s & armoured cars.

    I will be looking for crews to man the armour. Do you wish to be involved?

    Singe.

    (Don’t forget to dig out that 53rd recce Daimler related stuff for me.)
     
  18. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Swiper,

    A superb collection.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  19. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    Singe, message incoming (obvious answer - very much so!) Will be getting all of that ready this week.

    Tom, I've just checked back at the original photos its far larger now... so much so I'm having to come up with a cataloguing system for some of it which I'll be uploading here if people have specific requests. Quite a lot of it has had to go neatly into cupboards until I get a new place.

    New pictures to follow.
     
  20. pennaedux

    pennaedux Junior Member

    Very interesting collection, have some as well from my Father who was in 212 Field Ambulance, 160 Brigade, 53rd Welsh Division during WW2, including the "Team Spirit" and XXX Corps books, pamphlets of NAAFI concerts, also pay and discharge booklets and two notepad diaries have just discovered and currently reading.

    I travelled all over northern Europe during the '90s (as tour manager for bluesrock bands) and came across some of the many towns they liberated and finally in 2004 during a motorcycle trip to visit friends in southern Holland finally found and visited the war memorial at s'Hertogenbosch.

    Found this link which may be of interest:

    The 53rd Welsh Division - 53rd Welsh

    By the way, 160 Brigade is still in existence:

    160 (Wales) Brigade - British Army Website

    Pardon the ramble! Regards,

    Robin Turnbull.
     

Share This Page