New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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returned soldiers association badge

roy1954		Posted : Saturday, 16 June 2012 6:57:22 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 628 Location: christchurch Thanks: 442 times Was thanked: 372 time(s) in 242 post(s)		hi all,had a couple of hours today dug a fabulous world war 1 rsa badge,even found out who it belonged to, private william mcquinn,nz expeditionary force ,embarked for Britain in 1917,lived in syd ch ch,enjoyed that one cheers roy File Attachment(s): IMG_0452.JPG IMG_0453.JPG IMG_0455.JPG IMG_0454.JPG
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expat		Posted : Saturday, 16 June 2012 9:08:15 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 26/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 499 Location: Rangiora Thanks: 49 times Was thanked: 91 time(s) in 76 post(s)		Great find, nice piece of silver and with real history. How did you find out about its owner? I have a similar but much later example and would love to know whose it was. Have you found out if his descendants are still local?
		My greatest fear is that when I die my wife will sell my collection for what I told her it cost me.

roy1954		Posted : Saturday, 16 June 2012 9:28:40 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 28/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 628 Location: christchurch Thanks: 442 times Was thanked: 372 time(s) in 242 post(s)		hi expat,has his service number,engraved on it might be able to get his service record from the war museum. they are three names in the phone book,will try to find the right one.cheers roy
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Lammerlaw		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 12:34:46 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		Great find and here you go - all about him! Hope you enjoy finding this out and good to print it out to go with the badge. http://muse.aucklandmuse...erialnumber_search=65000

expat		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 9:47:27 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 26/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 499 Location: Rangiora Thanks: 49 times Was thanked: 91 time(s) in 76 post(s)		Fantastic. Thats what this hobby is all about. Great thread, excellent research Lammerlaw. Whats the chance of the descendants still living there I wonder?
		My greatest fear is that when I die my wife will sell my collection for what I told her it cost me.

oroplata		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 12:46:09 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered, Moderators Joined: 16/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,040 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 211 time(s) in 152 post(s)		Pretty sure RSA badges are all owned by the RSA and loaned out to the members. They had trouble with membership funds so if you don't pay your dues, you have to return your badge. Also to prevent fraud from people pretending they're veterans when they're not. As for descendants, I bought some silver once, and a WW1 medal was included. I tracked down a nephew of the soldier (nephew now quite old, of course) and he sounded a little upset that I'd rung him during a televised rugby game and said if he decided he wanted it he'd ring back and that if I didn't hear from him then he wasn't interested. Never heard back. Sheeesh.
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expat		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 12:59:37 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 26/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 499 Location: Rangiora Thanks: 49 times Was thanked: 91 time(s) in 76 post(s)		How inconsiderate can people be???? Couldnt you have waited till the rugby match was finished?
		My greatest fear is that when I die my wife will sell my collection for what I told her it cost me.

oroplata		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 1:06:16 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered, Moderators Joined: 16/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,040 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 211 time(s) in 152 post(s)		Heh heh. Being a person who would rather watch paint dry that watch Rugby, I was blissfully unaware that two franchises were in money-making mode. Usually the only way I figure out there's rugby on is hearing woots coming across the fence from the neighbour's house.
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Foiled again		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 1:12:49 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 10/04/2012(UTC) Posts: 861 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 459 times Was thanked: 251 time(s) in 192 post(s)		Its all been said above, but bloody nice find Roy and yup great backup research LL! Its so cool finding something that you do some research on. What a buzz!
		There's another to find and I'm gunna find it!

Foiled again		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 1:20:48 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 10/04/2012(UTC) Posts: 861 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 459 times Was thanked: 251 time(s) in 192 post(s)		Thanks for that link Lammerlaw. I just used it to find some more detail on a swimming award I found recently which had a name on it. I did some quick researchat the time and found out he went to war and died and that link you provided gave me some more info. The award I found was from Waitaki High School and dated 1909-the guy died overseas just 9 years later. Crazy times.
		There's another to find and I'm gunna find it!

Lammerlaw		Posted : Sunday, 17 June 2012 1:42:43 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		Originally Posted by: Foiled again Thanks for that link Lammerlaw. I just used it to find some more detail on a swimming award I found recently which had a name on it. I did some quick researchat the time and found out he went to war and died and that link you provided gave me some more info. The award I found was from Waitaki High School and dated 1909-the guy died overseas just 9 years later. Crazy times. Yes they were crazy times and sad times - As a kid I had my heart set on joining the Army - all these years after my grandmother and mothers bitter words still echo in my head - words that forever more or less preventedme from following my dream - I dont blame Grandmother and mum - my grandmother lost one brother on the troopship Tahiti, another at Passchaendaele on 12th October 1917 at age 21 and another at Al Alamein during WWII while Dad lost three cousins during WWII. It made my Grandmother and mum very bitter about the Army and war...and destroyed my dreams. To all guys on this site who had Grandfathers, Great Grandfathers, Uncles, Great Uncles, and other relatives During WWI and to a lesser extent WWII then the link I provided above will give you part of their records - Cenotaph Database' then when you have it go to 'Cenotaph' - you can print the information off and keep it for your records. Edited by user Sunday, 17 June 2012 2:57:29 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

nzdigger		Posted : Monday, 18 June 2012 8:29:13 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Nugget Groups: Registered Joined: 27/03/2012(UTC) Posts: 80 Location: rangiora Thanks: 15 times Was thanked: 13 time(s) in 8 post(s)		hi roy,thats a really cool find! good man for tracking down the owner.