Down memory lane

[GTB]

Found a thick old scrapbook of cut-outs of military uniforms, badges, flags, etc. If memory serves me well, these came from the Topper comic of the '50s. I also recall the "Eagle" having a great double middle page that regularly featured diagramatic and exploded views of warships, tanks, trains, planes, etc.
These remind me of the superlatively interesting 'boys' magazines and Illustrated London News suplements of the late Victorian/early Edwardian period which also featured military badges & uniforms, many courtesy of Gale & Polden.
Those were the days for starting a collection!
GTB

[Cribyn]

Hello GTB

Those pictures certainly brought back lots of memories!

As far as I remember almost all boys' comics from around this period, 50s and 60s, regularly featured articles on real-life military items such as uniforms, badges and weapons and very accurate most of them were as well. The cut-away drawings that Eagle produced were amongst the best ever done.

These articles certainly inspired me with an interest in all things military and set me off on the collecting route!

Thanks for sharing
Roger

[GTB]

Hi Roger,

I started collecting, a.k.a. hoarding, things at a tender age. I distinctly recall at primary school (about 5/6 years old) when the class was being introduced to 'sums' and we were learning to count by referring to illustrations, I would be thrilled at counting the figures of redcoated soldiers.
A couple of years later a classmate showed me a Classics issue of "The Iliad" by Homer and we pondered over the warriors wearing crested helmets. We both put them down to being a tribe of Indians (!!) on account of our introduction to the Cowboys & Indians films with the latter wearing feathered headdress. An age of Innocence.
I then graduated to stamps, coins, marbles, cigarette cards.............
Militaria came at a more discerning age, but that's another story.

GTB