4th Gurkhas badge - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

gurkharifles · #1 20-07-23, 09:41 AM

Just acquired this curio. It's too small for a Piper's plaid badge ( 40mm in diameter) and too big and "robust" for a sweetheart. The inscription on the reverse is intriguing. E Stretton "DILWARA" - There was a Capt E H A Stretton in the 2/4GR in 1942 - he became a Major in 1944 of C Company 2/4GR in the Italian campaign. I'm guessing that the "DILWARA" is a reference to the MS DILWARA a WW2 troopship? ( Can anyone confirm that the ship was used to transfer the 2/4GR ? ) - Wigston Fields Leicester - is I assume his address in England? But what was the badge for ? Any ideas and suggestions gratefully received

Sunray9 · #2 20-07-23, 10:47 AM

'Dilwara' can also mean, in Hindu ... 'A King who is the ancestor of Rama' if that helps ?? !!

gurkharifles · #3 20-07-23, 05:13 PM

Thanks - for the moment I'm sticking with the ship - but struggling to pin down when they might have "crossed paths"

High Wood · #4 22-07-23, 07:51 AM

I think that Dilwara is the name of his house in England. It used to be quite a common thing for retired colonial types to name their houses after some part of the empire.

As a young lad, I did a paper round and can remember houses called Tollygunge and Meiktila. Tollygunge is an area of Calcutta and Meiktila a town in central Burma, the site of a decisive battle.

High Wood · #5 22-07-23, 08:18 AM

Leicester Evening Mail 13th June 1935.

138249 Eric Hugh Alexander Stretton. Commissioned 2nd Lieut. Leicester Regiment. 4th July 1940.

High Wood · #6 22-07-23, 09:14 AM

His Who's Who entry.

https://www.ukwhoswho.com/display/10...A7FB10E395FDD5

mike_vee · #7 22-07-23, 09:22 AM

Some great research which all joins tigether .

His full name , Leicester connection and name of family home.

.

gurkharifles · #8 24-07-23, 07:19 PM

Brilliant! Thanks so much - it makes a lot more sense of the inscription- still would like to know more about the badge - which is of two piece construction- the 4GR insignia could well be a converted cap badge but why mount it onto a circular steel disc?

Khyber · #9 24-07-23, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurkharifles

Brilliant! Thanks so much - it makes a lot more sense of the inscription- still would like to know more about the badge - which is of two piece construction- the 4GR insignia could well be a converted cap badge but why mount it onto a circular steel disc?

To quote the proprietor of a small antique shop in Rangoon when I asked if the little opium weight he offered me was really over a century old - Why not?