Airborne Lanyard ??????
 

Hi Guys:

I own this group (see below) and they came with a lanyard, but I have no idea of it's significance, I believe it may be a French Croix de Guerre lanyard, but no real knowledge of lanyards I'm unsure, I'm also gueessing standard R.Sigs badge on his beret???:

Signm Graham Marples Royal Signals

Droped at Arnhem and celebrated his Birthdya there under fire!!!

He's in here somewhere;

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...er/VC002-3.jpg

Here are his gongs and the mystery (CdG???) lanyard.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...er/VC003-2.jpg

Here is his interview in the Derbyshire Times, which if anyone has a copy of or access to could you please PM me.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...er/VC004-2.jpg

I also have the hip-flask hi parents gave him on the 22/9/44

This also came with the group, but I can't fathom it out?

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...er/VC005-1.jpg

Tom

It is an airborne signals lanyard and still worn. The original ones were worn by the the Div Sig Regt who went into Arnhem on orders of their CO. They were homemade out of para cord for use as an e&e type item. The CO was killed on day 2 (I think) and the unit kept the lanyard as a mark of respect. It was worn on battledress on the left shoulder with the end tucked into the left breast pocket. Later they were provided from service sources and are worn by 216 Sig Sqn on their No2 dress uniforms to this day.

I forgot to add the standrd RSIGNALS lanyard is blue, a different style and worn on the other arm.
Alan

Don't think it's a Frenchy, it's something else.

the Fourragère has a brass ferrule at one end and distinctive knots. Here is one I have, WW1 Croix de Guerre pattern, with a plastic ferrule for the WW2 Croix de Guerre. Also common in the medaille militaire colours as well.

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/images2/french.jpg

Brilliant you two, thanks :-)

Tom

Looks like he was interviewed on the phone for a history archive at Ohio State University. With any luck they will have taped him for an oral history archive.

It will be well worth contacting them.

The "five hours behind" is a note made regarding time differences, very important when calling translantic The Eastern part of the USA is five hours behind English time.

Cool, thought it must be something like this, but wasn't sure.... I'll give them an email from my accy' account.

ATB,
Tom

Even has the location. Box 112, Folder 10. Looks like the telephone interview cost ten shillings 3 pence.

Brilliant, I may be able to find more info yet :-)

Anyone know if the Derbyshire times is still going???

Tom

My mother lost a cousin at Arnhem. He was in the Paras. The war department sent his wife a bill for a shillings for the ground sheet they buried him in.

I read "TS 3P" as "Transcript 3 pages", meaning that what he had to say has been typed up and is three pages long.

However, a lot of these places also keep the actual tapes. The IWM does, for example.

Yes it is: http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/

Why not contact them? They might run a feature on this. It is more likely closer to the Arnhem Anniv. or November 11th, but they might still go with it now.

Get the story into print and other people might come forward too, relatives, people who grew up with him, served with him etc.

The paper might also have other interviews with him in their archives. For example. he has the Africa Star, so would probably have had home leave before Arnhem.

Thanks I've just written a note to the editor asking about their archives, so perhaps as you say they may need a story to fill some space and may run it :-)

Tom

They might well do.

I see that they have a "Memory Lane" section and recently ran something to do with the "Dambusters":"

http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/120...hts.3974470.jp

Brilliant, I have just emailed Ohio University to ask for help (used my academic email, so may get further ;-) ).

ATB,
Tom

The Derbyshire times was unable to locate any reference to Marples as their archives have not yet been digitised fully, however Chesterfield library has some microfiched copies.

Ohio University is sending me the full folder of information, so that may turn up some nuggets of information :-)

Tom