36 Battery CFA

[TRT]

Paul,

Thanks for your reply. I knew about the value to a soldier trading his badges but I never put that idea forward to myself. Sometimes you cant see the wood for the trees as they say.

Re the collection I probably wont go for it. If I did it would be the four Divisions that served in France! I have had my fingers burned on a Canadian Artillery badge! I would only buy from reputable dealers but then I thought the one who sold me artillery one was. There are few UK dealers that do authentic Canadian badges.

My theme is UK war raised units and I seem to be ok there so far.

Any advice though is always welcome.

I do however have a tunic to a Canadian artilleryman who served in the 36th Overseas Battery. The collar dogs are present and have left there mark on the material so I know they are 100%. Also a nice brodie with a artillery badge affixed. From the second Div due to the red rectangles. The word Canadian above the wheel is actually a tablet fixed on. Is this normal. Again badge has been on helmet for 90 years.

Regards all

TRT

[guest_000]

Sounds like you have some nice pieces and with the fake arty badges some are so good even the better dealers are getting sucked in so to be fair you may not have been deceived. Anyhow call on me anytime it is my passion

PAUL

[N.S. Regt.]

Hi T.R.T. The 36th battery were raised in Sydney Cape Breton Nova Scotia I have only come accross a few items for them. I do have a group with the fellows medals, a large photo, his badges and collars (the collars were 36th battery but the badge was the general list version), and his brodie his did not have a badge on it like yours. Sounds like a nice grouping that you have you are lucky as 36th Battery stuff is rather hard to find.

Stephen

[TRT]

Stephen,

Thanks for that. I will post some images of the collars. They are copper maple leaves with the 36 surrounded by Overseas Battery. I have only removed them once from the tunic and recall a makers mark on the rear.

They were according to their War Diary which I have viewed at Kew equipped with 4.5" howitzers. There is also a remarkable entry about a German captured. He was dangling from a rope attatched to an escaped barrage or observation balloon. He had been blown some distance!!!

Regards

TRT

[N.S. Regt.]

T.R.T.

I have seen photos of the battery while they were still in Sydney but sadly none were named. The Battery left St. John N.B. on Feb. 26 1916 for the U.K. and landed in France on July 14 1916. They did send over a reinforcement draft on Dec. 18 1915 of 1 officer and 51 men, I suspect many of these boys were sent to other units already in the field. I imangine you would have the rest of the information from the war diary that I can provide.

Stephen

[guest_000]

here is an officer OR collar and shoulder. Both collars are pin back and INGLIS stamped

[N.S. Regt.]

Paul

Do like your gilted collar not seen one like it. Your collars are in good shape a few of the ones I have seen had the finish polished off leaving just the copper base metal. The pair I have are not pin backed but lugged and are maker marked the same. I do not recall ever having a shoulder title and only ever seen one or two.

Stephen

[TRT]

Hi,

Collars are identical and marked Inglis too. The shoulder badges are CFA over Canada scrolls ( not the block tablet type). Unfortunately there is an A missing from the end of one. To each upper sleeve is a blue 3rd Div rectangle.

It is a British 1917 dated tunic with standard RFA buttons, quite common to issue British tunics to the CEF as the war progressed.

Dont know if the CEF had unique Artillery buttons or not but if so I doubt adhering to strict formalities was possible during the war and specific battery buttons would have been an unnecessary luxuary.

Has four blue overseas chevrons.

Regards

TT

[TRT]

Forgot to say collars are lugged.

[N.S. Regt.]

T.T.

Sounds like your man going by his service stripes was a original to the 36th not a later replacement if that is the case his serial number should fall within these numbers 301101- 301350. My C.F.A. tunic is pretty basic it just has general list titles and buttons I would think you could find a number of different buttons that were used on their tunics I would not think any one type would be the norm.

Stephen

[Bill A]

Splitting a thread started by T.R.T. about collecting CEF badges in general (CEF Badge Conundrum), which has become a discussion about the 36 Battery CFA. Hopefully this will make it easier to find.

[Horseman]

Originally Posted by N.S. Regt.

T.R.T.
I have seen photos of the battery while they were still in Sydney but sadly none were named.
Stephen

Hi Stephen
My first post here. My Grandfather was one of the original members of the 36th battery. Can you point me towards those photos? I have a few of him with some members of the battery and another 36th researcher and I have identified a few of them.
Thanks

[granddaughter]

This is my first post too. I am helping my mother find out more about her father who we believe was in the 36th Battery too (we'll find out more this week from the National Archives). I would be most happy to learn more about these photos of the men, thanks.

[Horseman]

Hi Granddaughter

Have you received anything from the Archives yet? His attestation papers should be available online which would give you his service number. The 36th formed in Sydney, NS in 1915 and the original members had service numbers in the 301000 range.

[TRT]

Heres a piccie of the tunic close up with collars shown. Cap is a 1916 dated general issue Canadian cap made in Toronto and subsequently used by UCI studios.

Regards

TRT