Help needed

[Sonofacqms]

This may be "mission impossible", but I am trying to put a name to the former owner and wearer of these items.

Some years ago a local auction house advertised the fact that they were tasked with selling the residue of the late Agatha Christie's estate to which were added other items, I went along and bought the following insignia, all housed in a beautifully carved box to the Madras Sappers and miners.

As you can see from the photographs, it was someone who was a Major in the Royal Engineers (GviR), 20th Indian Division, 14th Army who had possibly been in the Assam Valley Light Horse, flew with the Bengal Flying Club and was a member of the Bentley Owners Club.

These credentials do have a flavour of the queen of crime's associates, but of course this may just have been a coincidence.

Any ideas or help gratefully received.

Thanks Rob

[cbuehler]

A very nice lot there, particularly the box and AVLH badges. I do not think the POW plumes with that group has anything to do with the rest however. Possibly KGO Bengal S&M. Nice AVLH pagri flash!
Whilst of course we do not know, of course there may not be any direct link of service to all the items, but unrelated items acquired during service for some reason.

[Luke H]

‘‘residue of the late Agatha Christie's estate to which were added other items’’

Does not sound very inspiring or clear as to what was what.

[Sonofacqms]

Originally Posted by cbuehler

A very nice lot there, particularly the box and AVLH badges. I do not think the POW plumes with that group has anything to do with the rest however. Possibly KGO Bengal S&M. Nice AVLH pagri flash!
Whilst of course we do not know, of course there may not be any direct link of service to all the items, but unrelated items acquired during service for some reason.

Thanks for your thoughts on this lot CB, the AVLH items are a real find as was the whole lot, the fact there was a set of Bengal Flying Club wings and a Bentley owners badge made me think the previous owner was not too hard up for money.

Luke, you are right, not very inspiring and no items really connected to Agatha Christie but it attracted me and I think brought me to an interesting lot.

Rob

[Sonofacqms]

Having looked at some of the history relating to the Bengal Flying Club there are several Army officers that were involved, any information on the following may be a help to me.

Captain S.H. Bhedwar
Lt. J.A. Davies
Lt. W.D. Horniman
Major William Jones
Major H.I. Mathews

Thanks for looking.

Rob

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Sonofacqms

Having looked at some of the history relating to the Bengal Flying Club there are several Army officers that were involved, any information on the following may be a help to me.

Captain S.H. Bhedwar
Lt. J.A. Davies
Lt. W.D. Horniman
Major William Jones
Major H.I. Mathews

Thanks for looking.

Rob

Possible connection ?

THE LONDON GAZETTE, 31 MAY, 1929

ROYAL CORPS OF SIGNALS.

Lt. W. D. Horniman is restd. to the estabt. on ceasing to be empld. with the R.A.F. 30th Mar. 1929.

[Sonofacqms]

Thanks Mike, this man attached to the RAF may well have been a contender to be involved with the Bengal Flying Club.

Rob