North Nova Scotia Highlanders battledress possibly from D-Day.

[WWIIBuff]

Hello Gentlemen,

This battledress was recently sold by a well-know dealer. I had considered buying it but did not because I have just begun my search and am really holding out for a named D-Day group someday.

Even though it has already sold I am posting it so I can learn from all your comments, Plus I am wondering if I made a mistake by not buying it and missed out on something really good.

[WWIIBuff]

.

[brooksbz]

It is a nice BD. It is not special. I would wait for a named one, although I have never seen a named Canadian BD with provenance for sale. I would not feel bad about missing this one.

[Roberto T]

Hi,

This is exactly up my alley. I just missed it also. Its nice but nothing special and most DEFINATELY not from D Day. It is from a unit that was part of the DDAY landings but this uniform was not worn on the day. It is just literally to clean and has to many years of service chevrons to be worn on DDAY. It is a nice homecoming BD.

I have been collecting BDs for 15 years now and only around a third of my BDs are named.

I have only ever come across 2 groupings that have irrefutable provenance for actually being worn on DDAY. One is in the Juno beach Museum and the other I own. It was literally worn for 2 days of combat and looks like it has been through hell. He was wounded and returned to England on DDay plus 3 and was pulled from combat. He hung onto his uniform and helmet..... Luckily besides it coming from the vet (with documentation in another collection than mine) there are also pictures of him in the exact uniform and helmet prior to DDAY and on D plus 2 plus the tears from where he was wounded. Besides these unique circumstances, essentially all these uniforms were so used that they were likely thrown or if kept no way to prove they were worn on the actual day.

if the provencnace is not iron clad than it is frankly not worth anything. As you likely know a lot of people will spin stories to try to increase the value.... like the well known ebay seller who lists every 3rd Div tunic as a DDAy tunic...

You missed out on a nice 3rd Div BD but not a DDay BD.

[Jean-Loup]

Roberto, can you please post photos of ther tunic from your collection, as it sounds like an exceptional piece.

[Roberto T]

Grouping

I will be posting complete photos of my collection in the next month or two as I am just bullding the display now. Here is a little primer that I will keep posted for a small time since I wish to present my collection as a whole.

Reynolds was a Sgt in the film and photo unit who was attached to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. He was the only combat cameraman to jump on DDay. The benefit to him being part of the press is that he is in several photos as well as films and completed multiple press interviews after returning from being wounded on DDay plus 2. He was removed from active service at this point and kept his smock and helmet. He often brought them to 1CPB reunions.

He jumped on DDay, lost most of his camera equipment and assumed a combat role as he was most senior in rank with the group he ended up running into. He was wounded by a mine on DDay plus 2 and evacuated. I have his jump smock and helmet worn on DDay. This comes with iron clad provenance directly form Reynolds, however it is the photos that really confirm its provenance.

Type 1 Denison smocks were hand painted. As a result, all have a unique camo pattern. Here is Reynolds prior to the DDay jump. Note the light camo pattern around his bottom 3rd right button and the left facing "V" shape next to his right breast pocket.(I dont know how to add arrows to photos)

[Roberto T]

Here is the smock with original jump wing... the wing shows up much whiter in the picture than in person

[Roberto T]

Area where wounded by mine. Service record showing jump and wounded on June 8th. Only modification was that Reynolds removed his Sgt chevron presumably secondary to blood stain

[Roberto T]

press release

[Jean-Loup]

Outstanding. You should start a thread based on this grouping only. It is very rare for such excellent items to also be visible on period photos. This reminds me of another amazing example: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=250763

[Roberto T]

Thanks!


I will post all the photos and documents at some point as well as the helmet. I finally have room to display it all so wish to post it once it is finished.

Any insight on how to add arrows or shapes to the images?

[Jean-Loup]

"Any insight on how to add arrows or shapes to the images?"

Yes, right click on the image, to open it in "paint", a very easy to use program. Then you can add arrows, etc. And dont forget to save the modified image under a different name as the original.

[Roberto T]

Got it thanks!

[WWIIBuff]

Very excellent example there Roberto, congratulations!

Thank you for the feedback on the battledress I posted. I do realize that there is no way to know if this was actually worn on D-Day or not. Because of the good condition it probably wasn't, but I think the chances are good the the original owner was at D-Day based on the insignia.

Just for my future learning reference, does all the insignia look correct?

[pete]

.

I just saw this post now very cool!

When i was in the Army one of the guys who himself was a Para had his grandfathers Cdn smock as well, the wings had been removed to be mounted on a photo or plaque though by the family. It was was however the same smock from the D-Day drop. The guys relatives were from Ontario and both had been in the FSSF and then the 1st can para.


Best Regards,

Pete