British WWII Royal Artillery Named Officer Uniform and Personal Possessions Set Original Items

Original Item: Only One Set Available. It continually amazes us that treasured sets of this kind, so lovingly preserved for perhaps two or three generations, suddenly appear on the collector’s market. Most probably the death of the last remaining relative releases such personal items that had never been intended for resale.

This is a virtual time capsule from a time when England truly stood alone in its darkest hour. Here we have the personal effects of a WW2 Royal Artillery Officer, who almost certainly saw service in WW1 as some of his artifacts suggest. By the Second World War MAJOR J.R. KING was heading a Royal Artillery Training unit in England in 1941 and from his uniform we can establish that he ended up as a Staff Officer on the General Staff.

Our Major King appears to have been everything that epitomizes the best of the British Officer Corp as his possessions indicate. It seems he was monied Gentleman, purchased his clothes on Saville Row, rode, possibly to hounds, was a cricketer, a drinker and very possibly a bit of a Cad, but as we say this is all speculation.

Included in the set are Major King’s effects as follws-

1. A silver plated set of drinks measures marked ‘Canterbury’ each in the form of a shell casing starting with a one ounce size marked ‘JUST A SHOT ‘ a larger one marked ‘A ROUND’ and a considerably larger one marked ‘A BLAST’. Just what every hard drinking Artillery Officer needed!

2. A tooled leather suitcase monogramed ‘M.M.K.’ showing remains of pre war luggage labels indicating international travel.

3. Major King’s WW2 Uniform, tunic and trousers, bearing Major?s Crown insignia, Medal Ribbon and red Collar Tabs indicating promotion to Staff Officer on the General Staff. The uniform is labeled as having been made by ‘Hawkes and Company of Saville Row’ then, and now, one of London’s finest and most respected gentleman’s tailors. The tunic includes the optional khaki cloth waist belt for use when not wearing the leather Sam Browne equipment.

4. His Royal Artillery Peaked Hat with Regimental Badge contained in the original tappaned metal hat can.

5. His quality brown leather Sam Browne Belt with shoulder cross strap.

6. Two WW2 Khaki Officer’s ties, both parade and field quality, together with one detachable shirt collar, but regret no shirt.

7. One Pair of Black leather officer’s knee boots with leather thong laces to front ankles and side calves complete with military spurs. Accompanied by an ivory(?) handled pair of Boot pullers.

8. Supple leather WW2 issue Officer’s jerkin with War Department label to the interior.

9. A quality Officers private purchase leather mounted Map Case, possibly WW1, with attachment hook to connect directly to the Sam Browne Belt Assembly.

10. A quality WW1 dated pair of Field Glasses complete in leather case with carry strap clearly marked with Military Outfitters: ‘John and Bennett Green, 1917’

11. WW1 era Officer’s whistle on string lanyard, probably for trench warfare use.

12. WW1/WW2 era quality gentleman?s brass marked Shirt studs and Cuff links box complete with various shirt studs.

13. What appears to be a hinged cigarette case but we have been advised that this is could be in fact for some delicate artillery accessories (fuses?) but we do not know what.

14. A large Silver Plated spoon , Broad Arrow marked, with Officer’s or regiment identification (?) number stamped to front ‘1RS 3045063’, maker marked on rear.

15. A used red leather Cricket Ball, a true red blooded Englishman always had a cricket at hand!

16. An official Cash Receipt Book with printed pages, typical bureaucratic red tap together with a Ticket to the ‘ Armed Forces Day Parade ‘ for May 17th 1958 a 1.45pm in New York City! (He was well travelled).

17. A magnificent original Regimental glazed photograph of Major King, his fellow Officers and 28 Cadets signed by 19 of the participants, including Major King and identified as:- ‘C 9/11 TROOP, 123rd OFFICER CADET TRAINING REGIMENT, ROYAL ARTILLERY’ and dated ‘JUNE 1941′ Gilt frame measures 18′ X 14.5’.

18. Finally we have an English silver cased pocket watch complete with Birmingham, England Silver proof marks and date letter for 1889 with the maker mark of J.Rose of Birmingham that was first established in 1886. Complete with winding key. Inside the rear mechanism silver lid is inscribed ‘Rosette’, not the name, as we are told of the Major’s wife and just maybe a ‘remembrance’ of an unforgettable liaison from the First World War period while in France? Perhaps this upper crust British Officer who served his country in two wars may have been a ‘CAD’ after all. Interestingly despite having had this collection for a while, we only discovered the watch in a tunic pocket recently, a good lesson to fully check out such purchases immediately as there just might have been a bunch of Gold Sovereigns in there too.