Scottie celebrates winning the Chandler Award

 Scottie with the cake his wife baked to celebrate him being awarded the Chandler Prize!

Mystery VC

Paul Oldfield writes:

This mystery VC picture has so far flummoxed a VC research group. Can anyone in the Guild identify him?

Apart from the VC, I’m told the following other medals can be seen - Crimea + 3 clasps, Mutiny + 2 clasps, Egypt Medal + 2 clasps. If these are correct and looking at the picture in general, it would be reasonable to assume:

He was alive in the years 1856-82 to have taken part in the Crimean, Mutiny and Egyptian campaigns.
Born 1840 or earlier and still living in 1882.
He was an Army officer.
He was unlikely to have been Indian Army due to the spread of campaigns.

If these assumptions are correct, it narrows the field to:

Luke O’Connor – doesn’t look promising.
WO Lennox – can’t rule him out, but doesn’t look promising.
G Graham – ears look similar.
Evelyn Wood – many facial similarities but the ears are different.
Hugh Shaw - eyes, mouth and chin are similar, but the mystery man had a pointed bit at the top of the ear, which Shaw didn’t have.

The Mystery VC’s buttons appear to be crossed swords, or a crossed sword and baton (like a Maj Gen rank badge) or perhaps crossed guns.

Frank van den Bergh - the final parachute jump

All pictures copyright of Robert Brink

Tonie & Valmai Holt write

We thought Guild Members would appreciate these pictures of the final parachute jump of our dear friend and GBG Member, the late Frank van den Bergh.  They were sent to us by Frans Ammerlaan, an extremely knowledgeable Arnhem local and enthusiast we have known for many years and who is tireless in his desire to keep the Market-Garden flame of memory alight. He was very much instrumental in this glorious venture.

Frank's ashes, contained most appropriately in the carton of an expensive bottle of malt whisky, were parachuted onto Ginkel Heath by No 47 Air Despatch Sqn, Brise Norton, on Sat 22 Sept. They were then scattered by his sisters in front of the Air Despatchers' Memorial near the Oosterbeek CWGC Cemetery which Frank had been instrumental in getting erected.  Frank, whose vocabulary and drinking habits had been educated by Paras (whom he absolutely adored) over the years, would have LOVED this final send off.