The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada have a couple of similar artifacts to
what Carol describes.

1. A World War I Canadian helmet (72nd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary
Force -- CEF i.e. Seaforth Highlanders of Canada) with a big dent in the
side of the rim AND the shrapnel ball that caused it. The donor told me that
the Doctors took the shrapnel ball out of his neck and saved it for him! He
donated the pair to the Seaforth Museum collection in the 1970s.

2. A kilt, worn by the same man I believe. He told me that there were some
moth holes AND bullet holes in it, but unfortunately he was not sure which
were which. Yes, our 72nd Battalion CEF did wear the kilt in battle in
W.W.I, usually with a brown 'kilt apron' over top. This same chap told me
that when they went on leave in London, the girls taking tickets on the
double-decker busses would tell the kilt wearing highlanders "Top of the bus
mate!" and send them up the steep stairs!

A very unusual artifact is the Soviet hammer and sickle flag that was
captured in battle by Canadian soldiers. I found it in the Seaforth Armoury
attic and later traded it to the Canadian War Musuem. When and where was it
captured you might ask? In 1918-1919 at Orosozeros (spelling?)near Murmansk
in Northern Russia, during the Allied Intervention in Russia. It is pennant
shaped (with a clipped tip) and without the 5 pointed star which was added
later to symbolize the five continents that the communists intended to
conquer. Dare I say that it is probably the ONLY Soviet flag captured in
battle by Canadian soldiers?

Another historic flag that was very memorable for me was the one off of the
CAROLINE which was on display in the Maritime Museum (Stanley Barracks) in
Toronto, Ontario. This 1837 rebel supply ship was tied up on the American
side of the river above Niagara Falls. About 50 Canadian militiamen
(including my great-great-grandfather) crossed the river, captured the
vessel, set it afire and let it go over Niagara Falls. The incident almost
started another war between Canada and the USA.

Colin Macgregor Stevens,
Curator,
Burnaby Village Museum,
Burnaby, BC, CANADA
===================================
-----Original Message-----
...Behalf Of Carol Reid

Hi re unforgettable exhibits or artifacts,

... I work ... the Canadian War Museum ...

Two of the many outstanding artifacts in the collections are:
- a First World War steel helmet that has a rather large section of the
front that looks like it was peeled back - the fellow who was wearing it
during the First World War survived a direct his to the forehead of his
helmet by schrapnel and in the 1980's donated it to us.
- a First World War uniform jacket of a pilot that looks like it was badly
eaten by moths, the "moth holes" are actually the result of being shot down
by the germans the quotes).
...

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).