Lot 341

Description

World War I, Turkish Prisoner of War, handcrafted beaded snake (tail missing and break in centre); pocket watch in brass, inside the lid silver plated and marked W O Co, the white dial with Turkish ciphers for hours and with the inscription in French, 'Heure De La Priere' (means Prayer Time) and also Arabic text below, key wind (no key), black hands and no dial glass (said to be taken from a captured Turkish soldier); trench art napkin ring, featuring handcrafted wide ring and at the front is a shield inscribed 1915, all in plated silver; Turkey, Ottoman War Medal, commonly called The Gallipoli Star (2, one a cast copy); also a British War Medal 1914-18 impressed on the edge, '3372 Sgt. R. A. Rankin. 37-Bn. A.I.F.' (no ribbon). Good - good very fine. (6)

The first item ex Noble Numismatics Sale 98 (lot 3874).
Ronald Alister Rankin, solicitor's clerk, age 19, born at Sandhurst, Bendigo, Vic; Enl.16Feb1917 at Melbourne, Vic, with previous service of 2 years with junior cadets and 4 years with senior cadets and then service with Instructional Staff in Victoria and then rejected for army service due to insufficient development; to Sgt 16Feb1917; Emb.22Dec1917 with 8 Rfts 37Bn; to France 15Apr1918; TOS 37Bn 18Apr1918; WIA 25Aug1918 GSW to legs, France; to hospital in England 28Aug1918; Died of pneumonia at a private residence at Kings Rd, St Neots 21Oct1918; buried with a Military funeral at St Neots Burial Board, St Neots near Cambridge, England; There was a Firing Party, Bugler and Pallbearers, and the coffin was draped with the Union Jack and conveyed to the graveside where the Last Post was sounded and Administrative Headquarters AIF London were represented at the funeral.