thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Share #1 Posted September 6, 2014 Picked this up this past week, I've been looking to add one to my Vietnam era collection. It has the small rivets and stamped on the blade "WESTERN" over "BOWIE" over "U.S.A.". The securing strap is damaged, but it has a nice tie. I have no idea about the skull and crossbones on the front of the sheath, and it has the name "J.C. Gilliam" and the number "1919242" on the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted September 6, 2014 Back side: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted September 6, 2014 Stamping on blade: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted September 6, 2014 Skull and cross bones: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted September 6, 2014 And finally the name on the back: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchcollector Posted September 6, 2014 Share #6 Posted September 6, 2014 Very nice!I believe that the insignia on the sheath may be for a foreign unit,Commonwealth IIRC. Just an update;I found the unit that the insignia belongs to.Here is a link to info about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen's_Royal_Lancers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted September 6, 2014 I'd also like to thank all those folks that posted information about the Western Bowies on this forum; it was a great help in deciding what to go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted September 6, 2014 Very nice!I believe that the insignia on the sheath may be for a foreign unit,Commonwealth IIRC. Just an update;I found the unit that the insignia belongs to.Here is a link to info about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen's_Royal_Lancers Thanks, I just found that out by a quick check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchcollector Posted September 6, 2014 Share #9 Posted September 6, 2014 Very nice!I believe that the insignia on the sheath may be for a foreign unit,Commonwealth IIRC. Just an update;I found the unit that the insignia belongs to.Here is a link to info about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen's_Royal_Lancers Not sure why,but the link I posted won't work.Anyway,it's the "Queens Royal Lancers" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted September 6, 2014 Try this link and go to the insignia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_and_crossbones_%28military%29 Not sure why a Western Bowie would have the insignia of a British unit that fought in Iraq in 2003. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka bar Posted September 6, 2014 Share #11 Posted September 6, 2014 That is just a fantastic set... The blade condition is beautiful... The bowie scabbards are just the best... How will you display it? On a mannequin?.. or hanging?...or as part of a grouping? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchcollector Posted September 6, 2014 Share #12 Posted September 6, 2014 Not sure why a Western Bowie would have the insignia of a British unit that fought in Iraq in 2003. Probably just the cool factor of a skull and crossbones.As for the unit,I found this info: The regiment's nickname, the 'Death or Glory Boys', comes from their cap badge which is known as "the motto".[2] This is the combined cap badges of the two antecedent regiments, and features a pair of crossed lances, from the 16th/5th Queen's Royal Lancers, together with a skull and crossbones, below which is a ribbon containing the words 'Or Glory'. This comes from the 17th/21st Lancers, and was the cap badge of the 17th Lancers (the original 'Death or Glory Boys').[1] So it may be the 17th Lancers,which dates it's lineage to the 1700's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TALLYHO Posted September 6, 2014 Share #13 Posted September 6, 2014 Yep, Its the British cap badge of the 17th Lancers, which was chosen by Colonel Hale in honor of General Wolfe -KIA and for the admiration of his men in their victorious actions in the Battle of Quebec (1759). Perhaps the previous owner fancied the "Death or Glory" connotation attached to the cap badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted September 6, 2014 That is just a fantastic set... The blade condition is beautiful... The bowie scabbards are just the best... How will you display it? On a mannequin?.. or hanging?...or as part of a grouping? It will most probably be displayed as a grouping of Vietnam uniform, headgear, boots, web gear, etc. One of these days I will put together a mannequin, but the Vietnam stuff will have to wait until I finish WWI, WWII ETO, WWII PTO, and Korean War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorin6 Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted September 6, 2014 Yep, Its the British cap badge of the 17th Lancers, which was chosen by Colonel Hale in honor of General Wolfe -KIA and for the admiration of his men in their victorious actions in the Battle of Quebec (1759). Perhaps the previous owner fancied the "Death or Glory" connotation attached to the cap badge. Sort of my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted September 6, 2014 Share #16 Posted September 6, 2014 Thorin6, really nice Bowie and sheath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka bar Posted September 6, 2014 Share #17 Posted September 6, 2014 It will most probably be displayed as a grouping of Vietnam uniform, headgear, boots, web gear, etc. One of these days I will put together a mannequin, but the Vietnam stuff will have to wait until I finish WWI, WWII ETO, WWII PTO, and Korean War. I hope you can snap some pics off when this grouping is done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony V Posted September 6, 2014 Share #18 Posted September 6, 2014 Congratulations! An excellent score. She is a beauty Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still-A-Marine Posted September 6, 2014 Share #19 Posted September 6, 2014 That's a great find. Congratulations. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted September 6, 2014 Share #20 Posted September 6, 2014 Outstanding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsellati Posted September 7, 2014 Share #21 Posted September 7, 2014 Awesome scabbard! Oh, and by the way, the knife is nice too . Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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