O.K. Anoraks

[snowbirds]

Great History

Hi Dezi,

It's very interesting were these tools came from like the small King Dick,I used one much the same as your one that was my dads and I thought he got it from D-Hs but it was at home and not in his tool box at work,I used it on my bike and Motorbike in the 60s and cracked many a knuckle on it.The interesting part is my Grandfather was in the London Machine Gun Corps so could it have came from him,are there any marks on them to give and idea.I still have my grandfathers Medals one being a Military Medal but I still cannot find how he won it.

Regards Snowbirds.

Very good Gents, almost pinned it down.

It is a King Dick adjustable spanner made between 1890 & about 1930 at the Abingdon works, Tyseley .

This particular type, small & lightweight came in the toolkit of the King Dick motorcycle, just before WW1.

Grandad got into WW1 by the back door, he was a miner who became Cheshire bantam.

Although machine guns were used in the trenches, It was not until 1915 that the war office sanctioned The Machine Gun Corps - damned unsporting doncha know !

This spanner came supplied with granddads machine gun, probably because it was small & lightweight ideal for the trenches.

Now its in my toolbox.
Dezi

 

[noarlunga]

They were usually made by a firm called footprint !! ..............

Ah! That explains a line in a song I've been singing for years - Ian Campbell's 'Gas Fitter's Apprentice Song'

'Bring your footprints, spanners, chisels, from now on they'll earn your bread'

should read...

'Bring your footprint spanners, chisels.......

Thanks.

Johnny A

 

[Dezi]

Hi Dezi,

It's very interesting were these tools came from like the small King Dick,I used one much the same as your one that was my dads and I thought he got it from D-Hs but it was at home and not in his tool box at work,I used it on my bike and Motorbike in the 60s and cracked many a knuckle on it.The interesting part is my Grandfather was in the London Machine Gun Corps so could it have came from him,are there any marks on them to give and idea.I still have my grandfathers Medals one being a Military Medal but I still cannot find how he won it.

Regards Snowbirds.

I have no idea that it was standard machine gun tool issue because it has no marks on it, but it sounds like it might have been.

I think my grandfather had the full set, known as the "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred" medals, but I never saw them. He chucked them in the river just after he returned.

Dezi

 

[snowbirds]

A hard war

Hi Dezi,

I can understand your Grandfather doing that, they had a hard time in both wars,some will not talk about it.It's a great shame they don't get the thanks that they deserve.

Snowbirds.

I have no idea that it was standard machine gun tool issue because it has no marks on it, but it sounds like it might have been.

I think my grandfather had the full set, known as the "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred" medals, but I never saw them. He chucked them in the river just after he returned.

Dezi