Folks,

Sir Dux:

It was high time you received recognition for all that you do. Without blokes like you how many trains would go uncounted and how many birds would go their entire lives unwatched? How many bottles of Château Thames Embankment or frothy pints of best Bilgewater Bitter might go untasted? I could go on with this but LeRoy is already rolling on the floor in happy agony.

You have earned our respect. I recommend you wear that sparkly bauble right up there on your knit watch cap. It will remind everyone to curtsy, bow respectfully and or genuflect when you stagger past...

Thank you for the photo of the WW2 gas mask. No doubt that would come in handy the next time Olga pays the Hall a visit after dining on cabbage and beans. I believe I spied a Wilkinson Bayonet on the wall behind you? The one I have dates back to the First World War and it and its scabbard are in excellent condition. When I got it in my youth it still had cosmoline (or the Brit equivalent) all over the blade. Just below "Wilkinson" is the date 1907. No doubt they are war surplus and quite common. Perhaps they were used in WW2 as well?

I'd like to see more of your friend's collection. A seventh grade pal's father was an infantry officer and war hero. Going up in his finished attic was a real treat. The scarlet walls were covered in WW2 memorabilia. We boys were fascinated. The prize of the collection as far as we were concerned were a German ceremonial sabre and a Luger. I was assured by my friend that his dad said the Luger parts all had the same serial numbers. At the time I did not understand or care about that bit of technical information. Later on I learned that after the war the market was flooded with Lugars put together higgledipiggledy without concern for their un-matched serial numbers, These bastardized weapons were, I learned, not as valuable.

Once as an adult starting my own gun collection I was offered an army Luger at market price. When I asked if the pistol was original with all matching serial numbers the seller sputtered and beat about the bush until he just said he did not know and lowered his price significantly more. After that I did not trust him and I did not buy the pistol. Perhaps I should have?