dit dah
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 116
- Location
- Shropshire, England
I've taken to frequenting the small rural weekly auction near my home and it has already thrown up some interesting finds. A few days ago I successfully bid on a huge quantity of personal items once belonging to a Submariner who served aboard USS Spearfish during WW2, Ralph Lansing Ward. Ralph must have been sentimental, a collector, and this is a first glance inventory of what the lot contained:
Cigarettes (Double Ace & Klapa)
Matches
Boxed soap
Safety razor & blade box
Pebbles, shells & crab leg (pres. collected on travels)
Australian boomerang & other souvenirs (Spearfish was in AUS in '42)
Luggage labels: Honolulu
Pacific Fleet tickets etc
Diving mask & anti fog liguid
Pencils & pens
3 Leather wallets full of adresses (mostly girls!!)
Record catalogues
Atlas
Poetry book
Ships laundry wrapper: Pearl Harbour
US Navy tickets & receipts
Clothes, shirts/ tie/ socks & belt (all soiled)
Tin of childhood treasures:
Photo booth photos
Lipsticks
Jewellery
Badges
Diary 1934
Framed pictures of “Mary”
“Stand Easy” magazine
“Prendegast” silent service magazine
Humorous drinking certificate Honolulu
Australian newspapers & magazines from '42
USS Spearfish radio log, Press News, typed (many sheets) with Japanese & international war news
Leave papers
Humorous summons for onboard “court” hearing
Uniform cloth badges
Navy training manual
Photos
Greetings cards
Song books
Bible (metal heart shield type)
Notebooks
USS Spearfish stationary
Hand painted Spearfish cigarette tin
1000 letters, including telegrams, hand painted cards, all sent to Ralph whilst on service and during his time in the Navy hospital.
I'm quite aghast at the sheer quantity of items, especially the letters. I'm not entirely what to do with it. I may try and trace the family and give them the chance of having it back (It was bought by the English seller at an auction in the US). I am wondering if it may be of interest to a museum. There's possibly a book in the letters given the quantity.
It's a staggering collection and always an emotional experience to handle the artifacts of another's life. Many of the letters are bundled in very well tied string which I'm loathed to cut.
I'm only at the start of researching Ralph and his travels, but thought it might capture the interest and imagination of others on here.
I will try and photograph the haul soon.
Cigarettes (Double Ace & Klapa)
Matches
Boxed soap
Safety razor & blade box
Pebbles, shells & crab leg (pres. collected on travels)
Australian boomerang & other souvenirs (Spearfish was in AUS in '42)
Luggage labels: Honolulu
Pacific Fleet tickets etc
Diving mask & anti fog liguid
Pencils & pens
3 Leather wallets full of adresses (mostly girls!!)
Record catalogues
Atlas
Poetry book
Ships laundry wrapper: Pearl Harbour
US Navy tickets & receipts
Clothes, shirts/ tie/ socks & belt (all soiled)
Tin of childhood treasures:
Photo booth photos
Lipsticks
Jewellery
Badges
Diary 1934
Framed pictures of “Mary”
“Stand Easy” magazine
“Prendegast” silent service magazine
Humorous drinking certificate Honolulu
Australian newspapers & magazines from '42
USS Spearfish radio log, Press News, typed (many sheets) with Japanese & international war news
Leave papers
Humorous summons for onboard “court” hearing
Uniform cloth badges
Navy training manual
Photos
Greetings cards
Song books
Bible (metal heart shield type)
Notebooks
USS Spearfish stationary
Hand painted Spearfish cigarette tin
1000 letters, including telegrams, hand painted cards, all sent to Ralph whilst on service and during his time in the Navy hospital.
I'm quite aghast at the sheer quantity of items, especially the letters. I'm not entirely what to do with it. I may try and trace the family and give them the chance of having it back (It was bought by the English seller at an auction in the US). I am wondering if it may be of interest to a museum. There's possibly a book in the letters given the quantity.
It's a staggering collection and always an emotional experience to handle the artifacts of another's life. Many of the letters are bundled in very well tied string which I'm loathed to cut.
I'm only at the start of researching Ralph and his travels, but thought it might capture the interest and imagination of others on here.
I will try and photograph the haul soon.