Oxfordshire's Military Heritage in 50 Objects

The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum houses a fascinating collection of over 14,500 objects. Fifty objects across the archive have been selected to provide moments of insight into the county’s military history. These objects are the personal stories of those who have fought in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment and Oxfordshire Yeomanry, and those living in Oxfordshire who have been impacted by conflict.

Want to find out more about all of these fascinating objects? For the full story, book our 50 Objects outreach talk.

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Waterloo Medal

This Waterloo Medal belonged to Lieutenant Charles Dawson, who was commissioned into the 52nd Light Infantry as an Ensign in 1809. Dawson served in Spain and was wounded at the Siege of Badajoz in 1812. He later died of his wounds sustained at Waterloo.

Shako

This is a 52nd officer's shako from around 1815. It features a plume and stringed bugle horn badge. The shako highlights the amalgamation of the 43rd and 52nd light infantry regiments of the Ox and Bucks.

John Player Cigarrette Card

This cigarette card shows a portrait of Queen Adelaide. In 1835, she visited Oxford to celebrate the achievements of the Yeomanry. To mark this high honour, The Queen granted the title of 'Queen's Own' on the 1st Regiment of Oxfordshire Yeomanry.

Magic Lantern Slides

These magic lantern slides capture scenes from the New Zealand Wars (1845-1872) fought between the British and the Maoris. The slides show Captain Augustus Smith of the 43rd Regiment of Foot, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his leadership in the conflict.

Ink Pot

This ink pot is associated with the with the First War Of Independance in India, where British forces besieged mutineers at Delhi.

Officer's Peaked Cap

This officer's peaked cap of around 1870 is believed to have been worn by Colonel Thomas Wethered. Thomas Wethered was a Marlow Brewer who joined the Rifle Volunteers in 1859. By 1886, he became Colonel of the 1st Bucks Rifle Volunteers.

Begbie Paraffin Signal Lamp

In the 1880s, Begbie signal lamps were essential to the battlefield. They were used to enhance communication. An operator pointed the lamp towards the next signal station and flashed his message in Morse code by working the shutter.

Military Marching Drum

This drum is from the 3rd Battalion Oxfordshire Light Infantry. Within Light Infantry regiments, regimental drums were often used to signal battlefield orders.

Emergency Ration Pouch

This object is a reminder of the county’s involvement in the Boer War. The pouch is marked ‘South Africa Vol Company 1st OL Infantry’. ‘OL Infantry’ stands for Oxfordshire Light Infantry. Emergency rations were only to be eaten when “no other rations of any kind are procurable.”

Officer’s Uniform

The Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars’ dress uniform was remarkably elaborate. This hat was known as a busby. The QOOH had training camps across Blenheim Park, South Park and Wytham.

Sword

General Sir Bernard Paget Wilkinson formerly owned this ceremonial sword and scabbard.

Prussian Guard M91 Pickelhaube

The 2^nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry fought the Prussian Guardsmen at Nonne Bosschen on 11 November 1914. The helmet is part of the dress uniform of the Prussian Guard Infantry worn on ceremonial occasions.

Crown and Anchor and Horseracing Spinner

These spinners belonged to George Hawtin, a soldier from Botley. Hawtin served in the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars during the First World War. The spinners provided a welcome form of distraction when off duty.

Jolly Boy

This wooden mannequin was owned by Thomas Franklin from Kidlington. The Jolly Boy was used to boost morale amongst the men of Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars. He had a piece of dowelling fixed to his back to hold him up to dance for the troops.

Rum Cups

These five small silver rum cups were used by 'B' Coy 52nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in France during The First World War.

Trench Whistle

This brass whistle dates from 1916. It was used by Fred Clare. He served throughout France and Flanders with the 52^nd during the First World War.

War Diary

This war diary belonged to Frederick Matthews, who joined the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars at the age of 17. He was later commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corp. After his plane was shot down in France in 1917, he became a Prisoner of War. The diary recorded and illustrated his time during his imprisonment.

Bell

This was a bell designed to warn against gas attacks. This bell was taken from the entrance of a German dugout at the Battle of Arras and presented by Rev E. M. Guilford, who served as a Chaplain to the 52nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

Field Telephone

To ensure effective communication during the First World War, No.33 and 40 Field telephones were used to communicate orders and information.

Princess Mary Tin

Princess Mary wished to send a gift to soldiers and sailors fighting during the First World War. These tins often contained sweets, chocolate, tobacco, and a message from the Royal Family.

Fragment of a Zeppelin and Engine Handle

On 23 September 1916, Zeppelins bombed London and its surrounding counties. Frederick Sowrey managed to intercept and destroy Zeppelin 32 the following day.

Football Poster

The fragments of this poster once promoted a fundraising football match between the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars and a team stationed near them in Micheroux in 1919. The money raised from the game went to the Remembrance Circle.

Memorial

This war memorial commemorates those who served from the Oxford Cooperative and Industrial Society Ltd during the First World War. It is a stark reminder of loss in a local community. Many of the men were part of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

Death Plaques

This frame holds five different death plaques of John Coster, Ernest David Stock, Edward John Goodburn, George Dancey and Harold Messenger who died during the First World War.

Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars Sign

This Headquarters Sign belonged to the 'D' Squadron, Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars. It accompanied the Squadron throughout the First World War. The back of the sign reads ‘Ye Banbury Arms.’  After the Armistice, this sign was hung in the town hall of Erquelinnes, a town in Belgium liberated by the 'D' squadron from German occupation.

Soldier’s Personal Belongings

These objects helped the Soldiers of Oxfordshire staff and volunteers to research and identify an ‘unknown’ soldier. The soldier was Osmond Bartle Wordsworth, a collateral descendent of the poet.

Penicillin Vessel and Penicillin Girls

A loan from St Hugh’s College Archive.

These objects highlight the preparation of penicillin at Oxford University. The vessel was used for growing penicillium mould. The ‘penicillin girls’ were paid £2 a week to make penicillin. By 1941 they had made enough for scientists to start human trials, which proved the new drug worked. Companies in Britain and the USA began producing penicillin on an industrial scale. Penicillin went on to play a significant role during the Second World War.

Identity tags

These identity tags belonged to Private Thomas Good, who served with the 1^st Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. In 1940 he fought with the battalion at Hazebrouck. He was eventually captured and imprisoned at Stalag XX-A Prisoner of War camp in Poland.

Mrs Cleaver's Diary

Mrs Cleaver was the mother of Private John ‘Jack’ Cleaver, who was evacuated from Dunkirk with the Royal Tank Regiment in 1940. This is an intimate look at her diary, as she recorded that her son was due home from Dunkirk on 30 May that year. Her son survived the war.

Morse Key

Effective communication was critical to the Second World War effort. Special Operations Executive radio operators were expected to send and receive messages in Morse code at a rate of at least 25 words per minute.

Postcard

Henry Davies sent this postcard asking for penfriends to the Mayor of Bury, Lancashire. Davies was held at Stammlager XVIII D Maribor, where nearly 4,500 British and Commonwealth prisoners were captured in Greece and Crete in 1941.

D-Day Binoculars

These binoculars were gifted by Serjeant R. J. Ollis from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. They were used on D-Day on 6^th June 1944 to look out for enemy artillery and infantry.

Handkerchief

This blue handkerchief with a yellow and orange border and is marked with the word ‘Victory’ and Dit Dit Dit Da written in Morse code. On 7 May 1945, Germany’s surrender marked the end of the Second World War. The victory was celebrated across the globe.

Christmas Card

This card was sent from General Headquarters in the Middle East to mark Christmas in 1945. The message inside reads, “Lots of love, Jack.”

Bugle

This bugle showcased the 43rd Regimental crest.

Drawing of MK 1 Horsa Glider

The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry are famed for their role at Pegasus Bridge on D-Day. This drawing depicts the Mk 1 Horsa Glider used at Pegasus and Horsa Bridges. It has been signed by those involved in the action.

Watch

This watch was found by George Leonard at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. He served as part of the 249 Oxfordshire Yeomanry Battery. The watch was given to Leonard’s daughter, Viv, who used it during talks with school groups to teach them about remembering the Holocaust.

Book of Remembrance

Before the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was liberated, the SS burned the prisoners’ register, resulting in the loss of the names of those imprisoned. In the early 1990s, staff at the Bergen-Belsen Memorial began a long process of recovering the prisoners’ names recorded in this volume.

Field Surgical Kit

This surgical kit was equipped with ‘catgut’ sutures packaged in glass tubes to keep them sterile. The box says they were packed on 20 April 1945.

Child's Evacuation Coat

This evacuee coat belonged to Philip Leuan Wiliams, who wore it as a child in 1941.

ARP Model

This model was made by Bill Day, a resident of Deddington near Banbury, to represent the town. This model was used by the local Air Raid Precautions Unit to aid the planning of operations in emergency circumstances, such as invasion and unexploded bombs.

Prisoner of War Goods

Handmade Prisoner of War goods could be sold or swapped for minor luxuries. These shell cases were engraved by Italian Prisoners of War and the Pecking Hen toy was made by a German Prisoner of War.