A silver and a bronze Serbian charity plaques by Tony Szirmai, with original presentation cases. A charity medal by Szirmai. || This is a pair of French-made plaques and a medal awarded for notable donations to Serbian war-time charities. They were created in 1917 by Hungarian-born, Paris-based sculptor and engraver, Tony Szirmai, and two metal versions of the plaque were made to give to major benefactors, bronze and silver, the latter for exceptional charitable donations. The overall designs on both plaques are the same. On one side is a female figure and three children, perhaps symbolising a family that is missing the husband and father who is away at the war. In the background is the sun on the horizon, rays of light extending, symbolising hope. The initials of the artist are in the lower, left-side of the plaque. The other side has a seated figure of a child with his arm and hand extended, seeking help. He is surrounded by destruction, houses burning in the background as he sits on a damaged wall. Above him is the French text, ‘OEUVRE POUR SAUVER LE ENFANTS SERBES’, which translates as ‘Work to Save the Serbian Children’, and the year, 1917, in Roman numerals. The edge of the silver plaque is stamped with the French world for silver, ’ARGENT’, with the number ’20’, which might have been a serial production number. The edge of the bronze plaque is stamped with ‘BRONZE’, and the number ‘209’ - if this was a serial number, then it might indicate more bronze versions of this plaque being produced than silver. The name of the recipient on both plaques is Leopold Pralon, the French steel industrialist. Also shown is a charity medal by Szirmai. One side shows a figure in armour in profile, with the French text ‘OEUVRE POUR SAUVER LES ENFANTS SERBES’, as appears on the plaques, surrounding it. Szirmai’s signature also appears in the right-side. The other side of the medal shows, in the lower centre, Serbia’s King Peter I in profile next to his son, Prince Regent Alexander. Above them is a mythical Vila, nymph-like figure carrying a trumpet. Surrounding this is the French text, ‘GLOIRE AUX INTREPIDES HEROS SERBES’, which translates as ‘Glory to the Intrepid Serbian Heroes’.

Elephant foot. || Last week the Royal Engineers Museum had a work experience student, Daniel, who wrote some posts for us. Here is one of his posts: This hollowed out elephant foot belonged to the KGOSMs for bridging work up to 1914. KGOSM stands for King George’s Own Sappers And Miners and they used elephants for building bridges. Because elephants were strong they could move the materials needed for the sappers to build the bridges the British needed to win the war and could help the miners to make mines so they could get the natural materials needed to make guns and ammunition for the troops on the front line.

Charity stamps were a good way of raising money and awareness for causes. Shown here are three charity stamps with a focus on providing help and relief to Serbia, as well as France. First is the 'Serbian War Orphans Fund', costing 1 cent. At the top, in Serbian Cyrillic is the text, 'СРПСКА РАТНА СИРОЧАД', which transliterates as 'Srpska Ratna Sirocad', and which translates to 'Serbian War Orphans'. The central motif shows ruins, children, a female figure, looking at the rays of the sun, and the words 'Humanity' within the rays. The address at the bottom of the stamp, 1905 Fowler Street, Chicago, Illinois, which is property of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Second is the Serbian Relief Fund stamp, which shows an image of a desolate Serbian soldier, below which is the text 'Begs Aid For Our Brave Ally', and the price of one penny. The Patroness of the Serbian Relief Fund was Britain’s own Queen Mary, its President the Lord Bishop of London, and Vice-Presidents included the Lord Bishop of Oxford, H.H. Asquith, W.S. Churchill, and Lloyd George. The work of the Fund included the establishment of a number of hospital units in Serbia, including some mobile ones, as well as sending nurses and medical supplies and stores, helping also the work of the Red Cross. Thirdly, is a stamp for the California Committee For Relief in Serbia and France, with a central figure of a nurse, above which is the text 'Merry Christmas', and the year 1919 below, and the text ‘California Committee for Relief in Serbia and France’ surrounding the central figure. The background has the Serbian tricolour of horizontal red-blue-white in the top half, and the French tricolor of vertical blue-white-red in the bottom half. This Californian stamp showed that, despite the war having been over for a year and more, clothing and other supplies were still needed and that, though California may have been half a world away, it was still going to help. || Three charity stamps. One for the Serbian War Orphans Fund, one for the Serbian Relief Fund, and one for the California Committee For Relief in Serbia and France.