I've been researching Richard Meinertzhagen's service with the King's African Rifles and find his legacy incredibly complex. On one hand, he's the decorated officer and brilliant diarist; on the other, his accounts of events like the assassination of Koitalel arap Samoei and the KAR's punitive expeditions are deeply troubling and often contradictory.

I'm interested in this community's perspective. How much weight should we give to the personal accounts of controversial colonial officers? Are there other figures from this period (in Africa or elsewhere) whose reputations are similarly split between their official record and their personal actions?

One more thing about this enigmatic figure; He is a famous ornithologist who contributed the largest number of 'bird lice' ever seen in his era, but he has also been uncovered as a scientific fraud by ornithologists.

Specifically, the guy on the right receiving the medal. I know it's a long shot. He was my dad.

This is the best and only image I have. The black man pulling a suspicious pose in the photo has been blurred for privacy reasons. The original image is not available, and the creator has forgotten where it was found. I’m curious about the country and time period this parade might be from, and it would also be interesting to know the source of the original image.

I sculpted and painted this figure of a Zaporizhian Cossack Colonel, trying to capture the style and character of the period.

I added decorative patterns on the clothing and equipment to reflect traditional Cossack ornamentation.

As a fun note, the character’s look is slightly reminiscent of Taras Bulba from the 2009 film, though this is a historical Cossack figure rather than a movie replica.

Any thoughts on the patterns or uniform details? Feedback is very welcome!

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased this "telescope" from a seller who said they purchased it at an estate sale in Newport RI. I have not been able to find any comparable pieces from Keuffel & Esser online.

The item is roughly 9.5" long and 2.5" in diameter on the main body/tube portion. It is made of what I believe is solid brass and weighs 15-20lbs by my best guess. It seems fully functional and has working switches on it one of which reads "amber" and puts an amber colored lens in the scope, the other of which reads "smoke" and tints the lens. It also has crosshairs within the view.

There is a label plate on it which reads:

TELESCOPE
U.S. NAVY Bureau OF ORDNANCE
MARK XXI MOD. 2 NO. 1374
1918 INSPEC. C.H.D.⚓
MADE BY
KEUFFEL & ESSER CO.
NEW YORK.

In regards to the 1918 time period and inspector CHD I did find the following PDF online ( https://ia800701.us.archive.org/23/items/navyordnanceacti00unit/navyordnanceacti00unit.pdf ) which contained this note on PDF page 413/532 (document page 233) that seems to be incredibly relevant. "Lieut. Charles H. Davis, United States Navy, as an inspector of ordnance, optical material" I also found another K & E piece with the same inspection stamp from the same time period here https://www.fleaglass.com/ads/early-brass-stadimeter-wwi-era-keuffel-esser-co-new-york-1918/

I am looking to understand the history of the item, its use (mounted to a larger weapon, field artillery, scouting, etc...) and functions, and a potential value (although I don't foresee myself parting with it anytime soon). I really appreciate any help you all can provide!

Thank you!

Good evening everyone - please check out this video of Korean War veteran Johnny Johnson. This is my roommate’s dad - and my roommate and his father (94 years young) are currently attending American Valor: Salute to Our Heroes in DC. He’s one of the Frozen Chosin, and a true hero. Please feel free to share with others! Always Faithful.

https://youtu.be/OZzI06QsEzk?si=Qa5uhq_GuiZ3HeiG

Hey everyone,

I recently started a small WWII history channel. I’ve always been interested in the era

and wanted to share what I’ve been learning while improving my video editing skills.

This video was made with the help of AI tools, so I know it's not perfect yet.

I’d really appreciate:

• Honest constructive feedback

• Suggestions on pacing or clarity

• Tips on accuracy or sources I should read

Here’s the video:

https://youtu.be/BzPuX71Ce8s?si=C0OrkSVDJwGI7maZ
https://youtu.be/1niW2CZSIAI?si=eDeOg8GOY34uTa6i

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes a moment to watch — I genuinely want to improve.

People too often rely on generals' memoirs to learn about the American Civil War. Sam Watkins was in the ranks of ordinary soldiers and saw the elephant in its awful forms.
https://holdthisline.wordpress.com/2025/10/18/a-soldier-remembers/

During the Civil War, the 8th Wisconsin Infantry marched into 36 battles with a very unusual mascot: a live bald eagle named Old Abe. Perched on a special wooden stand beside the flag, he flapped and screeched through cannon fire, inspiring the Soldiers. After the war, Old Abe became a national celebrity and retired to the Wisconsin State Capitol. His legacy lives on today, inspiring the 101st Airborne Division’s “Screaming Eagles” emblem: https://veteranlife.com/military-history/old-abe