Those of you who’ve followed this site for a few years now might know that, although I’m not really a collector as such, I do have some battlefield relics I’ve picked up over the years on my travels, and I do splash out on the occasional Memorial Plaque, or Death Penny if you prefer, such as the one pictured above that came into my possession only today. I broke a golden rule in buying it, in that I have never, up to now, bought one that is not unique. How many John Smiths are there? There is nothing else on a Death Penny, other than a name, to distinguish one from the next. That way lies madness. And bankruptcy. And for me, the whole point of owning these evocative items is the direct link with a specific soldier who gave his life for me, for us, however indirectly. Nonetheless, I knew that Hayat could not possibly be unique, but I don’t own an Indian Penny, and the price wasn’t excessive, so I bought it. Continue reading
