23rd February - Red Army Day

Russia first celebrated this day in 1922 as the fourth anniversary of the Red Army. However, Russian leader Vladimir Lenin signed a decree for the creation of a Bolshevik Army on a different date (January 15, 1918). In 1938, Soviet history books started claiming that the Red Army won an important victory over German invaders on February 23, 1918, but no independent sources supported this claim.

The Priory and Hospital of St John the Baptist in Trim

More Biplant medieval soldiers from Trim (Co. Meath, Ireland) ! Happy Friday !

Kubanskaya Russian Vodka Cossack figurine

This is a Kubanskaya Russian Vodka adverising plastic figurine of a Russian cosaque that was produced in France in 50s. Scale 20 см.

 

Young boy with his toy soldiers and fort 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🏰🏰🏰💥💥💥

This is the UK postcard (c.1910).

The Priory and Hospital of St John the Baptist in Trim

St. John's Priory was established by Simon Rochfort, Bishop of Meath, c. 1202 for the Crutched Friars. The first record of the priory is in 1281 when there was a grant of alms from the manor of "Magathtreth." In 1513 Edmund Dillon was prior of this monastery; his brother Thomas Dillon was prior of Saints Peter and Paul's at the time. Their brother Robert was granted the priory at the 1540 Dissolution of the Monasteries. At the time the priory consisted of a church, two towers, a hall, storehouse, kitchen, brewhouse, two granaries, a dovecote and a haggard (stackyard). There were 90 acres (36 ha) of arable land near the Boyne, land and a mill on the Leinster Blackwater, a castle and land at Longwood, County Meath and various other lands in the county. He later sold it to the Ashe family. After they abandoned it, it was supposedly granted to the Catholic Bishop of Meath. After the Battle of the Boyne (1690) the building was granted to one of King William's men. According to one story, on his first night in the holy spot he saw a "most horrid vision" and at dawn he rode away never to return. The site was excavated by David Sweetman in 1984, who found the remains of a 15th-century rood screen and a doorway in the gable end of the nave.

 

Hausser Heavy Truck 734

This Hausser(Elastolin) heavy truck (Zugmaschine 734) tugging a heavy long-barreled gun (Schweres Langrohrgeschutz 726) was a popular windup toy in Germany.The truck has electric lights and canvas.

It was a quite expensive set that costed 14 Reichsmarks - equivalent of almost 47 composition soldiers !
 

The Tomb of the Jealous Man & Woman in Trim (Co.Meath)

There is an impressive altar tomb dating from around 1592 in the cemetery of St. Peter and Paul`s Cathedral ruins in Trim (Co.Meath) . The tomb known locally as “the Jealous man and Woman” is the resting place of Sir Lucas Dillon and his wife Lady Jane Bathe. Sir Dillon was a leading Irish Barrister and judge during the Elizabethan era. He held the offices of Attorney General for Ireland and Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. He was held in high regard by the Crown and Queen Elizabeth was said of think highly of him. However there were many accusations of corruption and claims that he handled some of his work carelessly. It remains a mystery why the tomb became known as ‘the jealous man and woman” . However, Dillon`s second wife Marion Sherle is buried in an identical tomb with her first husband Christopher Barnwell at Lusk, Co. Dublin. Locals believe that perhaps one of the tombs was built as a jealous response to the other tomb. Who was jealous of who remains uncertain. The most intriguing folklore surrounding the tomb remains its unusual curative power for warts.