WW1 Borgel trench watch used in the war.

I just added this to the collection a Borgel cased trench watch with a 1914 silver date mark. That was owned by Frederick Cooper who was in a motorboat squadron. There is a group photo with him wearing the watch. He used it all through the war. Came with a lot of stuff about his service bought it for the watch but the other stuff a plus. Out of all my military watches never had one where I could put a face and a name to the watch with real cool history.
https://i.imgur.com/ZQalaX0.jpg
The X is Mr. Cooper. With this watch on his wrist.
https://i.imgur.com/lkPJrNA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/w7X9DLi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kMLlQhV.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RzZPfq6.jpg
Info on Mr. Cooper
https://i.imgur.com/8g6JazT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RFXs2oA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/vJEbbMO.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/TWbFp9W.jpg
Came with his pocket diary.
https://i.imgur.com/hvB4eTL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/LGpPKr3.jpg
Found these two things on the net how it would of been for Mr. Cooper at Gallipoli.
https://i.imgur.com/d8W7u10.jpg
The original strap to the watch.

Being able to put a face to the name of the original owner of the watch and his service is quite extraordinary.
I am sure the diary is a fascinating read.

The firm on the dial still exists -

https://jamesritchieclocks.co.uk/

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Originally Posted by jwg663

The firm on the dial still exists -

https://jamesritchieclocks.co.uk/

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I contacted them last week to see if they kept records. They got back to me, and the records are lost in time. A lot of companies back then would buy movements and cases and have their stores name put on the dial. They are mainly a vintage clock repair and the sale of them today. If I lived close to them, they would be working on some of my vintage clocks.

After he caught malaria and got what they called the fever in Africa later in the war he drove early vehicles. They must of sent him home due to were that unit on the handbook was located.
https://i.imgur.com/27Z27rV.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/unSgcV0.jpg
His military driver's license and driver's handbook.

Some newspaper clipping, I just found on and bought off eBay. Shows how the British army got motorboat squadrons to the lakes in Africa a very tough task. Figure it's part of Mr. Cooper story and the watch. Wonder if this is how they got the idea for that old Humphry Bogart movie the African Queen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_African_Queen_(film)
https://i.imgur.com/CiHLP6D.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wkXy0k9.jpg

See if you can get a copy of “The Phantom Flotilla” - It’s the story of how the boats got there and what they did.

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Originally Posted by Dave S

See if you can get a copy of “The Phantom Flotilla” - It’s the story of how the boats got there and what they did.

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Thanks Dave I ordered a copy.

What a watch and an amazing piece of history as well..lucky man.

The part in his diary where their boats were towed to the struma river by the HMS Monitor 23 that was in Greece. His unit went to a lot of different fronts in WW1. Here is a photo of what the HMS Monitor looked like fond it on the net.
https://i.imgur.com/54fvPyR.jpg