This Bialaddin 300X was found in the small town of Bungendore in Australia - near the nation's Capital. It has the “AM REF” stampings and crow’s foot, but these were not used, as far as I know, by the Australian armed forces (although the New Zealand armed forces used them). I cleaned it, and waxed the paintwork, and replaced the washers, but that was about it. I liked its weather-beaten appearance. Up and running. The glass is not marked. Washers from The Fettle Box. This is a good user! Cheers Tony
They’re well built and solid lanterns. The crows foot marking 1949 is interesting, I’m more familiar seeing the D^D markings (excuse the rough likeness, iPad keyboard) on military lamps. The crows foot was certainly used a lot in the very early days to mark military ownership. Cheers Pete
Pete The stampings on this lantern are the same as the lantern shown here: Bialaddin 300x Air Ministry 1949. Therefore the \|/ -style crow’s foot would be British. The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) was /|\ or D/|\D as you’ve shown. Cheers Tony @AussiePete
Yes, I see. I also collect antique British Commonwealth military firearms 1861 to the end of WW2 and the English made and owned do have the crows foot as do the English made and Australian owned ones before 1900-ish. Perhaps coz we were “colonial” then before Federation 1901. Cheers Pete
Very nice lamp Tony and I really like 'm like that. The question then is how a british government lamp ends up in Australia - perhaps with a british immigrant? My only 'crows foot' lamp is from 1945, and how that could end up in Holland is rather well documented... Mike
There could be some fairly mundane explanations as to how it ended up where it did. Could have been bought off eBay! But because wild speculation is fun here goes: The little town it was found in is 19km from a settlement where some Australian soldiers returning from WWII were permitted to establish small farms. Could it be old enough that one of them brought it home from Europe after serving there?
That line has some merit, but I doubt australian soldiers would linger in Europe that long to take a 1949 lamp back home. But it is not impossible, as the possibilities are infinite. Was there a Willis & Bates importer in Australia for any time?
The lantern was with a contemporary-ish Tilley X246 (1949-1954), and both were quite weather beaten, so I doubt they were from a collection. The interesting thing about the Tilley is that it has the blue etch 171 globe. My speculation is both lanterns came to the district together, but with whom is a mystery. Were are a nation of migrants, travellers, and from time to time soldiers. Tony
@M.Meijer The Australian importer of Willis and Bates Bialaddin lanterns would have been Aladdin Industries Ltd (Australia), which was incorporated in 1924 and still operates. Cheers Tony
@Tony Press Hi Tony, that is pretty much the quality/age/condition of a 300X that i hope to gather sometime , happy to get some serious fettling done on one similar without having to replace main parts ......keep it as original as possible bar the obvious seals washers de=coke etc. Early model, experienced, not too many wrinkles , likes to get hot now and then, a few cheeky freckles...etc. preferably a bit brassy too. When did the hood change from an ogee lip to a round over lip ? or visa versa ? A great find from Behindthedoor..Bungendore ! Pumpitstu
It's a twin of my lamp, is it possible that RAF squadrons were out stationed in Australia? This is quite a common lamp so lots must have been made and no doubt travelled around the world with a few getting lost along the way.
It was found 30min drive from an airforce base but no RAF planes have ever been stationed there, also extremely unlikely any visited on exercises. But Air Force One does sometimes land there.
I believe vice versa, and one of many changes this Bialaddin 300 X model went through, this being the most subtle. My early 300X has the black top with a lower edge rounded inward.
@M.Meijer Thanks for that , another gem of information to tuck away in my tank. I would think that the rounded inward top is a bit more robust than the ogee edged later ones . Perhaps they changed to the ogee to get them produced and out to troops etc just a little quicker but less durable .
It's just straight and honest , no fancy bits or bobs . Well done DP2 as well having one . I imagine the way they spread out is as a large consignment left the factory they find a first home then get left behind, redistributed over many years .. is there a date known for the change ?
Could have been swapped for a couple of chickens from a nearby farm ...who knows ...if only they could talk .
