Morning all,
I've got a K98 bayonet, but I'm unsure whether it is WW2 period, or later, and whether it is actually German issue at all.
Also I'm a little confused by the markings. It is Waffen stamped - WaA883 - on the end of the handle. And there are two different stamps on either side of the blade.
The left hand side reads - 41.cul
The right hand side reads - 53 c (the c is underneath the 53)
Any help would be brilliant!
Kind Regards,
Woody
I have just bought the book Devils Guard by George Elford about a batallion of Waffen ss in the Ferench Foreign Legion.
I have tried to research this to see how true to life the book is but everything I have found so far is inconclusive.
There were certainly Waffen ss serving in Vietnam with the FFL after WW2 but does anyone know if there was a batallion strength of them?
Thanks
Nick
Hallo Again,
This time I'm writing to you a question of help about a Mine Detector that was attached to the Mosin rifle. Unfortunately i was able to find only one picture and a very not sharp one. Do anyone could post here any data: pictures, web page links, technical data etc. Anythinf helpfull, I would be GRATEFUL.
Yours Mariusz.
On the lord of the flies site, Mr. Chris Stonemint asks whether pieces of US military regalia exist to correspond with the Lubstein/Emhage head wear made for Soviet troops in the SBZ/DDR. Maybe there are those here with an association with US forces in Germany from the 1940s and 1950s, whereas my affiliation goes back to the early 1980s. In my experience of clothing sales, these were in the hands of the Army and Air Force Exchange service, which relied on US vendors almost to a fault. I am not sure of the situation in say 1947, but I imagine it was not especially different in that the US forces erected for themselves the same kind of autonomous support structure for which US forces were already famous in the war, itself.
Also, if the US tax payer was paying for some equipment at hand, then such generally had to be procured from US sources. I imagine that the plethora of military suppliers in what was the US occupation zone which later became the NATO area of stationed forces did not survive the process of demilitarization, or they shifted their work to where there was a need. In fact, West Germany was famous for NOT embracing military procurement even once the Bundeswehr was created. Old armaments firms refused to get into military work, and I imagine in the apparel sector, such was also the case after the currency reform of 1948 and with the Korean war. Do recall that the Bundesgrenzschutz was not created until 1952 and the Bundeswehr in 1956.
What would these former military regalia makers have done in the interim as shown in the images below? And, the level of equipment in the USSR forces vs the US forces in Germany hardly can be compared; the former was famous for looting everything at hand in the SBZ, whereas the US forces had their own resources, even if they scooped up Nazi regalia especially during the black market period of 1946-1948.
I may be in serious error, and surely there were German contractors for various services proffered to the US forces, but in the initial and golden period, I do not imagine that such could make a dent in the US system. Of course, there was an unofficial trade in souvenirs and other gew gaws (like Harry's Gift Shop in Kaiserlsautern of blessed memory) but such was for Hummel figurines, Kuckkuchuhren and Kitsch generally.
But I also recall that USAREUR had to import coal from Pennsylvania for the heating plants in Rhineland Pfalz as well as refuse to buy Volkswagen Bullis because it would enrage some member of the House Armed Services Committee.
But maybe someone who collects such things would know. I worked in an Army museum in no. America in the 1970s, filled with many things from the occupation, and never saw such a cap of German source. Postcards of the US Army recreation area at Berchtesgaden and Garmisch Partenkirch, yes...but regalia...no.
On the lord of the flies site, Mr. Chris Stonemint asks whether pieces of US military regalia exist to correspond with the Lubstein/Emhage head wear made for Soviet troops in the SBZ/DDR. Maybe there are those here with an association with US forces in Germany from the 1940s and 1950s, whereas my affiliation goes back to the early 1980s. In my experience of clothing sales, these were in the hands of the Army and Air Force Exchange service, which relied on US vendors almost to a fault. I am not sure of the situation in say 1947, but I imagine it was not especially different in that the US forces erected for themselves the same kind of autonomous support structure for which US forces were already famous in the war, itself.
Also, if the US tax payer was paying for some equipment at hand, then such generally had to be procured from US sources. I imagine that the plethora of military suppliers in what was the US occupation zone which later became the NATO area of stationed forces did not survive the process of demilitarization, or they shifted their work to where there was a need. In fact, West Germany was famous for NOT embracing military procurement even once the Bundeswehr was created. Old armaments firms refused to get into military work, and I imagine in the apparel sector, such was also the case after the currency reform of 1948 and with the Korean war. Do recall that the Bundesgrenzschutz was not created until 1952 and the Bundeswehr in 1956.
What would these former military regalia makers have done in the interim as shown in the images below? And, the level of equipment in the USSR forces vs the US forces in Germany hardly can be compared; the former was famous for looting everything at hand in the SBZ, whereas the US forces had their own resources, even if they scooped up Nazi regalia especially during the black market period of 1946-1948.
I may be in serious error, and surely there were German contractors for various services proffered to the US forces, but in the initial and golden period, I do not imagine that such could make a dent in the US system. Of course, there was an unofficial trade in souvenirs and other gew gaws (like Harry's Gift Shop in Kaiserlsautern of blessed memory) but such was for Hummel figurines, Kuckkuchuhren and Kitsch generally.
But I also recall that USAREUR had to import coal from Pennsylvania for the heating plants in Rhineland Pfalz as well as refuse to buy Volkswagen Bullis because it would enrage some member of the House Armed Services Committee.
But maybe someone who collects such things would know. I worked in an Army museum in no. America in the 1970s, filled with many things from the occupation, and never saw such a cap of German source. Postcards of the US Army recreation area at Berchtesgaden and Garmisch Partenkirch, yes...but regalia...no.
I am in the process of buying a decent WWII collection from the daughter of Lt. Lambeth. Lambeth was squad leader and XO of A Company, 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion. Lambeth was a D-Day replacement, landed in France June 13, 1944. He was wounded with shrapnel in September and served in 5 different battles. All of these items were collected by him during his service in Europe. Some of the items have really interesting history to go with them. There are a few pieces not pictured yet. I do not have his pictures yet and I did not photograph his letters. Later on I will add pictures of three large battleflags that I ran out of time to photograph today.
SA belt Buckle.
Contact; alexis-88@live.com
Directly for more info.
Four years ago when I was in Fredericksburg, Texas, my wife and I happened up on a wonderful antique shop down called Der Alte Fritz. This place is a WW1 Imperial German collector's dream come true - the shop is filled with items from this period shipped direct from Germany. I saw the piece below for sale for a very cheap price, but I had my reservations because I didn't want to buy something that had been stolen from a fallen soldier's final resting place. I asked the shop owners (both from Germany) how this was obtained.
I was told that in Germany during that period, bodies were not embalmed, were placed in wood caskets, and their plot was leased for 50 years only. At the end of the 50 years, a new occupant is placed there and any markers in place are returned to the family if they want them. If no relatives are located or want the marker, they are melted down and used in constructing everything from bronze statues to pipe fixtures. When I heard this, I felt better about purchasing, so I did. This is one of the very few Imp. German items I have that is not directly related to aviation.
Now, I display it respectfully s a remembrance of a young fallen soldier who lost his life in battle. The piece is quite heavy weighing in at about 12 pounds, and measures 14 X 10 inches. It appears to be cast bronze.
Veterans (eagle,helmet) $50,
NSDPA -2 pins for $100.
Iron cross-$300,
General Assault badge -75 ,
Olympic pin $100,
Simple pins-$20 ea.
Police hat cocard-$30.
Contact seller for more info;
alexis-88@live.com
3 medals $100.
Contact seller; alexis-88@live.com
