PLUS HMS BELFAST • UNIFORMS IN HERALDRY • AVRO LANCASTER

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August 2019 • £4.99 Incorporating Classic Arms & Militaria

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Winchester 1886
The evolution of the
sharp-shooting rifle
British Army of 1812
Organisation of the
troops in America
Motor Volunteer Corps
How cars were used by
the Army before WWI

TALES FROM THE

FÜHRERBUNKER Exclusive interviews reveal Hitler’s final days.
Collect SS Honour rings, military plaques and HJ badges

Badges of the British War US Women

Hitler Youth Leader cards Marines
Your guide to the Collectable series of Freeing up troops
insignia of the senior officers and for the front with
young fantatics politicians from WWII women in uniform Display until 1 Aug 2019

MILITARY HISTORY // EVENTS // AUCTIONS // COLLECTING

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Forthcoming Auctions

17th and 18th July 2019

25th and 26th September 2019
4th and 5th December 2019

www.dnw.co.uk
16 Bolton Street Mayfair London W1J 8BQ
Telephone 020 7016 1700 Fax 020 7016 1799
E-mail medals@dnw.co.uk
 REGULAR

Warners Group Publications,

The Maltings, West Street,
Bourne, Lincolnshire
PE10 9PH
Tel: 01778 391000
Welcome
I
Fax: 01778 392422 f you remember back to our the British Army of 1812, and uniforms
Publisher Rob McDonnell July 2017 issue, we carried an in heraldry by Ray Westlake. Also, Dave
robm@warnersgroup.co.uk exclusive, never before published Kellock has a fascinating story about
Editor Duncan Evans interview with Joachim Peiper, the short-lived Motor Volunteer Corps,
duncane@warnersgroup.co.uk written up by Tim Heath from while Graham Caldwell has a tale of
Tel: 01778 391103 audio tapes gifted to him by Gerard British Navy success in the Battle of the
Head of Design and Production Asquith. Well, this month Tim has Bay of Biscay.
Lynn Wright gone one better. Before they died, Tim Other interesting features to look
ADVERTISING exchanged correspondence with both out for include the story of legendary
Auction House Sales Executive Rochus Misch, Hitler’s bodyguard sporting gun manufacturer, Purdey &
Kristina Green and telephone exchange operator, Sons, and the facts behind the formation
kristina.green@warnersgroup.co.uk and Traudl Junge, the youngest of of the American Women Marines.
Tel: 01778 390296
Hitler’s secretaries, working in the Now, as I write this month the
Multi Media Sales Executive
Führerbunker. The result of those commemorations for D-Day have
Elizabeth Ridge
elizabeth.ridge@warnersgroup.co.uk interviews is the cover feature of this been in full swing, with world
Tel: 01778 395059 month’s Armourer magazine. They are leaders attending ceremonies in both
Advertising Production & Design exclusive, never before printed stories, Portsmouth and Normandy. As this
Nicola Lock from two of the people who were in country has now, rather belatedly,
nicola.lock@warnersgroup.co.uk the bunker at the end. It’s sombre, but started to embrace it’s military past,
Tel: 01778 392420 gripping reading for anyone interested this event and next year, which will
MARKETING in WWII history, particularly the be the 75th anniversary of the end
Marketing Executive end of the National Socialist regime. of WWII, will be the last chance to
Katherine Brown Those with a keen eye will note that thank the surviving veterans for their
katherine.brown@warnersgroup.co.uk this month's cover comes from the service. They truly were the greatest
Tel: 01778 395092
film, Downfall, based on the book by generation, ordinary men and women
DISTRIBUTION Gerhard Boldt, who was also in the who did their bit because it was the
Warners Distribution, Andy Perry bunker with Misch and Junge. right thing to do. So, let’s hope that
Tel: 01778 391152
As we’re focussing on the end of these commemorations, taken with the
Cover image: the NSDAP’s deadly grip on power, ones for the 100th anniversary of WWI
Bruno Ganz in Downfall the supporting articles are all about which ended in 2018, start to seep
© Moviestore Collection Ltd
the collectables associated with it. So, into the consciousness of the youngest
This publication is we have SS Honour rings, which, as it generation growing up now, and they
printed by Warners
01778 395111 transpired, required very little effort to learn to appreciate and celebrate the
be awarded but were highly coveted; sacrifices that were made. They will,
SUBSCRIBE TO THE ARMOURER Nazi military plaques, which were used after all, be the collectors of tomorrow.
For the latest offer call to commemorate almost any kind of
activity that benefitted the state; and
01778 392489 badges of the Hitler Youth and the girl’s
3 issues for £5.
equivalent, the BDM.
See page 11 for details.
Other features to look out for this
Buy a digital edition at month include an interesting piece
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on the Winchester rifle of 1886 – my
Keep up to date on Facebook thanks to John Wallace for asking to
www.facebook.com/armourermagazine write about this one, Gabriel’s look at Duncan Evans • Editor
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PLUS a FREE copy of 132-page A Guide
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www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 3

Contents

Inside
WIN!

102
AUGUST 2019 // ISSUE 168

59

33

68

REGULARS EVENTS
3Welcome
What the Editor has to say about
this issue, where we bring you a brace of
14In the sale rooms
Discover what’s coming up for auction,
with badges and militaria at Bosleys, medals at
exclusive interviews from two people who DNW and rare letters at Sworders.
were in the Führerbunker.

7 News
What’s happening in the world of militaria,
16HMS Belfast
Kerry Culbert clambers aboard the
warship, now an IWM museum, that helped
76

museums, exhibitions, collections and events. bombard German defences as D-Day kicked off.
This month, it’s all about D-Day. 48

12Militaria for sale

Lenny Warren takes a trip around
the internet in search of rare, interesting and
desirable collectables.
19
19 Under the hammer
Let’s have a look at what’s been
up for grabs in the sale rooms. There were
fine Yeomen of the Guard medals at DNW,
firearms at Hermann Historica, medals and
militaria at Dominic Winter and fine sporting
guns at Gavin Gardiner.

FEATURES
33US Marine Women
Jim Moran looks at the US Marine
Corps Women’s Reserve in WWII, from
conception to demobilisation.

43British War Leaders cards

Graham Caldwell illustrates the trade
card set of British War Leaders, published in
1950 to promote baking powder sales.
80

4 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 REGULAR

COVER
FEATURES COVER
STORY
22Tales from the
Führerbunker
Discover what really happened
inside the bunker with exclusive,
never before published
interviews with Rochus Misch,
Hitler’s telephonist, and Traudl
Junge, Hitler’s youngest
secretary.

38
badges
Hitler
Youth
Jamie Cross looks at the badges
and awards for the Hitler Youth
and Bund Deutscher Madel.

54 SS Honour rings
John C Pursley investigates
the SS Honour Ring, the most
sought-after award in the SS
but one where little was done to
actually earn it.
64 German
plaques
military
German artisans of the Third Reich
crafted an array of decorative military-
oriented plaques for use as motivational
awards and presentation pieces.

48
Corps
The Motor
Volunteer 74War Story
The story of one of the
last National Servicemen in
the East Riding Yeomanry (Territorial Force)
under the microscope.

Before the hell of WWI, the Malaya who was awarded the
fledgling motor car was to prove
its worth in military circles, as
GSM by the Army is told by
Roger Brown.
SIGNALS
David Kellock reveals.

76 Uniforms in 93ReviewsDuncan Evans takes a look at

52 Legendary
hardware:
Avro Lancaster
heraldry
Ray Westlake takes a look at
the uniforms of the characters
the latest book releases including Hitler’s
Wartime Conversations, Eye of the Storm and
Codeword Overlord.
Duncan Evans looks at a range who are featured in civic and
of iconic hardware from WWII
and points out some collecting
43
corporate heraldry.
98 Auction & Fair Diary
Don’t miss that must-have militaria.
opportunities. This month, it’s the
Lancaster bomber. 80 Battle of
Biscay
A vital part of the Battle of the Atlantic was
It’s your diary dates and locations for
upcoming auctions.

59The lever action

transformed
John Wallace describes a well-travelled 1886
Winchester and how one man transformed
the quintessential American firearm.
68 British Army of 1812
Gabriele Esposito describes the
organisation of the British military units and
their allies that fought during the War of 1812
against the USA.
Operation Stonewall, designed to detect
and sink enemy blockade runners. Graham
Caldwell explains.
100 Your letters
Have your say on collecting
militaria, features in the magazine and
identifying mysterious objects.
85Sporting gun
Gavin Gardiner takes a look at how
102Competition
one of the most famous gunmakers arrived at
a design still used today.
A chance to win one of three prize
bundles from Pen and Sword. Each winner
will receive copies of My Father Joachim von
90The Photo Inspector
Ray Westlake puts the a soldier from
Ribbentrop, Hitler’s Wartime Conversations and
Normandy 1944: Battle of the Hedgerows.

11 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! SAVE MONEY ON THE ARMOURER

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 5

Always Accepting
Exceptional Consignments
Next Premier Auction:
Historic Firearms and Early Militaria
October 30-31, 2019
Consignment Deadline: July 31, 2019

Contact: Jack Lewis | firearms@cowans.com | 1.513.871.1670 x227

6270 Este Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45232

17th Century Signed

German Wheelock Rifle
To be offered October 2019

cowans.com

militarianews
Duncan Evans reports on what’s happening in the
world of military history and collecting
COMMEMORATION
D-Day remembered
World leaders and members
of the Royal family have
commemorated the 75th
anniversary of D-Day with a series
of events in Portsmouth on 5 June
and Normandy, France, on 6 June.
The 16 countries represented
at the UK event, made a joint
statement called The D-Day
Proclamation, pledging to ensure
that the ‘unimaginable horror
of World War II’ is not repeated
and to ‘resolve international
tensions peacefully’. The Queen
and the Prince of Wales attended
the commemorations held on
Southsea Common, along with
representatives from every country
that took part in D-Day. Alongside
Theresa May and Donald
Trump was French President
Emmanuel Macron and German
Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well
as PMs from Australia, Belgium,
Canada, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg,
the Netherlands, Norway, New
Zealand, Poland and Slovakia.
Current members of all three
branches the British armed forces
plus over 300 veterans, all over 90
years of age, were in attendance.
The memorial in Portsmouth
included an hour long production
telling then story of D-Day. Then,
at 12:45pm a Royal Navy frigate
fired a naval gun salute, which was
followed by a spectacular flypast
of 25 historic and modern RAF
aircraft, including the Red Arrows
and the iconic Spitfire. The Royal
British Legion’s specially chartered
ship, the MV Boudicca, with the 300
veterans, then set sail to Normandy
at 6.25pm. At 7.40pm the RAF’s
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
flew over Portsmouth to mark the
departure of the Boudicca.
Other events included a
ceremony at Pegasus Bridge in
France, which was the scene of
a fierce fight to take hold of the
pathways over the Caen Canal
and River Orne, and one of the
first places British troops liberated
on D-Day. This was attended by
D-Day veterans including Reg
Charles, 96, the last surviving
member of a heroic glider assault
on the bridge.
On 6 June, the anniversary date
itself, Prime Minister Theresa May
joined with US President Trump,
French President Macron and
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau
at Gold Beach. At sunrise, they
attended the inauguration of a new
monument listing the names of
all 22,442 members of the British
armed forces who died in the
campaign in northern France over
the summer of 1944.
The centrepiece of the new
memorial is a bronze sculpture
of three British soldiers charging
up the beach, funded by the
Normandy Memorial Trust and
private donations. The bronze
sculpture was created by David
Williams-Ellis to mark the
beginning of construction for the
memorial, which is expected to be
completed within a year. Standing
9ft tall and weighing several tons,
the three figures are not based on
any individuals and deliberately
carry no legible regimental
markings or insignia, so represent
all the British troops who took part.
Theresa May said, “They laid
down their lives so that we might
have a better life and build a better
world. These young men belonged
to a very special generation, the
greatest generation. They didn't
boast. They didn't fuss. They served.
If one day can be said to have
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019
REGULAR
determined the fate of generations
to come, in France, in Britain, in
Europe and in the world, that day
was the 6 June 1944.’ The PM
then read the names of several
British troops who were killed
during the D-Day landings and the
subsequent Battle of Normandy.
Following the unveiling, PM
May met with Prince Charles at
Bayeux Cathedral for a memorial
service. At the start of the service,
a message on behalf of Pope
Francis was read by Cardinal Marc
Ouellet. He paid tribute to those
who joined the Army and gave
their lives for freedom and peace,
adding, “D-Day was decisive in the
fight against Nazi barbarism.”
D-Day veteran Kenneth Hay
read from the poem Normandy,
by Cyril Crain, who also took part
in the Allied invasion. Mr Hay's
reading started with, “Come and
stand in memory of men who
fought and died. They gave their
lives in Normandy, remember
them with pride.” Cyril Crain
landed at Juno Beach in June
1944, four days before his 21st
birthday. He died in 2014, aged
91. The assembled dignitaries
then laid memorial wreaths and
the last post was played at the site
where more than 4,000 war dead
are buried.
Nearby, in the town of
Arromanches, around 300 veterans
gathered to commemorate their
fallen comrades in one of the many
events in Normandy.
Back in Portsmouth, a veteran’s
parade took place before a
memorial service at the city’s
D-Day Stone while in London, the
Duke of Sussex attended Founder’s
Day at the Royal Hospital Chelsea
where he visited the Chelsea
Pensioners and six veterans from
the Normandy Landings. ■ ❯
7
News
COLLECTABLE

Six collectable stamps for D-Day

The Post Office has released a invasion, the planning, preparation
special commemorative package of and embarkation. Richly illustrated
six special stamps and a miniature with maps and images the pack is a
sheet to mark the 75th anniversary. fine tribute to the events that paved
On 6 June 1944, D-Day, the Allies the way for the eventual liberation of
invaded Normandy in the largest Europe. It costs £11.60.
amphibious assault in history. It The six special stamps in this
was the beginning of Operation issue are:
Overlord, gaining a foothold 1st Class: British soldiers and
in France and beginning the briefed before embarkation
liberation of occupied Europe. 1st Class: HMS Warspite shelling in
This D-Day 75th Anniversary support of beach landings
Presentation Pack AP461 is part of £1.35: Paratroopers synchronising
the range that commemorates the watches
Allied invasion of Normandy. £1.35: Soldiers wade ashore on
The Presentation Pack contains all Juno;
six special stamps from this issue and £1.60: An American light bomber
the included miniature sheet which provides air support
features five 1st Class special stamps £1.60: British troops take cover as
each depicting one of the five they advance inland
Normandy beaches Utah, Omaha, Go to www.postofficeshop.
Gold, Juno and Sword. The pack co.uk to order this and other
details the strategy leading up to the D-Day collectables. ■

FESTIVAL small there is also a fantastic

line up of classic cars, bikes
Echoes of and buses.

History You can experience life

show
After missing out on 2018
because the Essex Historic
Military Vehicle Association
was unable to secure the site
near Maldon, there will be a
new show at a new location.
The new event is called Echoes
of History and will display
military history across the ages
on 10 and 11 August, at Purleigh
Halt Showground.
At the new event there will
be a spectacular display of
living history, showing military
life from many periods and
nationalities. These historical
re-enactors go to massive lengths
to represent history as accurately
and authentically as possible
and are always happy to answer
your questions or demonstrate
equipment. Ever wondered what
it would be like to live as a Viking,
or have you ever wondered how a
Roman Centurion spent his time,
or watched a French resistance
fighter as she made her way
through occupied France? These
are just a few of the re-enactors
you can see at Echoes of History.
There will be hundreds of
military vehicles and displays.
From push bikes to massive
trucks that even make the tanks
look small! As well as all the
military vehicles, both big and
in the Wild West. Ever
wanted to experience life
as a frontiersman? Come
experience life as a settler on
the American frontier with the
Spearfish Creek living history
camp and learn something
about the history of the
American Wild West in the
19th century.
There will also be music
and 1940s entertainment
in the beer tent. Back by
popular demand will be the
live wartime entertainment
in the huge marquee all day,
including music and a 1940s
fashion show.
Of course, there will still
be plenty of militaria for
sale. Have a look around the
militaria stalls for that must-
have bargain, or head for
the all new food area. Once
stocked up, head for the arena
where the heavy brigade will
be putting on a show with
renowned battle displays. Go
to www.echoesofhistoryshow.
com for all the details. ■
❯

8 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

SELLING YOUR MILITARIA?
Warwick and Warwick have an expanding requirement for British and Worldwide uniforms, edged weapons,
badges, headgear, firearms, antique arms/armour and militaria. Our customer base is increasing dramatically
and we need an ever larger supply of quality material to keep pace with demand. The market has never been
stronger and if you are considering the sale of your militaria, now is the time to act.

FREE VALUATIONS
We will provide a free,
professional and without
obligation valuation of your
collection. Either we will
make you a fair, binding
private treaty offer, or we will recommend
inclusion of your property in our next
specialist public auction.

FREE TRANSPORTATION
We can arrange insured transportation of your collection to our
Warwick offices completely free of charge. If you decline our offer, we ask
you to cover the return carriage costs only.

FREE VISITS
Visits
Visitsby
byour
ourvaluers
valuersareare
possible anywhere
possible anywhere in the
in country or abroad,
the country or abroad,
inusually
order to assess more valuable collections. Please phone for
within 48 hours, in order to value larger collections. details.
Please telephone for details.

ADVISORY DAYS
We are staging a series of advisory days and will be visiting
the following towns within the next few weeks,
Berwick on Tweed, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hinckley, Gravesend, Braintree,
Aylesbury, St. Helens, Wirral, Cirencester, Cannock, Finchley, Plymouth,
Torquay, Blackburn, Oldham, Luton and Portsmouth.

Please visit our website or telephone for further details.

EXCELLENT PRICES
Because of the strength of our customer base we
are in a position to offer prices that we feel sure
will exceed your expectations.

ACT NOW
Telephone or email Richard Beale today
with details of your property.

Warwick & Warwick Ltd.

Auctioneers and Valuers
Chalon House, Scar Bank, Millers Road,
Warwick CV34 5DB
Tel: 01926 499031 Fax: 01926 491906
E-mail: richard.beale@warwickandwarwick.com
www.warwickandwarwick.com
News
MILITARIA
Lost clicker comes to light
Following a campaign to find
the lost D-Day clickers, used
by paratroopers ahead of the
landings on June 5, 1944 , one
has been found. A family in
Birmingham, just a stone’s throw
away from the factory where it
was made, have uncovered a
genuine clicker in their father’s
belonging, along with memoirs
that place him in the region at the
time of D-Day. This original D-Day
clicker was found by Diarmid and
Liz, who discovered it amongst
Liz’s father’s possessions.
Although 7,000 clickers were
made during the six-month
period immediately before D-Day
in 1945, and many replicas
produced since, very few verified
original clickers remain. This
example is now safely part of an
ACME Whistles display, finding its
way back to its factory birthplace.
“Whilst sorting through Liz’s
father’s collections we came
across the clicker and realised
what it was, however until we
read the news about ACME’s
search we hadn’t realised how
10 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
rare they were,” said Diarmid.
The clicker was part of a
collection of military items kept
by Captain Geoffrey Kemp Bond
(1906-1997) – some of which
can also be found at The Eden
Camp Museum Malton, near
York including his army camp
bed and a canvas bath. One item
that remained in a drawer at Liz’s
home, was the clicker.
Liz added, “My father was an
avid collector and interested in
history. I think the clicker now
being displayed back at the factory
where it was made would have
really put a smile on his face.”
Managing director of ACME
Whistles, Simon Topman, said,
“During the war, the order to
produce 7,000 clickers would
have been Top Secret, so we
wouldn’t have been allowed
to keep a clicker even if we
had wanted to. Therefore,
to commemorate the 75th
anniversary of D-Day, we put out
a search around the world from
Europe to America to try and
find an original clicker to ensure
this part of D-Day history could
be kept. Little did we know that
we’d find one so close to the
factory in Birmingham!”
To find out more or buy your
own replica clicker email info@
acmewhistles.co.uk. ■
MEMORIAL
Commemorative WWI
benches unveiled
Three striking new benches
have been installed in the
sleepy town of Stamford, near
Peterborough, to commemorate
the 100th anniversary of World
War I, the Royal Air Force and
RAF Wittering.
Local photographer Don
Lambert came up with the idea these visual and tactile reminders
after discussions with the town of the past century’s conflicts will
council and Royal British Legion be seen and used by all age groups
about how best to mark the
anniversaries. After a successful
including our younger generations
acting as a permanent reminder
fundraiser, two of the benches of sacrifices made to ensure our
have been installed in Castle Dyke, freedom today.”
while Stamford Town Council itself One of the benches features
came up with the money for a the traditional RAF roundel,
third bench, installed at the war surrounded by silhouettes of
memorial in Broad Street. planes from various eras, on a
Tony Story, the former Mayor blue background.
of Stamford who served in the Group Captain Tony Keeling,
RAF before retiring said, “Don and Station Commander at RAF
I would like to thank everyone Wittering, who was there for the
involved for their generosity and unveiling of the new benches
support given to help create this commented, “A big thank you to
permanent memory in Stamford Don and Tony for bringing this
of those who fell in both World project to life. They’re beautiful
Wars and later conflicts, and the designs and I’m certain these
special relationship between RAF benches will be very well used
Wittering and Stamford. It is hoped over the coming years.” ■
MAGAZINE
Iron Cross
now on sale
A new magazine from the
publisher of The Armourer,
has now gone on sale. Iron
Cross deals with German
military history from 1914 to
1945. Inside the first issue are
features on the Luftwaffe over
Normandy on D-Day, the
German Army in Normandy,
the sinking of the British
aircraft carrier, HMS Glorious, Adams, Richard Osgood, Robin
reassessing the role of the Schäfer, Andy Saunders, Chris
Suka Ju 87 in the Battle of Sams, Christoph Höpfer, Bernd
Britain, German Army crimes Fehrle and an introduction by
in Poland in 1939, battlefield history buff Al Murray.
archaeology, field grey uniforms Iron Cross is published
of German armies in WWI,the quarterly, with the first 132-
MG15 machine gun in detail, page issue costing £8.99. You
capturing Fort Douaumont, can find it in the shops or order
with contributions from Roger online from www.militaria-
Moorhouse, Dr. Peter Caddick- history.co.uk/store. ■
 Our War and Peace Revival
SHOW OFFER
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£7.99) and a FREE
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must be collected from our stand at War and Peace Revival 2019. After third issue is dispatched you will pay just £12.99 every three months by
direct debit saving a further £8 a year.
Buying and collecting
Militaria for sale
Lenny Warren trawls the internet to find bargains,
rare, interesting or bizarre items of militaria
There’s something wonderful about a real
fire but the thing that always fascinated me
was the accessories that sat beside it. You
would have a range of pokers, brushes and
little shovels, often made out of brass.
Sometimes there was also a brass shell
case for the pokers to sit in, and I used to
have an aunt who had a very ornate shell
case sitting beside her fire. I’d asked what
it was, and all she would say was her long
dead husband had brought it back from
the war. I don’t know why, but I loved it,
and always volunteered to stoke the fire just
so I could take the poker from this shell case.
As I grew older I realised exactly what
the brass shell was, it was trench art. I
subsequently spent many a year traveling
around antique and junk shops liberating
as many brass shell casings as I could,
sometimes ornate, sometimes just plain.
The definition of trench art is basically any
item made by soldiers, prisoners of war or
civilians, from war material or any other
material, as long as it is related to armed
conflict or its consequences.
There is an old saying that war is 99%
boredom and 1% sheer terror. In the times of
boredom, soldiers often created items out of
things that they found lying around. It could
be engraved brass shells, letter openers
made from bullets or more intricate works
of art. Collecting these items is a fascinating
part of militaria collecting, however some
12 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
F OR
SA L E
caution is required. As these items were
often one offs made by unskilled soldiers, it
is very easy to fake so called unique trench
art. As with any other item, a good deal of
gut instinct is called for. Often the decorated
shell casings, for example, were made after
the war, or at least behind the lines where
proper tools were available.
Typical of trench art, here we have a
German 77mm shell case. With an embossed
rose and pebble dash design. The case has all
its original markings on the bottom including
the date ‘September 1917’. This case came
from a private collection on the Somme, a
very nice condition relic from the famous
Somme battlefield of 1916-1918. Priced at
£25 from www.relicsfromthefront.co.uk
Whilst brass shell cases are reasonably
common, this item is something I’ve never
seen before and is more likely to be a one-
off item. A German tobacco box from WWI
with a nicely carved lid bearing a helmet,
bullets, cannon, flags etc. Inside the lid is
a lead cover, a bit of damage but, overall,
this is a lovely item. Priced at £582 from
www.1stdibs.co.uk.
Ammunition was often used in trench
art, here we have an intricate and well-
made smoking stand, or tray, using a 37 mm
projectile and case as the ashtray. Also used
are .45 and 30.06 rounds. Really well made
and thought out. Priced at $150 from www.
stewartsmilitaryantiques.com. ■
Thousands of military vehicles gather from around the world
representing the armies of the 20th century. Look out for tanks, artillery,
armoured and amphibious vehicles, cars, Jeeps, bicycles and
motorbikes, emergency and commercial vehicles — and so much
more!

Our Home Front area is the largest and finest of its kind in the UK,
Trentham Village Home Front is the best place to truly experience what
life was like for families back at home during the Second World War.
The Home Front is a dedicated area for all things vintage and an exciting
focus to the peace element of the show’s title. Visit the Home Front to
see vintage fashion, animal farm, 40’s village, vintage tractors, RAF
encampment and so much more!

Living History scenes will provide a unique picture of life in conflict with
depictions from WW1 to the present. See the British living in the
trenches, GIs in Vietnam, Russians relaxing with an accordian after a
hard day in battle. or Germans plotting their next moves! At all times our
re-enactors will adhere to a strict moral code in their displays.

WWW.WARANDPEACEREVIVAL.COM
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Auction news
In the sale rooms
The weapons, uniforms, medals and militaria coming up for auction
Medals and militaria at DNW
Dix Noonan and Webb has a
medals, orders, decorations and
militaria auction coming up
on 17-18 July. In amongst the
lots look out for a Great War
collection of seven gallantry
medals awarded to Warrant
Officer Class II, E Sizer, 1st
Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment.
These include a Military Medal;
1914 Star, with clasp; British War
and Victory Medals; Defence
and War Medals 1939-45; Army
Long Service and Good Conduct,
2nd issue, fixed suspension. The
estimate is £400-£500.
We recently covered the French
War Cross and here’s your chance
to pick a few up, along with some
German ones. This lot contains
a Medaille Militaire, silvered, gilt,
and enamel, with trophy of arms
suspension; three Croix de Guerre,
bronze, reverse dated ‘1914-1916’,
with bronze palm and two bronze
The September 10-11 sale
at Sworders of Stansted
Mountfitchet will include a group
of letters sent during the Boer
War and World War I to Hilda
Prestwich (nee Waddington), the
vendor’s great aunt. The 14 Boer
War letters are mostly dated 1900
and are from her future husband,
Carl Prestwich.
However, most poignant are
those penned from the trenches
by Arnold, 28th County of London
Battalion, Artists Rifles, British
Expeditionary Force, France. In
a six-page letter dated 4 January,
1915, he wrote: ‘I was sent out
with a party to get rid of the water
(in the trenches). All the time
bullets were whistling down the
stream and over our heads. That
14 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
star emblems on the ribbon;
another, bronze, reverse dated
‘1914-1918’, with bronze palm
emblem on ribbon; and another,
bronze, for Théatres d’Opérations
Extérieurs; then lastly a War Medal
1914-18. On the German side
there’s a War Merit medal and an
early, bronze West Wall medal.
The estimate of £40-£50 would
seem too low as you’d pay that for
just the German medals alone.
Letters at Sworders
was the way we saw my birthday
in. We have been very lucky
as to casualties to date: seven
killed, four wounded and one
missing. Our men at this point
of the line forgathered with their
Saxon opponents between the
Next is an interesting
collection, it’s an OBE group of
seven awarded to Lieutenant-
Colonel DR Wilson, who
commanded the 1st Battalion,
Lincolnshire Regiment shortly
after D-Day, being wounded
twice in North West Europe in
1944, and going on to command
the 2nd Battalion in Palestine,
1945-1947 and the 1st Battalion
again in the Canal Zone, Egypt
trenches and exchanged cigarettes
and arranged not to fire for the
remainder of the day. Another
sportsman asked his officer
permission to arrange a football
match with the enemy but he
drew the line at that. The trenches
1951. The medals include the
Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire, OBE (Military)
Officer’s 2nd type breast badge,
silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; France
and Germany Star; Defence and
War Medals 1939-45; General
Service 1918-62, one clasp for
‘Palestine 1945-48’; a Coronation
1953, mounted as worn together
with the related miniature awards.
The estimate is £400-£500.
Again, we recently covered the
Malayan Emergency and here’s
your chance to get some related
militaria. This is a pair of medals to
Flight Lieutenant JS Knight, Royal
Air Force, consisting of a General
Service medal 1918-62, with four
clasps for ‘Malaya’, ‘Near East’,
‘Cyprus’, ‘Brunei’ with unofficial
retaining rods between clasps,
as issued; plus a General Service
medal 1962-2007, with one clasp,
‘Borneo’. Estimate is £300-£400. ■
at this point vary from 75 to 220
yards apart, they are shallow and
half full of water. It is impossible
to deepen them because the soil
is waterlogged, and the dead are
buried all over the place.’ The
estimate is £1,000-£2,000.
The Boer War letters are mostly
dated 1900, from WC Prestwich
(Carl) to Hilda (Waddington), who
were married in 1905. There is also
a small collection of photographs
of Kenya, skiing, shooting, etc. The
letters are loose and inserted into
two protective folders.
The letters will be on view
at Sworders’ London gallery
from Wednesday 21 August-2
September and then on
view in Stansted from Friday
September 6. ■
 EVENTS

The next Marlow’s Arms and
Armour Auction is on 25 July
2019 with catalogues available
mid July. Gun collectors will
excited by a French Napoleonic
ANX111 flintlock pistol, an
Indian baker pattern military
musket, a military issue Snider 3
band rifle by Thomas Turner, a
Martini Henry Mk 4 long lever
rifle dated 1886, an early 19th
century converted to percussion
Brown Bess musket, an early 18th
century naval/cavalry flintlock
pistol, an early 19th century
naval long sea service flintlock
pistol, a scarce cased Adams
percussion revolver retailed by
Blanch, an early 19th century
small carronade and a large 19th
century 6in bore cannon.
The deactivated gun section
includes a Mk2 Bren, a Russian
PPSH41 sub machine gun, a
Vickers machine gun, a Webley
Pistols at Marlow’s
Mk 4 revolver, a Chinese
contract Mauser C96 auto pistol
and a Polish Radom auto pistol,
complete in holster, as used by
the Germans in WWII.
The Edged Weapons category
will include an 1860 pattern
American cavalry sword, a early
19th century Sergeants sword,
a 1856 pattern Mk1 drummers
sword by Aston, a rare late
18th century artillery officer’s
sword, a WWII period, Japanese
officer’s sword with signed tang,
a WWII war economy Japanese
officer’s sword, a Japanese
officer’s surrender presentation
sword, and a current issue 1912
pattern cavalry sword. Bayonets
and knives include a 1910
pattern Canadian ross bayonet,
a British pattern 1887 Mk1
Martini Henry sword bayonet,
a British Pattern 1879 Martini
Henry artillery carbine sawback
bayonet, a WWII-dated Indian
kukri, a Scottish hallmarked silver
mounted skein dhu and a fine
1914 hallmarked silver mounted
officer’s dirk.
Other notable items include
the first part of a good collection
of WWI and WWII British and
American posters; an unusual
selection of items belonging to
Auguste Maridor, a Sargeant in
the Swiss army from 1889-1947
including a WWI Swiss poster,
the shako that was worn in the
poster, his issue sword and also
many of his military certificates
for shooting
There will be the usual large
quantity of lots in the Badge
section including a good
selection of collar badges,
yeomanry, cavalry, infantry,
anodised cap badges, cloth
Formation and Airborne. ■

LEONS
Militaria Ltd est. 1995
The finest in antique arms and
armour, naval and aviation items,
scientific instruments & militaria
The only military antiques, collectables
& medal specialist in London’s Mayfair

Tel: +44 (0) 207 491 2221 Mobile: +44 (0) 798 964 9972
Email us at: leon@leonsmilitaria.com

www.leonsmilitaria.com
Grays Antique Centre, 58 Davies Street, London, W1K 5LP
Store opening hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 11.00 - 16.00

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 15

Museum visit
HMS Belfast
Kerry Culbert inspects the light cruiser that bombarded
German coastal defences on D-Day
L
aunched in March 1938 at
Harland & Wolff shipyard, HMS
Belfast is a light cruiser that was
employed as an escort ship on
the hazardous convoy runs to the Soviet
Union, took part in the mission to sink
the German battleship Scharnhorst and
supported the Normandy landings in
1944 by pounding the coastal defences.
She went on to serve in the Korean War
before becoming the first Royal Navy
ship to be saved for the nation since
HMS Victory. Designed to carry 761 men
and officers, her range was 2,200 miles
at 30 knots but these days the Belfast
is moored near London Bridge and is
open to visitors as part of the Imperial
War Museum’s group of attractions.
Entrance is through the Quarterdeck
and one of the first pieces on display
is a plaque and bell, donated by the
people of Belfast. The original was
rung to mark the passing of each
The Operations Room is where
information was collated and tactics
decided on
An example of the many original
fittings that can be encountered on
every deck
16 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
watch. You certainly need to be careful
when coming aboard because when
the weather is wet the deck is slippery,
so you can imagine how difficult
traversing it was in the frozen waters of
northern Russia. Anyway, most of the
officers served on the Quarterdeck and
the majority of the audio guide notes
revolve around this level. It can be
explored to a point by wheelchairs but
steep ladders to the boiler rooms and
tight turning spaces restrict access to
other parts of the ship to those with no
mobility issues.
The boiler rooms are, in fact, one of
the most interesting areas of the ship.
There are two independent boiler and
engine rooms which gave Belfast the
ability to remain under power even if
one of them took a direct hit and was
taken out of action. Inside them there
are sounds reflecting conditions when
the warship was in commission, such as
the four enormous fans sucking air from
outside to maintain air pressure. In
the tropics this could mean hot air
of 100 degrees Fahrenheit being
sucked into a confined space.
There are video
representations of life on board which,
with static dioramas, the ability to get
close up to the armament, and the
inherent claustrophobia of being below
decks, give a real feeling for what life
was like on a WWII warship.
The sick bay has example cot beds
made up and a mock casualty on the
operating table. It was also used in later
years during the Korean War when
wounded prisoners of war were operated
on. Similarly, there are instruments and
a room for dental treatment. In another
area, the laundry and cook rooms
feature hammocks swung all over the
place, to show how sailors had to place
theirs where space allowed it. Nowadays
there are toilets and a café on board
so visitors are made more comfortable
than the crew ever were.
Ultimately, of course, HMS Belfast was
a warship. There are four impressive 6in
gun turrets and each has its own shell
room and magazine. Something to look
out for is the Gun Turret Experience,
which uses light, sounds and smoke
effects and a video projection so you
get an idea of the atmosphere when
27 crewmen fired the guns in cramped

conditions. Prior to the advent of radar in
1942 the only way to find enemy ships
was by spotting them from the Flag Deck
or via sea planes. The Flag Deck itself
holds the Forward Direction Control
Tower and there was space for two sea
planes before radar made them defunct.
What’s enjoyable about HMS Belfast is
that most of the areas the crew worked
in are open for you to explore. If you
like it, you can also volunteer to work
EVENTS
there. The marriage of older and newer
museum presentations, plus the style of
the control rooms on the upper decks,
suit the age of the vessel. When you get
back on deck there’s an unencumbered
view of central London as well. Though
the exhibits are not as hi-tech as the
other two museums in the IWM group,
in terms of re-creating the atmosphere
of a WWII warship HMS Belfast succeeds
admirably and has a lot to offer. ■
s
Crew preparing food in the galley give
i INFO an idea of daily life, behi nd the scen es,
Entrance: IWM 12 month pass (3 on HMS Belfast
attractions) - £35, adult - £18 (£16.20
advance), children - £9 (£8.10 advance),
family (1 adult and 3 children) - £31
(£27.90 advance), family (2 adults, up
to 6 children) - £46 (£41.40 advance),
concessions - £14.40 (£12.95 advance)
Location: HMS Belfast, The Queen’s Walk,
London SE1 2JH
Opening times: 10am-6pm Mon-Fri,
closes 24-26 December
Tel: 020 7940 6300
Website: www.iwm.org.uk
Walk through the sick bay and obse
rve
a simulated operation, complete with
sound effects
You can sit in the Captain’s chair and
er
feel like the Compass Platform is und
your control
The upper decks offer a chance to
examine the weaponry and threat
detection hardware
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 17

Under the hammer
The big-name European auction
house recently held an online
only auction of fine antique and
modern firearms. Among the lots
up for grabs was a left-handed
flintlock, c. 1810, featuring a
burnished octagonal barrel, solid
walnut stock with dark horn
nose and brass trim, butt end
with fish skin. It sold for €440.
Then there was a percussion
Dix Noonan Webb sold a
unique collection of medals
relating to the Yeomen of The
Guard, that was amassed over
30 years by Paul Denny, in its
auction of Orders, Decorations,
Medals and Militaria on 8-9
May. The 38 lots, at the auction
rooms in central Mayfair,
London, sold for a combined
total of just under £80,000.
The highlight of the collection
was the Waterloo medal
awarded to Sergeant-Major
Thomas Baker, which sold for
£13,200, against an estimate
of £4,000-£5,000. Baker was
Duncan Evans reports on the latest militaria
sold at auctions around the country
Hermann’s fine arms
pistol, around 1800, featuring a
smooth 17.5mm calibre barrel,
measuring 38cm, which sold for
€160. For something a little more
modern, an Adams revolver with
octagonal barrel, bearing the
dealer’s address and the Adams
Patent No. 34.608 R. It had the
original blue-black high gloss,
with a loading press and
trigger guard in gray,
walnut grip bowl with
fine fish skin, measuring
30cm. It sold for €760.
Moving on there were a
number of Dreyse Model 07
pistols, but the one here sold for
Yeomen of the Guards at DNW
in the Coldstream Guards,
served in Lieutenant-Colonel
Macdonnell’s Company and
was most probably a defender
at Hougoumont. He was
appointed to the Yeomen of
the Guard for ‘distinguished
service’ in 1823 as the very
first military member of the
Guard. In this capacity he
attended the funerals of King
George IV and King William
IV, and the coronation of
Queen Victoria.
Also of note were a pair
of rare medals awarded
to Major James Harrison of
€170. It was numbered '227000'
and came in 7.65mm calibre.
Complete with original black
finish and hard rubber grip cups.
Or how about this Mauser C 96,
in 7.63mm calibre, numbered
'No. 99949', with original,
but very thin on the barrel,
burnishing, dark walnut grips but
a missing fangring. The hammer
went down at €360.
If you were looking for a clasic
Karabiner 98 M 1937 mode, then
€300 would have been needed to
bag this one from Mauser-Werke
AG. It had the original black
finish, partially with black military
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019
EVENTS
paint, a dark walnut stockand
needed a little repair work done.
Alternatively, there was this
Gewehr 98/10 that hammered
for €300. Probably made by
Fémáru Fegyver és Gépgyár
(FEG) in Budapest. Came with a
walnut stock and belt in the style
of German belts for standard
Mauser rifles.
For a classic handgun you’d
be hard pressed to beat a
Mauser Pistole 08 from 1938,
otherwise known as the 9mm
Luger. Numbered '834g' it had
the original blue staining, a
polished barrel, handle partially
fine grained, dark walnut grip
and a matched, browned, folding
magazine with aluminium bottom.
Yours for just €360. To round off,
here’s a Schmidt Chronograph
from 1890. This was made from
brass, nickel, steel and glass.
It had a full circle with scaling
and contained plenty of springs
and gears, though hadn’t been
checked to see if it actually
worked. It hammered at €500. ■
the Rocket Troop, Madras
Horse Artillery, which fetched
£14,400. Comprising the
rare combination of Military
General Service 1793-1814,
one clasp, ‘Java’ and Army of
India 1799-1826, one clasp,
‘Maheidpoor’. Only seven
clasps for Java were issued to
H.E.I.C. Artillery, and Harrison
was the only Madras officer to
get one. Only 13 clasps for
Maheidpoor were issued to
the Madras Artillery, including
three officers, Harrison being
the only officer of the Rocket
Troop to receive this clasp. ■ ❯
19
Auction sales
Sporting guns at
Gavin Gardiner
Returning to Sotheby’s in
London for his first sale of 2019
of Fine Modern and Vintage
Sporting Guns and Rifles on
Wednesday, May 1, 2019,
Gardiner Ltd presented over 260
lots in a catalogue that included
a diverse selection of guns and
rifles both for the sportsman and
the collector alike. The top lot in
the sale was a fine 12-bore self-
opening sidelock ejector gun
by London maker James Purdey
& Sons. Delivered in 1984 the
gun remained little used and
had fashionable 30in barrels
which ensured it was a popular
lot, selling within its estimate
for £34,375. It was complete
in its maker’s case with canvas
outer cover and retained all of
its original finish. Although of
standard specification, the gun
would cost over £151,000 to
order from Purdey today.
The unique Beesley 12-bore
Dinosaur Gun also sold within
estimate for £22,500. Built
in 2006 and engraved by Bill
Sinclair with a selection of
prehistoric scenes, the self-
opening sidelock ejector gun
was fitted with an exhibition
quality stock and contained in
its presentation case all of its
makers tools and accessories.
Built for Lord Lonsdale,
a Holland & Holland .375
Flanged ‘Royal’ model sidelock
non-ejector rifle went on to
sell at £16,250. Built in 1902
it remained in a good original
condition and sold to an
20 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
American collector. Lonsdale
was a famous sportsman
who shot with Royalty at his
country seat, Lowther Castle.
As president of the National
Sporting Club he donated the
famous Lonsdale Belts that
are still awarded today for
boxing. He also founded the
Automobile Association and was
a chairman of Arsenal football
club. All of this colourful history
only served to heighten the
appeal of the rifle.
Another lot with provenance
was a pair of Austrian 16-bore
sidelock ejector guns, by C
Wertgarner, that had been built
for the Ernst Augustus, the last
Duke of Brunswick who was
the last reigning monarch of the
House of Hanover. The guns
were presented to Colonel Paul
McConnell of the Cheshire
Regiment who was responsible
for rescuing the Duke before the
arrival of the Russians at the end
of World War II. They sold above
estimate at £10,000.
A selection of military rifles
all sold well, and a number
of sniper rifles in the sale also
attracted a high level of interest.
Commenting after the auction,
founder and Director Gavin
Gardiner said, “The sale was well
viewed and attended with items
of collector interest dominating
the sale. As ever, the rare and
unusual remain in demand with
buyers from all over the world
participating in the sale including
many online bidders.” ■
Flying high with
Dominic Winter
The 16 May sale at Dominic
Winter Auctioneers
in South Cerney
comprised 517 lots
of aviation, militaria,
medals and transport
memorabilia.
There were many
highlights which
included a V1
flying bomb
rudder which
was recovered in Kent
and kept as a souvenir by
a Home Guard member. The
piece was in fine condition
and sold for £4,464. All prices
include the 24% (inclusive of
VAT) buyer’s premium.
A Battle of Britain archive
belonging to Sergeant Ken
Wilkinson, 616 and 19
Squadron, who flew Spitfires
during WWII, comprised
Irvin flying jacket, boots, kit
bag, logbooks and a huge
amount of personal papers and
photographs, sold for £5,580.
A brass scramble bell, dated
1938, with crown motif, was
consigned to raise funds for the
RAF Cadets at Biggin Hill. It had
been found in the store room
and supplied with a letter of
provenance - this sold for £3,348,
which will delight the cadets!
An 18th century brass barrel
blunderbuss by I Allon sold for
£1,612, and a Victorian Adam’s
Patent five-shot revolver went
for £967.
There were several interesting
edged weapon lots which
included a 1912 Pattern Cavalry
Officer’s sword by
Wilkinson. It belonged
to Captain Charles
Crofts Llewelyn
William MC, who
served with the 12th
Lancers during WWI.
He was awarded
his Military Cross
for ‘Brilliant
and Skilful
Leadership’.
This sold for
£868 and a last minute entry
was a fine WWII 2nd Pattern
Commando knife by Fairburn
Sykes. It belonged to Major Peter
Martin who served with the Tank
Corps and Army Service Corps, it
sold for £1,240.
The sale included a strong
medals section with over 160
lots. A William IV period King’s
Messenger badge sold for
£2,046. A Royal Flying Corps
group to Wing Commander
Oliver Chance-Cassels,
comprising OBE, DFC and
General Service medals sold
for £3,968. Another RFC group
to 2nd Lieutenant William
Ralph Brookes, comprising
DCM and 1914-15 trio sold
for £2,480 and a WWI group
to Lieutenant William Armine
Edwards, Glamorgan Yeomanry
sold for £1,612. Edwards was
wounded during the Battle
of Beersheba in Syria on 31
October 1917 and died of
wounds the following day. The
group comprised Territorial
Force War medal and General
Service medals. ■
ARMS & MILITARY
AUCTION
25th July 2019
Viewing from 8am
throughout the sale.
Start time
10.00am

Ravon Court, Drummond Road, Stafford, ST16 3HJ

07789 628030 • 01785 214100 • info@marlowsauctions.co.uk
www.marlowsauctions.co.uk

BOOKS, MEDALS &

MILITARIA AUCTION
21st August, 10am

To include a large private collection of

Third Reich German and European militaria

ENTRIES CLOSE
8th July

VIEWING
19th & 20th August, 9.30am - 4.30pm

A Sturmabteilung (SA) Oberscharführer jacket

Estimate: £200 - £250 (+bp)

hallsgb.com/ine-art adminineart@hallsgb.com 01743 450 700


COVER
STORY
Tales from the
Führerbunker
Tim Heath takes us inside Hitler’s bunker during the last days of the Reich
with two, never before published, interviews
A young Rochus Misch in his SS uniform –
he was Hitler’s bodyguard and telephone
switchboard operator
The eldest of the Goebbels children,
Helga, in happier days
PAGE
Hitler Youth and
38
BDM badges
Jamie Cross looks at the badges and
awards given out to boys and girls
of the German Youth Movement
organisations, which were all run on
military lines to prepare them for
service with the state.
22 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE
B
erlin, Friday 20 April 1945,
Adolf Hitler’s 56th birthday,
yet there is little to celebrate.
The 1st Belorussian Front led
by Marshal Georgy Zhukov, advancing
from the east and north, begins to shell
the city centre. Berlin is a vision of hell
itself, few buildings remain intact, fires
rage out of control and thick smoke
blankets the streets of what was once
the very heart of the Third Reich. The
remaining German military forces faced
with the task of defending the city
are a hopeless mix of Waffen-SS and
Wehrmacht units along with civilian
men and women of the Volkstsurm. On
this day Hitler briefly appeared above
ground, in the ruined garden of the
Reich Chancellery, where he decorated
boy soldiers of the Hitler Youth with
Iron Crosses. It was the last time Hitler
ventured out of the Führerbunker.
Having refused all pleas to flee, he was
determined he would take his own life
rather than attempt any escape.
Hitler had moved into the
Führerbunker on 16 January 1945,
PAGE
The band of
54
Honour
John C Pursley investigating the SS
Honour ring, the most sought-after
award in the SS but one where little
was done to earn it. Discover how
Himmler instituted the ring also
known as the SS Death Head ring.
followed by members of his senior
staff, which included Martin Bormann,
Joseph Goebbels (accompanied by
his wife Magda and their six young
children), Traudl Junge (Hitler’s
youngest secretary), a nurse named
Erna Flegel, and SS Sergeant Rochus
Misch (the Führerbunker switchboard
operator and Hitler’s bodyguard).
Getting in touch
It was back in the early 1990s, when
I began seriously researching and
documenting Third Reich history. I
felt compelled to write to two of the
last surviving individuals who were
there - Traudl Junge, via the Rathaus
at Munich, and Rochus Misch, via the
Rathaus in Berlin. Surprisingly, three
weeks later, Traudl Junge wrote back
about her experiences. I asked more
questions on two further occasions, and
what follows is the result. With no TV
or media to sit in judgement she was
able to voice opinions kept to herself
since the end of the war.
German military
PAGE
64
wall plaques
German artisans of the Third Reich
crafted an array of decorative
military-oriented plaques for use as
motivational awards, presentation
pieces, and civilian show-of-support
items for wall mounting.
 COVER FEATURE

Traudl Junge,
Hitler’s secretary
‘In the Führerbunker in April 1945,
what was it like and what particular
events do I recall the most? The
atmosphere within the bunker was
sad and depressing. Eva Braun,
who I had come to adore much like
a sister, was doing her best to be
cheerful. Eva even threw a cocktail
party for everyone. It was a cocktail
party to the backdrop of the Russian
artillery. Eva tried to lift the mood
by telling everyone, “Come on and
dance.” It was all false though, it
felt like a funeral wake in advance
of their (hers and Hitler’s) suicides.
I remember how Eva came over to
me took me by the hand and said,
“Traudl, please dance with me.” I
think she was probably a little bit
drunk from the champagne, Russian
artillery brought the party to a close
and we all had to go back down into
the bunker.
The stench of melancholy was
everywhere. The air within the
bunker now putrid with the smell of
fear and sweat mixed with cigarette
smoke. People sat around consumed
within their own thoughts. Some
were sitting down with their backs to
the walls, drunk out of their heads,
others sat and cried to themselves. It
felt as if we were all in some kind of
a tomb, which in many senses it was
just that, a concrete tomb.
Hitler and Eva had a little wedding
ceremony, afterwards I was called
by Hitler as he wanted to dictate his

Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, having

breakfast, before he retreated to the
Bruno Ganz as Hitler, during the last days in the bunker,
Führerbunker in the final days of the war
in the film Downfall © Moviestore Collection Ltd
❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 23

Tales from the Führerbunker

General Hans Krebs, last Chief Burgdorf. Veteran

of Staff of the OKH (1 April – 1
May 1945). Previously served on
the Eastern Front and was Chief
of Staff of Army Group B on the
Western Front from Sep 1944-Feb
1945. Tried to open surrender
negotiations with the Soviets but subsequently
chose suicide in the Führerbunker on 2 May 1945.
General Wilhelm Burgdorf
of WWI and fanatical Nazi he was
involved in forcing Rommel to
commit suicide. Promoted to Chief of
the Army Personnel Office and Chief
Adjutant to Adolf Hitler in October
1944. He, Krebs, Goebbels and
Bormann, witnessed and signed Hitler’s last will and
testament. Committed suicide together with Krebs.

Gerhard Boldt. Oberleutnant with the 58th

Infantry Division on the Eastern Front before
being seconded to the military intelligence
staff in Hitler’s Führerbunker. Boldt reported
to General Krebs and was involved in daily
briefing sessions with Hitler. As such he was
party to Hitler’s final deluded orders and
ranting against the Army. He was one of three couriers carrying
Hitler’s will to leave the bunker before the Soviets arrived. After
the war Boldt wrote Hitler’s Last Days: An Eye-Witness Account,
which was used as the basis for the film Downfall (2004).

Adolf Hitler. The most notorious politician

and leader of the 20th century. Rose to power
as Chancellor of Germany in 1933, set about
promoting Germans first policies, attacking
both Jews and communists. Turned Germany
into a one party State dictatorship. Aggressive
foreign policy caused WWII, during which the
Holocaust murdered millions of Jews and undesirables. Failure
to conquer the Soviet Union lead inevitably to the defeat of
Germany. Committed suicide as the Soviets took Berlin.

Otto Günsche. Waffen SS officer who became

Hitler’s personal adjutant. Saw front line service
with LSSAH as a Panzer Grenadier and was
present at the 20 July 1944 attempt on Hitler’s
life. After Hitler’s suicide entered the study
with Hitler’s valet, removed the body and was
responsible for burning it. Captured by the
Soviets a day later and kept prisoner until 1956, his testimony
forming a report for Stalin. Died in 2003.

Traudl Junge. Trained as a secretary and

applied for a post on the Reich Chancellary
staff. Became Hitler’s youngest private
secretary at age 22. She married a Waffen-SS
officer, who died in France in August 1944.
Junge typed up Hitler’s last political will and
testament the day before his suicide. Escaped
the Führerbunker but was captured by Soviet forces before
transferring to the American sector.
Braun, met Hitler when she as just 17,
Eva Braun
working as an assistant and model for his
photographer, Heinrich Hoffman. By 1936 she was
living with him at the Berghof, but did not attend
public events with Hitler until mid-1944 when
her sister Gretl, married Hermann Fegelein, an SS
liaison officer. She was married for less than 40
hours before committing suicide.

last will and testament. As I sat behind
the typewriter and waited for him to
speak it felt as if I were now a part of a
significant piece of the history of this
war, that is how I felt. When Hitler had
finished, I carefully checked through
my text to ensure everything was
correct, I took it from the typewriter
and handed it to him. I just passed it
to him saying, “Here it is my Führer.”
At that point there was nothing more
left for me to do personally. Eva came
to say goodbye and we both hugged
and cried, I could not believe that this
would be the last time I would ever see
her again. She gave me some trinkets
by which to remember her by, which
included a photograph of her.
Eva and Hitler retired to Hitler’s
private room where they would
carry out the deed (kill themselves).
I joined the six Goebbels children of
Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels
and his wife Magda. The children
lived on one of the upper floors of the
bunker complex with their mother and
father, yet seemed they enjoyed the
company of both me and telephone
switchboard operator SS Sergeant
Rochus Misch. Rochus also served
as a bodyguard to the Führer. I was
sat playing a board game with the
Goebbels children when a shot rang
out. The sound of the shot startled
me, the Goebbels children appeared
unconcerned by it. In fact Helmut

24 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 COVER FEATURE

Magda Goebbels, wife of Joseph Goebbels, a prominent

member of the NSDAP and political supporter of Hitler. It
is believed Magda forced cyanide into the mouths of her
six children. Neither Goebbels desired to live in a Germany
without National Socialism and did not want to be paraded as
trophies of the Soviets, so committed suicide together.

Joseph Goebbels
Goebbels. Reich Minister of Propaganda
from 1933-45, one of Hitler’s closest supporters
and a fervent Nazi. Was a skilled public speaker
and controlled the news media, arts and
information in Germany. Personally advocated
exterminating the Jews in the Holocaust.
Moved wife, Magda, and their children to the
Vorbunker in Berlin on 22 April 1945. Committed suicide with
Magda following Hitler’s death.

Johanna
Ruf, as
Ruf
a young
child.
Johanna
was
just 15
when she worked as a
teenage nurse in the
Führerbunker. Having
been in the BDM, Ruf
volunteered as a nurse
when school lessons
ended in January 1945. In
her diaries she admitted
slapping Helmet
Goebeels across the face
for being cheeky. Was
captured by the Soviets,
but released after two
months because of her
age.

SS Sergeant Rochus Misch.

Served in the 1st Panzer
Division LSSAH but was badly
wounded in Poland. After
recovering, served in Führer
Martin Bormann. Part of Hitler’s inner circle, started as Chief of Escort Command as a personal
Staff in the office of Rudolph Hess, Deputy Führer and served bodyguard, courier and
as personal secretary to Hess until 1941. After Hess travelled to telephone operator for Hitler. They were the only
Britain without Hitler’s approval, the office of Deputy Führer armed men Hitler allowed to be around him.
was disbanded and Bormann assumed all his duties, with the Witnessed Hitler’s body in the Führerbunker and
title of Head of the Party Chancellery, responsible for all NSDAP was captured trying to escape Berlin. After the
appointments. Fled the bunker on 2 May but was either killed war ran a painting and decorating service for
or committed suicide himself on a bridge near Lehrter station. many years.

Goebbels shouted, “Bullseye,” the
instant the shot was heard. He shouted
it out in such a comical tone, as if it
was all part of the game we were then
playing. The shot we had heard was
that of Hitler shooting himself in the
head with a pistol.
Heinz Linge, who was Hitler’s valet,
entered Hitler’s private room first. He
cautiously opened the door and peered
around it into the room. Linge was
followed by SS Adjutant Otto Gunsche.
Hitler and Eva were both on the sofa
dead in there. There was blood visible
on Hitler’s temple, but no visible
wounds on Eva. Rochus Misch also
witnessed this scene. Both bodies were
rolled up in carpet and taken up above
ground. A lot of petrol was poured
over the bodies and they were then set
alight. The resulting fire was so intense
that there would have been little left,
which is what Hitler had wanted. He
had been fearful of his corpse becoming
a tourist attraction, as he put it.
In my opinion the worst thing of
all was yet to come. Magda Goebbels
had been discussing the fate of her
six children for some months. I know
one of the other older secretaries
attempted to reason with Magda and
persuade her not to take the lives of
her children. Magda’s argument was
that it would be impossible for her and
Joseph’s children to survive in a world
without Hitler and National Socialism ❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 25

Tales from the Führerbunker
Above left: Two Russian soldiers surveying the ruins as Berlin burns during the final days of the Third Reich
Above right: The Red Army fights it way to the Chancellery in the streets of Berlin, April 1945
Joseph Goebbels with their six children.
Magada would later murder them all using
cynaide capsules
Traudl Junge pictured with her husband
Hans Junge, a serving SS officer who was
killed in France in 1944
26 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
and that the children would die first,
then she and Joseph would take their
own lives and follow their Führer. It
was on 1 May 1945 that Magda, with
the assistance of Helmut Kunz who was
an SS dentist and Ludwig Stumpfegger
who was Hitler’s personal physician,
that Magda Goebbels murdered her
six young children. I believe Magda
gave the children a sedative to make
them sleep and then also crushed a
cyanide capsule in each child’s mouth.
Knowing the children well I don’t think
they would have let anyone else near
them, Magda would have done this,
that I am sure of.
It was Helga, the eldest daughter, I
felt most desperately sorry for. Helga
was a very bright clever child and she
knew something was going on, that
something was not right. She may have
even had suspicions of her mother’s
intentions. I sensed a change in the
mood between Magda and Helga and
they were not getting on as they had
used to. There were arguments and
Magda would complain about, “Her
insolent daughter.” I didn’t really think
about it at the time, but during those
last days of the lives of those children,
it was Helga who was the focus of her
mother’s anger. I have never said this
before, but I noticed bruises on Helga’s
arms in the days prior to the murders.
Helga often sat with her head in her
arms crying. I considered taking her
and running away, but where would
we have gone and how far could we
have got before being caught? Then
there was the question of what would
have happened to the child once
her identity had become known? It
was all so heart-breaking, and with
everything going on around us I didn’t
do anything. I wish now I had just tried
to do something, tried to save at least
some of the Goebbel’s children. They
are now ghosts and, as I have told you,
I have had to carry those ghosts on
my conscience. The six children were
rendered unconscious and then cyanide
was crushed between their teeth, death
would have been in an instant. With
Helga there was evidence of a struggle.
She would have fought even her
mother to try and stop her from killing
her. There were fresh bruises on Helga’s
arms, indicative of a struggle in the last
seconds of her life. I believe the doctor
restrained her while Magda then did
the rest. I know the six children were
given drinks before this happened,
the drinks very likely containing the
sedatives. When I spoke with Herr
Misch afterwards about the children
he said, “Traudl, my one regret is that I
didn’t save those children, I could have
and should have saved them. Hitler was
dead, and I could have pulled out my
pistol on them (Magda and Joseph) and
stopped them. It is troubling to think
about even now all these years on.”
I was, maybe, a naïve stupid young
girl, I never sensed evil the first day I
met the man I often called “The boss.”
He seemed so genuine and caring and he
was very good to me. I could have lifted
the veil and discovered what it was all
 COVER FEATURE

A scene from the film Downfall where SS-Brigadefuhrer Wilhelm

Soviet combat troops on the way to the centre of Berlin drive Mohnke comforts injured soldiers during the doomed defence of
through the ruins of the German capital Berlin. (EOS & AF Archive)

Hitler emerges from the Führerbunker to bestow Iron

Crosses on the increasingly young soldiers drafted in to the Believed to be the last photo of Hitler alive, one day before his suicide, he
defence of Berlin emerges from the bunker to survey the ruined Reich Chancellery

about, but I didn’t. What could I have
done anyway, had I acted against the
system I would have been put in one of
the camps or even shot? I am not asking
anyone’s sympathy or forgiveness, it is
too late for that. All I can say is that we
must learn from the mistakes we have
made and ensure that this never ever
happens again in the world.
It was on 1 May 1945 that we
made our preparations to leave the
Führerbunker. Was I afraid? Yes, I was
petrified of leaving what I felt was
the relative safety of the bunker. I left
with SS General Willhelm Mohnke,
Hans Baur, Hans Rattenhuber, Gerda
Christian, Else Kruger, Constance
Manziarly and Dr Ernst Gunther
Schenck. Three of us, myself Christian
and Kruger made it out of Berlin to
the banks of the River Elbe. The other
members of our escape group were
captured by Russian soldiers while
hiding in the cellar of a building in the
Schonhauser Allee. When I reached
the Elbe I found there was no way of
getting across to the western Allied
lines, so I had no choice but to turn
back and head back to Berlin.
It was a month after I had originally
left and I had hoped to get a train to
the west. I was there around one week,
and I had used a covering name, which
was Gerda Alt. However, I was arrested
by two civilian members of the Soviet
military administration and I was held
in Berlin where I was questioned. The
Soviet’s then told me of the things that
the Germans had been responsible for.
The guards told me of the brutality
that their own families had suffered
under the German military. It then
began to dawn on me of what I had
been a part of. There was no abuse or
rape and they treated me well, though
I was moved through several prisons,
each time a fresh interrogation began. I
was released in December 1945, but my
movements were heavily restricted to
the Soviet sector of Berlin.
It was a dismal scene, just ruins of
bombed out houses and the state of the
people was terrible. I remember seeing
young women wandering around
with their children scratching through
piles of rubble and rubbish looking for
something to eat. I felt uneasy walking
around the Soviet sector as I had heard
that the Soviet soldiers often grabbed
any woman they felt they wanted
and took them for prostitutes. When
I walked around I did so with my coat
collars pulled up and my head hung
down. It was a hope of not attracting
any attention. I had begun to feel
unwell with a raging sore throat and
bad cough, my neck and face began
to swell too, and it was on the New
Years Eve of 1946 that I was admitted
to a hospital in the British sector. The
doctors examined me and diagnosed I
was suffering from Diptheria.
It was during my time in hospital
in the British sector of Berlin that
my mother rescued me in a way. My ❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 27

Tales from the Führerbunker
The Soviet flag
was raised in
triumph over
the Reichstag in
an iconic photo
from the end of
the war

Main image:
Traudl Junge
escapes the
bunker and
tries to evade
the Soviet
forces in the
film Downfall.
(Photo credit:
© Moviestore
Collection Ltd)

mother had managed to secure the as quietly a life as I can. I can only hope
permits to allow me to move out that God will forgive me for being a part
of the British sector of Berlin to of what was an evil and corrupt regime.
Bavaria. Upon receiving my permit, I was young, stupid and naïve and I just
I travelled from Berlin across the didn’t see the dangers at the time. There
Soviet occupation zone over to the will be those who will always point their
British zone. From there I travelled finger in judgement, but these people
south into Bavaria, which was then were not there, they were not me, so
under control of the United States. how can they judge me?’
I was again taken and interrogated, Traudl Junge died in Munich on 10
this time by the Americans. It was February 2002, aged 81.
just the same things, about my
role and what happened in the
Führerbunker, during the last days, Rochus Misch,
what happened to Hitler and Eva
Braun and the other people who Hitler’s telephonist
were in the Führerbunker. There It was well known that former SS
were so many questions but at that Sergeant Rochus Misch would
time I had grown used to telling the receive hundreds of letters a
story over and over again. I became week, mostly requests for
quite sick of it all to be honest. I was his autograph. However,
very lucky, and I knew things could he endeavoured to
have been far worse for me. After answer every one.
the interrogation by the Americans I understood this
I was allowed to go free and pick and, after writing to
up the pieces of my life in post-war him, was surprised
Germany and in the western zone. when I received a
Poor Misch (Rochus Misch) was not reply. The following
so fortunate. He was sent to the east interview is, again,
into captivity, brutality and forced from the letters we
labour. As he had been a member of exchanged.
the SS he was classed as a criminal ‘One thing I have
by all of the Allied authority. always stood by is
My life has been subject to so that, no, I don’t
much scrutiny over the years. I felt have any regrets of
that by telling my story initially to having been a soldier
the World at War series it may dispel with the Waffen-SS
many of the rumours. I have written where I served with
about my life in my memoirs and 1 SS Panzer Division
I receive many letters each week. I Leibstandarte Adolf
don’t feel like a celebrity at all, I live Hitler. It was an elite

28 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk


Above left: organisation, the very best there was,
The bunker and I am proud of that.
was looted and Like anyone, I have certain regrets
ransacked by the about certain things that happened
arriving Soviet
during the war, things that were
forces
not conducive to the conduct or the
Above right: normal execution of warfare. In war
A ghastly photo soldiers kill, people are killed, that is
of the bodies of the business of war and continues to be
the six Goebbels the business of war to this day, doesn’t
children. The
it. You ask me firstly about Hitler and
effects of cyanide
poisoning are Eva and how they killed themselves? I
clearly visible recall they retired to a room after their
wedding, it was quiet for some minutes
and then a shot was heard. Everyone
looked up and I heard someone mutter,
“Its done.” Hitler’s valet entered the
room and Hitler and Eva were on a sofa
in the room, Eva had her legs drawn
up as if she were making herself comfy
at the very moment of death. Hitler
had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to
the head while Eva had taken poison.
The bodies were checked, and it was
confirmed that both were dead.
Linge and Gunsche entered the
room and witnessed the bodies too.
Instructions had been left by Hitler
of how his and Eva’s bodies should
be disposed. They were rolled up
in carpets, taken from Hitler’s
rooms, then the bodies were
carried up to the top and
taken outside. There was a
shallow pit, or shell crater, near
the ventilation shaft. Petrol
had been procured specially
for the purpose of burning the
remains. SS soldiers brought the
petrol and it was emptied over
the bodies, a match was thrown
in and it went woosh! The heat
from the fire was immense,
after even a few seconds had
passed. There was nothing that
could be stolen as trophies or
anything, as nothing would
COVER FEATURE
have survived that heat.
When Joseph and Magda
Goebbels killed themselves the same
instructions for the disposal of their
bodies were left, only there had
not been enough petrol to do the
job properly and Joseph Goebbels
remains were still recognisable, you
could see it was him. The Goebbels’
corpses were paraded and made a grim
spectacle for everyone to see. The
bodies of the six Goebbels children
had lain in their beds where they
had been poisoned by their mother.
When they were later brought up
above ground, they were laid out
in a line for the world to see. This
is where, for me, is the saddest part
of it all. The Goebbels’ six young
children were delightful little things.
They played in the corridors and
rooms of the bunker up until the day
it was decided they would be killed.
Magda made this decision considering
the war situation. She did not want
her children to fall into the hands
of the Soviets. Magda was of the
opinion that if the children lived the
Soviets would capture them and do
terrible things to them. There was no
question of Magda allowing anyone
to try and get the children out of
the Führerbunker to safety, even in
the west. She was adamant that her
children would be worse off in a world
with no Adolf Hitler and no National
Socialism. It would be a Germany
devoid of any future where no true
German would deserve to live.
I wish I had done something, I
really do. The children used to run
up to me and say “Misch, Misch,
fish, fish” like a rhyme that they had
made up. I saw the sadness in the eyes
of Helga Goebbels. Being the eldest
child at 12 years she was more aware
of things than the others. I think she
❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 29
Tales from the Führerbunker
Where Hitler’s Führerbunker once stood in
Berlin is now a car park for apartments
A museum in Berlin recently opened with
a full size replica of Hitler’s office in the
Führerbunker
Construction work in 1987 unearthed part
of the bunker complex. 40 years of water
and darkness had left their mark
had figured it all out, as she wasn’t
stupid. After Hitler’s suicide I could
have maybe intervened and stopped
Magda from killing the children. To
have prevented Magda from doing
what she did would have meant me
drawing my pistol pointing it at her
and her husband’s heads and saying, “If
you try and stop me, I will shoot you.”
Yes, I did consider pulling my pistol on
them, but I didn’t. I talked about this
with Frau Junge and it upsets both of
us still today, after all these years since
it all happened. I wish I could turn
back time and do things differently and
saved those children. In such instances
you just have that one moment in
which to react, to change things, to
try and do the right thing. It is a huge
psychological burden. Had I saved the
lives of the children, what then? We
would have waited for the Russians
to come and the children would have
been placed at their mercy. How would
they have grown up, how would the
world have treated them? It’s not easy
30 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
The site of the bunker was bulldozed, filled in and eventually turned into a car park
to answer is it?
As for the lies being told about
Hitler surviving the war, it is all
ridiculous and obvious fabrication to
sell newspapers, promote television
programmes, magazines or for other
commercial purposes. Remember,
I worked for Hitler and I was in
his company for long periods of
time, I knew him better than these
conspiracists and I knew him alive
and I saw him as that corpse back
in that room in 1945. Hitler died in
the Führerbunker, along with Eva
Braun, their bodies were almost totally
incinerated, virtually nothing left.
Neither survived and neither escaped to
Southern America.
As for the mood in the Führerbunker
in those last days, it was mixed. Many
had resigned themselves to the fact the
war was lost, there were many soldiers
who were just blind drunk, laying
in the corridors. Some of the young
soldiers went into rooms with their
wives or girlfriends and spent their time
getting up to things and drinking. The
Rochus Misch in later years, photographed
during one of the many tours he
conducted in Berlin
atmosphere was stifling and oppressive
and somewhat gloomy. Nobody was
celebrating the fact that the war could
soon be over, as we all knew what was
coming. Many were worried about what
the Soviets were going to do with us.
I left the Führerbunker on 2 May,
two hours before the Soviets arrived.
With other soldiers we used the U-Bahn
tunnels to get away, though escape was
impossible, and I was soon captured
by the Soviets. I was transported to
Moscow as they wanted to know
everything about what happened to
Hitler. I told them all that I knew yet
they still used torture on me. They
would start off asking you questions
then they would beat you up, they
would sit you on a chair, tie your hands
behind your back and then punch you
full force in the head and face. They
would burn you with cigarettes on
sensitive areas of your body.
Once they had had their fun, I was
sent to a forced labour camp and was
kept there for eight years. Many other
German soldiers who were there with
me did not survive. On my release in
1953 I returned home to Germany to
get on with my life.
As far as I am concerned, I have
to say Hitler was a great boss and he
was very good to me. I was punished
for my part in the war and punished
quite severely when compared to the
criminals like Mengele who lived well
after the war. I am happy that I was not
a murderer or a criminal. I was a soldier
and I have no regrets over that.’
Rochus Misch was a popular figure
with historians and regularly gave
tours and lectures. He died in Berlin
on 5 September 2013, aged 96. ■

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ANTIQUE ARMS & ARMOUR
Established 1968
TELEPHONE: 01484 685234 MOBILE: 07770 398270
Email: asbottomley@yahoo.com · Mail Order only
The Coach House, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 3JJ
A SELECTION OF ORIGINAL ANTIQUE WEAPONS
A very rare double barrel Spencer A very scarce Remington .41 rim-fire A Remington .41 cal rimfire double
repeating rifle & Shotgun. Good single shot derringer or Vest pocket pistol barrelled over and under gamblers
condition. Circa 1860. Ref 1941. circa 1865.Ref 2070. Derringer. Circa 1885. Ref 1918.
£6,800.00 £800.00 £800.00
A very scarce cased .28 cal Colt Roots
A rare Remington Rider 5 shot .32 American Civil war era Colt 6 shot 1849
pocket 1855 model percussion revolver
rim-fire magazine pistol, circa 1871. Exc pocket model .31 Calibre Percussion
with accessories. Good condition.
condition. Ref 2056. revolver. Ref 1476.
Ref 9753.
£1,800.00 £1,950.00 £2,950.00
An American Civil War Era Colt’s patent
An American Colt no 3 derringer in A good American civil war era Colt Army
5 shot 1849 pocket model .31 Calibre
obsolete .41 rim-fire calibre. Circa 1875. model 1860 percussion revolver.
Percussion revolver. Made in 1855.
Ref 1512. Made in 1863. Ref 2054.
Ref 9660.
£950.00 £790.00 £1,950.00
A rare American Spencer rimfire rifle
An American BACON MFG Antique Single A scarce American Colt Pocket Percussion
model 1865 manufactured around the
Shot .32 rimfire derringer pistol. Circa revolver converted to rimfire. All matching
time of the US Civil War. Very good
1873. Ref 1488. serial numbers. Action very crisp. Circa
condition. Ref 7989.
1871-1872. Ref 7600
£490.00 £2,800.00 £1,250.00
The Canterbury Auction
Galleries are Actively Seeking
Consignments of Medals,
Militaria and Antique
Weapons for Auction
FREE Valuation Days
Held most Fridays 10am to 1pm
No Appointment Required

Special Commission Rates for Collections

Please ring David Parker (Director)

on (01227) 763337
40 Station Road West
Canterbury, Kent CT2 8AN

Auction Dates 2019

5th & 6th February, 9th & 10th April
11th & 12th June, 6th & 7th August
1st & 2nd October, 26th & 27th November

thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com

The US Marine Corps
Women’s Reserve
Jim Moran looks at the US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in WWII, from
conception to demobilisation
O
n 7 November 1942 the
Marine Corps Commandant
gave approval to formation
of the Marine Corps
Women’s Reserve resulting in more
than 20,000 women serving during
the next three years, releasing male
Marines for combat duty. Marine Corps
Headquarters started setting up policies
and procedures, however the official
announcement was not made to the
American public until 13 February
1943. The Marine Corps was the last of
the four services to set up a women’s
reserve in World War II. The Army,
Navy and Coastguard already had
Women’s auxiliary units.
Authorisation was for an initial force
of 500 officers and 6,000 enlisted by 30
June 1943, increased by 30 June 1944
to 1,000 officers and 18,000 enlisted.
Distribution of rank and grade was
the same as for the male Marines and,
based on the number of women to be
enlisted, the allocation of officers was
one Major and 35 Captains, with 35%
of the total number of commissioned
officers to be First Lieutenants and the
remainder to be Second Lieutenants.
Although the Marine Corps was only
authorised for a strength of 6,500
women by 30 June 1943, a survey
suggested that more than 4,000 would
be needed immediately.
Mrs Ruth Cheney Streeter, age 47, of
Morristown, New Jersey was selected as
Director, Women’s Reserve. Mrs Streeter
was commissioned a Major, USMCWR,
on 29 January 1943, sworn in by
Secretary of the Navy, Knox.
Three major factors benefitted the
Marine Corps Women’s Reserve,
despite the fact that they were the last
of the women’s wartime services to be
established, these being:
1. The Marines shared their proud
name, spanning 168 years of tradition
and esprit de corps. They therefore
became Women Marines and did not
UNIT FEATURE
have an abbreviation of their US Marine
designation or semi-official Sergeant
nickname. wearing
2. The Women’s Reserve was a Marine
Corps
accepted as an integrated part of
Women’s
the Corps not an auxiliary service. Reserve
3. The men’s distinctive forest Summer
green uniform was followed Dress
closely, with modifications to Uniform
feminise for Women Marines.
Eligibility requirements
both for enlisted and
officers were that they held
United States citizenship,
not be married to a Marine,
must be either single or, if
married, had no children under 18.
They had to be at least 60in in height
and not less than 95lb in weight, have
good teeth and vision. For enlisted
(also called general service) the age
requirement was 20-35 inclusive
and candidates must have had
at least two years of high
school.
In regard to officer
candidates, the entry
requirements were initially
the same as WAVES
(Women Accepted for
Volunteer Emergency
Service, a unit of the
US Naval Reserve)
and SPARS (US Coast
Guard (USCG) Women’s
Reserve), ie between 20-49
years of age and either a
college graduate or having
a combination of two years
college and two years’ work
experience.
The Marine Corps struggled
to cope with the number
of volunteers and readily
accepted the offer from the
Navy Department to second
WAVES officers currently in
training to assist with the
recruitment process. Several ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 33
The US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve
New arrivals at Hunter College, it would be
several weeks before they received uniforms
Women Reserves pass in review at Hunter College. Note that there are WAVE Commanding
Officers leading the parade at the front
WAVES volunteered and the Marine
Corps chose 19, one for each of their
procurement offices across the country.
These WAVES were sworn in as Marines
and transferred immediately to the
job of recruiting Women Marines.
However, they still wore their WAVES
uniforms since the Marine Corps
uniforms were not yet available.
Applicants had to provide a physical
statement from their own physician,
complete and return the application
to the recruiting station, take an
aptitude test and a complete physical
and have a personal interview with the
officer in charge. The final decision on
acceptance was made by Headquarters
Marine Corps.
The Marine Corps Reserve Reviewing
Board was very selective, rejecting
around 25% of applications from
procurement offices for officer
candidate class. There were a total of
2,495 enlistments to the Women’s
Reserve in the first eight weeks, of
which 28 were on active duty, 211
enrolled in officer candidates class
and the remainder in recruit training
or awaiting orders for active duty. By
July 1943 responsibility for the women
was passed on to Marine recruiters
but physical examinations remained
the responsibility of the Navy. By 1
November 1943, more than 11,000
34 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
This member of the WR receives further
instruction as an aviation machinist
officers and enlisted personnel had
been sworn in. Of these, around 8,500
had been classified and already on
duty. In February 1944, one year after
its formation, the Women’s Reserve
totalled nearly 15,000. The number of
officers had increased from four to 800
and 14,000 enlisted women.
Training time
The Navy also offered assistance in
the use of its training facilities in the
early days of the Women’s Reserve.
This saved time for the Marine Corps,
Ruth Cheney Streeter, first Director of the
US Marine Corps Womens Reserve
WR Aviation Mechanics, note that
dungarees is classified as uniform of the
day for these mechanics
Receiving instruction from Marine and Navy
armourers at the Aerial Gunnery School
as training their own staff for women’s
schools would have caused a delay of
several months. Officers and enlisted
classes began in March 1943 at Mount
Holyoke College (officers) and Hunter
College (enlisted).
On 13 March 1943, 71 officer
candidates entered US Naval
Midshipmen’s School (WR) in
Northampton, Massachusetts, to
commence training with the WAVES.
The Midshipmen’s School consisted
of the facilities of Smith College
Northampton and Mount Holyoke
South Hadley, where Marine candidates
received their initial training. The class
included a variety of civilian roles such
as educators, scientists, secretaries and
women from businesses and professions.
Marine officer candidates followed
the same course as the WAVES for
the first half of the training, lasting
approximately four weeks. Subjects
included Naval Organisation and
Administration, Naval Personnel, Naval
History and Strategy, Naval Law and
Justice, Ships and Aircraft. The second
part was separate from the WAVES and
consisted of subjects such as Marine
Corps Administration and Courtesies,
Map Reading, Interior Guard,
Safeguarding Military Information and
Physical Training. These were delivered
by Marine Corps instructors. The

WR colour guard pass in review Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Uniform of the day
is Summer Green and Whites.
women were schooled by male Marine
Drill Instructors, transferred specifically
from Parris Island Recruit Depot. On
6 April the members of the first class
received their silver OC pins, marking
the promotion to Officer Cadet. This
specially created category, authorised by
the Secretary of the Navy, corresponded
to the status and pay rating of their
WAVES contemporaries and was
designed to give some parity since the
Navy candidates went through training
as midshipmen.
The Marine training unit had the
same status as a Marine detachment
aboard ship, the women having their
own commanding officer. All officer
candidates enlisted as Privates and,
following their initial four week
training, those women not qualified
for appointment as Cadets could either
be transferred to Hunter College to
complete basic training or be ordered to
their home with inactive status to await
discharge from the Marine Corps. The
first class of 722 enlisted women started
their training at Hunter College in the
Bronx, New York, officially the US Naval
Training School, two weeks after the first
officer class. The members of this class
arrived over a three day period from 24
to 26 March in three equal daily groups.
The boots were billeted in apartment
houses nearby and began instruction
WRs get a ride in an LCP(L) landing craft
Private Elinore Bertrand of the US Marine Corps Women’s
Reserve completes a simulated parachute jump
with the WAVES on 26 March. The
administrative arrangements were
similar to Mount Holyoke but much
larger. Marine recruits were separated
into companies, each one headed by a
male Marine officer and combined into
a battalion under Major William W
Buchanan. This first class was divided
into 21 platoons of approximately 35
women in each.
Members of the first candidates’ class
and recruit class undertook half their
training in civilian clothes, uniforms
only being issued in late April.
The Marine Corps had its own
schools by summer 1943 and although
initially under orders to use existing
Navy facilities as far as practical for
procurement and training, the facilities
at both Hunter and Mount Holyoke
were under pressure from class sizes.
In July 1943, both officer candidates’
class and recruit depot were transferred
to Camp Lejeune, New River, North
Carolina, joining the specialists’ schools
which had been in operation there
since May to form the Marine Corps
Women’s Reserve Schools. Almost
19,000 women underwent training here
during the rest of the war.
At Hunter College the class of
enlisted women completed training in
July. After this, classes of approximately
550 women entered every two weeks
UNIT FEATURE
and graduated around five to six weeks
later as per the previous schedules.
One of the highlights of the move to
New River, to which no other women’s
military service had access, was the
field demonstrations, where women
witnessed the use of mortars, bazookas,
flamethrowers, amphibious tractors,
landing craft, hand-to-hand combat,
camouflage and war dogs. Selected teams
of male Marines gave presentations on
half-day sessions.
On arrival at Camp Lejeune, boots
observed the same strict rules applying
to male recruits at Parris Island and
San Diego boot camps. The whole
day was programmed and no liberty
was given during the six week long
indoctrination. Women were assigned
to billets in the red brick barracks of
Area One, for the exclusive use of
the women’s schools. Training began
immediately with orientation classes,
issue of uniform, close order drill the
day after arrival and classification tests
and interviews for assessing abilities,
education, training and business
experience. Strict discipline applied,
starting with getting up at 5.45am, fall
into formation at 6.30am, breakfast
at 6.45am, then classes until 11.30am
followed by a march to lunch and
further classes or drill until 4pm.
Military phraseology and customs also ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 35
The US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve
formed part of the training.
On completion, women were either
immediately assigned to active duty,
referred to specialist schools or trained
whilst apprentices in the job. Those with
appropriate previous civilian skills were
given supervisory roles.
Before the end of the war 30 specialist
schools were available to women
Marines and nearly 9,000 women took
up advanced training. Courses varied in
length from 4 to 22 weeks and available
to women who had completed boot
training and qualified for higher
ratings in specialist fields. As well as the
specialist schools, Marine Corps and
Navy training was available on courses
for First Sergeant, paymaster, signal,
parachute rigger, aerographer, clerical,
control tower operator, aerial gunnery
instructor, celestial navigation, motion
picture operators technician, aircraft
instruments, radio operator, radio
1 2 3 4
material, radio material teletypewriter,
post exchange, uniform shop, aviation
storekeeping, automotive mechanic,
1: WR Winter Service Dress in Forest Green. Wool jacket and skirt and cap
carburettor and ignition, aviation 2: Summer Service uniform with summer garrison cap and summer handbag cover
supply and photography. 3: Summer Service ‘C’ uniform as per 1943 Regs with summer service cover
4: Summer Dress uniform, an optional purchase item obut order of the day on Hawaii

Promotion from the ranks
Applications for officer training
were reviewed by a board of four in
Washington and the best qualified were
ordered to duty. This was modified
in July 1943 to allow enlisted women
to apply for commissioned rank.
Beginning with the eighth class in
October 1943, the candidates class
consisted of both civilian and enlisted
women, the majority from the latter,
who had to be recommended by their
commanding officer.
Following the transfer to New River,
all officer candidates were appointed
to the rank of Private first class for the
entirety of the course. The category of
Cadet was dropped. Enlisted women
holding the rank of Corporal or
Sergeant temporarily reverted to PFC
and all candidates wore PFC chevrons
and OC pins on uniform lapels and
caps. Despite the appearance of equal
rank the higher-ranked WRs were still
paid at their substantive rank. Any
enlisted woman who did not complete
the course reverted to her rating but
could re-apply in six months. Successful
candidates were commissioned to the
appropriate rank following completion
of training, a small number of top
candidates to First Lieutenant and the
remainder to Second Lieutenant.
Although officer ranks were opened
up to enlisted personnel in late 1943,
even outstanding NCOs did not always
make good officers. Emphasis was
placed on issues such as administration,
recreation, messing, rehabilitation
and psychology of behaviour patterns.
This meant that the officer training
programme was extended to three
months, including eight weeks of
indoctrination and four weeks training
by the reserve officer class.
Enlistment was for the duration of
the war plus six months, after which
the WRs were demobilised. Colonel
Streeter resigned her commission,
although 100 serving WRs were
retained for admin purposes. These
would form the nucleus of the US
Marine Corps Women’s section as part
of the Corps and not as Reserves. ■

i COLLECTING
Due to the fact that, unlike the WACs, WAVES and SPARS, no WRs uniforms are donated to either the National Museum of the Marine
served overseas, little is known of the uniforms of the WRs outside Corps or to the keeper of the women’s wardrobe of the Women
of the US. Even in the US, WR uniforms rarely turn up, as many Marines Association. As such, any WR items that come onto the
of the WRs when demobilised retained their uniforms, dyeing collector market command a high price.
them and changing buttons for use in civilian life. WR groupings A few reproduction WR items have come onto the market, only
occasionally turn up but rarely outside the US. Many surviving handbags, summer rank insignia and summer garrison caps to date.
For an in-depth look at the US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve
6 and their uniforms, refer to my book US Marine Corps Women’s
Reserve – They Are Marines (Frontline Books).
5: Handbag (shoulder bag) complete with coin purse and mirror
and summer Spruce Green cover. 6: Service brown pumps, an
optional purchase in place of Oxfords. Pumps were also available in
5 white for Summer Dress

36 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

ON SALE NOW! James & Sons
5 Norwich Street, Fakenham, Norfolk. NR21 9AF
Tel: 01328 855003

The ‘Sherwood’ Collection

An extensive lifetime collection of
British Military Badges

Lot 652 - Royal Scots Victorian Helmet Plate, centre

1881 to 1914, Other Ranks. K&K: 292/359

Part 1: Saturday 27th July 11am

Part 2: Sunday 28th July 11am
at
The Maids Head Hotel,
Norwich
NR3 1LB
Viewing at Fakenham by Appointment only.
Order today at: Auction days 9am – 11am.
www.militaria.ma/ironcross Live Internet bidding on

Proprietor: Stewart Wilson

Specialists in Original Third Reich Collectors Items. Daggers, Flags, Uniforms, Medals & Awards,
Documents. Also a good selection of English Items, Antique Guns, Swords and Headdress, etc.
GERMAN CROSS IN GOLD
A GOOD WITH
SELECTION ORIGINAL CASE OF
ISSUE.
OF ANTIQUE LUFTWAFFE
HONOUR GOBLET,
GUNS AWARDED TO KNIGHTS
ALWAYS CROSS HOLDER
HAUPTMANN DIETER
AVAILABLE CLEM VON
HOHENBERG 31.7.1942,
FOR SALE THIS OFFICER WAS
ON OUR RELATED TO THE
AUSTRIAN ROYAL
WEBSITE FAMILY.

Visit our website for a large selection of original German militaria

w w w. t h e o l d b r i g a d e . c o . u k
al
Post s:- C/O JUBILEE HOUSE, 32 DUNCAN CLOSE, MOULTON PARK, NORTHAMPTON NN3 6WL, UK.
r e s
Add
Tel: (01604) 719389
email: stewart@theoldbrigade.co.uk or theoldbrigade@btconnect.com
 Members of the Hitler Youth, parading
through Nuremberg in 1933, in front of
Reichsjugendführer Baldur von Schirach

ER
COVR
STO Y
The badges of the
Nazi youth movement
Jamie Cross looks at the badges and awards for
the DJ, HJ, JM and BDM

A golden Hitler Youth Sports award with
citation certificate
T
he Hitler Youth, German
Youth and, to a lesser extent,
the German Maidens, were
all organised along military
lines, from ranks and discipline,
through to respect and comradeship. In
fact, all the aspects that went to make
a satisfactory soldier or flak helper in
defence of the Fatherland.
The structure of the youth
movements that boys and girls were
enrolled in were as follows: Males in
the Deutsches Jungvolk (DJ), from age
10 years to 14 years, moving on to the
Hitlerjugend (HJ) from 14 years to 18
years. Females joined the Jungmadel
(JM) from the age of 10 until 14
years and then went on to the Bund
Deutscher Madel (BDM) from 14 years
to 18 years old.
Some members were selected to
remain within the youth organisation as
officers. Overall command of the Hitler
Jugend, or Hitler Youth and other youth
organisations was held firstly by Baldur
von Schirach then, in 1940, after von
Schirach was appointed Gauleiter of
Vienna, Artur Axmann was appointed
Reichsjugendführer. Service after 1
December 1936 became mandatory for
all German boys of Aryan descent and
this was compounded on 25 March
1939 when all males were conscripted
into the Hitler Youth, regardless of their
parent’s wishes. Female membership
of the BDM become compulsory on 12

38 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk


A selection of the many different types of Day badges that can
be collected
The Sports badge for German Youth
members
September 1941.
As is customary with Germany, the
HJ and BDM were divided along Gau
lines and then sub-divided into local
areas, and this is why there are a wealth
of area triangles. These were worn on
the shirts on the left arm above the
Hitler Youth arm band.
Area triangles are bevo woven for the
most part and there are a good number
of names, such as Nord Hamburg,
Sudost Karnten, Nord Nordsee, Ost
Sudentenland, Spanien Barcelona, USA,
Ost Generalgouvernement, etc, as well
as job titles like Bund-Funkspielschar
Stuttgart, Akademie, to name a few.
There are many more and some of
these command very high prices.
Along with other German
formations, rank badges were worn
on all the tunics and rank and file
members of the DJ, BDM, JM and HJ,
and follow a military style, both in
construction and design. These circular
badges were mainly worn on the right
upper arm. Other specialist badges
were also worn and awarded, like those
for the HJ Hochland and Deutsch-
Osterreich members who wore them on
their caps edelweisses, similar, but not
identical to the Army issue. The Hitler
Youth also had a marine unit within
A membership book for both the German Youth and the Hitler Youth
The highly prized, a golden Hitler Youth
Honour badge
the HJ which were issued with Navy
type uniforms and insignia.
At this point, it is worth noting that
the HJ etc had their own designed
armband that has a black swastika on
a white diamond patch on a red white
and red band. This diamond design
was also used for the membership badge
and comes in both enamel and painted
format. The diamond design washes
over to the little sports pins worn
only for a year, which consisted of the
diamond with either an eagle to the top,
a wreath around the diamond and date
bar to the base, through to just a part
wreath and date bar. These badges are
readily available. The dates range from
1935, through to 1943 and collections
make a nice display.
Given for winning in a local event,
these little badges were awarded with
a certificate. All members were also
required to attain a certain standard
of fitness and therefore qualify for the
proficiency badge relevant to one’s age.
The requirements were military based,
and each individual was encouraged to
qualify for one of these badges.
The first was the (DJ) Proficiency
badge of the German Young People
(Leistungsabzichen des Deutschen
Jungvolks) instituted by von Schirach
AWARDS FEATURE
The golden Hitler Youth Honour badge
with oakleaves
on 26 September 1935. Boys qualified
for the badge after the age of 12 and had
to be a certain level, or gain a successful
testing in general studies, athletics, field
exercises and shooting. The badge is
based on a single sigrune with a swastika
to the centre, with the wording around
the edge, ‘Fur Leistungen im DJ’. The
grey badge has a pin back fitting and
most of these are numbered. Though
sadly this number cannot be checked
out, one source states that over 152,600
awards were made, before awards ceased
to be given in 1944.
The next award that males would aim
for after leaving the German Youth,
was the Hitler Youth Proficiency badge
Day badges being worn by members
of the German Youth organisation ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 39
The badges of the Nazi youth movement
Right: A cloth
arm badge
for the Hitler
Youth
The 1939 Hitler Youth
Kreissieger badge. Above:
The back of the Kreissieger
badge with owner’s name
(Leistungsabzichen der Hitler Jugend).
This badge takes the shape of the tyr rune
(T) and again has a swastika to the centre.
Around this is the wording ‘Fur Leistungen
in der HJ’. It was instituted in June of
1934. To gain this award, the recipient had
to pass three main criteria in:
1. Athletics and gymnastics
Consisting of 100m sprint, 3,000m
run, long jump, shot put, throwing the
hammer, gym bar work and swimming.
2. Field exercises
Map reading and route marching,
distance estimation, the art of
camouflage, order giving and receiving
and shooting.
3. Political knowledge
Party history and National Socialist
dogma and, after you attained a set
grade, you received one of the following
badges which was issued in three classes
being: Iron class for 15 year olds, Bronze
class for 17 year olds, Silver class for 17
year olds.
All classes were divided into A, B and
C designations and as such, a 15 year
old could qualify for a C grade, then
a B grade badge and work up in grade
and years. Some of these awards are
numbered to the reverse and a few will
also have an ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ stamped into
them. Originally stamped out, these
early badges are very rare. Most badges
encountered will be the solid back,
40 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
Adolf Hitler greeting girls of the BDM at a rally –
young women from 14 to 18 were expect to join
lightweight types made from light
alloy such as cupal, changing to zinc
as the war progressed. This badge was
originally worn on the right hand side
of the tunic but switched over to the
left hand side and could be worn after
leaving the HJ, if held at the time, on
the SA, SS, RAD or military tunic.
The Hitler Youth
Potsdam Day
badge from 1932
Hitler Youth
Edelweiss and Sports pin
Awards for girls
The Young Girls’ Proficiency clasp
(instituted 28 April 1935), was aimed
at girls from the age of 12-14 and given
for successfully passing tests in first
aid, nursing, homecraft, athletics and
political ideology during a 12 month
course of studies. The badge is quite
attractive and shows the letters ‘JM’ in
a silver fretted out frame, with a red
ribbon background. The badges are
numbered and have a pin fixing to the
reverse, sometimes with an RZM maker’s
code. These are rare to find nowadays.
The League of German Girls’
Proficiency clasp was instituted on 28
April 1934 and given to young females
from the age of 14-21, for successfully
passing tests in first aid, nursing,
homecraft, athletics and political
ideology, now to a higher standard
than previously. Worn on the tunic
or shirt, the badge consists of a small
rectangle with the letters ‘BDM’ within
a frame, with a red, white and red
ribbon background. The badge could
still be worn after the female had left
the BDM. Awarded in bronze or silver,
both types are rare to find. .
One of the more impressive badges
is the golden Leader’s Sports badge.
Modelled on the Hitler Youth badge,
it has a gilt oakleaf border and black
enamel encompassing the majority of
the badge. This badge was required to

Three Hitler Youth Sports badges
A Hitler Youth award and citation certificate for sports
be won by all Hitler Youth leaders in
both the DJ and HJ. Each badge was
numbered, although ‘B’ marked ones
are also encountered.
Having touched on the Hitler Youth
membership diamond earlier, to expand
on these, you can also find this badge
with a plain golden border which was
an honourarium given to all members of
the HJ, DJ and BDM who were members
that had joined before 2 October 1932.
It could also be awarded for merit or five
years of unbroken service.
For exceptional service, the golden
Hitler Youth badge of Honour with
oakleaves was given to people who had
assisted the Hitler Youth. This award
could be worn on any uniform but was,
in fact, rarely awarded. It is believed
that fewer than 250 were bestowed.
Both the Hitler Youth and German
Youth had shooting awards and these
badges are similar in design. They
consist of a black and silver target with
crossed rifles. For the DJ type, a runic
‘S’ flanked by ‘D&J’, or for the HJ with
a HJ mini diamond to the centre of the
badge. The HJ ones could also come
with a silver or golden wreath. Few
gold and silver awards were issued with
estimates of only 850 gold awards and
31,900 silver awards given. The plain
‘Good Shot’ HJ types, though, had over
250,000 issued.
There are many other badges that
were given for competitions and
sports, One of the most common is
the Victor’s badge in the national trade
competition. These badges have a Hitler
Youth diamond set onto a cog wheel
held by an eagle. Flanking either side
is the date ‘1938’, though you can also
find examples with the dates ‘1939’
and ‘1944’. To the top you will find
the wording ‘Kreissieger’, ‘Gausieger’
and finally ‘Reichssieger’. These badges
were in bronze, silver and gilt metal,
respectively. These badges have a nice
pin fixing to the reverse and are maker-
marked. Given with a certificate, the
‘Reichssieger’ award is very rare, the
‘Kreissieeger’ badges not so hard to find.
Other badges often encountered
are the German Day badge, given for
a contribution to a local event. These
event pins were often also worn by
members of the local Hitler Youth
and also sold by them at sports events
and festivals. These badges range from
local to national events and are highly
collected. One of the more famous
Hitler Youth event badges started out
this way. The 1932 Potsdam badge was
the first Reich’s Youth Day held on
1/2 October 1932 where over 100,000
people, mostly youths, attended. This
badge later achieved semi-official
recognition, being worn on HJ, BDM,
SA, and military uniforms long after the
event. Some other day badges followed
AWARDS FEATURE
Above left: The citation
document for a Sports
badge. Getting them
together is now much
harder
Above right: Shooting was
popular and of benefit to
the military. Here is the
recipient of an award for
shooting
Left: Various Axis
countries also produced
complimentary badges for
their versions of the Hitler
Youth. This is a Rumanian
badge
this course where some members of the
German Youth attended, another being
the Nurnberg Party Day badge of 1929.
On the whole however, these badges
really started on a local level, then an
area and finally the whole country and
served to commemorate youth festivals,
sports and field events. Some were for
competitions between HJ Banns, the HJ
Marine, and many others HJ events.
Designs ranged from simple to the
elaborate, with some using anything
from plain to multi-colours. It is
estimated that there could be well over
300 HJ day badges dating from the
late 1920s up to 1945 and these are, in
themselves a study.
Volks Deutsche and some fascist
foreign youth movements were also set
up and modelled on the German Hitler
youth. Ties with the Volks Deutsche
groups were encouraged and camping
trips and culture tours were arranged.
Some of these groups had their own
insignia either with the swastika or
their own country’s emblems, such as
the mobile sun wheel for the Danish
‘D.N.S.A.P Hird’, the Belgiums had
the ‘See Mew’ for the NSJV and so on.
These units in themselves could fill a
book, and only a few of the badges and
items are shown. They had their own
rank insignia and uniforms, flags and
daggers, though all these items are, at
best, hard to find, if not rare. ■
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 41
 www.regimentals.co.uk
Buy, Sell & Exchange
HELMETS
UNIFORMS
GUNS
DAGGERS
MEDALS

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BADGES
SWORDS
FLAGS &
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REGIMENTALS LTD.
PO Box 130, Hitchin, Herts. SG5. UK. • mail@regimentals.co.uk • www.regimentals.co.uk
01462 850151 • 077 8900 5991 • 07955273223 follow us on Instagram ;
regimentals_militaria
 EPHEMERA FEATURE

Lingford’s British
War Leaders
Graham Caldwell illustrates the trade card set
of British War Leaders, published in 1950 to 3 GENERAL SIR
KENNETH AN
ANDERSON
promote baking powder sales Born 1891. OC 11th
Brigade BEF 1940;
GOC 1st Division

W
orld War II was still fresh in the public’s mind when Lingford’s
1940-41; GOC VIII
decided to include collector’s cards of British War Leaders in
Corps 1941; GOC II
their products of custard and baking powder to increase sales. Corps, then Eastern
Joseph Lingford (1829-1918) opened his factory in Bishop Command 1942;
Auckland Co. Durham in 1861, but the invention of self-raising flour saw its C-in-C 1st Army,
demise in 1973. The unique 36 card set contains portraits of senior officers Tunisia, 1942-43.
of all three services, plus four politicians, whose potted biographies on the Signed the surrender
of German Forces
back of the cards culminate in the 1950s. Odd individual cards are available
13 May 1943. UK
on eBay for £2.75 each, but complete sets are becoming harder to find. The postings 1943-45; GOC East Africa 1945-
London Cigarette Card Co. Ltd at www.londoncigcard.co.uk was recently 46; Governor and C-in-C Gibraltar 1947.
offering a rare original mint condition set for £75. ■

1 FIELD
MARSHAL
VISCOUNT
5 LIEUTENANT
GENERAL SIR
FREDERICK AM
ALANBROOKE BROWNING
Chief strategist Airborne specialist,
and senior military Browning introduced
advisor to Churchill. the maroon beret.
Born 1883. GOC II Born 1896. GOC 1st
Corps BEF France Airborne Division
1939-40; C-in-C 1941; GOC 1st
Home Forces 1940- Airborne Corps
41; Chief of the and jointly Deputy
Imperial General Commander 1st
Staff 1941-46, Allied Airborne Army
including Chairman 1944; Chief of Staff SE
of the Chiefs of Asia Command 1944-
Staff Committee. 45; Military Secretary 1946; Comptroller
and Treasurer, Buckingham Palace, 1947.

4 FIELD
MARSHAL
SIR CLAUD
AUCHINLECK
6 WINSTON
CHURCHILL MP
Britain’s wartime Prime
Born 1884. GOC Minister 1940-45.
Norway and
Southern Command
1940; C-in-C India
2 FIELD MARSHALL
VISCOUNT
ALEXANDER
Born 1874; fought
at Omdurman 1898;
Home Secretary 1910-
1941; C-in-C Born 1891. GOC 1st 11; First Lord of the
Middle East 1942; Division BEF 1940; Southern Admiralty 1911-15;
C-in-C India 1943- Command 1940-43; GOC battalion commander
1947; Supreme Burma 1943; C-in-C Middle Western Front 1915-17;
Commander, East 1942-42; 18th Army Minister of Munitions
Indian-Pakistan Group Tunisia 1943; 15th 1917-18; Secretary of
Forces Joint Army Group Italy 1944; State for War and Air
Defence Council, Supreme Allied Commander 1919-21; Secretary of State for the Colonies
1947 until the Mediterranean Theatre 1921-22; Chancellor of the Exchequer 1924-
Separation. 1944-45. 29 and second term Prime Minister 1951-55.
❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 43

Lingford’s British War Leaders

7 GENERAL HENRY
CRERAR
Born Canada 1888.
Canadian Director of
Military Operations 1935;
Commandant Royal Military
College, Canada, 1939;
Canadian Chief of General
Staff 1940-41; GOC of 1st
Canadian Division, then 1st
Canadian Corps, Italy 1943-
44; GOC 1st Canadian Army
NW Europe 1944-45. 9 GENERAL
SIR ALAN
CUNNINGHAM
10 JOHN
CURTIN PC
Wartime Prime
11 GENERAL
SIR MILES
DEMPSEY
Younger brother Minister of Born in 1896. OC
of Andrew Australia. Born 13th Brigade BEF

8 ADMIRAL OF THE
FLEET VISCOUNT
CUNNINGHAM
Cunningham (card
8). Born 1887. GOC
East Africa Forces
1885; Trade
Unionist 1911-
15; Editor of the
1940; GOC 46th
then 42nd Divisions
1941-42; GOC XIII
Older brother of Alan 1941; C-in-C Westralian Worker Corps, North Africa,
Cunningham (card 9) and chief 8th Army North 1917-28; elected Sicily and Italy 1942-
naval strategist after Pound Africa, August to parliament 43; C-in-C of 2nd
died (card 29). Born 1883. 1941 (relieved). 1928; Leader of Army N.W. Europe
Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Home commands the Labour Party 1944-45; GOC 14th
1938-39; C-in-C Mediterranean 1941-45; High Opposition 1935- Army, Malaya 1945;
Fleet 1939-42; First Sea Lord Commissioner and 41; Prime Minister C-in-C Allied Land
and Chief of Naval Staff with C-in-C Palestine and Minister of Forces SE Asia 1945-
a seat on the Chiefs of Staff during the British Defence 1941-45. 46; C-in-C Middle
Committee 1943-46. Mandate 1948. Died 5 July 1945. East 1946-47.

12 FIELD
MARSHAL
SIR JOHN DILL
13 MARSHAL OF
THE ROYAL
AIR FORCE LORD
Responsible for US top- DOUGLAS OF
level Allied cooperation. KIRTLESIDE
Born 1881. Chief of Battle of Britain Big
the Imperial General Wing advocate. Born
Staff 1940-41; British 1893. Deputy Chief of
Representative, US the Air Staff 1940-
Combined Chiefs 42; AOC-in-C Fighter
of Staff Committee, Command 1942-43;
Washington 1941- RAF Middle East
44. Died in office 4 Command 1943-44;
November 1944. Coastal Command
1944-45; British Air Forces, German
Occupation 1945-46; Military Governor,
British Zone Occupied Germany 1946.

14 AIR CHIEF
MARSHAL
LORD DOWNING
Fierce opponent
of Big Wing tactics
for the Battle of
16 PETER
FRASER MP
Wartime Prime
Britain. Born 1882.
AOC-in-C Fighter
Command 1936-
15 ADMIRAL OF
THE FLEET LORD
FRASER OF NORTH
Minister of New
Zealand 1940-49.
Born Scotland 1884.
40. Credited with CAPE Emigrated to New
the success of Born 1888. Third Sea Lord Zealand 1910 and
Britain’s defence & Controller 1939-42; Flag entered the New
during the 1940 Officer 2nd Battle Squadron Zealand parliament
Battle of Britain. 1942-43; C-in-C Home Fleet 1918. Jointly
Unwillingly 1943-44; C-in-C British held portfolios of
relieved Pacific Fleet 1944-46. Signed Education, Health,
November the Japanese surrender for Marine and Police
1940 and sidelined. Notwithstanding Britain aboard USS Missouri 1935-40; Deputy
Downing’s tactics proved correct, he was 2 September 1945. First Sea Prime Minister 1939.
unfairly passed over for promotion to Lord and Chief of Naval Staff Fraser was considered an outstanding
Marshal of the Royal Air Force. 1948-51. Commonwealth war leader.

44 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 EPHEMERA FEATURE

18 LIEUTENANT
GENERAL SIR
OLIVER WR LEESE
Youngest Army and Army
Group Commander. Born
1894. Deputy Chief of Staff BEF
1940; GOC Guards Armoured
Division 1941-42; XXX Corps,
North Africa and Sicily 1942-43;
C-in-C 8th Army Italy 1944 aged
49. C-in-C Allied Land Forces

17 MARSHAL
OF THE
ROYAL AIR
South East Asia (11th Army Group) 1944-45, but
relieved due to his clash with Slim (card 26) and
not promoted to full General. Retired 1947.
21
LIEUTENANT
FORCE SIR
ARTHUR HARRIS 20 ADMIRAL
SIR MAX
GENERAL SIR
BERNARD
Controversial chief of
Bomber Command,
nicknamed ‘Bomber
19 FIELD MARSHAL
VISCOUNT GORT VC
Credited for the safe evacuation
HORTON
Born 1883. Flag
Officer Reserve
FREYBERG VC
Born London 1889;
VC and three DSOs
Harris’. Born of the BEF to England June 1940. Fleet & Northern during WWI and a
1892. AOC No. 5 Born in 1886. VC, three DSOs Patrol 1939-40; Flag fourth DSO 1940.
(Bomber) Group and MC during WWI. Chief of Officer Submarines GOC 2nd New
1939; Deputy Chief the Imperial General Staff 1937- 1940-42; C-in-C Zealand Division,
of Air Staff 1940-42; 39; C-in-C BEF France 1939-40; Western Approaches Crete, North Africa
AOC-in-C Bomber Inspector General Home Guard 1942-45 responsible and Italy 1942-43;
Command 1942-45, 1941; Governor of Gibraltar for the safety of all GOC X Corps, Italy
Harris successfully 1942-43, then Malta 1942-44; merchant shipping April-May 1943;
disrupted German High Commissioner of Palestine and Trans- travelling westward Governor of New
war production. Jordon 1944. Died 31 March 1946. of the British Isles. Zealand 1946-52.

22 AIR CHIEF
MARSHAL SIR
TRAFFORD LEIGH-
23 MACKENZIE
KING PC
Wartime Prime
MALLORY Minister of Canada
Instigator of Big Wing 1935-48. Born
tactics for the Battle of Ontario 1874; Liberal
Britain. Born 1892. AOC Party member 1908;
12 Fighter Group, then Minister of Labour
11 Fighter Group (1940- 1909; Leader of the
41). AOC-in-C Fighter Liberal Party, 1919.
Command 1942-43; AOC- Became the 10th
in-C Allied Expeditionary Prime Minister of
Air Forces for D-Day 1943-44. Killed (with Canada 1921-30,
his wife) in an air crash over France 14 serving a second
November 1944. term from 1935.
Died on 22 July
1950.

24 FIELD
MARSHAL
VISCOUNT
MONTGOMERY
OF ALAMEIN
Born 1887. GOC 3rd
Division BEF 1940;
Corps commander,
then C-in-C South
Eastern Command
1940-41; C-in-C
8th Army, North
Africa 1942, then
Sicily and Italy
1943; Commander 21st Army Group
NW Europe 1944-45. Oversaw the German
surrender of NW Germany, Denmark and
Holland, 4 May 1945. Appointed Chief of
the Imperial General Staff 1946-48; Deputy
Commander of NATO 1951.
25 ADMIRAL EARL
MOUNTBATTEN
Born Prince Louis of 26 MARSHAL
OF THE
Battenberg 1900, the
ROYAL AIR
family name changed to
Mountbatten in 1914. FORCE VISCOUNT
Captain D (destroyers) PORTAL
1940; CO HMS Illustrious Responsible for
1941; Chief of Combined wartime air strategy.
Operations 1942-42; Acting Born 1893. AOC-in-C
Admiral and Supreme Bomber Command
Commander SE Asia 1943- 1940; Chief of the Air
46; received the Japanese Staff and a member
surrender, Singapore 12 of the Chiefs of Staff
September 1945. Last Committee 1940-45;
Viceroy of India 1947-48. Controller, Atomic
Resumed naval career as Energy Production,
Rear Admiral 1949; First Sea Ministry of Supply
Lord 1955. 1946-51.
❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 45

Lingford’s British War Leaders

27 FIELD MARSHAL
SIR WILLIAM SLIM
Born 1891. GOC 10th Indian
Division Iraq 1941; GOC
Burcorps, then XV Corps,
Burma 1942-43; C-in-C 14th
Army 1943-45 responsible
for defeating the Japanese in
Burma. Refused command of
12th Army; C-in-C Allied Land
Forces SE Asia 1945. Coaxed
out of retirement as Chief of
the Imperial General Staff
1949-52. 29 ADMIRAL
OF THE
FLEET SIR DUDLEY
30 ADMIRAL
OF THE
FLEET SIR JAMES
POUND SOMERVILLE

28 ADMIRAL SIR
BERTRAM RAMSEY
Oversaw British
wartime naval
strategy. Born
Born in 1882. C-in-C
Force H Gibraltar
1940 involved in
31 FIELD
MARSHAL
LORD WAVELL
Born 1883. C-in-C Dover 1939; 1877. C-in-C the pursuit of the Born 1883, Wavell
responsible for the successful Mediterranean Fleet German battleship was a full General by
evacuation of British forces from 1936-39; First Sea Bismarck, May 1941. 1939. C-in-C Middle
Dunkirk June 1940; Naval Task Lord and Chief of C-in-C Eastern Fleet East Command
Force commander for invasions Naval Staff, with a against the Japanese 1939-41; C-in-C
of North Africa 1942 and Sicily seat on the Chiefs 1942-44. Head of India 1941-43; Allied
1943. Naval C-in-C Allied of Staff Committee the British Admiralty Commander S.E.
Expeditionary Forces for D-Day 1939-43. Died in Delegation to Asia 1942; Viceroy of
1944. Killed in an air crash near office 21 September Washington 1944-45. India 1943-47. Died
Paris 2 January 1945. 1943. Died 1949. 24 May 1950.

32 MARSHAL OF
THE ROYAL AIR
FORCE LORD TEDDER
33 ADMIRAL OF
THE FLEET
LORD TOVEY
Born 1890. RAF Research Born 1885. Flag Officer
& Development 1938-40; Cruisers and Destroyers,
AOC-in-C RAF Middle Mediterranean Fleet
East Command 1940- 1938-40; C-in-C Home
42. Commander, Allied Fleet 1940-43, leading
Mediterranean Air Forces, all forces that resulted
Sicily and then Italy in the sinking of the
1943. Deputy Supreme German battleship
Commander SHAEF for Bismarck May 1941.
D-Day and NE Europe 1944-45. Signed C-in-C The Nore,
the German formal surrender on behalf of responsible for East
Eisenhower 9 May 1945. Chief of the Air Coast convoys 1943.
Staff 1946-49. Retired to the House of Lords 1946.

34 FIELD
MARSHAL 36 FIELD
MARSHAL
SMUTS PC
Born Cape Colony
1870. Pro-British
35 ADMIRAL SIR
PHILIP VIAN
Born 1894. Captain D
LORD WILSON
Born 1881.
Successively
Transvaal politician (destroyers) 1939-40; C-in-C Egypt 1939;
and soldier who Flag Officer 15th Cruiser Cyrenaica, Greece,
was invited to join Squadron, Malta convoys then Palestine and
the Imperial War 1942; Commander, Trans-Jordon (as
Cabinet under Lloyd Amphibious Forces, Sicily C-in-C 9th Army)
George 1917. Smuts 1943. Commander, Escort 1941, then Persia-
twice became Prime Aircraft Carriers, Anzio 1944; Iraq 1942-43.
Minister of Union Commander, Eastern Task Supreme Allied
of South Africa Force, D-Day Landings June Commander
1919-24 and 1939- 1944. Flag Officer Aircraft Mediterranean
48. Senior advisor in London to Churchill Carriers, Pacific Fleet 1944- Theatre 1944.
during the war. Appointed Hon. Field 45. Fifth Sea Lord for Naval Head of the British Joint Staff Mission in
Marshall in the British Army 1941. Died 11 Aviation 1946-48; C-in-C Washington after the death of Dill (card
September 1950. Home Fleet 1949-52. 12) 1945-47.

46 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 NORTHERN ARMS FAIRS
SUNDAY 14TH JULY - GIANT LEEDS
SUNDAY 11TH AUGUST - SCOTCH CORNER
SUNDAY 18TH AUGUST - NEWARK
❯❯ THE GIANT LEEDS
ARMS, MEDAL & MILITARIA FAIR AT THE PUDSEY CIVIC HALL (LS28 5TA)
(just off main Leeds to Bradford Ring Road Dawson’s Corner – opposite Pudsey Railway Station 21⁄2 miles from Leeds City Centre, signposted)
10.00 am – 3.00 pm Early preview – 9am
A GIANT EVENT ATTRACTING DEALERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD.
Up to 120 stands. Licensed bar, refreshments, ample free parking.
NEWARK
ARMS, MEDAL & MILITARIA FAIR AT THE NEWARK
SHOWGROUND (NG24 2NY)
(Cedric Ford Pavilion, 2 miles from the A1. Permanently signposted.)
9am to 3pm.
Flat unloading with catering facilities. AMPLE FREE PARKING.
THIS QUALITY EVENT WILL HAVE UP TO 80 OF THE COUNTRY’S LEADING
DEALERS IN ARMS & MILITARIA.
❯❯ LIVERPOOL
ARMS, MEDAL & MILITARIA FAIR
Village Hotel, Whiston,
LIVERPOOL (L35 1RZ)
(on the junction of the M62 and M57 Motorways)
9am to 3pm.
Ample free parking, all day refreshments, ground floor access.
ACCOMPANIED CHILDREN ARE FREE & SPECIAL RATES FOR O.A.PS. * VISIT US ON: www.northernarmsfairs.co.uk
TEL: 01423 780759 or 07889 799896
ANTIQUES & OBSOLETE CALIBRE
OUR PRICES INCLUDE UK DELIVERY
Patrick of Liverpool, C1800 Pair .50b flintlock Pocket Pistols,screw off barrels. ..£1375.00
1792-1815 Richard Fenton, London Officer’s 16 bore Flintlock Holster Pistol......£1275.00
Cased Rare 12 shot 9mm Military Pinfire Large Frame Revolver & Accessories. .£2950.00
‘Manstopper’ C1820 Horton London Flintlock Travelling Pistol,Turn-off Barrel.......£975.00
C1860 Webley Bentley patent .80 bore 5 shot percussion revolver in VGC. ...........£975.00
Cased C1860 Blisset London Trantert D/A, Dble Trigger Perc Pistol & Access. .....£1875.00
Winchester Model 1886 lever Action Rifle 38-56 WCF, full length tube mag. .......£2750.00
1841-59 Elizabeth Fletcher Gloucester, 6 bore S.B. Perc Live Pigeon Gun...........£2450.00
Massive C1850 Leech & Ling 8 bore Perc S.B. Wildfowling S/G. 5’ overall. .........£2750.00
William Ling London 1840-63 6 Bore Perc S.B. Wildfowling shotgun. .................£2750.00
C1800 Turkish 16 bore Flintlock Pistol , brass fittings & Cudgel Butt. ....................£575.00
C1840 RARE Golden & Hanson Huddersfield .600 B/L Needle Fire Rifle. ............£1800.00
C1780 Wilson London, Queen Anne style Cannon Barrel Flintlock Pistol..............£1475.00
Cased C1900 10g B.P. Winchester signal Cannon on wheeled carriage. VGC ......£1200.00
Wilson London C1700 Queen Anne Cannon Barrel .600 Flintlock Pistol...............£1475.00
Crimean War 1853 Patt 2 Band Perc M/L.Carbine WD marked , dated 1856. ........£975.00
French M 1853 .700 ‘Sharpshooter’s’ Minie Ball Rifle dated 1855 & bayonet. ....£1295.00
Scarce Colt C 1875 No1 Derringer .41RF Nickel Plated brass frame. ....................£645.00
1865 Remington-Elliot .41RF Double Barreled derringer & original Holster............£895.00
C1875 Colt ‘New Line’ .41RF 5 shot single action pocket revolver. Blued finish. ...£625.00
C1760 WD Marked 4 bore Flintlock Blunderbuss by Collumbell London. .............£2650.00
Massive C1725 Hardwell London 6 B Percussion (from Flint) Punt Gun 6’ 3”......£2400.00
C1830 Pair Holster Pistols,Lacy & Co London, Octagonal Damascuc barrels. ......£2200.00
C 1790.700 Flintlock Pistol by Knubley London Gunmaker to Prince of Wales......£945.00
SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER - BOLTON
SUNDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER - SCOTCH CORNER
SUNDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER - LIVERPOOL
❯❯ SCOTCH CORNER
ARMS, MEDAL & MILITARIA FAIR
A1 Holiday Inn, Darlington,
Scotch Corner DL10 6NR
(Permanently signposted - directly on A1)
9am to 2.30pm
Ample free parking, ground floor access, hotel bar, restaurant, refreshments
❯❯ BOLTON
ARMS, MEDAL & MILITARIA FAIR
HORWICH R.M.I. Ramsbottom Road,
just off A673 Chorley New Road BL6 5NH
Minutes from M61 Junction 6, close to all major northern
motorways, M61, M62, M63. 9am to 2pm.
Ample parking, ground floor access, refreshments.
ANTIQUES & OBSOLETE CALIBRE
1859 Sharps & Hankins Navy .52RF Carbine, original leather barrel cover. ............£1945.00
1803-1852 Conway Manchester, Hunting Stone Bow, bespoke mahogany case. ...£3450.00
Remington 1858 .44 calibre Percussion Army Revolver with ivory grips..................£1575.00
1757-58 Pair Queen Anne style Silver Mounted cannon Barrel flintlock Pistols. ......£2750.00
Colt Model 1860 .44 Army Revolver, all matching, dates to 1863. Excellent. ...........£1695.00
C1840 Corts & Co 32 bore Percussion Belt Pistol, octagonal barrel & belt bar. ..........£895.00
1838 Schinde Irregular Horse Enfield .700 Percussion Cavalry Carbine. .................£1275.00
C 1790 Bass of London .54 bore Flintlock Pocket pistol screw off barrel...................£495.00
Model 1854 Lefauchaux 12mm military Pinfire Revolver US Civil War. ......................£795.00
C1840 Golden & Hanson Huddersfield Transitional .600 B/L Needle Fire Rifle.........£1975.00
C1872 New York State Militia M.1871 50x70 Remington Rolling Block Rifle. ..........£1450.00
1st Type 1855 .577 Enfield Cavalry Perc Pistol, 3 groove rifling, mint barrel............£1200.00
Westley Richards London Martini Action .300 Sherwood Rook Rifle in VGC. ..............£975.00
C1810 32 bore Overcoat Pistol, Drum & Nipple conv. Staudenmayor, London. ..........£895.00
C 1850 Lacy & Co Short Sea Service / Customs Percussion Pistol with Belt Bar........£895.00
Cased Hollis Birmingham 1860 .750 ball Big Game Perc Rifle & Accessories..........£2750.00
1861-65 US Civil War Savage 1st Model Revolver; .36 cal Double Action................£1675.00
1858 Remington New Model .32 RF Factory Conv. Percussion. Factory Nickel..........£875.00
1853 Colt Model 1849 .31 cal Brass Frame Pocket Revolver & original holster. ......£1375.00
1857-65 .54 calibre Burnside Cavalry Carbine, saddle ring & bar. Original. .............£1845.00
Colt Model 1862 Constabulary .36cal 5 shot, matching numbers 19500, VGC. .......£1275.00
Williams & Powell Liverpool C 1840 Short Sea Service/ Customs Perc Pistol. ...........£875.00
Colt No3 .41 RF Derringer, nickel & brass frame, excellent original condition. ...........£675.00
1873 Enfield Tower 2 band Snider Rifle .577 & sling.3 groove, mint bore................£1195.00
 The Motor
Volunteer Corps
David Kellock looks at the world’s first, but short-lived,
Corps of military motorists
M
ajor HCL Holden of
the Royal Gun Factory
submitted plans for
an Automobile Corps
in December 1900, resulting in
General Sir Redvers Buller asking the
Automobile Club if he could hire
a car for his forthcoming cavalry
manoeuvres. Three members put their
cars at his disposal for the manoeuvres
which took place during July 1901.
One of those members, Lieutenant
Mark Mayhew of the Middlesex
Imperial Yeomanry submitted a revised
version of Major Holden’s plans to the
military in May 1902. The scope of
such an organisation was demonstrated
in the autumn of 1902 when Lt. Mark
Mayhew and several other prominent
members of the fledgling automotive
world, including the Hon CS Rolls,
placed their motor cars at the disposal
of Lord Roberts and his staff for an
inspection of military stations along
the Kentish coast.
Lt. Mayhew expanded on his ideas
in an article published in The Autocar
during September 1902. A War Office
Committee was to sit in the October
of that year to discuss the details of
the proposed Volunteer Corps. The
idea was to provide a pool of owner
drivers who would be willing to offer
their time and their automobiles or
motorcycles to the service of the Army.
The Motor Volunteer Corps (MVC)
was formed on the and on 2 May
1903, Mark Mayhew was appointed
Commanding Officer with the rank
of Lieutenant Colonel. Enrolment
into the Motor Volunteer Corps began
on 8 May 1903, and by June it was
recruiting towards the establishment
strength of 203 officers and men to be
divided into five commands at London
(headquarters), Aldershot, Salisbury,
York and Scotland. Captain Geoffery
Skeffington-Smyth DSO of the 9th
48 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
1 2
1: Lieutenant Colonel Mark Mayhew MVC in his Panhard et Levassor
2: Private Stanton MVC with his 22hp Daimler
(Queen’s Royal) Lancers was appointed
Adjutant of the MVC. Headquarters
were established at 29 Sackville Street,
which included a spacious clubhouse
for the members use. The MVC
uniform was khaki with dark green
collars and cuffs. The Corps white
metal cap and collar badges included
the motto ‘Subito’ (swiftly). Officers in
service dress wore bronze badges.
During the summer of 1903 many
staff rides were undertaken by the
Corps in preparation for the autumn
manoeuvres. In Scotland the MVC
was on duty for the inspection of
the Highland Light Infantry and the
Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders
during July.
The MVC assembled at Marlborough
on 12 September for the 1903 autumn
manoeuvres, this was to be the first
large-scale test for the Corps. The
Aylesbury Arms Hotel in Marlborough
was the MVC HQ for the manoeuvres.
This site included a garage, pit and a
marquee for maintenance of the cars
and motorcycles on duty. Some cars
were also based at Holmsley in the New
Forest with the 4th Battalion Hampshire
Regiment. The Corps assembled a
total of 43 cars and 21 motorcycles
for use during the manoeuvres.
Sunday morning commenced with a
parade and inspection, followed by
orders for the day, HRH the Duke of
Connaught, Generals Sir H Hilliyard
and Keily-Kenny with their staffs were
transported to various positions in the
manoeuvre area, greatly appreciating
the services offered by this new branch
of the volunteer movement. During the
week, the MVC was fully occupied in
the transportation of the Commander-
in-Chief and his staff officers about the
manoeuvres area, and also conveying
the various foreign military attaches. It
fell to Private Ochs MVC to convey the
declaration of war from Field Marshal
Wood at Marlbrough to General French
at Petersfield.
Much use was made of the Corps
motor cars to reconnoitre camps
and positions for the next night. As
Commanding Officer of the Corps, Lt.
Col. Mayhew took responsibility for
conveying the Commander-in-Chief,
Field Marshal Lord Roberts across the
district to Shefford near Hungerford
where the foreign military attachés
were assembled. On the Wednesday the
opposing forces were in position and
the fighting commenced.
The MVC was kept busy with details
involving the staff, umpires, including
some night drives. The detachment
attached to the umpires spent the week
at various camps to keep up with their
charges’ movements. The motorcyclists

4 held near Clacton in Essex, simulating
were still on duty after others had
been stood down, taking dispatches
to various staff and commanders in
preparation for the next day. At the
end of the week, the MVC assembled
on the main street of Marlborough
for inspection by Lord Roberts,
who thanked the officers and men
personally for their efficient services
throughout the week. The reliability
of their motorcars was remarked upon
in his following address, stating that
without their services the troops and
commanders could not have completed
the things asked of them.
To close the year, the first Annual
Dinner of the Motor Volunteer Corps
was held on Tuesday, 8 December
1903 at the Trocadero Restaurant in
London. Over 200 members and guests
attended, the guest of honour being
Major-General Sir H Hilyard KCB who
spoke of his appreciation of the Corps
work during the autumn manoeuvres
TRANSPORT FEATURE
and their patriotism in founding the
first ever corps of motorists. Lieutenant
Colonel Mayhew responded, outlining
his ideas for expanding the work of
the Corps. The journalist Owen John
stated, “There never had been and
there was never likely to be again
such a Corps where officers and men
messed together, with no distinction
being made between officers and men
as to duties.”
On February 29 1904, 21 officers
of the Motor Volunteer Corps were
presented to His Majesty King Edward
VII at a Levee held at St James’s Palace.
As the full dress uniform had not yet
been approved, The King sanctioned
the officers to be presented in
service dress. During 1904, the Corps
started to establish itself, conducting
regular duties of military inspections
and official visits. Staff rides were
conducted in the military districts and
the Corps presence was seen at various
5
3: MVC motorcars and motorcycles at
camp near Southampton
4: The Napier seven seat tourer, built in
1910
5: Captain WJ Crampton MVC wearing the
new full dress uniform in October 1904
manoeuvres and camps during the
summer and their experience from last
year put the Corps in a good position
to really show what it was capable of
by the time the autumn manoeuvres
came around.
The 1904 Army Manoeuvres were
an invasion of England from the Essex
Coast. General French commanded the
invading force whilst General Wynne
led the defending forces. The MVC
had its own tented camp at Meanee
Barracks and even its own bugler,
although he and the tents were hired
from Harrods. The cars were housed
in a long gun-shed, which could have
been made for the purpose.
Owen John remembered it several
years later as the happiest camp ever
attended. One of the joys was the
enormous heap of full petrol cans in
the middle of the yard. His role that
week was to drive the foreign attachés,
he entertained them for lunch at
various hotels in the area. He would
then head for the nearest local church
with a tower to gain a better view of
the proceedings. The Hon CS Rolls was
absent for most of the manoeuvres
but appeared on the Sunday driving
the chassis of a new two cylinder car
he was testing, proudly declaring it
to be the future of motoring. This car ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 49
The Motor Volunteer Corps
6
6: A postcard showing the MVC Royal Volunteer Review, Holyrood Palace, 1905
7: The MVC assemble for duty, location unknown
was to be the first ever Rolls Royce.
At the end of the manoeuvres Owen
John was amongst the Corps members
who paraded at Clacton-on-Sea for
inspection by the Duke of Connaught,
returning to camp for one final time to
find their mountain of petrol cans had
subsequently disappeared.
In October, Captains Crampton
and Trippel drove General Lord
Methuen and General Leech on the
occasion of Edward VII’s visit to the
Royal Artillery at Woolwich and the
Royal Engineers at Chatham. Captain
Crampton was invited to the Officer’s
Mess of the Royal Engineers, a lunch
at which the King was present, so he
took the opportunity of this occasion
to wear the new full dress uniform for
the first time.
At the end of their second year
the MVC stood at 155 officers and
men. During the year the Corps had
completed a total of 1,289 duties,
many members had driven over 3,000
The very first Rolls-Royce car, built in
1905, on display at the Museum of
Science and Industry in Manchester
50 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
9
10
8: Motor Volunteer Corps white metal cap badge
9: Motor Volunteer Corps white metal collar badge
10: MVC brass shoulder title, photographs show that a cloth
MVC title was also worn. 11: An AMR Lieutenant with his
Orleans motorcar
7 miles in the year, the highest being
Captain HF Trippel who had covered
an impressive 4,031 miles on military
service over the year.
The Annual Corps dinner was again
held at the Trocadero Resturant in
London on Monday 13 February 1905,
with Lord Roberts as guest of honour.
During June, the MVC was present
at the visit of the King of Spain to
the Royal Review at Aldershot, the
11 Corps completing a motoring drive-
by the Royal Party. Later in the year,
northern members of the MVC were
similarly inspected by the King at the
Royal Volunteer Review at Holyrood
Palace, Edinburgh.
There were no general Army
manoeuvres held during 1905
so the year mainly consisted of
local manoeuvres, staff rides and
inspections. The 159 MVC officers and
men completed 1,321 days of duty in
the year, cars completing 87,941miles
and motorcycles 10,338 miles. Towards
the end of 1905 and into 1906 there
had been much discussion regarding
the rank of Motor Volunteer Corps
members. It was found difficult to
recruit owner drivers of motor cars to
serve as Privates, as cars were usually
the province of the well-to-do, and
also the Volunteer Act prevented
recruitment of members in Ireland.
The senior officers of the MVC held
extended discussions with the War
Office regarding the issues and also the
funding of the Corps.
On 26 July 1906 the Royal Warrant
was signed disbanding the Motor
Volunteer Corps, to be replaced by the
Army Motor Reserve (AMR) composed
completely of officers. The AMR full

A group of Army Motor reserve officers photographed in 1909
dress uniform was as the MVC but
with gold replacing silver lace and
gilt badges. A new collar badge was
designed with an arrow through the
motto ‘Subito’ on a scroll. Bronze
badges were worn on service dress. An
‘R’ was worn of the epaulette of full
dress or collar of service dress. The
headquarters and clubhouse remained
at 29 Sackville Street. The AMR
consisted of 136 officers comprising
six field officers, 24 Captains and 106
subalterns, but finding applicants from
outside members of the old MVC was
proving difficult. The AMR reached its
peak in October 1907 with a total of
153 officers on the strength.
By 1909, the Army’s own motor
transport was expanding and the
need for the AMR was diminishing.
i COLLECTING MVC AND AMR MEMORABILIA
Being a small organisation over 100
years old, MVC and AMR memorabilia
is quite rare and prices reflect this. I
would expect cap badges to sell for
£100 to £150, collar badges for £50 to
£70 and buttons for £20 to £30.
Recent sales included a collection
of 25 MVC AMR related badges and
12 13
TRANSPORT FEATURE
Chauffeurs, which many AMR officers
employed to do the actual driving
whilst they occupied the passenger
seat, posed a problem for the Army,
reducing the occupancy of the
motorcar for Staff Officers. Another
problem was standardisation, in the
event of mobilisation so many different
makes would cause difficulty in the
supply of spares. The Chief of the
Imperial Staff admitted that what may
have been a valuable organisation in
1903 may have become superfluous by
1910. The Secretary of State decided in
March 1910 that no action with regards
the AMR should be taken at that time,
but that no further appointments
should be made to it.
By 1912 the numbers had declined
so much the Headquarters in Sackville
buttons for a hammer price of £900
at Thomas Del Mar Auctions, an AMR
full dress jacket for £850 hammer
price at C&T Auctions and a copy
of the MVC Standing Orders dated
1903 for £40 on eBay. The postcard
depicting the Royal Volunteer Review
at Holyrood Palace cost £6.
15. Army Motor Reserve gilt collar badge, LH shown
16. Army Motor Reserve bronze collar badge, LH shown
14
12: Army Motor Reserve gilt cap badge
13: Army Motor Reserve bronze cap badge
14: Army Motor Reserve gilt button
Motor Volunteer Corps white metal button
Street were vacated and a new
Headquarters set up at 39 St James’
Street, sharing the building with
the offices of Norwich Union. Lt.
Col. Mark Mayhew, seeing the AMR
could not go on this way, gave his
resignation and the Army Council
agreed to his request on 20 November
1912. Major Skeffington Smyth DSO
was approached as replacement CO,
however he also held doubts about the
future role of the AMR. The decision
had effectively been already made
by the Army Council and the Army
manoeuvres of 1913 went ahead
without the involvement of the AMR.
The decision to disband the AMR was
finally made in October 1913. Major
Skeffington Smyth had just one final
request, that remaining 76 officers of
the AMR be allowed to retain their
rank and wear the prescribed uniform.
His Majesty King George V approved
the disbandment of the Army Motor
Reserve of Officers on 1 November
1913, granting them permission
to retain their rank and wear the
prescribed uniform. ■
15
16
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 51
 NEW
SERIES LEGENDS OF WWII

The Avro Lancaster

Duncan Evans looks at a range of legendary hardware from
WWII and points out some collecting opportunities

B
ombers aren’t usually the
poster boy aircraft for an
air force, in the same way
i STATISTICS
that iconic fighters are, AVRO LANCASTER
but the Avro Lancaster surely Top speed: 287mph
bucks that trend. This is a heavy Service ceiling: 24,500ft
bomber that has achieved Armament: Eight 0.303in Browning
machine-guns (defensive)
almost mystical status for
Engine: Rolls-Royce Merlin x4
both the hammer blow
Number built: 7,377
of delivering 608,612
Entered service: February 1942
tons of explosives
Designer: Roy Chadwick
during 156,000 sorties
on Nazi Germany, and also
the surgical precision
required during the
Dambusters raid (see June
2018 Armourer).
It was developed
from the twin-engine
Avro Manchester by
Avro’s Chief Engineer,
Roy Chadwick. The first
prototype, BT308, had a three fin
tail layout but the middle tail was soon
dispensed with, opening up the field of
fire for the rear gunner. It made its first
flight on 9 January 1941. The second
prototype received the more powerful
Merlin XX engine. It entered service
in February 1942 and featured a 33ft
long bomb bay. Initially the heaviest
bomb it could carry was 4,000lb but
subsequent revisions increased this to a
regular weight of 12,000lb.
The first operational mission of Lancaster B.I PA474 of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in
Lancasters was the deployment of naval 460 Squadron (RAAF) colours (Cpl Phil Major ABIPP/MOD)

Lancaster BT308 Lancaster ‘Just Jane’ Canadian ‘Mynarski’

Lancaster

52 July 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk


mines in Heligoland Bight by bombers
of No. 44 Squadron. It was designed as
a night bomber, but as the Allies began
to gain air superiority it took part in
more daytime missions.
The most famous raid involving
Lancasters (the B.III Special) was the
Dambusters raid, Operation Chastise,
where No. 617 Squadron was formed
with the aim of breaching the Ruhr
valley dams. A special, 9,250lb,
bouncing bomb, code named Upkeep,
was fitted to a custom-designed
mounting so that it would spin when
released. 617 Squadron, in conjunction
with No. 9 Squadron, went on to
perform another precision raid, this
time against the German battleship
Tirpitz, holed up in a Norwegian Fjord.
HARDWARE FEATURE
From 1942 until the end of the war,
the Lancaster was Britain’s main heavy
bomber, with roughly 50 Squadrons
in action. During early 1945 some 33 COLLECT
Lancaster model B.Is were modified so THE ITEM
they could drop the Grand Slam bomb S
– a 22,000lb monster that weighed
much the same as the aircraft itself. It
was dropped on the Schildesche viaduct
at Bielefeld in northwest Germany.
Only two Lancaster bombers are still
airworthy – PA474 based at Coningsby,
operated by the Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight, and FM213, Vera,
operated by the Canadian Warplane
Inlet tube – Various par
Heritage Museum. Just Jane, NX611, ts of wreckage from
Lancaster JB659, shot dow
based at East Kirkby, can taxi and is n over Holland,
this is from an inlet tube
undergoing renovation with the aim to Merlin engine on the Packard
. £175 from spitfirespare
fly again. ■ co.uk
uk. s.

on an
usedgaug
elsure early
e Mk1 2E – Com
-mid prod uction
plete
Oilwhe
A pres
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llary and
Dug up on
send the
er. East
Four ern
of Fron
these t.
are
withrcapi
Tige
Fligh
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versi steel
t Engi
used medonwhe
’s stati
-rim
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in the
fittedr at
Late
$2,8.00
Lancaster
costs Cost s £95,
from sww
avai
relic m www.
2.cofrom
lable
raf-surplus.co.uk .uk.

Radio receiver – Model

No. R1155 radio
receiver from a Lancaster
bomber. Although
it will be sold by the tim
e you read this, there
are often parts for sale on
Dambusters film This cost £54.
www.ebay.co.uk.

load
Fuel Contents gauge – Bomb bay over
ition. This gaug e
tank gauge in good cond
at the Flight Engineer ’s station. Just
is fitted
£25 from www.raf-surplus.co.uk.

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 53

 ER
COVR
STO Y
The band of Honour
John C Pursley investigates the SS Honour ring, the most sought-after award
in the SS but one where little was done to earn it
W
hen it came to the
number of military,
civil servant, or civilian
personal achievement
awards and decorations designed
and issued, the Third Reich leaders
were second-to-none. The practice
of rewarding both great and minor
accomplishments with pins, patches, or
medals seemed to make most Germans
feel good about being recognised for
helping Hitler take over the world.
The honours also motivated
German citizens and members of the
Wehrmacht to work harder and take
greater risks in the hopes they would
earn additional esteemed decorations.
The problem with the German
award system versus the duration of
the war was having to continually
develop the next-level accolade for
those who had already earned the
highest award available in order to
avoid establishing an inevitable finish
line for military personnel motivation
and bragging rights.
Nazi paramilitary organizations like
the Schutzstaffel (SS), placed extreme
emphasis on Aryan superiority and
represented themselves as an elite
organisation, modelled after Dark Ages
54 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
religious orders such as the Teutonic
Knights. Their unique awards reflected
this association.
One such recognition, authorised
for wear by SS personnel in December
1933, were ceremonial dress daggers,
bestowed by the state upon every
graduating recruit to recognise
their commitment in meeting
the extremely high qualification
standards for race, physical, mental
and political indoctrination.
Going a step further, Heinrich
Himmler, as a token of his personal
gratitude for individual achievement,
loyalty, and upholding SS ideologies,
introduced Honour daggers and swords
bearing a facsimile of his signature
etched into the blades.
To coincide with other unique
tributes, Himmler also instituted a ring
in 1933 frequently referred to as either
the Himmler Honour ring, Totenkopf
Honour ring, or SS Death Head ring.
Although there is no way of
knowing, it is very likely a few Honour
rings were found and removed from
the dead fingers of SS men who
committed suicide with Hitler in the
Führerbunker at the end.
The design reflects the Reichführer’s
interest in Germanic mysticism and
was only produced by the Otto &
Karolina Gahr Jewelry Company of
Munich. Made of silver alloy, the
ring’s dimensions were approximately
7mm wide by 2mm thick and are
often, mistakenly, referred to as the
SS Wedding band due to the general
resemblance to one.
In the centre of the ring’s body,
on the outside of the band, was the
deaths head (Totenkopf) that served as
a continuous reminder that an SS man
should always be willing to risk his
own life for the greater benefit of the
SS organisation.
This symbol was sandwiched
between 2 single sigrunes (a symbol
of control and victory) framed by a
triangle; followed by the Hagel rune
(representing steadfast faith in Nazi
philosophy) bordered by a hexagon;
next was the Hakenkreuz or swastika
(standing on the vertex) framed by a
diamond portraying the powerful and
influential symbol of the Aryan race;
and lastly SS runes and a combination
of ‘TYR’ and the ‘OL’ encompassed
within a circle.
Although the exact procedure
for manufacture has been lost or
Loyalty oath to Hitler being sworn by
Nazi SS troops at Feldherrnhalle, Munich,
in 1938. Rituals based upon Teutonic
traditions were common in the life of an
SS member

Above: Himmler inscriptions and date
of award are etched into the band of
this Honour ring (warrelics.com)
Above: Heinrich Himmler, Reichsführer,
SS, father of the Honour ring
(WW2german.com)
destroyed, it is best believed the ring
was die cast in a bar-shape with the
designs incorporated into the band.
Individual sizing was achieved by
cutting a small amount from each
end according to the measurements
provided by the recipient with the
following steps being hand-engraving
and subsequent rolling into its circular,
ring shape.
The skull piece was separately cast
and soldered into place over the seam
joining the two ends of the ring band
together and, finally, hand-finished by
the master jewellers.
These Honour blades and rings
were not state decorations, but rather
personal gifts controlled and bestowed
by Himmler.
Many awards presented by the
Germans came in ornate, well-crafted,
hard-shelled cases meant to house and
protect the item when not in-use or as
a display platform; but not so in the
case of the SS Honour ring. These were
intended, and expected, to be worn
frequently, if not continuously.
They came in small round cardboard
boxes, of which there are four known
AWARD FEATURE
Right: Each Honour ring was
accompanied by a document from
Himmler stating its history and
expectations for the wearer
(icollector.com)
Two views of the M3, easily distinguished
by the crank-type cocking lever and the
length of the ejection port cover (Rock
Island Auctions)
Top: The death’s head was
sandwiched between two single
sigrunes (a symbol of control and
victory) framed by a triangle. Most
rings should exhibit wear as the Left: Many cardboard
base material is a soft silver-alloy boxes containing the
(totenkopfring.com) ring were discarded
Above: The Himmler facsimile once the item was
signature on the inside of the awarded. This makes
band should appear sharp and the original boxes far
crisp. Also visible is the Hagel rune rarer than the scarce
representing steadfast faith in Nazi ring they once housed
philosophy bordered by a hexagon (wehrmachtmedals.
(totenkopfring.com) com)
variations, the most common being of the award had lackluster
featured with a foil-wrapped lower performance records and minimal,
section where the ring sat. It had a if any, other awards or professional
black lid that completely covered the accomplishments, in contrast to others
lower section, when closed. The top who performed a noteworthy service
of the award container was embossed for the greater cause and never received
with two silver SS runes. a ring.
These boxes had no intended The few regulations that did exist for
purpose but to serve as a temporary issuing the Totenkopfring were revised
means to protect the item during frequently to include considerations
shipping and therefore many were for foreign divisions of SS, police,
discarded once the ring was awarded.
This makes the original ring boxes far
rarer than the scarce ring they once
housed. As is typical, both items have
been reproduced for many years so
the likelihood of finding an original
example of either is quite low.
These accolades differed from most
others in that there were no steadfast
standard criteria for earning one,
unlike most of the decorations issued
during the period of the Third Reich.
Research into SS personnel files has
determined that a good percentage
Many SS ceremonies and rituals were
of the rings issued to officers only based on the occult and new members
required them to have served for three such as these pictured swore their undying
years with no serious issues. allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the SS
Ironically, many recipients organisation (rarehistoricalphotos.com) ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 55
The band of Honour

Top Left: Period
photographs of SS men
wearing their Honour
ring are rare. This officer
is wearing his in the
proper manner on his
left, third index finger
(rarehistoricalphotos.
com)
Left: SS-Oberfuhrer
Karl Ullrich wearing
his esteemed award
(rarehistoricalphotos.
com)
Above: Wewelsburg Castle was leased to Heinrich Himmler and the
SS for 1 Deutschmark per year. Himmler wasted no time in turning it
into a combination school for SS candidates, research center for Aryan
studies, home for rituals, and a shrine for deceased members and their
Honour rings
Left: A clear view of the Hagel rune,
representing steadfast faith in Nazi
philosophy, framed by a hexagon. Also
visible, on the rear of the band, are the
SS runes and a combination of ‘TYR’
and the ‘OL’ encompassed within a
circle (totenkopfring.com)

or those not living in Germany but
were serving the organisation in some
manner while abroad.
While the criteria for award
consideration and recommendation
were not that well-defined, the wearing
and control of the rings were. It was
to be worn only on the left hand third
index finger and if an SS member was
dismissed, retired, left the service, or
was killed in battle, his ring had to be
returned to Himmler.
The Honour ring was the most
cherished and desirable visible
recognition an SS man could earn, as
it was held in esteem beyond that of
the Honour sword or chained officer
dagger. This is the one award that was
personalised with the recipient’s name,
date of award, and Himmler’s signature
hand-engraved on the interior of
the band. As the war progressed, the
number of rings issued to SS personnel
grew proportionately.
Details of the award information
were entered by name in the Officers’
Seniority List (Dienstaltersliste), and
dually documented in the recipient’s
personnel file. In addition to the ring,
each recipient received a dated citation
from Himmler that read as follows: ‘I
award you the SS Death’s Head Ring.
The ring symbolises our loyalty to the
Führer, our steadfast obedience and
our brotherhood and comradeship.
The Death’s Head reminds us that
we should be ready at any time to
lay down our lives for the good of
the Germanic people. The runes
diametrically opposite the Death’s
Head are symbols from our past of
the prosperity which we will restore
through National Socialism. The two
Sig-Runes stand for the name of our
SS. The swastika and the Hagall-Rune
represent our unshakable faith in the
ultimate victory of our philosophy. The
ring is wreathed in oak, the traditional
German leaf. The Death’s Head Ring
cannot be bought or sold and must
never fall into the hands of those not
entitled to wear it. When you leave the
SS, or when you die, the ring must be
returned to the Reichsführer-SS. The
unauthorised acquisition of duplicates
of the ring is forbidden and punishable
by Law.
Wear the ring with honor!’
The fate of the rings
When the Reichführer decided to create
a memorial signifying the everlasting
membership of the departed SS officers
in the organisation, he ordered the
rings of all recipients who had died be
returned and preserved in the Schrein
der Inhabers des Totenkopfringes
(Shrine to the Holders of the Deaths’
Head Ring) in Wewelsburg Castle
(site of the SS school, research, and
many occultist SS rituals). They were
ceremoniously cared for with respect
and reverence.
As the conflict gradually turned
against Germany, Himmler, in October
1944, ordered a temporary halt to both
the manufacture and awarding of the
ring until the end of the war.
By the Spring of the next year, the
Germans were in full-retreat on all
fronts and it was quite evident they
would lose the war. Fearing the rings
stored in the shrine would be captured
by the invading Allied forces, Himmler
ordered them blast sealed and buried in
the side of a mountain somewhere near
Wewelsburg. The secret location remains

56 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 AWARD FEATURE
Left: The M3A1 Grease gun. The elongation
Left: The Hakenkreuz
of the ejection-port cover and the lug on
or swastika (standing on
its lower edge help to distinguish the M3A1
the vertex) framed by a
from the M3 (Rock Island Auctions)
diamond portraying the
powerful and influential
symbol of the Aryan race
(totenkopfring.com)

Right: A reproduction Honour

ring can be easy to recognise as
this one is too shiny, exhibits no
wear, the Death’s Head entire
jaw and teeth are wrong, and the
biggest give-away is the fact this
ring is named to Hydrich. After
his death his ring would have Above: A close-up of the M3A1 breech
been housed in the shrine for showing the finger-cocking hole at the
years and most certainly sealed front of the bolt and the way in which the
and buried at the end of the war barrel was held by a threaded collar (Rock
(Reddickenterprises.com) Island Auctions)
Above Right: In addition to Honour rings, Himmler also had his signature etched into
presentation daggers and swords. These were not state issue items but rather a personal gift
of gratitude to the recipient from the Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel (totenkopfring.com)
Left: The Wewelsburg castle is now a museum with a permanent exhibition Ideology and
Terror of the SS, the history of the Schutzstaffel’s activities within the structure

recipients had jewellers’ copies Totenkopf ring are the hand-engraved:

intact as they have yet to be unearthed.
During its 10-year duration,
approximately 14,500 rings were
awarded and by January 1945, 64% of
them had been returned to the shrine
after the deaths of their holders. It is
believed an additional 26% were in
the possession of their recipients, with
10% lost on the battlefield or adrift in
places unknown.
This means there were only about
3,500 rings in circulation at the end of
the war, making them extremely rare
today. The fact tens of thousands are
available on the internet, junk shops,
or at military shows should be a huge
red flag for the would-be purchaser.
Prices for an original examples
range between £12,000 and £30,000
so it is best to use extreme caution if
you are considering acquiring one.
To the investor, they are as equally
risky, if not more so, to purchase than
a Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross,
another highly sought-after and
massively reproduced decoration.
Again, buyers be advised some
professionally made so their originals
would not be lost or damaged through
wear. However, even if an authorised
recipient had this done, the result is
still a reproduction and worth little
more than the value of the silver.
Although finding a genuine ring
in a junk shop is a long-shot, it
does happen. My friend and fellow
collector John Flesher found his in
a glass case crammed with items and
paid $100 for it. With the help of a
relative in Germany, he obtained the
records of the recipient (Hans Reinhold
Henke) and found all the information
received matched what was engraved
into the ring. John felt even better
after renowned expert Don Boyle
authenticated it.
If, by chance, you do find one for
sale, during the process for assessing
the rings’ authenticity ask these
questions: How much did the seller pay
for the ring? What claims is the seller
making in reference to authenticity
of the ring? Does the seller have any
documentation from a well-known
expert verifying the ring is original?
When originally purchased, was there
a box with it? Can you post detailed
pictures (if inquiring via internet)?
Is the ring silver? What are the runic
symbols on the outside of the band?
What markings are on the inside of the
band itself?
The only markings that should
be on the inside band of an original
‘S.lb’ (to my dear); last name of
recipient; date of award with the day,
month, and year; facsimile signature
‘H. Himmler’.
There are a few simple steps a
collector can take to determine if a ring
is original. First, copies are normally
thinner and narrower, especially if a
casting copy has been made from a
real example (these are usually 4-5%
smaller in size).
When using magnification, the
Death’s Head on the copy will
normally seem like part of the ring
rather than the separate piece it
should be; the inscription of a fake will
normally be feint or irregular, unlike
the original inscription that is clear
with sharp details from the hand-
engraving process.
Another obvious signs a ring is a
reproduction would be the lack of
an assembly seam under the Death’s
Head, or lacking in .800 or .900 silver
stamped markings.
In addition, these rings were made of
a rather soft alloy material and should
show a reasonable amount of wear.
If the one you are looking at exhibits
sharp, crisp surface features, it may be
in your best interest to move along to
the next dealer.
Collector and expert on German
militaria, Craig Gottlieb authoured
The SS Totenkopf Ring, Schiffer Military
History publications, that is an
excellent resource. ■

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 57

 C.S. Arms, Inc.
Cliff Sophia
Proprietor

Collector’s Arms 1700-1945 Militaria

Civil War Thru World War Two a Specialty
9150 John S. Mosby Hwy. (Rt. 50)
Upperville, Virginia 20185
PO BOX 602 for US Mail
(540) 592-7273
SophiaCSArms@aol.com

CSArms.com
Welcome to www.military-collectables.com

The lever-action
transformed
John Wallace describes a well-used 1886 Winchester and how one man
changed the quintessential American firearm
M
y first Winchester, made
in 1888, was taken
home to Norway by a
returning immigrant
around 1930, for shooting elk, and
spent the German occupation under
the floor of a mountain cabin. With
the resistance being supplied by
fishing-boat from the Shetlands, it
wasn’t really a weapon of war, it was
more the principle of defiance.
Being a .40-82 it is on the British
government’s list of centrefire firearms
regarded as antiques. Despite a recent
Panorama programme in which
much was made of very few incidents
whereby old guns were brought back
into use, abuse of this concession must
be set against thousands of firearms
passing to responsible collectors instead
of from one schoolboy to another.
Most 1886 Winchester chamberings
are on the list of antiques and so can
be legally owned without licence, but
not the .45-70 and .45-90, nor most of
those for other Winchesters. My 1894
is in .32-40, but any 1892 is denied
us, except as a licensed firearm. While
licensing became necessary to fire my
antique gun, this legal exemption
simplified import of the rifle.
Machinery and
machinations
Oliver Winchester was unfairly called a
shirtmaker, but the reality was he spent
much more of his life in the firearms
industry than anywhere else. We
hear no anecdotes of his shooting
or working with his hands, but he
was a masterly judge of consumer
demand, and knew to buy or hire
whatever expertise he required.
Many firearms companies go
bankrupt with a good product,
but Winchester derived benefit
from a bad one. Oliver was a
shareholder in the Volcanic
Arms Company, probably
having forced its insolvency
he acquired its assets from
Smith and Wesson. The tube-
magazine Volcanic carbines
and pistols, with no breech seal
and the powder contained in a
hollow bullet, were profoundly
impractical. But their vertically
sliding cartridge carrier and
toggle-joint locking system, like
an upside-down Luger, were
priceless intellectual property,
as was a covenant transferring
to Winchester, giving him
Left: Theodore Roosevelt with an
1876, although the 1895 in .405
WCF is the Winchester he took
to Africa
FIREARM FEATURE
use of future Smith and Wesson
developments. The Henry rifle,
named after Winchester’s similarly
acquired works manager Tyler Henry,
virtually doubled up their .22 Short
rimfire cartridge. Modern Winchester
rimfires, in much tougher metal, are
headstamped ‘H’ for Henry.
After the Civil War Winchester gave
his name to his former New Haven
Arms Company. In a tight corner a .44
rimfire was a lot better than an empty
single-shot, and corners could be
tight in the Old West. But the Henry
was far from perfect. Its expensively
machined magazine had cumbersome
loading arrangements, and a sliding
tab on the magazine plunger could be
obstructed by the hand. With copper-
cased rimfires, problems escalate with
size. Even with modest performance,
the Henry was prone to jamming or
rim cracking.
Improvements led first to the
Winchester 1866, with a steel-tubing
magazine, wooden fore-end and
King’s Improvement, much like the
loading-gate we know today. The 1866
is normally a brass-framed rimfire, but
there followed the 1873, the classic
western Winchester, iron-framed
until 1884 and then steel, retaining
the Volcanic’s toggle-joint breech.
Its centrefire .44-40 cartridge was
a priceless improvement, but even
modern copies should not much
exceed black powder pressures.
The market craved a lever-action to
fire the .45-70 Government cartridge,
and the US government needed the
long-range performance of their 500gr
round-nosed bullet, which imposed
high pressure. The 1881 Marlin was
the first popular repeater to use it, in
a rather bulky action, but while flat-
nosed bullets of sporting design were
safe, round noses contacting primers,
together with heavy recoil, produced
magazine explosions. ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 59
The lever-action transformed

For a few years the 1886 was the only thing

identified as a Winchester but, in the long term,
the 1892 and 1894 proved far more popular

1: Half-cock on the 1886 hammer was considered adequate for a long time, before the
tranverse button safety fitted to modern Winchesters and Marlins
2: How the model rollstamp was applied in the 1880s (above) and the early 20th century

1 2 3

The final toggle-joint Winchester, 3: We may wonder, in looking at the 1886

the 1876, was virtually a larger 1873,
for a .45-75 Winchester cartridge with
a lighter bullet and a shorter, fatter
bottlenecked case. It pleased mounted
buffalo hunters, who shot close up. But
those who hunted on foot from long
range wanted a better, heavy-bullet
round. This required a single-shot rifle,
which Winchester did not have.
A giant of the
industry appears
This was when, in John M. Browning’s
modest words, ‘The time and the
place for a gunmaker just got together
on this corner, and I happened along.’
In 1883 the demise of the Sharps
company opened a market niche. This
took Thomas Bennet, Winchester’s
general manager, to Ogden, Utah,
where the Browning brothers, in what
they termed ‘the largest arms factory
between Omaha and the Pacific’,
had begun small-scale manufacture
of what would become the 1885
Winchester Single Shot. It should be
noted that Ogden and Omaha are on
the same latitude.
Winchester could make the 1885
much more cheaply than the high
prices which had brought down Sharps,
and in sizes for game smaller than
the vanished buffalo herds. But in
the family workshop Bennet found a
wooden model of a repeating action
which would accommodate longer,
action, why Mr Browning was the first
to think of his descending pivot, in the
locking lugs. It is quite the usual thing with
inventions
4: Some thought the reduced capacity
worth having, for the lighter weight and
the chance of better accuracy
higher-pressure cartridges than the
1876. Encouraged by Bennet the
brothers obtained US Patent 306,577
of 1884, which they assigned to
Winchester. This was supplemented
in early 1885 by William Mason,
Winchester’s chief designer, patenting
an ejector and improved cartridge feed.
The Brownings made a few Single
Shots before the design became
Winchester’s 1885, but not the
repeating 1886. Even the few stamped
‘Browning Bros, Ogden, Utah’ were
supplied by Winchester in part-
payment for manufacturing rights. At
the very least, though, these are rifles
the brothers may have unpacked and
shown to customers. It is unlikely that
Oliver Winchester, who died in 1880,
ever met them.
What made the
1886 different
In the 1886 twin slablike locking-
bolts slide in vertical grooves in the
receiver walls. In the closed position
they engage matching grooves in a
rectangular-section bolt which slides
on longitudinal rails. Other people’s
4
thoughts must have taken them this
far, but if the lever were pivoted in the
receiver, as in previous Winchesters
and Marlins, and an initial movement
to unlock the action added, either
the action would be bulky or the
bolt travel very short. The genius of
Browning lay in giving the lever no
fixed pivot. It rotates around the pin
which attaches the locking-bolts to it.
This pivot sinks far below the receiver
as the bolt approaches its rearmost
point, permitting an increased
cartridge length.
The first action of the descending
lever is to withdraw the locking-bolts,
and then move the bolt rearward. The
bolt cocks the hammer and the lever
takes with it Mason’s carrier hook,
sliding in grooves in the cartridge
carrier. As this hook moves back, it
rises to catch the rim of the cartridge
emerging from the magazine, onto
the tilting and eases it onto the carrier
without abrupt impact. At the same
time the plunger-type ejector in the
breech-face - later vital to automatic
weapons - ejects the empty case. The

60 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk


American
soldiers
throwing
WWII
German steel
helmets onto
a dump
The toggle-joint and carrier of the Volcanic
lived on in the 1873. Fortuitously, since
the Volcanic had nothing to2extract, it gave
powerful primary extraction
5 6
lever, finishing its downstroke, raises
the carrier to present the cartridge to
the chamber.
The upstroke reverses the bolt,
chambers the cartridge, and reseats the
locking-bolts. A cam on the top of the
lever ceases to obstruct the firing-pin
once locking is complete.
Mason’s carrier hook was a valuable
improvement, avoiding the magazine
explosions which plagued the 1881
Marlin. Winchester stopped loading
the .45-70 with the small primers
which Marlin considered essential for
safety in its 1881 model, provoking an
acrimonious correspondence.
The first 1886 rifles reached factory
inventory on the 30 August, five days
before the final surrender of Geronimo.
But it was not too late to be a firearm
of the Old West, used in the Wyoming
range wars and a great favourite on
the Klondike, where Arctic conditions
made single-loading difficult. The Royal
Flying Corps, in the brief period when
machine-guns were considered too
heavy for aircraft armament, envisaged
no less a quarry than German aircraft,
and the Imperial War Museum has a
factory-sectioned demonstration rifle as
a result.
It was probably the smoothest-
operating lever-action Winchester.
While some of its internals seem
complicated, malfunctions are rare,
and non-fireable ones rarer. There were
many factory options, including fancy
wood, alternative barrel or magazine
FIREARM FEATURE
WWI (1916 pattern) German army steel
helmet (stahlhelm) with protruding
ventilation lugs
All the factory cartridges for the Model 1886, except the
20th century .33WCF
7
5: In the 1894 Browning introduced his
lengths, takedown models, engraving,
hinged floorplate, which place a single
set triggers, pistol grip and shotgun- locking-lug behind the bolt
style buttplate. The standard receiver
6: Marlin’s system, locking obliquely on the
finish changed from colour case- top of the lever, was bulky and only just
hardening to blue in 1901. strong enough for the black powder .45-
The basic 1886 design took other 70. But from 1889 via this .32 1892 Marlin
forms. The 1892, a miniaturised and to the current 39a, there has scarcely been
simplified version, did the 1873’s short- a peacetime year without a rimfire Marlin
cartridge job in a lighter rifle suitable of the same basic design
for smokeless powder. The 1894, the 7: The twin locking lugs of the 1886 (top)
first expressly-planned smokeless and 1892 engage on either side of the
bolt, but the single lug of the 1894 rises up
Winchester, is no mere elongated
behind it
1892. The lever and carrier are hinged
in a dropping floor-plate, which, at
the expense of a little smoothness,
positions a single locking-bolt behind
the bolt. Both the 1892 and the 1894
far outsold the specialised 1886.
The next Browning-designed
Winchester was the 1895, resembling
a larger and reinforced 1894 with a
box-magazine. This permits the safe
use of pointed bullets, invaluable in a
long-range rifle aspiring to the military
market. It had a reputation as a kicker,
earned primarily by the straight-cased
.405 WCF, which outran its weight
and stock geometry. The 1895 was also
made for the more widely-useful .30-40
Krag, .303 and .30-06, and some 70%
of all 1895s were made for Russia in
7.62x54R.
Right: The flange at the rear of this 1892’s
fore-end indicate a takedown model. This,
with the octagonal barrel, make
it an expensive purchase for a
low-paid profession ❯
The lever-action transformed
Above Left: Great things come from small beginnings. Walter Hunt’s
Rocket Ball, here seen as his separately primed version of 1848, led via
the Volcanics to the Winchester empire
Putting the 1886 to work
Although smokeless powder played
no part in the original concept, the
1886, unlike the 1881 Marlin or
Winchester1876, has much greater
strength than black powder requires.
The 1899 catalogue describes it as the
strongest repeating rifle ever made.
Any shooter of the Browning
Winchesters needs to own The
Winchester Lever Legacy, by Clyde
‘Snooky’ Williamson, an enormous
book in which things the uncharitable
might call extraneous, such as sketches,
Western artefacts and folksy anecdote,
conceal a meticulous loading and
To the cartridges used in the true 1886,
we might add the .348 Winchester of
1935, introduced for the Model 71, almost
identical to the 1886 but in modern steels
62 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
Above Right: Mason’s carrier hook (L) eased the cartridge
more gently onto the tilting carrier, but his wide ejector (N)
was a weakness eliminated in later Winchesters
testing programme.
Most of the WCF cartridges were
designed by Merton Robinson,
Winchester’s chief ballistics engineer,
who surely deserves an ‘R’ headstamp
as much as Henry his ‘H’. The 1886
action will only feed rounds about 0.4in
longer than the .45-90 case length. It is
inadvisable to let a cast bullet protrude
into the powder space, so for practical
purposes the distance between case
shoulder and cartridge overall length
is the bullet length you get. You are
left with a predetermined location for
its nose, which, pointed bullets being
dangerous in a tube magazine, must be
flat or as rounded as the government
bullet. This permits little variation from
Robinson’s designs. With moderate,
foolproof expansion, these bullets are
just as effective as the mushroom which
modern bullet designers hope for.
Robinson’s cartridges are designed to
make the strength of the case minimise
bolt thrust, by having just the right
amount of taper for gas pressure to
partly lock them in the chamber, and
yet permit longitudinal stretching.
Imagine the bolt being linked to the
barrel by a hard-drawn brass wire of up
0.2in diameter, so adjusted that it will
stretch and deliver up its load to a steel
locking system before it ruptures. The
modern case, although tubular, does
just this job.
Many old cases are of the folded
head type with the primer pocket and
rim shaped by folding a thin sheet-
Left: Although hopelessly
impractical, the Volcanic
pistols and carbines
introduced the toggle-joint
breech and vertically rising
cartridge carrier of the pre-
Browning Winchesters
metal case-head. These should never be
reloaded to higher intensity.
The velocity of most Winchester black
powder cartridges was around 1,400ft/
sec, and powder capacity affected bullet
weight more than velocity. In the
mid-1890s Winchester produced high-
velocity smokeless loads in the 1,900-
2,100ft/sec range, much resembling
those of Williamson and others. By
1899 though, high-velocity smokeless
loads for the 1886 were discontinued,
and the .38-56, for example, once again
offered no advantage over the 1894’s
smokeless .38-55. One reason often
suggested is the existence of weapons of
inferior quality or poor condition. But
selling 1894 and 1895 Winchesters may
have provided another motive.
Rifling twist should be checked in
your rifle before you invest in reloading,
as rebored barrels and special-order
twists are not uncommon. The .45-70
generally has rifling of one turn in 16
or 20in, amply fast for any bullet you
are likely to use, as is the 20in post-1900
.45-90. 19th century .45-90s were 32in,
and heavy bullets may tumble in flight.
The .40-65 and .40-82 have 26in and
28in twist respectively, unsuitable for
bullets much over the standard 260gr.
Although that is a good, serviceable
bullet, it is not really a long-range
one. The .40-70, with a 20in twist, will
stabilise 330gr bullets, with even better
penetration on heavy game or brush
than the other forties, though none of
them are bad. ■
RZMilitaria
MILITARIA
We buy & sell quality militaria
!860 SCOTTISH TAILOR’S FIGURE
For sale is one of the scarcest
item to have survived for
over 160 years and all bits
have stayed together. This
is a military tailor’s window
display wax model to show
what they can make. See
website for full description.
£780.00
WATERLOO
FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY CAVALRY
FLINTLOCK PISTOL
A French 1763-1766 2nd
Model cavalry flintlock
pistol. The lock plate shows
a manufactures mark of
Maubeuge and there is a
troop mark under the trigger
guard “M6”.
£1050.00

FRENCH GARDE NATIONALE A CHEVAL WW1 GERMAN SHOULDER BOARD

1814 MODEL HELMET
A French 1814 model Garde
Nationale A Cheval helmet. WW1 German shoulder
First Resturation period, board to the 6th regiment.
showing the single Fluer
De Lys to the front plate. £60.00
A black leather skull with
nickel plated metal work
and horse hair main. See
website for full description.
£2850.00

ENGLISH CIVIL WAR HEAVY CAVALRY FRENCH HORSE BRIDAL BIT

Visit us at War & Peace Show on Pitch A83
BROADSWORD
French 1830-70 Horse bit
An English Civil War period
heavy cavalry broadsword. for mounted artillery with
A very long single fullered brass plates to each side
blade, having engraved floral with flaming grenades
and scimitar design with
Latin motto’s. The sword has
and cross cannons.

a pierced shell guard, with £110.00

www.RZMilitaria.com
intricate wire bound grip.
£2300.00

email: james@rzmilitaria.com Gary Lawrence 07935 324562 /

01708 500994 Denise 07918 881432
tel: 07980 608211 www.waterloomilitaria.com
 German military
COVER
STORY wall plaques
John C Pursley investigates artistic awards and decorative
military paraphernalia

G
erman artisans of the
Third Reich crafted
an array of decorative
military-oriented plaques
for use as motivational awards,
presentation pieces, and civilian
show-of-support items. Most common
are the silver-washed, hollow metal
figures of soldiers and weapons
mounted on black wooden planks.
Some have the reason and date of
the award engraved on metal label
plates while others are void. They are
attractive additions to the walls of a
collection room.
However, within the collecting
community, military art and militaria
are clearly different classifications.
This distinction was explained at a
gun show when after asking a dealer if
he wanted to buy my German officer
statue, he replied “I’m not really into
art, but if you have any real militaria,
come back.”
Clearly, not all militaria collectors
appreciate plaques, however I
personally believe the blending adds
much more depth and interest to a
collection room. Military oriented
recognition plaques are magnificent
pieces of finely crafted historical
art displaying the items hobbyists
and historians appreciate. Many are
available from internet militaria sites.
The following examples of military
art used in this article are from my
personal collection and that of my
friend, JC Flesher. ■

This plaque,
This highly-polished 12in decorative
adorned
German NSDAP eagle was suitable
with the
for hanging on a wall as is, or could
silhouette
have been mounted on a decorative
of a German
plaque. It is made from solid metal and
soldier is
because of the high-quality artwork and
signed by
material, was probably an expensive
Professor
commemorative piece or perhaps an
Otto
office decoration. (JC Flesher collection)
Poertzel,
world-
renowned
This impressive 27in railroad eagle German
(Deutsche-Reichsbahn Adler) is one of sculpture.
the most sought-after relics of the Third Signed
Reich. They came in varying sizes and were figures on
mounted on German railway locomotives, plaques from famous artists are rare.
diesels, passenger cars, and related This particular silhouette was popular
rail-system buildings. A similar example and manufactured in several sizes.
recently sold in the UK for £1,550. Literally translated, the label plate reads
‘Challenge Trophy’. (JC Flesher collection)

With unyielding eyes

Plaques were awarded for
gazing straight-ahead,
almost all aspects of military
this likeness of a SA
occupational specialties,
soldier exhibits the
duties and assignments
determination of the
including the equestrian
Germans to become the
activities of the cavalry.
oppressors of the world.
Literally translated, the
Note the subdued
plaque reads ‘The honorary
swastika in relief on his
prize in riding Achieved
flag thus demonstrating
on 3:34:37 The Gefr. Jos.
the artistic prowess of
Bongartz 13 J.K.G.62.’. (JC
the designer. (JC Flesher
Flesher collection)
collection)

64 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 WALL ART FEATURE

Naval plaques are

rarely available for
purchase because
they represent
a much smaller
division of the
Wehrmacht,
especially when
sub-categorised as
with this torpedo
boat sailor. In all my
collecting years I
have seen very few
seafaring plaques
and never any for
U-boat sailors. (JC
Flesher collection)

I found this errant medallion depicting an altered

Depicting the industrial worker, government, and
peasant-farmer, this plaque was presented for
contending in a German Radball tournament.
Literally translated as cycleball, this official sport
combines playing indoor soccer while riding on
bicycles. Feet are not allowed to control the ball,
only portions of the bicycle may be used.
(JC Flesher collection)
version of the German army eagle while rummaging
through a dealer’s box at a militaria show and
thought it would look good mounted on a round
wooden-disc. At 4in across, it is a nice little piece
that adds style to my collecting room. (JC Pursley)

Several German Crossed KAR98 rifles

military plaques and a stick bomb are
portray masculine, great centerpieces for
bare-chested, this award inscribed
square-jawed, and presented to
Aryan-type soldiers. Comrade Kurt Koch
Although militarily on his wedding day.
outdated, many Arguably this was
artists preferred to a strange present
depict the more to give on such an
distinct features of occasion where one
the M1918 version would normally wish
combat helmet in peace and happiness
their figures rather on the couple.
than the smaller (JC Flesher collection)
contemporary
models of their
time. (JC Flesher
collection)

Most likely, this plaque was

This plaque commemorating
awarded for marksmanship
the service or retirement of
competition of some sort
an army soldier was likely
given the mounted silver-
purchased by a friend, fellow-
washed accessories of a
soldier or family member and
KAR98 Mauser rifle and
presented to the recipient.
target. This plaque would
Literally translated the
fit nicely in a German
inscription reads ‘Reminder
firearms collection. Note
of my Service’. This piece
the generic-type helmet
is adorned with an enlisted
used is the same as the one
man’s dress hat cockade, dress
mounted on the soldier
bayonet and M1943 helmet.
retirement plaque. (JC
(JC Flesher collection)
Flesher collection) ❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 65

German military plaques

Literally translated the The all-attentive

plaque reads ‘As recognition,
The commander, The 539
Division’. This 3x6in solid
copper decoration was
most likely awarded for
outstanding service or
special achievement by
a division member. The
soldiers head is too small
which is why I refer to it as
my Beetlejuice plaque.
(JC Pursley)
silent sentry
centerpiece of
the 20in plaque is
proudly standing
tall. The 6in figure is
well-detailed for a
mass-produced item
and the features of
the eagle are quite
impressive. This
was no-doubt an
expensive item when
originally sold and
is worth about £600
today. (JC Pursley)

This is the earliest style of

an NS-SA eagle that once
decorated the offices of the
NSDAP in the form of wall
plaques. Personally, I think it
looks more like a goose and
obviously many others did
as it was eventually replaced
by the powerful looking
spread-wing version we now
commonly relate with the
Nazis. (JC Pursley)

This type of plaque The left side of the 20in plaque depicts the blue-collar
depicting Der Führer industrial worker and related facilities tradesmen would
in his SA uniform, is utilise. Behind the blacksmith on the left is a steel factory
referred to as a three- and interestingly, on the right, the chimneys belching smoke
quarter view because closely resemble modern nuclear power-plant cooling towers.
a hint of Hitler’s right Coincidence or forward thinking? (JC Pursley)
eye can be seen just
above the bridge
of his nose. Most
Hitler plaques were
purchased by his
followers to either
show support for
their leader or from
fear of their leader.
They are not a rare
commodity.
(JC Pursley)

The right side of the 20in plaque portrays a hard-working

peasant-farmer hand-threshing in a sweeping field of wheat.
A tranquil background of rolling fields with a windmill in the
distance signifies the wholesome and dedicated life Germans
wanted portrayed to the world. This was obtained from
Helmut Weitze.com. (JC Pursley)

This 20in plaque depicts the philosophy of the German

elitists manifesting into artistic figures of an industrial
worker, soldier, and peasant farmer. With no inscribed
metal plate, the purpose of this plaque is unknown, but
the artwork is splendid. (JC Pursley)

66 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk


Without engraving on the
metal plate, this award
could have been given for
any achievement. What
makes it identifiable
as Hitler Youth is the
diamond-shaped framed
swastika in the center
of the wreath. The
organisation is mistakenly
compared with Boy
Scouts by some authors,
but that is both incorrect
and an insult. (JC Pursley)
Some plaques have great
three-dimensional features
such as this depiction of an
early Panzer Auf A-B tank,
similar to the type used in
the Blitzkreig of 1940. Armed
with only two machine guns
this tank was short-lived on
the battlefield but abides as
military art. Purchased from
Ruptured Duck.com.
(JC Pursley)
This plaque came to me
as-is and without an
identification label plate,
it is difficult to ascertain
its intended purpose. The
9x6in plaque containing
metallic reliefs of a M1918
helmet laying upon oak
leaves is nicely detailed
and could have been
used in memoriam as it
seems more serene than
motivational. (JC Pursley)
This plaque depicts an artillery-
man sighting in on his target
and was probably presented as
a proficiency award. Artistically,
this is one of the better examples
of the fine details German period
craftsmen are known for. It
measures 12x8in, is solid metal
and therefore significantly heavier
than most. (JC Pursley)
The hexagonal-shape of this
plaque is unusual and reveals that
artistic imagination also spread to
the mounting boards. The 4x4in
silver-washed plaque depicts
members of a German army
combat pioneer unit at-work
constructing a temporary bridge
over an unknown river.
(JC Pursley)
WALL ART FEATURE
This plaque is puzzling in
that the helmet displays
a German army eagle yet
there is an air force eagle
pin mounted on the upper-
left corner. One possible
reason is since the German
Army-specific Flak badge
was not instated until 1941,
perhaps Heer flak units may
not have existed in 1935.
(JC Pursley)
This 2nd prize award
for rifle marksmanship
is indeed impressive.
The 4in disc depicts
a kneeling rifleman
wearing a M1918-type
helmet honing-in his
KAR 98 Mauser on the
intended target. An
especially impressive
example of German
craftsmanship is the
attention to detail on his
ammunition pouches.
(JC Pursley)
At 16x8in, this plaque is
much larger than most
you will encounter.
Manufactured during
the early years of the
Third Reich, it depicts a
nicely detailed example
of a WWI Iron Cross. The
personalised inscription
‘Oaisge Beega 22-4-35’,
infers it may have been a
gift or perhaps the soldier
purchased it for himself.
(JC Pursley)
This plaque
defines the classic
Nordic-profile
of a determined
German army soldier.
Unfortunately, the
dialect used on the
period engraving has
been superseded by
the modern German
language making an
accurate translation
difficult. No matter
what the intended
use, it is impressive
military art. (JC
Pursley)
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 67
 The British Army in
theWar of 1812
Gabriele Esposito describes the organisation of the British military units
that fought during the War of 1812 against the USA
W
hen the USA became
independent in 1783,
Britain was able to
retain possession of
Canada and of other minor colonies
located in North America. From
an administrative point of view,
these were divided as follows: Lower
Canada, Upper Canada, Nova Scotia,
New Brunswick, Newfoundland,
Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton
Island. The economies of all these
territories had a precise role in the
global commercial system created
by Britain and were mostly based
on fur trade and fishing. During the
long wars against Revolutionary and
Napoleonic France, Canada became
extremely important for Britain
68 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
as a source of high quality wood
for building warships. The troops
garrisoning Canada during 1812-1815
were of three different kinds: British
regular units, Canadian militia and
Canadian volunteer units. The British
regulars of those years were probably
the best soldiers in the world, but the
Canadian militiamen and volunteers
were also excellent fighters. The British
regulars included also some foreign
units (Swiss infantry regiments) and
colonial ones coming from other
overseas territories (the West India
Regiments). In 1812, at the outbreak of
the war with the US, the British regular
military units stationed in Canada
were extremely scarce consisting of just
6,034 men and included the following:
• 8th Regiment of Foot (1st Battalion
in Canada, 2nd Battalion in Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick)
• 41st Regiment of Foot
• 49th Regiment of Foot
• 100th Regiment of Foot
• Six companies of the 98th
Regiment of Foot (in Nova Scotia)
• Four companies of the 99th
Regiment of Foot (in Nova Scotia)
• 10th Royal Veteran Battalion
• Detachments of the Royal Artillery
• Detachments of the Royal
Engineers
• Detachments of the Royal Military
Artificers/Royal Sappers and
Miners
• Canadian Regiment of Fencibles
• Nova Scotia Regiment of Fencibles

1st Regiment of Foot Royal Scot, 1812-1815
4th Regiment of Foot, 1814-1815
• New Brunswick Regiment of
Fencibles (104th Regiment of Foot)
• Royal Newfoundland Regiment of
Fencibles
As clear from this list, the British
regular garrison included no cavalry
units and just small detachments of
the technical corps (artillery, engineers,
artificers/sappers and miners). The
core of the British troops in North
America was represented by the 41st
and 49th Regiments of Foot, which
were garrisoned in Canada many years
before the fighting started. These two
units had learned how to fight in the
woods of North America and were
friendly with the local population.
Line infantry and
Fencibles
The British regiments of line infantry
consisted of two battalions, each of the
latters having 10 companies (eight of
fusiliers, one of grenadiers and one of
light infantry). The 10th Royal Veteran
Battalion was a peculiar unit, being
formed with veteran invalids who were
no longer fit for front line military
service. The veteran battalions of the
British Army started to be formed from
1802. By the end of 1806 there were
nine veteran battalions in the British
Army; in December of that year a 10th
ORGANISATION FEATURE
3rd Regiment of Foot The Buffs, 1814-1815
6th Regiment of Foot, 1814-1815
Battalion was formed specifically for
service in Canada, with volunteers
coming from the nine existing units.
These experienced soldiers went to
serve in North America with the
promise of receiving some land in
Canada upon their retirement. The
units of Fencibles, despite being part
of the British regular forces, had
a distinctive character that made
them similar to the militia. The term
Fencibles derived from the word
defencible, since these were units
formed specifically for the defence of a
certain territory.
They were fixed garrison corps,
having static nature. The Canadian
Regiment of Fencibles was formed
in 1803, being initially made up of
Scottish volunteers, who subsequently
revolted before arriving in Canada; it
numbered more or less 600 men, who
made up a total of 10 companies (eight
of fusiliers, one of grenadiers and one
of light infantry). The Nova Scotia
Regiment of Fencibles was raised on 9
July 1803 and had the same internal
structure of the Canadian Regiment
of Fencibles. The New Brunswick
Regiment of Fencibles was formed
in August 1803 and had the same
organisation of a normal line infantry
battalion; differently from those of the
other units, the members of this corps
accepted to serve also outside their
home territory and thus the regiment
was later transformed into a unit of
the British line infantry (the 104th
Regiment of Foot, in 1810). Differently
from the other regiments of Fencibles
that were stationed in North America,
which were all disbanded in 1816, this
unit existed until 1817.
To replace the 104th Regiment of
Foot, a new New Brunswick Regiment
of Fencibles was raised in October 1812
(equipped with light infantry muskets).
The Royal Newfoundland Regiment of
Fencibles was created on 6 June 1812.
Formally it had to be a proper regiment,
but always had the establishment
of a single battalion. In addition to
the Fencibles, the British formed
also another peculiar corps having
as main objective that of garrisoning
key locations in Canada. Created in
September 1812, this was known as
Independent Companies of Foreigners.
The latters were also called French
Independent Companies, since they
were made up of French deserters and
prisoners of war (who were transferred
from England to Canada).
The corps comprised just two
companies, which soon became famous
for their loose discipline; its men had
uniforms and weapons of the light
infantry. The Independent Companies
of Foreigners were eventually disbanded
in early May 1814. ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 69
The British Army in the War of 1812

41st Regiment of Foot, 1812-1815 93rd Regiment of Foot Sutherland Highlanders, 1814-1815

104th Regiment of Foot New Brunswick, 1810-1817 10th Royal Veteran Battalion, 1812-1815

Canadian Fencible Regiment, 1812-1816 60th Regiment of Rifles Royal American, 1814-1815

Rifles and light
infantry
Due to the heavy military involvement
in the wars against Napoleon,
Britain was not able to send major
reinforcements to Canada during 1812
and 1813. It was only in 1814, with the
defeat and exile of the French Emperor,
that regular and veteran regiments were
sent. Among the reinforcements there
were also the famous Rifles and a few
cavalry units.
After Braddock’s disastrous defeat in
1755 (during the French-Indian War),
the British Army understood that it
was necessary to have an independent
unit of light infantrymen (equipped
with rifled weapons) for service in
North America. As a result, the 62nd
Royal American Regiment was formed
in 1756 with volunteers coming from
the Thirteen Colonies. The new corps
was mainly formed to fight against the
Indian and Canadian raiders who were
backed by France. The new regiment
was to act as the core of the British
garrison in North America and was
to comprise volunteers with different
backgrounds in order to become an
elite colonial unit. The early volunteers
of this corps, in fact, had different
ethnic origins. There were German
and Swiss experienced veterans, as
well as local American colonists and
British elite soldiers coming from other
regular regiments. In February 1757
the unit was renamed as the 60th Royal
American Regiment and took part in
several important engagements of the
French-Indian War.
Very soon the soldiers of the Royal
American demonstrated to be excellent
light infantrymen and learned all the
specific tactics of forest warfare. As a
result, the British reduced their original
gap with the irregular military forces of
the Indians and Canadian voyageurs.
During the American Revolution the
Royal American Regiment remained
loyal to the Crown and fought with
great valour against the patriots of the
southern Thirteen Colonies.
When the Napoleonic Wars broke
out, the 60th was deployed in Europe
in order to fight against the French.
By 1812 the regiment comprised a
total of six battalions: four of light
infantrymen and two of rifles. Since
the North American theatre of war
against the US needed more light
infantry units, the British authorities
decided to expand the 60th Regiment
by adding a further 7th Battalion that
was specifically created for service in
Canada. This battalion arrived in North
America during April 1814 and soon
took part to some of the major military
engagements of the following months.
It comprised six companies that were
equipped with the light version of the
standard Brown Bess musket and two
companies that were armed with rifled
Baker carbines. Most of its members,
continuing the peculiar tradition of the

70 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 ORGANISATION FEATURE

85th Regiment of Foot and 43rd Regiment of Foot, 1814-1815 14th Light Dragoons, 1814-1815

19th Light Dragoons, 1814-1815 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, 1815

Royal Artillery, 1812-1815 Regiment De Watteville, 1813-1816

regiment, were foreigners (volunteers
from Germany and Switzerland as well
as ex-prisoners of war).
This unit, however, was not the only
corps of rifles sent to Canada by the
British during 1812-1815. In 1800,
bearing in mind the successes of the
60th Royal American Regiment, the
Crown formed an Experimental Corps
of Riflemen that was to be completely
equipped with the formidable Baker
rifled carbine. The unit was created
by assembling volunteers who came
from various infantry regiments of the
British Army. In 1802 the provisional
corps of riflemen was officially made
part of the regular infantry as the 95th
Regiment of Foot. Being formed by
three battalions, the Rifle Regiment
soon became the best infantry unit of
the whole British Army. Divided into
several detachments, it took part to
all the most important campaigns and
expeditions that were organised by the
Crown against Napoleon.
In 1815, for the British campaign
against New Orleans, the 3rd Battalion
of the 95th Rifles was transferred to the
North American theatre of operations.
At the Battle of New Orleans the elite
riflemen fought with great valour, but
could do nothing to avoid the British
defeat. Before 1808, in addition to the
60th and 95th Regiments, the British
Army included also another unit of
light infantry: the 43rd Regiment of
Foot. The latter, however, was a unit
of proper light infantry and not a
regiment of rifles. After fighting against
the excellent French light infantry
during the Peninsula War, the British
decided to transform several of their
existing line infantry regiments into
light units. By 1812 the following
regiments were converted: 51st, 52nd,
68th, 71st and 85th Regiments of Foot. All
these had the same internal structure
that was standard for the line infantry,
but the companies of their battalions
were all light ones.
Cavalry and
technical corps
The British reinforcements sent to
Canada included also some cavalry
units. The first two were the 14th and
19th Regiments of Light Dragoons.
As usual, light corps were the chosen
one for service on the broken terrain
of North America. The 14th Light
Dragoons took part only to the
campaign of New Orleans, but arrived
in America without horses and thus
the majority of its members fought
dismounted. The 19th Light Dragoons,
instead, arrived with all its horses in
Canada during 1813. Differently from
the 14th Regiment, which sent only
part of its soldiers to North America,
the 19th Regiment was sent to Canada
with all its three squadrons. The 19th
Regiment of Light Dragoons was never
used as a consolidated regiment during
the war, since two of its squadrons were
deployed in Upper Canada and the ❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 71

The British Army in the War of 1812
1st Regiment of Foot Royal Scot, 1812-1815
4th Regiment of Foot, 1814-1815
remaining one in Lower Canada. The
few light dragoons attached to each
military contingent were employed as
scouts, escorts and couriers. They rarely
got to perform as shock cavalry.
In 1812 the Royal Artillery comprised
a total of 10 foot battalions, each
with 10 companies; a company
corresponded to a battery and the latter
generally comprised six artillery pieces.
At the beginning of the war with
the US there were nine companies of
Royal Artillery in Canada, each named
after its commander. There was one
company from the 2nd Battalion, four
companies from the 4th Battalion, one
company from the 5th Battalion, one
company from the 6th Battalion and
one company from the 7th Battalion.
In 1814 another six companies of foot
artillery were sent to Canada including
one from the 1st Battalion, one from the
4th Battalion, one from the 5th Battalion,
one from the 9th Battalion and two
from the 10th Battalion. The British
technical corps was comprised of the
Royal Engineers and the Royal Military
Artificers/Royal Sappers and Miners.
Foreign and colonial units
During the War of 1812 against the
USA, Britain deployed two Swiss
regiments of infantry in Canada, the
De Watteville Regiment and De Meuron
Regiment. The first was formed in 1801,
by assembling the remaining officers
72 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
3rd Regiment of Foot The Buffs, 1814-1815
6th Regiment of Foot, 1814-1815
and soldiers of six Swiss mercenary
regiments that had served in the
Austrian Army against Napoleon. The
De Watteville Regiment was transferred
to Canada in April 1813. The unit was
finally disbanded on 24 October 1816
and its former members received some
grants of land in Canada. The Regiment
De Meuron was originally raised in
1781 for service with the Dutch East
India Company but, in 1796, while
at garrison in Ceylon, the unit passed
into British service. After taking part
in several military campaigns in India,
the Mediterranean and the Iberian
Peninsula it was sent to Canada on 5
May 1813.
In 1795 the British formed eight
colonial infantry regiments in their
possessions of the Caribbean (the West
Indies). These were mostly formed
with free blacks and slaves from the
local plantations. In 1798 another five
of such units were created (bringing
the total to 12), but during 1802-1803
five of the regiments were disbanded
(three in 1802 and two in 1803).
Officers and NCOs of these units were
all whites. The soldiers from these
regiments were extremely valuable
for the British Army, since they were
the only who could operate efficiently
in the difficult climatic conditions
of the Caribbean. During the War of
1812 the 1st, 2nd and 5th West India
Regiments were employed at various
times against the Americans. Despite
being defined as regiments, these units
had the establishment and internal
structure of a standard British line
infantry battalion. By 1815 only seven
of such regiments remained in British
service, being later reduced to two (one
regiment was disbanded in 1816, two in
1817 and two in 1819).
The Royal Marines and
Royal Marine Artillery
During the last phase of the war, the
British military forces in North America
could also count on the support of the
elite Royal Marines. They operated as
naval infantry on the British warships
but were frequently employed as shock
troops in raids against the American
coastline. Until 1810 the Royal Marines
had been organised in independent
companies, which were embarked on
the various warships of the Royal Navy.
In that year, however, a 1st Battalion of
Royal Marines (a permanent unit) was
formed by assembling six companies.
A 2nd Battalion was created in July
1812, always with six companies, a 3rd
Battalion was added on 21 January. ■
Acknowledgement: Colour plates
reproduced thanks to permission of
Olivier Millet, based on original models
realised by Alexis Cabaret, available
from: centjours.mont-saint-jean.com.
Olivier also has a blog on the War of
1812: history-uniforms.over-blog.com.
By Sword & Musket
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 Michael King
Private
Michael King
Roger Brown relays the experiences of one of
1st Battalion, the last National Servicemen in Malaya who
the 3rd East Anglia was awarded the GSM by the Army.

Above: Taken near Taiping before moving
out on patrol
Below: The Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal
awarded by the Supreme Head of the
Federation of Malaysia, the Sultan of Brunei
T
his month’s War Story comes
from the jungles of Malaya,
which was covered in the
June edition of The Armourer.
It revolves around a pair of medals –
the General Service Medal, awarded by
the British Army, and the Pingat Jasa
Malaysia medal, awarded to all soldiers
who served in the Malayan Emergency
from 1957 to 1960.
As a Suffolk man, Michael King’s
county regiment was the 1st Battalion,
the 3rd East Anglia Regiment based at
Bury St Edmunds. However, he and 60
other National Servicemen were sent
to the Middlesex Regiment barracks at
Mill Hill, North London, for their 10
weeks basic training.
After one week’s leave they sailed
on the SS Nevasa which took three
weeks to get to Malaya via Gibraltar,
Malta, Cyprus, Suez Canal, Aden and
Colombo, finally arriving in Singapore.
After disembarking, the squad went by
train up-country to Tampin, and from
there by lorry to Terendak Camp at
Malacca on the Malayan west coast.
At Malacca they were kitted out with
jungle green uniform, 1944 pattern
webbing and weapons and, for three
weeks underwent intensive training,
learning to survive in the jungle,
make a basha camp and understand
all aspects of patrol operations. Initial
training was done in a white area,
meaning it was free from terrorists but
was still virgin jungle.
The jungle was the real enemy with
wild pigs, snakes, scorpions, red ants
and, if you were patrolling a wet area,
leeches. Another major problem was
the undergrowth where plants could
tear clothes and cause irritating tinea
spots which would then become septic
external ulcers. The heat and humidity
would cause fungal body infections
and, as boots were rarely taken off
during patrols, many soldiers suffered
from foot rot.
Each patrol comprised of six to 12
men (including a Section Leader). The
patrol carried the following weapons
and equipment: Self Loading Rifle
(SLR), Bren gun, 2in mortar, Browning
shotgun, Sterling sub-machine gun,
two ammunition pouches, two x 1l
bottles of water, 6ft line and Gullock
jungle knife. Each man wore special
jungle webbing with multiple eyelets
on the belt to add more kit when it
became necessary.
The Regiment was now part of
the 28th Commonwealth Brigade,
comprising Australian and New

74 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk


Zealand Infantry, the Anglia Regiment
and Royal Artillery.
After the three weeks basic jungle
training the platoon went on patrols
and exercises and, in three months,
they spent a total of 72 days in the
jungle. As well as his weapons each
man carried a 24 hour ration pack,
poncho, underwear, socks, ground
sheet and mess tins. As some of the
contents of the packs needed water
to make them consumable finding a
clean water source was essential. Rarely
was the water drinkable so it had to be
filtered and sterilised using a Millbank
bag which filtered water through a
tube to clear the rubbish, then used
sterilising tablets to make the water
drinkable. If water was not available
the men lived on hard tack, cheese,
frankfurter sausages, barley sugar and
condensed milk.
Private King wrote: ‘Having joined
a rifle platoon, I now started full
soldiering, coping with jungle life and
constantly on the alert for terrorists.
We operated up the west coast then
along the Thailand border to the east
coast at Kota Bharu. On one trip, we
were told to make our way to a jungle
airstrip, complete with a grass runway
and a complex of tents, ready to fly
further east up-country. The planes
were single and twin-engined Pioneers,
strange looking aeroplanes with very
wide wings and a fixed undercarriage.
I flew in the single engined plane with
three others from the patrol, complete
with all our kit and weapons. The
only crew was an Australian pilot.
After take-off, flying at a low height,
all you could see in all directions was
PEOPLE FEATURE
miles and miles of jungle. Being a
bit nervous, I asked the pilot what
happens if the engine fails? With a
grin he replied, “I deploy the wing
flaps and we float down onto the tree
tops like a kite when the string has
broken. You then look under your
seats and you’ll find a 200ft rope
already fixed to the aircraft. Open the
plane door, drop the rope through
the trees, slide down to the jungle
floor and you Pommy bastards can
walk home!” I’m glad to say that we The soldiers are ready to go out on patrol
never needed it. During my time (in
Malaya), I never saw a terrorist or fired
my weapon in anger.’
After seven months in the Grik area
Pvt King contracted Leptospirosis
(which destroys the liver and kidneys)
and was flown to the Military
Hospital at Kuala Lumpur. He spent
six weeks in hospital; other hospital
patients also suffered the same
disease but unfortunately many
failed to survive. Discharged from
the hospital he returned to Terendak
Foul jungle weather with a rainstorm at
Camp being classified as ‘Unfit for
Taiping, seen from one of the bashas
further jungle duties’ as he would not
survive another bout of Leptospirosis.
There, he became an Acting Lance
Corporal in charge of D Company
armoury, receiving and dispatching
weapons before and after operations,
sleeping in the Armoury with the
weapons in case they were needed for
a sudden emergency.
Several years later Michael received
the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal from
the Supreme Head of the Federation
of Malaysia, the Sultan of Brunei,
awarded to all servicemen who served This is the plane Michael and fellow
in Malaya from 1957 to 1966. ■ soldiers flew in, up-country to Grik
Private Michael King’s
basha tent at Taiping
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 75
 Uniforms in heraldry
Ray Westlake looks at uniformed characters featured in
civic and corporate heraldry
H
eraldic devices within
the armorial bearings of
civic or corporate bodies
are so placed as to relate
history, industry and the people. John
Marquess of Bute in his book The Arms
of the Royal and Parliamentary Burghs of
Scotland illustrates two coats for Falkirk,
the first having a single figure in the
centre of a crowned shield which he
describes as: ‘…a Highland warrior fully
armed, holding in his dexter hand a
claymore, and having on his sinister
arm a target.’ He goes on to conclude
that from the regiments connected
with the area and the tartan shown,
the figure is of the Black Watch. The
Highlander appears again on the
second charge, this time accompanied
by a plainly dressed, spear-and-shield-
carrying character described as a
Lowland warrior. A better illustration
of the Highlander appears in the 1894
edition of Arthur Fox-Davies’s Book of
Public Arms. From the town’s seal, the
image shows the kilted soldier complete
with feathered bonnet, cross belts,
sporran and diced hose.
Regarding the spear held by the
Falkirk Lowlander, the Marquess of
Bute refers to this as: ‘The distinctive
weapon given to the Lowlander’. Is
this the Jedburgh staff as seen on
the arms of the town by that name
and held by a mounted chevalier?
Uniformed, the rider is described as
one of the famous Border riders and
can be seen in various forms of dress.
At Newgate, on the south-east corner
of the market place, an armorial
plaque shows him in a black/white
striped uniform with a light blue sash
and saddle-cloth.
A similar figure, dismounted this
time, appears as the dexter supporter
in the arms of Stirling. The lance
is there too, the pikeman wearing
armour and a leather jacket displaying
a silver saltire cross within a circle. For
the sinister side an archer, his feet in
brogues, wears a green skirted tunic
charged with an ermine cinquefoil.
His leg and arms are uncovered.
76 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
1: Tynemouth. Illustration from The Book
of Public Arms by Arthur Charles Fox-
Davies (T C & E C Jack, London 1915)
2: South Shields. Town arms on the side of
a trolleybus. Photo by Julian Walker taken
at the Trolleybus Museum, Standtoft
Once again Scotland’s early history
is represented, the third quarter of
the shield representing the Battle of
Stirling Bridge (1297) where archer
faces pikeman.
Long associated with Perthshire is
the Black Watch, the crest for that
county being described by the Heralds
as being a demi Highlander with
bonnet, belted plaid, dirk, and sword.
Could this be the famous regiment, its
2nd Battalion once known as the 73rd
(Perthshire) Regiment?
There can be no doubt as to who
the soldier is featured on the common
seal of Aberfeldy (Perthshire), the
Marquess of Bute recording in 1903
that ‘Upon the middle of the seal
is a representation of the cairn
erected in 1887 to commemorate the
embodiment at that place in 1739 of
the famous Black Watch.’
Remaining in the Border Region,
the arms granted by the Lyon Register
for this area of Scotland on 3 February
1976 include as its dexter supporter
what is described as a Border Knight.
Helmeted and with a breastplate, the
figure has black-spurred thigh boots
and red/black striped pantaloons.
A very detailed drawing of the
arms of Forfar appears in the 1894
edition of The Book of Public Arms by
Arthur Fox-Davies. The supporters
are of interest here as they are said to
depict two Roman soldiers in what
looks like tartan skirts and diced hose.
Romans, during one of their invasions
of Scotland, established a large camp
of between 50,000 and 60,000 men at
Battledykes, just three miles north of
the town of Forfar.
Uniformed it would seem are the
four (sometimes five) oarsman from
the arms of North Berwick which
shows them making a ferry crossing
to St Andrew’s. A detailed description
of Kilmarnock bonnets with tassels at
the top is included in the Marquess
of Bute’s records, the jerseys often
appearing in other illustrations as blue.
English heraldry
Only officially granted on 8 April
1977, the arms of Lincolnshire County
Council have, as its supporters, officers
of the 10th (North Lincolnshire)
Regiment of Foot. The 10th had been
linked to the county for recruiting
purposes in 1782. Much detail here
in the c. 1795 uniforms which clearly
shows the correct yellow facings. The
colour that gave rise to the regiment’s
‘Yellowbellies’ nickname. Interesting
to note that the first use of the
arms by the council was as part of a
programme cover commemorating the
visit to Lincoln of the American 10th
Regiment in October 1976.
 UNIFORM FEATURE

Above: Iowa. Artist Henry

Mitchel’s 1876 illustration
4 Below: Iowa. Engraving used on
3 banknotes

5 6

3: Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation of London from The Book of Public Arms by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (TC & EC Jack, London, 1915)
4: Maine, USA. Sailor deep in conversation with his farmer colleage. Dated 1876 and from a lithograph after Henry Mitchell
5: Maine, USA. Designed by Hugo Gerhard Ströhl (1851-1919). 6: Maine, USA

In the vast majority of examples,
see reference books on heraldry or
actual armorial bearings displayed
outside public buildings, the arms of
Tynemouth, Northumberland show
the right-hand supporter in Royal
Naval uniform typical of a period
around the 1840s. See him, telescope
in hand (sometimes), blue-jacketed,
his trousers white and bell-bottomed,
the hat black and shiny. Although the
strict rules of heraldry usually demand
accurate descriptions in most things,
the way people are dressed is usually
left to the whim of the artist.
Descriptions of the right-hand
character vary, a mariner, seaman
sometimes, or sailor. One source
even suggests that he is, in fact,
a fisherman, the motto being the
guiding hand here in its ‘Harvest from
the Deeps’ translation, viz. coal (see
left-hand supporter) and fish. The
choice of c. 1840’s uniform for the
original designs is most significant, it
being contemporary with the decade
in which Tynemouth became a County
Borough. Several sources, however,
direct us even closer to a Royal Navy
connection. A blue and white striped
jersey, just like that introduced to
the crew of HMS Blazer in 1845, is
clearly seen on at least two local
history websites while another displays
the same pattern on the side of a
Tynemouth Fire Service vehicle.
Just across the Tyne, and to the
south-west of Tyneside, we find South
Shields where its arms, designed by
local artist Robinson Elliot, amply
represent the character of this coastal
town. ‘Courage, Humanity, Commerce’
shouts the motto: courage certainly in
the sailor supporter, humanity always
at the roots of the lifeboat service,
the white-robed lady holding in her
left hand a caduceus, the staff of
Mercury, God of commerce. Here too
are the words ‘Always Ready’ and it is
of interest that, following the wreck
of the Adventure near South Shields
in 1789, Henry Greathead of the
town became the pioneer of lifeboat
building. With his blue jacket, white
trousers, red neckerchief and brown
hat, the sailor is depicted either with a
telescope or sextant in his hand.
On the south coast, and again with
strong connections to the sea, the
holiday resort of Ramsgate includes
a lighthouse issuing from a Naval
Crown as its crest. Here too within
the quartered shield are images of a
dolphin, a demi lion conjoined to the
hulk of a ship and a lymphad (ancient
galley). The supporters chosen for
Ramsgate’s arms, officially granted
in 1884, again refer to the sea: to the
left a lifeboatman in full sea-going
gear, while on the right we see a
representative, gatered and telescope
in hand, of the Coast Guard. Blue
jacket, blue trousers, white lanyard
and striped collar, the uniform and cap
are as worn by the Royal Navy. ❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 77

Uniforms in heraldry
6 7
6: South Carolina.
Henry Mitchell’s 9
1876 illustration
7: Wisconsin. Henry
Mitchell’s 1876
illustration
8: Painting by
Frederic Remington
of a NWMP member
in 1887, the uniform
similar to that
depicted in the City
of Prince Albert
arms
9: Members of the
Bhils Tribe, as seen
in the Rajpipla arms
For the uniform worn by the right-
side supporter of the Royal Exchange
Assurance Company’s arms, the
College of Arms are quite definite in
its description: ‘(sinister) A seaman
proper, shirt checquere’d, vestment
blue, lined breeches and stockings
white, shoes black, buckled silver, cap
on his head blue, turned up white,
holding with his left hand an anchor
gold, cable proper.’ Taking its name
from the location of its officers, the
Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation
was founded in 1720, specialising in
the insuring of ships and merchandise
at sea.
United States heraldry
From the busy streets of the City of
London we move now across the sea
and to the USA’s most northerly state,
Maine, bordered by New Hampshire to
the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east
and the Canadian provinces of New
Brunswick and Quebec to the north.
Adopting an official seal in 1820,
Maine chose as its supporters a farmer
and sailor, the former representing
the state’s agricultural roots, the latter
its strong ties with the sea. Indeed,
78 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
many of the original settlers and
land owners were former Royal Navy
officers. Regarding naval uniform,
several versions have been depicted:
a stained glass window at the Maine
State Museum showing the right-
hand supporter wearing naval hat, red
jersey, blue neckerchief and trousers
while leaning on an anchor, another
image, left arm casually supported by
an anchor again, has a white hat and
blue jacket. A third, holding a sextant
this time, is shown wearing a mid-
nineteenth-century naval uniform. All
of them have the state motto ‘Dirigo’
(I Direct or I Lead).
Remaining in the United States,
we now look at an 1876 book of
lithographs entitled Historical Coats
of Arms of the US States and illustrated
by Henry Mitchell. Mitchell was well
known for his accuracy, his images
being faithful representations of
state arms as they existed in 1876.
Three feature uniformed supporters:
Iowa, showing the state arms as
authorised in December 1846, the
blue uniformed and cross-belted
infantryman proudly holding the
US flag; South Carolina, showing an
army officer with red facings to his
8
Above: Sydney. Illustration from The Book
of Public Arms by Arthur Charles Fox-
Davies (TC & EC Jack, London, 1915)
blue coat; and Wisconsin which has
a naval type, blue jacketed with black
hat, white shirt and trousers and
holding a rope. Bank notes, however,
had him grasping a sextant.
Canada heraldry
Moving north and to Canada we find
four coats of arms featuring uniformed
figures. Authorised in 1954, Ottawa’s
arms have for its sinister side supporter
an officer in the dress of a Victorian
rifle regiment - grey tunic and trousers
trimmed in red, grey shako with red
tuft, silver whistle and chain.
Two members of the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police, one, white
helmeted and wearing the uniform
of a sergeant around 1890, the other
in present day uniform, represent
Regina, Saskatchewan. From the
same province, the arms for the City
of Prince Albert also honour the
Mounties, this time in the form of a
single figure (pill-box cap this time) to
the dexter side.
Lastly, and from the City of Barrie
in Central Ontario, the figure of a
Great War soldier of the Canadian
Expeditionary Force.

10
10: Canadian Expeditionary Force recruiting poster, the uniform
as that depicted in the arms of Barrie
Around the world
Nepal, until quite recently, featured
Gurkha soldiers in their coat of arms.
Viking K Kunwor in his book on
the kukri illustrating four different
versions: two depicting soldiers in
scarlet tunics, one in World War II
period uniform, a fourth wearing green
hat, red jacket and khaki trousers. All
these appear as left-hand supporters,
the sinister side showing on all four
occasions a warrior in traditional dress.
To India now and the Princely State
of Jammu and Kashmir where we
find two versions of its coat of arms.
The first shows two early helmeted
warriors, the second and more recent
pair having lances and scarlet jackets
bearing the device of a blazing sun.
In David F Phillips’s book Emblems
of the Indian States there are two
Kashmir Lancers at Alipore, West
Bengal, while a website dedicated to
the former states of Gujarat shows
a charging lancer dressed in white
(Vandodara), two from the Bhils Tribe
carrying bows and arrows (Rajpipla)
and from Kachchh a pair of red-
turbaned horsemen wearing blue coats
decorated in gold lace.
11
12
12: Porirua, New Zealand
13: North Berwick. Sandbridge Image from the John Gray Centre
The British 58th Regiment of
Foot (from 1881 the 2nd Battalion
Northamptonshire Regiment), since
its formation in 1755 had served in
every part of the Empire prior to it
being employed as convict-guards for
New South Wales between 1843-5.
New Zealand was the next station,
remaining there until 1859. Despite
taking part in the 1st Maori War (1845-
47), life seems to have suited many
of the soldiers, some 300 of them
choosing to settle in New Zealand
when their regiment returned to
England. These would be the early 19th
century settlers of Porirua, the now
city located in the Wellington region
of North Island. It was on 1 December
1965 that arms were granted, the
achievement having as its supporters
a Maori warrior to the sinister and
a British soldier on the dexter. The
accompanying heraldic description was
precise in its detail, stating that the
left-hand figure is a ‘private of the 58th
Regiment in the uniform of the early
nineteenth century…’ There certainly,
is a representation of the uniform
worn around the time of Waterloo;
there for sure are the brass-plated, cross
belts worn by a Private; correct also is
UNIFORM FEATURE
11: Forfar.
Illustration
from The Book
of Public Arms
by Arthur
Fox-Davies (TC
and EC Jack,
Edinburgh 1894)
13
the weapon held in the soldier’s right
hand. But the 58th had black facings
throughout its history, not the yellow
as depicted. And those gold-tasselled
boots? Officers’ surely.
The dexter supporter in the arms of
Dunedin is a Scotsman and is included
here as his tartan and dress must always
be that of the Clan Cameron, a uniform
of sorts. Dunedin originally settled by
Scottish immigrants (Dùn Èideann,
Gaelic for Edinburgh) their homeland is
remembered in the achievement, here
in the shield is Edinburgh Castle and a
ship flying the flag of Scotland.
Some 15 years after Sydney,
Australia, had been declared a city
in 1842, Surveyor’s Department
draughtsman Monsieur de St Remy
designed a new seal. Reflecting
Sydney’s maritime history, he included
a ship and, as one of the supporters,
a British sailor. With the city’s first
Lord Mayor in office (Thomas Hughes,
1902) new arms were designed based
on de St Remy’s original. Several
changes were made, but the seaman
remained, now accompanied by a
Royal Navy Red Ensign overlaid with
a globe and two stars from the arms of
Captain James Cook. ■
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 79
 The Battle of the
Bay of Biscay
A vital part of the Battle of the Atlantic was Operation Stonewall,
designed to detect and sink enemy blockade runners
I
n late December 1943 a German
Enigma message was routinely
decrypted at Bletchley Park and
given immediate priority under
Operation Stonewall. This little-known
operation was a vial part of the overall
Battle of the Atlantic, set up as an
Allied international and inter-service
force to patrol the approaches to the
Bay of Biscay to intercept enemy
runners bringing much needed war
materials to German-occupied French
ports. The force, jointly comprised
Allied ships and long-range aircraft,
operated under Flag Officer Western
Approaches and Air Officer C-in-C
Coastal Command.
The Enigma flash notified the
impending arrival of the armed cargo
ship MV Alsterufer out of Kobe, Japan,
which was loaded with 344 tons of
tungsten ore, enough to fulfil German
war production of ball bearings,
used in the production of tanks,
artillery, ships and aircraft, for a year.
Previously, on 23 December 1943, the
blockade runner SS Osorno, carrying
much needed rubber, made it through
after being damaged by an RAF air
attack, causing it to be beached off the
The cruiser’s Glasgow and Enterprise firing on German detroyers 28 December 1943 (Norman Wilkinson)
80 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
Map showing the Bay of Biscay in relation to
the Atlantic Ocean and German controlled
ports along the French west coastline
Biscay port of Gironde. Nevertheless it
was subsequently unloaded offshore.
To intercept the Alsterufer RAF Coastal
Command sent out six Consolidated
B24 Liberator heavy bombers on
27 December 1943, belonging to
311 Squadron from RAF Beaulieu in
Hampshire, but only the Czech crewed
H-B2796, piloted by Pilot Officer
Oldřich Doležal and commanded by
Flying Officer Zdeněk Hanuš (who
acted as Navigator/Bombardier) found
and sank the Alsterufer. Hanuš scored
a direct hit with a 500lb bomb that
exploded inside the vessels’ after-hold
which caused a massive fire before
it finally sank. Hanuš and Doležal
were both awarded an immediate
Distinguished Service Cross for their
success, whilst the remaining members
of the crew received the 1939-45
Czechoslovak War Cross.
Operation Bernau
Meanwhile, in Germany, and
oblivious of the sinking, the
importance of the blockade runner’s
cargo caused Admiral Theodor
Krancke, Commander of Naval-
Group-West based in Paris, to activate
Operation Bernau, a major surface
fleet operation to locate Alsterufer
and escort her to safety. Kapitän zur
Sea Hans Erdmenger sailed from
Brest with the 8th Destroyer Flotilla,
comprising Z-23, Z-24, Z-27, Z-32,
Z-37, T-25 and T-27, to join forces
with the 4th Fleet Torpedo Boat
Flotilla of T-22, T-23, T-24 and T-26
commanded by Korvettenkapitan
Franz Kohlauf out of Bordeaux. Both
fleets were to rendezvous with the
 NAVAL FEATURE

Left: Pilot Officer Oldřich Doležal (left) and Flying Officer Zdeněk Hanuš
sporting their newly awarded DFCs for sinking the MV Alsterufer on 27
December 1943 (fcaca.wordpress.com). Right: Kapitän zur Sea Hans
Erdmenger, commander of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla and in command
of the German naval force (forum.valka.cz)
Above: The Consolidated B24 Liberator heavy bomber

Below: The blockade runner Alsterufer burning after being hit with a
500lb bomb shortly before it sank with its valuable cargo of 344 tons
of tungsten ore (fcaca.wordpress.com)

Top: Profile drawing of the 2,729t German armed blockage runner

MV Alsterufer, which was sunk by a Czech-crewed RAF Liberator
bomber on 27 December 1943 (fcaca.wordpress.com)
Above: Profile drawings of (top) Type-39 Elbing class Fleet Torpedo
Boat No. T-26 (length 102m) and (bottom) Type-1936A Narvick class
Destroyer No. Z-27 (length 127m) roughly to scale

Alsterufer on 28 December at her last
reported position and escort her into
the safety of Bordeaux harbour.
The five Z pennant Type-36 Narvick
class destroyers were large 2,580t
vessels armed with four 5.9in guns,
twin quadruple 21in torpedo tubes
and manned by a crew of 332, but the
six T pennant Type-39 Elbing class
Fleet Torpedo Boats were seemingly
misnamed, because at 1,300t and armed
with four 4.1in guns, twin triple 21in
torpedo tubes, a crew of 192, plus a very
fast speed of 33kt, they were virtually
small destroyers, similar to a Royal Navy
frigate in size.
Just after midday on 28 December
1943 the two flotillas made contact
and sailed as a group, with Erdmenger
in overall command, but the Alsterufer
was nowhere to be seen. At 1pm a lone
Focke-Wulf FW200 Condor reported
the position of two enemy cruisers
to Erdmenger, which the Condor
attacked, but had been repelled by the
cruiser’s anti-aircraft gunfire. However,
Erdmenger was not perturbed, because
his total of 11 fast destroyers were more
than a match once they got inside the
cruiser’s range and close enough to
fire several spreads of torpedoes from
different directions.
The Admiralty, having been notified
since 12 December that a second
blockade runner was approaching the
Bay of Biscay, dispatched the nearest
ships available to intercept her on
the basis that sightings had reported
Alsterufer was alone without escorts. By
the 28 December only two of several
Allied warships sent out to find the
blockade runner had arrived in the
Bay of Biscay. These were the light
cruisers HMS Glasgow (9,100t) and HMS
Enterprise (7,550t) armed with 12 6in
and seven 6in guns respectively and
combined crews totalling 1,260 officers
and ratings. Captain Charles Clarke
RN of HMS Glasgow, being senior to
Captain Harold Grant RCN of HMS
Enterprise, assumed command. At about
the same time as the Glasgow was being
attacked by the enemy Condor, Clarke
was notified by shadowing Allied
aircraft that enemy destroyers in some
force were closing in on his position.
Clarke immediately turned north-east,
working his way around the enemy
warships with the intention to intercept
using his superior range, thus planning
to sink as many of his adversaries as
possible before they could close the
range and make devastating torpedo
attacks on his two ships.
When naval enthusiasts war game
this scenario today, at least half of the
11 German torpedo ships make it in
close enough to score direct hits, often
resulting in the two outnumbered
cruisers being sunk!
The battle of the Bay
After the two German flotillas united
at midday on 28 December they ❯

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 81

The Battle of the Bay of Biscay
Left: The Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Fw200 Condor, used as anti-shipping/maritime patrol bomber
Above: The modern light cruiser HMS Glasgow (C21) was launched in 1936, armed with 12 6in
guns and had a crew of 748 officers and men (Naval-History.net)
Below: Taking
the wounded
crew members
off HMS Glasgow
after her return to
Plymouth on 29
December 1943
Above: Captain Charles Clarke
RN DSO of HMS Glasgow
headed eastwards, but it was a rough
day in the Bay of Biscay with a strong
easterly wind. Conditions were difficult
aboard the German Type-36 destroyers,
which were poor sea boats, but it was
even worse for the smaller torpedo
boats, with green seas breaking over
their bows and heavy spray crashing
onto their bridges. At 1.32pm Glasgow
spotted the German ships and closed
the range to 18,000yd firing the
first salvo from her forward turret.
Erdmenger had his ships steaming
south-by-southwest in three columns
A map showing the position where
German blockade runner MV Alsterufer
was sighted and sunk, plus the location
where the German destroyer and torpedo
boat force was engaged by HMS Glasgow
and HMS Enterprise
82 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
Left: A rare photograph of HMS Glasgow and HMS Enterprise
berthed together in Singapore harbour in 1942
and immediately ordered a torpedo
attack, but this proved impractical
due to the range and rough seas.
Initially both forces traded long-range
broadsides until 1.56pm, when a second
torpedo attack by Z-32, Z-37 and Z-34
was ordered. Edging toward the cruisers
a shell from Z-32 struck the Glasgow,
killing two men, then at 2.15pm Z-37
fired four torpedos from 14,000yd
(eight miles) which missed. Erdmenger
now decided to divide his force, even
though the German shooting had
been as good as the British. At 2.19pm
Erdmenger took T-26, T-22, T-25, Z-27
plus Z-23 and turned north, whilst
the remaining six ships under Kohlauf
continued southeast. Upon seeing this
manouver Clarke and Grant separated
to concentrate on each enemy group
individually. Z-27, Erdmenger’s
flagship, became the first German
vessel damaged when a 6in shell from
the Enterprise penetrated her boiler
room and ignited a huge fire. Salvoes
were kept up on the northern group
damaging T-25 and making a direct hit
The old light cruiser
HMS Enterprise
(D52) built in 1919,
armed with seven
6in guns and a
compliment of 572
officers and men
(Naval-History.net)
on the boiler room of T-26, which sank
at 4.20pm. The now stationary T-25,
with its bridge and upper deck a mass of
twisted metal and after superstructure
wrecked, was sunk 17 minutes later
from a torpedo fired by Enterprise close-
in at a range of only 3,000m. Kohlauf’s
division had meanwhile attempted to
attack with torpedos from his direction
several timers, but was frustrated by
the heavy seas. Z-32 and Z-37 made
a dash at the cruisers and together
launched ten torpedos at 12,800yd
forcing Glasgow to make an emergency
turn to port as the tracks passed her
on both sides. Meantime Erdmenger’s
flagship had been drifting with all her
guns silent; when Glasgow came upon it
at 4.41pm, sending Z-27 to the bottom
with a shell at point-blank range that
penetrated its magazine. This caused
a large explosion that killed Captain
Erdmenger and most of his crew. The
Glasgow had been hit only once, which
had killed two ratings and wounded
another six, but the Enterprise only
received minor splinter damage from
 NAVAL FEATURE

The chase is on! Enterprise, taken by Able Seaman Bernard The German Type-1936A Narvick class destroyer Z-39 underway off Boston
Hamilton on Glasgow, having just sighted enemy destroyers on 12 September 1945. Claimed as war reparation, the destroyer was
and closing in to engage (world-war.co.uk) renamed USN DD939

i COLLECTING

In addition to the Atlantic Star, pre-war

Korvettenkapitan Franz Ex Type-39 Elbing class Fleet Torpedo Boat T-23, which in late
Kohlauf, commander of the 1945 was turned over to the Royal Navy as war reparation, until
German 4th Fleet Torpedo it was transferred to the French navy in February 1946 and
Boat Flotilla (IPSF) became the L’Alsaien
numerous near misses.
In total the Germans had fired
34 torpedos from impossibly long
ranges in eight separate attacks from
two directions, but in the rough
conditions with extended visibility
the bigger gun platforms prevailed.
Erdmenger’s decision to divide his
strong force proved ill-advised, because
it lengthened their range without
affecting the range of the two cruisers.
Seeing no further signs of the German
squadron and having sunk three and
damaged T-22 with two direct hits
when she tried to rescue men from the
T-25, the two cruisers re-joined. With
no significant damage to themselves,
Clarke and Grant withdrew their ships
back to Plymouth, arriving on the
evening of 29 December low on both
fuel and ammunition.
The aftermath
The surviving German ships made
it back to ports on the French coast,
but Franz Kohlauf, since promoted
Fregattenkapitan, was killed on 26 April
1944 when his ship T-29 was sunk by
HMCS Haida. 517 survivors of the 672
men on the three sunken ships were
rescued either by their own squadron,
or by German submarines, of which 234
were picked up by Allied warships the
next day and interned.
Morale in the Kriegsmarine
plummeted at the end of 1943 with the
news that the battlecruiser Scharnhorst
(see the feature, Sink the Scharnhorst
in the July issue of The Armourer) had
been sunk in the North Cape three days
earlier; whereas Captain’s Clarke and
Grant were awarded the Distinguished
Service Order for their part in the
British victory.
As it subsequently turned out the
Osorno was the last blockade runner
to get through. Three others were
subsequently sunk in January 1944,
thereafter the Germans switched to
much smaller cargo movement by
submarine and by the summer of 1944
all French Atlantic ports were liberated
following the Allied D-Day landings. ■
Royal Navy ratings and Marines who
were involved in the Bay of Biscay
fight (but not commissioned officers)
who had enlisted from at least 1928,
would be eligible for the Navy Good
Conduct and Long Service Medal,
which criteria called for a minimum of
15-years’ exemplary service, conditional
on three Good Conduct Badges
awarded, plus the sailor or Marine’s
conduct not falling below ‘Very Good’.
Pre-1937 medals had the KGV effigy,
were recipient named and are valued
between £70 and £90.
A much cheaper option is to collect
Royal Navy cap tallies, of which many
are available between £4 and £8, but
for genuine WWII cap tallies the price
goes up to £35-£40. A genuine WWII
ratings cap, complete with tally, in good
condition, will fetch £100 to £150.
Top: Example of genuine WWII
cap tallies for sale on eBay. Above:
Obverse and reverse of the KGV Royal
Navy Long Service and Good Conduct
Medal (vicmedals.com.au)

www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 83

 THETFORD WHITWICK
MILITARIA FAIR MILITARIA FAIR
Hermitage Leisure Centre, Silver Street,
Breckland Leisure Centre, Croxton Road,
THETFORD, Norfolk IP24 1JD Whitwick, Leicestershire, LE67 5EU
SUNDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER
SUNDAY 7TH JULY Future Date: 24TH NOVEMBER
FUTURE DATE: Open 10am-2pm, admission £3.50 (u/16s free)
6TH OCTOBER
Space for 100+ tables. Free parking, cafe.
Open 10am-2pm, admission £3.00 (u/16s free) Whitwick is easily accessible Follow us
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Around 100 tables of quality Militaria, Free parking, licensed café on Facebook within minutes from both the on Twitter
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Thetford is situated 2 mins off A11 close to Suffolk border. & @militariafair

Tel: 07596 436260 www.norfolkfairs.com norfolkfairs@aol.com

WOLVERLEY
MILITARIA FAIRS
Wolverley Memorial Hall, Wolverley, nr. Kidderminster,
BANGOR COLLECTORS & MILITARIA FAIRS
Worcestershire, DY11 5TN
(2 miles north of Kidderminster off the A449)
Saturday 17th August
9.30am - 2.45pm
1st September The First Bangor Presbyterian Church Halls, Main Street,
Bangor, N Ireland for 2018
Future dates:
13th Oct, 3rd Nov, 1st Dec Future Dates:
12th October, December TBC
9am - 1pm Admission £1.00
FREE VALUATIONS ON ALL MILITARY ITEMS
WE ALSO BUY
Phone: 07816 853878
A great day out
First Bangor Presbyterian Church Halls, Main Street, Bangor, N. Ireland. (Opposite Asda)
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1940S WARTIME EVENT

17th & 18th August
Stonehurst Farm, Loughborough Road, Mount Sorrel, LE12 7AR
• Displays LIVE • WWII Troop To advertise in
re-enactment
• Stalls
• Period Vehicles battle on Saturday
& Living History
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THE LANES ARMOURY
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Trade and Film/TV work is our TEL: 01273 321357 (INTERNATIONAL TEL: 00 44 1273 321357)
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Purdey’s enduring
classic
Gavin Gardiner takes a look at how one of the most famous gunmakers
arrived at a design still used today
J
ames Purdey & Sons has a long
and esteemed history as a gun
a rifle maker, makers to Royalty
and nobility almost since the
very first gun was built in 1814. As a
maker Purdey has been responsible for
many gunmaking innovations that
we take for granted today, however in
1880 a revolution occurred.
Frederick Beesley, a Purdey employee
applied for a patent for the most
significant gunmaking action of the
19th century. It was so important that
Purdey immediately purchased the
patent from Beesley and began to
build guns using this revolutionary
design. Almost 140 years later Purdey
still builds guns to this design, and
it is key to the success that the firm
has enjoyed to the present day. So,
what are the secrets to this gunmaking
legend, and why has it managed to
endure for so long.
The story starts during the during
the transition from the hammer to
hammerless actions during the 1870s.
Purdey had been an innovator right
from the start and had smoothly
transitioned from flintlock to
percussion, and had built breechloading
guns as soon as they had come in to
general use. Always using the very best
actions of the day, either of their own
design, or a refinement of an another’s
design, Purdey had always been in a
position to offer customers the latest
and most modern refinements in
sporting guns.
SPORTING GUNS
The pinfire and guns were initially
built on a version of the Jones
underlever that was used almost
universally. Purdey soon introduced
its own design for fastening the
barrels tight to the action, with the
introduction of the Purdey underbolt
in 1863. This sliding bolt slid in the
bottom of the action locking in to the
two bits in the lump of the barrels.
This bolting arrangement has been
used in virtually all conventional side
by side shotguns since. As pinfire
breechloaders gave way to centrefire
hammer guns Purdey used a clever
push forward underlever that was
incorporated in to the trigger guard,
and this was later improved by W
& C Scott with the addition spindle
attached to a top lever.
Purdey was quick to include this
The ornate entrance to Purdey &
Sons, in central London
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 85
Purdey’s enduring classic
1 2
1. The action open with spring not under tension. 2. barrels closed and the spring under tension. 3. fired state with the barrels still closed
refinement in to their own guns and
most hammer guns built after 1870
include this, however other changes
were occurring and it appeared that
Purdey might be left behind. The
first self-cocking hammerless guns
were starting to enter the market but
were viewed with suspicion at first.
In 1875 Anson & Deeley patented an
action that not only could be machine
made but also mass produced. This
action was hammerless with internal
hammers and cocking levers, did away
with conventional sideplate mounted
lockwork and showed the world
that the future was without external
hammers. Clearly a revolution was
taking place, and although Purdey was
initially resistant to the hammerless
gun, a suitable action need to be
found, and fast.
Purdey built its first hammerless
gun in 1877, and it was during 1878
and 1879 that Purdey built a number
of hammerless guns that are, today,
viewed as curiosities. Like a dog chasing
its tale, it was getting nowhere as the
actions differed greatly but all had one
thing in common. They were ugly and
technically unremarkable. Examples
included underlever cocking examples
based on their outdated bar-in-wood
hammer gun action, and top-lever
opening sidelocks with dummy external
86 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
Above: The promotional brochure for the Purdey
12-bore made great play of its performance at a much
lighter weight
Left: A Purdey lock removed from a gun to show the
double limbed spring.
3
hammers. It seemed that Purdey the gun, the lower limb the energy
was going to be left behind by the to fire the gun. The action had two
hammerless revolution and someone cams above the barrel hinge pin that
very close to Purdey could see that it push two sliding rods back in to the
needed help. action. When the barrels are open the
Frederick Beesley joined Purdey as mainspring is free of tension, only being
a stocker in 1869, having worked for compressed by the action of closing the
a number of the London firms. He gun. The twin cams push the rods back
stocked a great number of guns for as the barrels are closed and compress
Purdey, likely including their first the mainsprings as a result. When
forays in hammerless guns and was the gun is fired, there is still sufficient
well placed to appreciate the technical compression in the second limb of the
aspects required to create a successful spring to act against the cam when the
hammerless action. gun is opened and provide assistance
He left Purdey in 1878 to establish in opening the gun. It also re-cocks the
his own business and very quickly lock but the mainspring is only put
invented the action that was to make
his name immortal. In 1879 he devised
an ingenious action that seemed to
solve all of Purdey’s problems and he
set about firstly protecting it, and then
selling it to his former employer.
Patent No. 13 of 1880: ‘Improvements
in the construction of break down
guns’ described a spring cocked, self
opening hammerless gun that was
quite different to anything else. It was
also simple, elegant and refined. The
technical aspects of this design are very
interesting and easy to take for granted
today. The essential feature of the action A pair of 20-bore Purdey self opening
being the double-limbed V mainspring, sidelock ejector guns, built for the former
the upper arm assisting in cocking the three time formula 1 world champion
lock and providing assistance opening Jackie Stewart in 1976

Above: A very fine, cased Purdey & Sons sporting gun, as used by Royalty for the last 150 years.
under tension again when the gun is
closed. An added benefit being that the
springs are not under pressure when
the gun is stored in its case without the
barrels fitted.
It would seem that Beesley had no
intention of using the Patent that
he applied for himself as the Purdey
archives contain the following letter
dated 18.12.1879:
‘22 Queen Street, Edgeware Road, London W
Sir.
Having invented a Hammerless gun which
I believe to be equal to, if not superior to
anything of its kind yet produced, I am
desirous of meeting with a purchase of the
rights to the same. It is on principle entirely
different to any other on the market,
and also possessed a peculiar advantage
that any old gun may be converted to a
hammerless one at moderate expense. I
offer it to your notice first in the trade, and
should esteem the favour of a personal
interview if worth your attention when I
can submit a working conversion.
I beg to remain your Obdt Servant
Fredck Beesley’
Purdey was clearly quick to recognise
the advantages of this action as an
agreement was entered in to on 2
SPORTING GUNS
January 1880, the day before the
patent was due to be published. Purdey
purchased the Patent for £35 and
gained the full right to manufacture and
licence the building of it for the next 14
years henceforth.
The first guns to be built on this
action were put in to production right
away, and a good number of these early
hammerless Purdey self-openers remain
in use today. Aesthetically from the
word go, the action has a very clean
and modern look with thoroughbred
flowing lines. The locks are of a now
classic shape, meeting the fences at the
rear of the action fences. The James
Lucas designed Purdey engraving
pattern was now fully evolved and
suited the new action perfectly, giving
just the right level of decoration and
creating a traditional and pleasing
look that influenced every other
gunmaker which were considering their
hammerless options.
The gun was easy to use and refined.
The self-opening nature of the action
is an almost accidental by product
of the design, and allows the gun to
spring open, almost by itself, when the
gun is opened. This aids the rapidity
of reloading, and used in conjunction
with its automatic ejector (standard Above: Recently completed game scene
since 1888) give a speed of reloading engraved 12-bore self-opening sidelock
that cannot be improved upon. Purdey ejector gun by Purdey ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 87
Purdey’s enduring classic
customers included European Royalty
and nobility and in these influential
hands was quite a sensation. A further
advantage of the simplicity of the
mechanism was its great strength and
reliability. Amongst influential circles
this was a great selling point, as the
last thing any manufacturer would
want is unreliable guns in the hands of
the sports most influential and visible
customers. Many of these original
Purdey guns remain in constant use
today, performing as well and reliably
as when they were first built.
Coinciding with the introduction
of this revolutionary design was the
transition from Damascus to steel
barrels. Purdey was an early adopter of
fluid pressed steel for the production of
lightweight gun barrels, and Sir Joseph
Whitworths Fluid Pressed Steel was A 12-bore self opening sidelock ejector gun, built in 1984, with its makers case
the best. Introduced in 1879 it offered
tubes of greater strength and durability
than soft Damascus iron, and was
ideally suited to best gun production.
Although expensive, at almost three
times the cost of the best Damascus,
the cost was easily justified on a gun
of Purdey quality and virtually every
Purdey gun built on the Beesley action
uses these barrels.
Surprisingly the transition from
hammer to hammerless gun was not
as rapid as the transition from muzzle
loader to breech loader has been just
17 years previously. Whereas that An early Purdey 12-bore self-opening sidelock non-ejector gun, built in 1884 as a wedding
transition lasted less than 5 years, present from James Purdey to his new son-in-law Carl Sedberg. The gun features exhibition
with a rapid swing over a two year walnut and a presentation inscription recording the wedding date.
period, the transition from hammer
to hammerless was rather longer. Of to 123. By the end of the decade, with of it. It was not until over 40 year later
course many customers’ hammer guns the further refinement of automatic that another former Purdey employee,
were still rather new, and to many ejectors, the hammerless gun was Henry Atkin brought out his own
the advantages of the self cocking firmly established with all of the major version of the now classic action. The
hammerless gun were not always manufacturers, and it was clear that Atkin spring opener is very similar in
obvious. The action of cocking a gun Purdey’s gun was the best available. a lot of ways, and only differs in small
by pulling back a hammer had been The Purdey action was a good 10 years technical detail. The design was built
part of the sportsman’s routine for ahead of the competiton and firmly between the wars and again after World
decades, and visually it was felt that established Purdey as London’s leading War II for a short while. Indeed, the
a hammerless gun had something maker of high quality guns. famous writer and gun expert Gough
missing. ‘It is like a dog without ears’ is The design has remained unchanged Thomas chose Atkin rather than
an often quoted saying in this respect, and is still being built today by its Purdey to build him a 27in barrelled
and indeed many notable sportsmen original maker, and still in significant lightweight game gun on this action in
would continue to use and order numbers. Of all the best guns that I see, 1947. The design has also been made
hammer guns for a number of years to the Purdey is the most numerous, and in small numbers in Russia as well as
come, including famous shooters, Lord it has proved itself to be the most long in Spain by AYA more recently, but it
Ripon and King George V. lasting and durable as well. is only the original that continues in
In 1880 Purdey built 33 hammerless Interestingly, while protected by production to the present day.
guns, as opposed to 208 hammer guns. its original patent, Purdey was the 139 years since its introduction,
By 1884 the numbers were up to 140 exclusive manufacturer of this action Purdey still builds all its side by side
hammerless guns against 148 hammer and upon its expiry, it was so firmly shotguns on this action and it is likely
guns, and it was not until 1886 that established as the Purdey action that it will continue to do so while
hammerless gun production finally that none of the other major makers there is demand for a side by side
exceeded that of the hammer gun, 147 considered building their own version sporting gun of the highest quality. ■

88 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 Collectors Fair Ad 2019 93 x 281_Layout 1 13/11/2018 19:57 Page 1

The GHQ FAIRS

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CALENDAR OF FAIRS FOR 2019

Wakefield Medal Fair

Outwood Memorial Hall, Victoria Street, off Leeds
Road, Outwood, nr Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 2NE

OPEN FROM 10.00am to 2.00pm Admission £4.00

Sunday 7th July
Open to the public from 8am to 1pm For Info & Bookings on Fairs
Call - GHQ Fairs
The Durham Militaria on 07919 455799
& Medal Fair
Directions
The Community Centre, Bowburn Village, Durham

Sunday 25th August The Maltings, off Bridge Square,

Open to the public from 8.30am to 1pm
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Tel: 01434 609794 or 07950421704 WWW.GHQ.UK.COM
 PHOTO FEATURE

The Photo Inspector

Ray Westlake puts the East Riding Yeomanry (Territorial Force)
under the microscope.

F
ormed in 1902 under the
command of Colonel The
Lord Wenlock and by the
outbreak of war in August 1914
comprising four squadrons: ‘A’ (at
Hull), ‘B’ (Beverley with detachments at
North Cave, Hornsea and Patrington),
‘C’ (Fulford with a detachment at
Dunnington) and ‘D’ (Driffield with
detachments at Hunmanby, Pocklington,
Settrington and Bridlington). Regimental
Headquarters were in Railway Street,
Beverley. The regiment was part of the
Western Frontier Force in Egypt and the
middle east, with some offices and men
ending up serving under TE Lawrence.
They first saw action during the First
Battle of Gaza, as a mounted brigade. ■

In brass, the A running fox

shoulder title was chosen
with letters as a badge in
‘ERYIY’ (East recognition
Riding of of the fact
Yorkshire that much of
Imperial the regiment
Yeomanry) in was made up
a straight line. of significant
landowners
and followers
of the hunt. It
was worn in
the caps and,
as seen here,
as a collar
Brass buttons badge.
showing the
running fox
with crown On the left,
above and with its red/
the letters ‘IY’ blue/yellow/
below. Around blue/red
the rim on a ribbon and
broken band, three clasps,
the title ‘East the Queen’s
Riding of South Africa
Yorkshire’. medal, and
on the right,
with a crimson
A lancer- ribbon, the
style jacket Long Service
of maroon and Good
with light Conduct
blue plastron, medal.
collar, cuffs
and shoulder
straps. The
lace is gold. Maroon cap
lines.

Gold
chevrons on
a light blue
backing. The
running fox
can just be
seen above,
this time as
an arm badge Maroon and
worn by light blue
NCOs. girdle.

90 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 VINTAGE FIReWORK
COLLECTOR
DO NOT LIGHT THE BLUE
TOUCH PAPER AND BURN
BRITISH HERITAGE.
PRIVATE COLLECTOR WILL
PAY CASH AND COLLECT
FROM ANYWHERE.
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www.qmsmilitaria.com
 Wittmann
PO Box 217 Houghton-le-Spring,
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Website - www.jemswords.com
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reviewsroundup
Duncan Evans reviews the latest releases in the world of
military history and collecting
Hitler’s
Wartime
Conversations
BOB CARRUTHERS
As well as being a brilliant orator,
used to holding crowds in the
palm of his hand, Hitler was
also fond of expounding on
his crackpot and racist theories
to his inner circle in private.
One of those, Martin Bormann,
took it upon himself to record
the Führer’s pontificating for
posterity. What we have here
then, are the words straight from
the horse’s mouth, organised by
date and with a handy heading
summarising the content. The
format means you can dip in and
out whenever you like.
There are a fair few from
1941, but the majority are from
1942, with a small amount
from 1943 and just a couple
The Rise of
the Third
Reich
ROBERT LYMAN
While you might be expecting a
history of the NSDAP in 1930s
Germany, this is actually the story
of Europe falling under the Nazi
jackboot from 1939-1941, mainly
with the fall of France. It is told
from the experiences of Americans
in Britain and Europe. who were
at liberty to roam around Europe,
reporting back, until Pearl Harbour
dragged the US into the war.
The thrilling part is the fall of
France though, with the story of
the disintegration of French armed
forces, watched in horror and
bemusement by the public. There
was no mercy for civilians here,
as the Luftwaffe strafed everything
from 1944. For instance, after
D-Day on 6 June, there is only
one further entry at all, which
is a shame because this would
have been the most interesting
part of all – hearing Hitler’s
justifications for why Germany
was facing disaster. Instead
you have some interesting,
some disturbing and plenty of
basically racist, lunatic ranting. ■
• Pen and Sword
• ISBN 978-1-4738-6888-5
• 482 pages • Paperback • £16.99
on the roads that was moving,
killing indiscriminately. At the end,
the story turns to how American
industry supported Britain in her
darkest hours, how the British
would not give up and, if necessary,
would go down fighting. It’s a
fantastic book, with a real human
aspect to it. ■
• Amberley Books
• ISBN 978-1-4456-8726-1
• 314 pages • Hardback • £20
SIGNALS
Eye of
the Storm
PETER RADCLIFFE DCM
We’ve had plenty of books from
ex-SAS members though few
have the spread of action that
Peter Radcliffe’s account covers.
Starting in Oman in the 1970s
he was dispatched to the urban
jungle of Northern Ireland, the yet full of details and pulls no
Falklands War and the first Gulf punches – there’s humour yet
War. It comes with two glossy blood and gore. The author also
photo plate sections showing doesn’t hold back lambasting
the author in various parts of people he’s worked with who
the world. Half of the people weren’t up to the job – whether
he’s with are masked out, either that’s fellow SAS members or
because of security issues or that those higher up. It all adds up to
they were killed in subsequent one of the more eye-opening
missions. For all the boys own accounts from ex-SAS members
adventure spirit that tends to that’s also a cracking read. ■
come through, there’s a deadly
seriousness to it all. • Michael O’Mara Books
The actual writing is • ISBN 978-1-7892-9138-4
surprisingly well done. It’s pacey • 452 pages • Paperback • £9.99
British and
Canadian
Soldiers in
Normandy
TANGUY LE SANT
This is essentially the story that
we told in last month’s Armourer,
via the medium of uniforms,
equipment and vehicles. It starts
with a quick look at the BEF at the and it reads awkwardly in places.
start of the war, but then jumps However, the interesting thing is
ahead to D-Day and airborne that they use re-enactment photos
troops. While there are some black and mannequins throughout, the
and white contemporary photos, latter wearing the uniform and
most of the photography, in what equipment for the campaign.
is a short, but glossy book, is in There’s even sections on vehicles,
colour. There then follows the including American ones that were
story of the Normandy campaign, simply rebadged for British use. ■
from the British and Canadian
perspective. This is pretty sparse • Memorabilia Publishing
and the text isn’t that well written or • ISBN 978-2-3778-3001-5
translated – the publisher is French • 66 pages • Softcover • €9.80 ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 93
 ART & ARMS
We offer a unique collection of antique swords;
ROD FLOOD military headwear and antique paintings from the Isle of Man.
Cap badges, Helmet plates, Titles, Collars,
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Hitler’s
Death
LUKE DALY-GROVES
If there’s one thing that
sells junk TV programmes,
sensationalist magazines
and pulp fiction books,
it’s the premise that Hitler
escaped the bunker and fled
to Argentina. The conspiracy
theorists put this down
to two facts – firstly, other
high-ranking Nazis fled to
Argentina, and secondly,
DNS tests on the skull that
the Soviets said was Hitler’s
was proved, in 2009, not to
be. That’s all the crackpots
need to peddle rumour and
speculation, basically in order
to sell shoddy journalism.
Luke Daly-Groves’ book,
though at times pompous,
sets out to destroy the myths,
investigate the investigations
and explain how and why the
evidence was messed up.
The Soviets made a
complete shambles of the
initial investigation, which
lead to stuffing a skull in a
box in the hope this would
keep Stalin happy. For
the record, after the fierce
blaze all that was left were
Hitler’s teeth, which were
recovered and have been
confirmed as his. The rest of
the speculation, as our cover
feature and this book makes
clear, is just fantasy to sell TV
and magazines. ■
• Osprey Publishing
• ISBN 978-1-4728-3454-6
• 226 pages • Hardback
• £14.99
My Father Joachim von Ribbentrop
RUDOLF VON RIBBENTROP
This is a whopper of a book from
the son of Hitler’s Foreign Minister,
who died, aged 98, the week we
received this book. It uses his
personal experiences and diaries
of his father. That’s both the great
strength of this narrative – you’re
getting thoughts and stories straight
from Hitler’s mouthpiece, and also
its weakness, because it’s clearly not
even handed. Rudolf also served
as a young man, in the Waffen-SS,
fighting in Norway, France, the
Battle of the Bulge and Hungary.
Like his father, he was a committed
National Socialist, so what you
Operation ‘Torch’ JEAN PAUL PALLUD
The full title of this book tags
on The Invasion of North
Africa Then and Now, so, as
you can see, it’s another large
format, glossily presented,
After the Battle production.
These tell the story of a battle
or campaign, but send out
their photographers to the
same locations depicted in
period photos, to show what
it looks like now. For towns
and cities, this is usually quite
interesting to see how much or
little they’ve changed, but for
beaches it’s a little pointless, as
they look much the same, just
Codeword Overlord NIGEL WEST
Obviously the Germans
knew that an Allied invasion
was coming, it was just a
case where it was. Cue the
German intelligence service,
the Abwehr and other groups,
committing 30,000 men and
women to try to figure when
and where the landings would
come. They also sent spies
and double agents through
Spain, in a desperate attempt
to find out what was going on
in Britain.
Nigel West’s book delves
into the murky world of WWII
espionage, tackling the plans,
German signal intercepts,
Luftwaffe aerial recon, the
have here is the story from inside
the German state, mainly in the
lead up to war in 1939.
It starts by explaining German
history in the 19th century,
then we’re off with Hitler and
Ribbentrop senior, as they
attempt to carve up Europe
while keeping the British from
getting involved. It’s absolutely
fascinating, but not balanced in
any way, so don’t be surprised
when you read that they
thought Britain was behaving
unreasonably in not coming to
an agreement with them. ■
without soldiers.
Still, that aside, this is a
comprehensive account of the
Tunisian and Algerian campaign,
melting pot of Spain, Rommel’s
assessment of the threat and
how it all worked out as the
Allies successfully deceived the
Germans. There’s no doubt that
this is immaculately researched
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019
SIGNALS
• Pen and Sword
• ISBN 978-1-5267-3925-4
• 480 pages • Hardback • £30
starting with Operation Torch
itself and moving on to Oran,
Morocco, Tunisia, and the
final battles before Axis forces
surrendered in North Africa.
There’s plenty of detail of the
fighting but the politics aren’t
ignored either. With superb
production standards, it’s a pity
that the design is still dated, but
this is certainly a detailed and
worthy look at an often ignored
phase of the war. ■
• After the Battle
• ISBN 978-1-8700-6796-6
• 316 pages • Hardback • £39.99
and is full of painstaking
detail however, a lot of the
world of spies is clouded
in doubt. So the majority
of this narrative consists of
explaining who knew what
and when. Unfortunately it
slows the pace down to an
absolute crawl and it’s like this
all the way through. If you’re
fascinated by WWII espionage
then the detail will keep you
happy but for the general
WWII enthusiast this is a
largely tedious read. ■
• The History Press
• ISBN 978-0-7509-8993-0
• 356 pages • Hardback • £25 ❯
95
Books and militaria reviews
IMAGES
OF WAR:
Normandy
1944
SIMON FORTY
Another in the Images of War
series takes the reader to
the battle of the hedgerows
in Normandy. This is a
fairly concise look at the
battle for Normandy, really
concentrating on the struggle
once the troops got off the
beaches and pressed on to
the battle of Saint-Lô. It looks
at the opposing forces then
tackles the American advance
from the Omaha beach.
There are maps to show the
areas of conflict and over 150
photos of the action. It’s a
good addendum to a more
comprehensive study of the
battle for Normandy. ■
• Pen and Sword
• ISBN 978-1-5267-2371-0
• 146 pages • Softcover • £14.99
Letters from Mafeking
EDWARD M SPIERS
It’s one of those quirks of time
that the passing of years relegates
a conflict from common national
engagement to academic study.
96 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
HMS Belfast
Pocket
Manual
JOHN BLAKE
Just in time for our feature on
the ship itself this month, here’s
a pocket manual dedicated
to the light cruiser that’s now
an Imperial War Museum site.
Although the styling is light
hearted, the text is completely
serious, detailing the history
and performance of the ship.
It contains plenty of technical
information from weight to
armament, as well as anecdotes
from those who sailed in her.
The most interesting parts
are when the Belfast was
dispatched on WWII tours of
duty which included shelling
German positions on D-Day.
The advantage of the small
format is you can take it with
you when visiting the ship. ■
• Osprey Publishing
• ISBN 978-1-4728-2782-1
• 160 pages • Hardback • £8.99
The South African War of 1899,
otherwise known as the Second
Boer War, was just 120 years
ago, but is scarcely recalled now.
Makefing was the longest siege
of that war, and made the name
of Baden-Powell for its defence.
This is a comprehensive look at
the siege itself, the relief and the
aftermath in Victorian Britain.
It’s a little dull and academic but
certainly worth a look. ■
• Frontline Books
• ISBN 978-1-5267-1002-4
• 226 pages • Hardback • £19.99
Zulu War
VCs
JAMES W BANCROFT
The Zulu War only lasted
a scant six months in 1879
however in that time some
23 men had performed such
valorous actions as to be
awarded the Victoria Cross.
The Zulus were ferocious
warriors and any British
soldier would have expected
little mercy had he not won
any battle he was involved in.
Some 11 of the awards
were, of course, handed out
for the glorious victory at
Rorke’s Drift, a story that is
still famous today, thanks to
the film Zulu.
Here then are the personal
histories of the people who
won those medals, as well as
cursory details on the actions
that they were awarded for. ■
• Frontline Books
• ISBN 978-1-5267-2264-5
• 190 pages • Hardback • £25
Panther Tanks
DENNIS OLIVER
Part of the Tank Craft series,
this is a series that offers an
unusual mix of history, technical
detail, colour illustrations,
paint schemes and modelling
projects. The latter of these
include brief looks at various
commercial model available
from Airfix, Revell and the like,
plus more in-depth guides
to more expensive models.
The design is awful on the
historical elements, but the
colour schemes and details will
be invaluable for historians,
modellers and wargamers. ■
Falaise:
The Flawed
Victory
ANTHONY TUCKER-JONES
The prolific Mr Tucker-Jones is
back with an assessment of the
Normandy campaign leading to
the destruction of German armies
in the Falaise Pocket. Indeed, with
a subtitle of The Flawed Victory and
a quote on the back berating the
Allies for not slaughtering every
German there, you might think
that this was another misguided
attempt to snatch defeat from
what was an overwhelming victory.
Actually, it’s a well-researched and
written account of the fighting
which fully illustrates that not only
did the Germans lose over 200,000
men but virtually all their armour
as well. Falaise was a catastrophe
for Germany, even if 60,000 men
managed to escape. ■
• Pen and Sword
• ISBN 978-1-5267-3852-3
• 248 pages • Paperback • £15.99
• Pen and Sword
• ISBN 978-1-5267-5590-2
• 66 pages • Softcover • £14.99
 CAP BADGES
British, Colonial, Air Force,
Police, Sweethearts
britisharmycapbadgesandmilitaria.com
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COLLECTOR WANTS:
-anything-
Coldstream Guards:
Especially:
• Orig. Brown Bess bayonet &
scabbard
• Waistbelt clasp OR and WOI/II
• OR’s service dress tunic WWI
American, British and Allied Militaria Special Forces,
• White buff drum carriage
(brass buttons large, medium, small)
Contact with other collectors wanted
Please offer to: Wilfried Drygala,
Email: w.drygala@t-online.de
Tel: 049 421 44 53 81 • Fax: 049 421 44 53 61
Bob Sims Militaria
Bob Sims Militaria
www.bobsimsmilitaria.com
www.bobsimsmilitaria.com
email: tiger.six@outlook.com
Email iger.six@virgin.net
Mobile: 07885 443731
American, Briish and Allied Militaria
For Sale & Wanted
Special Forces, Paras, Glider Troops, RAF, USAAF, Log Books, Wings,
Watches, US Marine Corps and Medals.
Para, Glider Troops, RAF USAAF, Log Books,Wings,
Single Pieces or Collecions
Watches, US Marine Corps and Medals
See Single
us and our full stockor
pieces at the War and Peace Show 2016
collections
Tuesday 19th July unil Saturday 23rd July
Stands H15 and H16

Contact Dave at
dbgmilitaria@hotmail.co.uk Q & C
or 07805 399132 MILITARIA
22 Suffolk Road, Cheltenham GL50 2AQ
www.dbgmilitaria.co.uk RFD Glos D167
Telephone: 01242 519815
DBG Militaria would like to offer you original WW1 and Mobile Telephone: 07778 613977
qcmilitaria@btconnect.com
WW2 British and German Militaria of all types with some Polish www.qcmilitaria.com
and Canadian equipment included. We Wish to Buy for Cash
All items of Uniform, Helmets & Headwear,
I will also offer for sale military watches from WW1 and WW2 Swords & Bayonets, Medals, Orders & Decorations,
and a good selection of military books on equipment and events from Badges & Uniform Furniture,
Military Memorabilia, Trench Art
the Boer war to post war period. Top Prices Paid Absolute Discretion Assured
Medals mounted for wearing
Please be aware items are posted daily from DBG Militaria so you can Cased for Display & Refurbished
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buy today and have your item delivered the next day to a UK address Accoutrements Supplied
with items that have a postage charge. Always seeking items to buy! Send S.A.E. for free list

OFFICERS COLOURS
To advertise in
the next issue DEALING IN MEDALS OF DISTINCTION AND
MILITARIA FOR THE DISCERNING COLLECTOR
please call Specialists in British & Commonwealth decorations and campaign
medals as well as varied selection of Foreign medals and Militaria
Liz on E-mail: paulread1944@gmail.com Mobile: 07867 805032
01778 395059 web-site: www.officerscolours.com
Buying militaria

Auction & Fair

AUCTIONS 28 July 2019 james@chathammillitariafairs.
James & Sons com 11 August 2019
3 July 2019 T: 01328 855003 The Scotch Corner Arms
Bosleys www. 14 July 2019 Fair
T: 01628 488188 jamesandsonsauctioneers.com The Giant Leeds Arms Fair T: 01423 780759 or 07889
www.bosleys.co.uk T: 01423 780759 or 07889 799896
sales@bosleys.co.uk 6 August 2019 799896 www.northernarmsfairs.
The Canterbury Auction www.northernarmsfairs.co.uk co.uk
4 July 2019 Galleries
Morton and Eden T: 01227 763337 23 - 27 July 2019
www. The War & Peace Revival 17 August 2019
T: 020 7493 5344
www.mortonandeden.com thecanterburyauctiongalleries. Show Bangor Collector &
Militaria Fair
info@www.mortonandeden. com T: 01258 857700
com general@tcag.co.uk www.warandpeacerevival.com cmartin123@btinternet.com
info@warandpeacerevival.com
10 July 2019 7 August 2019 17 August 2019
C & T Auctions The Canterbury Auction 28 July 2019 1940s Wartime Event
T: 01233 510050 Galleries Hildenborough Militaria Fair T: 01509 413216
www.candtauctions.co.uk T: 01227 763337 T: 01322 523531
www. www.operationcharnwood.
matthew.tredwen@ www.bexleymedalsandmilitaria. co.uk
candtauctions.co.uk thecanterburyauctiongalleries. co.uk
com rick@bexleymedalsandmilitaria.
www.stonehurstfarm.co.uk
17 July 2019 general@tcag.co.uk co.uk
Dix Noonan Webb 18 August 2019
T: 020 7016 1700 FAIRS 4 August 2019 1940s Wartime Event
www.dnw.co.uk GHQ Fair T: 01509 413216
medals@dnw.co.uk 7 July 2019 T: 07919 455799 www.operationcharnwood.
South Staffs Militaria Fairs www.ghq.uk.com co.uk
18 July 2019 T: 01785 663344 or 07969 fairs@ghq.uk.com www.stonehurstfarm.co.uk
Dix Noonan Webb 036652
T: 020 7016 1700 www.facebook.com/ 4 August 2019 18 August 2019
www.dnw.co.uk StaffsMilitaria Wakefield Medal Fair
T: 01434 609794 or 07950 The Newark Arms Fair
medals@dnw.co.uk steve@sbmilitaria.com
421704 T: 01423 780759 or 07889
23 July 2019 www.themedalcentre.co.uk 799896
7 July 2019
Wallis & Wallis Thetford Militaria Fair themedalcentre@gmail.com www.northernarmsfairs.
T: 01273 480208 T: 07596 436260 co.uk
www.wallisandwallis.co.uk www.norfolkfairs.com 11 August 2019
militaria@wallisandwallis. norfolkfairs@aol.com Mark Carter Yate Militaria & 18 August 2019
co.uk Medal Fair Bromley Militaria
7 July 2019 T: 01753 534777 or 07871 Collectors Fair
25 July 2019 Wakefield Medal Fair 777062 T: 07595 511981
Marlows Auctions T: 01434 609794 or 07950 www.milweb.net/dealers/ www.bromleymilitariafairs.
T: 01785 214100 421704 trader/markcarter.htm com
www.marlowsauctions.co.uk www.themedalcentre.co.uk markgcarter6@gmail.com james@
info@marlowsauctions.co.uk themedalcentre@gmail.com bromleymillitariafairs.com
11 August 2019
27 July 2019 14 July 2019 Chatham Militaria Collectors
James & Sons Chatham Militaria Fair 18 August 2019
T: 01328 855003 Collectors Fair T: 07595 511981 Militaria Collectors Swap
www. T: 07595 511981 www.chathammilitariafairs.com Shop & Fair
jamesandsonsauctioneers. www.chathammilitariafairs. james@chathammillitariafairs. T: 01639 722479 or 01874
com com com 658342

ON SALE NOW!
Order today at www.militaria.ma/ironcross
98 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

BEDFORDSHIRE
■ Southams Auctioneers
Bedford, Tel: 01234 266366
guns@southamsauction.co.uk
www.southamsauction.co.uk
BERKSHIRE
■ Special Auction Services
Newbury, Tel: 01635 580595
mail@specialauctionservices.com
adam@specialauctionservices.com
www.specialauctionservices.com
BRISTOL
■ East Bristol Auctions
Hanham, Tel: 0117 967 1000
info@eastbristol.co.uk
www.eastbristol.co.uk
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
■ Bosleys
Marlow, Tel: 01628 488188
sales@bosleys.co.uk
www.bosleys.co.uk
CHESHIRE
■ Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers
Macclesfield, Tel: 01625 431788
auctions@adampartridge.co.uk
www.adampartridge.co.uk
CUMBRIA
■ Laidlaw Auctioneers & Valuers
Carlisle, Tel: 01228 904905
enquiries@laidlawauctioneers.co.uk
www.laidlawauctioneers.co.uk
DEVON
■ Greenslade Taylor Hunt
Tiverton, Tel: 01823 332525
www.gth.net
antiques.saleroom@gth.net
ESSEX
■ Reeman Dansie Auctions
Colchester, Tel : 01206 754754
auctions@reemandansie.com
www.reemandansie.com
■ Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers
Essex, 01279 817778
auctions@sworder.co.uk
www.sworder.co.uk
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
■ Dominic Winter
Cirencester, Tel: 01285 860006
henry@dominicwinter.co.uk
www.dominicwinter.co.uk
KENT
■ C&T Auctioneers and Valuers
Kenardington, Tel: 01233 510050
enquiries@candtauctions.co.uk
www.candtauctions.co.uk
AUCTIONEER LISTING
■ The Canterbury Auction Galleries STAFFORDSHIRE
Canterbury, ■ Marlows
Tel: 01227 763337 Stafford, Tel: 01785 214100
www.thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com or 07789 628030
mail@marlowsauctions.co.uk
www.marlowsauctions.co.uk
LINCOLNSHIRE
■ Golding, Young & Mawer SUFFOLK
Bourne Tel: 01778 422686 ■ Durrants
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
BUILDING CONSULTANCY
HOLIDAY COTTAGES
ON SITE AUCTIONS
AUCTION ROOMS
AGRICULTURAL
COMMERCIAL
RESIDENTIAL
Grantham Tel: 01476 565118 Beccles, Tel: 01502 713490
Lincoln Tel: 01522 524984 AuctionRooms@durrants.com
www.goldingyoung.com
■ Bishop & Miller
LONDON Stowmarket, Tel: 01449 673088
www.bishopandmillerauctions.co.uk
■ Chiswick Auctions
enquiries@bm-auctions.co.uk
London, Tel: 020 8992 4442
info@chiswickauctions.co.uk
www.chiswickauctions.co.uk SURREY
■ Ewbank’s Auctioneers
Woking, Tel: 01483 223 101
valuations@ewbankauctions.co.uk
■ Dix Noonan Webb
www.ewbankauctions.co.uk
London, Tel: 020 70161 700
medals@dnw.co.uk
WARWICKSHIRE
www.dnw.co.uk
■ Warwick & Warwick
Warwick, Tel: 01926 499031
■ Baldwins of St James www.warwickandwarwick.com
London, Tel: +44(0)207 930 7888
WEST SUSSEX
info@bsjauctions.com
www.bsjauctions.com ■ Tooveys
Washington, Tel: 01903 891955
auctions@tooveys.com
■ Morton & Eden www.tooveys.com
London, Tel: 020 7493 5344
info@mortonandeden.com ■ Gavin Gardiner
www.mortonandeden.com Pulborough, Tel: 01798 875300
info@gavingardiner.com Gavin Gardiner Limited
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Auctioneers of Fine Modern and Vintage Sporting Guns, Rifles and Accessories
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE www.gavingardiner.com
■ Humbert & Ellis WILTSHIRE
Whittlebury, Tel: 01327 359595
■ Woolley & Wallis
admin@humbertellis.com Salisbury, 01722 341469
www.humbertellis.com NedCowell@woolleyandwallis.co.uk
www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk
NORTHUMBERLAND
■ Anderson & Garland Ltd YORKSHIRE
Newcastle Upon Tyne, ■ Tennants Auctioneers
Tel: 0191 4303000 Leyburn, Tel: 01969 623780
enquiry@tennants-ltd.co.uk
info@andersonandgarland.com
www.tennants.co.uk
www.andersonandgarland.com
■ Sheffield Auction Gallery
SHROPSHIRE
Sheffield, Tel: 0114 281 6161
■ Mullocks Specialist Auctioneers & Valuers www.sheffieldauctiongallery.com
Church Stretton,
Tel: 01694 771771
Mullock’s
Specialist Auctioneers & Valuers ■ David Duggleby Auctioneers
auctions@mullocksauctions.co.uk Scarborough, Tel: 01723 5071111
www.mullocksauctions.co.uk auctions@davidduggleby.com
www.davidduggleby.com
SOMERSET
■ Gary Don Auctioneers & Valuers
■ Greenslade Taylor Hunt Leeds, Tel:0113 248 3333
Taunton, Tel: 01823 332525 contact@garydon.co.uk
www.gth.net www.garydon.co.uk
antiques.saleroom@gth.net
INTERNATIONAL
■ Tamlyn & Son Auctioneers
■ ratisbon’s Online Auctions
Bridgwater, Tel: 01278 445251 Germany, Tel: 0049 941 46 70016
saleroom@tamlyns.co.uk info@ratisbons.com
www.tamlynprofessional.co.uk www.ratisbons.com
Get in touch
REGIMENT IN PRINT
Readers of my article in the
May issue, A regiment in print,
who wish to explore the subject
further may be interested to
know that all of the major
archives have further information
on 141 RAC. The Tank Museum,
National Army Museum, IWM
and the National Archives each
hold various collections, some of
which include oral histories from
veterans. The National Army
Museum also holds deposits
from the old Buffs Regimental
Museum that were donated in
the early 2000s.
Readers interested in histories,
RAF POLICE
I am a long time collector
of RAF badges and
memorabilia and served
in the RAF for 30 years. It
was with some pleasure,
therefore, that I noticed in
the February 2019 issue
of The Armourer an article
about the RAF Police. On
reading this however, I
must say I was less than
impressed. The text is not
accurate, and even in a small
article a great deal more
could have been included
– for instance reference is
made in a picture caption
to RAF Service Police
but nothing in the article
explains the difference
between the RAFP and the
RAFSP – and there was a
difference. RAF Police did
indeed adopt the white cap
around 1945, but the white
webbing was in use before
that, as is shown in one of
100 August 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
yourletters
your
Let us know what you think of your favourite
militaria magazine or ask other readers a question
Facebook: www.facebook.com/armourermagazine
Post: Letters Page, The Armourer, Warners Group Publications, West Street, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH
Email: armourer@warnersgroup.co.uk
memoirs and journals of any of
the 142 armoured regiments,
as well as 141 RAC featured in
that article, can find reference
to them all in my book and
supplement, British Armoured
Formations 1939 - 1945, A
Bibliography available direct from
www.tankfactory.co.uk.
John A Smith, by email
Ed says: Thanks for that John. We
would also like to correct an error
that crept in during production
– the date for the formation of
the Royal Armoured Corps (p43)
should have read 4 April rather
than May.
the photos. No mention is made
of the use of horses by the RAF
Police, which is a shame. From
the point of view of military
history and militaria collecting,
surely this would have been of
interest? In the rather sparse
section of the text referring to
Afghanistan, it is stated that, ‘…
one RAF Police NCO and two
other rankers’ were wounded.
Firstly, all RAFP personnel, once
trained, are NCOs. Secondly, on
the previous page you picture
an RAFP Corporal who was
killed in Afghanistan.
The worst part of the article,
however, is the photograph
captions. On page 84, top
left, the caption refers to ‘RAF
Halton, Cheshire’. Halton is
in Buckinghamshire, near
Wendover. The middle
photography, lower row, at the
top of page 84, is captioned
as, ‘Cerberus, a Rolls Royce
armoured car of the RAFP’.
Well, it isn’t. I’m sure that those
Twitter: @The_Armourer
WHAT’S THIS
BADGE?
Please could you identify
the badges in the photo
for me, or could one
of the Armourer readers
help? The badge, with
the number 12 in the
middle, is 3.75in high
and 3.375in wide at the
biggest point. The other
badge is 2.5in high and
3.25in wide at the largest
points. Many thanks.
Graham Davies,
St. Asaph
very few RAF Policemen in the
Middle East in the 1920s and
1930s would have loved their
own armoured cars but, sadly,
they did not ever have any.
The caption to the picture
at the bottom of page 84, ‘RAF
Police supporting British troops
in the region during the Aden
Emergency’ is correct regarding
the chap on the left with the
Sterling MH, but quite wrong
about the woman on the right.
She is, in fact, a member of the
Royal Military Police, and is,
therefore, not in the RAF at all.
The article was a reasonable
attempt but not successful
in its aim. As for the pictures,
however, they really could have
done with more research.
GE Collins,
Watton
Ed says: A few inaccuracies
crept into this one so let’s
address those first. Yes, RAF
Halton is in Buckinghamshire
not Cheshire. The Cerberus
was an armoured car of the
RAF, serving to protect bases
and assets in Iraq in the 1920s,
but wasn’t an RAF Police
vehicle. The final comment
about the two people in the
Aden Emergency is, as you say,
one from the RAF Police and
one from the Military Police.
The caption for this should
have been clearer.
In the scope of the article,
these are quite minor. Your
criticisms in the first half of
your letter are about things
you’d have like to have seen
in the article, or are extra
information. In a four page
article covering 100 years of
history there are obviously
going to be omissions for
the lesser details, which we
can certainly visit at some
point in the future. However,
to describe the entire article
as not successful in its aim is
quite ludicrous.

IN THE JUNGLE
I was pleased to get the June
issue of The Armourer as I have
a particular interest in the
Malayan Emergency because,
as a family, we lived there from
1950-1954. I found all four
articles interesting but take
issue with the caption of the
lower left illustration on page
26 which states: ‘British army
officer and a Ghurkha private
questioning a Malayan villager’.
They are a police officer
and police constable. Quite a
number of the police officers
were ex-Palestine police.
It is hard to tell from the
photograph but the officer is
probably wearing a beret and
the constable a songkok which
was also worn by the Malay
Regiment. My mother taught
at the army school in Kuala
Lumpur and was collected
every morning by a Malayan
ASC driver - driving a Humber
Box - who always his songkok.
I think more could be
written about conflicts such
as the Malayan Emergency,
Aden, Cyprus etc, and, with
respect to Malaya, the Police
Jungle squads. Armourer is an
excellent magazine and long
may it continue.
Michael Cuddy,
by email
Ed says: Thanks for sharing that
information Michael. The good
news is that we will certainly
be covering more post-WWII
conflicts in the future.
NAVY MUSEUM
On the subject of museums,
I would be interested in what
other readers think regarding
the National Museum of the
Royal Navy. Much as I love the
place and support the work
they are doing, I would like to
vent my feelings. I have been a
regular visitor to the museum
for over 40 years, but find now
that most of the artefacts seem
to have been tidied safely away.
It appears that nowadays
a museum consists of large
pictures with seemingly
endless expanded stories on
the wall, with the odd glass case
here and there containing a
minimal number of artefacts. It
would be nice to go there and
see all the brass, bronze and
teak of the old Navy, and the
bells, badges and name boards/
honours boards alongside the
stories of two world wars that
we used to see there.
They do a great job on
preserving the ships, but I know
others like myself who would
make visits more often if the
artefacts were there to see.
Andrew Kane,
by email
Ed says: If anyone has been
to the museum, let us know
your thoughts. It is, however, a
worrying trend where military
museums are treated like art
galleries, hiding away artefacts
and losing the connection to
the subject matter.
HELL IN THE HARBOUR
I'm probably not the first
to point it out, but the
photograph on the top left
of p53 that accompanies the
article Hell in the Harbour in
your February 2019 issue, is
usually identified as the Robert
Rowan exploding off Gela on
11 July 1943 during Operation
Husky. It’s a Signal Corps photo
(180476), one of a sequence
- one of which is on p178 of
the relevant Green Book. The
lighting in the photograph
certainly looks more like
daylight than after dusk in
December (around 4.30pm I’d
think) which is when the Bari
raid took place.
I expect that the explosion
at Bari looked very similar, so
not a bad choice, but unless
the author knows something
we don't, it's misidentified. I
very much enjoyed reading
the magazine, the first time I'd
seen it.
Simon Forty,
by email
Ed says: You’re entirely correct,
the confusion comes because
the caption was truncated. It
was meant to say that it was
an explosion, like the one took
place in the harbour at Bari.
SIGNALS
NEXT MONTH
September 2019 issue
On sale 1 August
We’re off to Egypt next month an thrilling tale of conflict on the
waves as Nelson’s forces tracked down Napoleon’s fleet and
engaged them at Aboukir Bay, off the Nile delta. The French had
led the British ships a merry chase across the Mediterranean before
disgorging Napoleon’s troops in Egypt to start his ill-considered
attempt to drive a wedge between Britain and the jewel in the
Empire’s crown, India. After dodging the British for months, Nelson
finally caught up with the French fleet and set about them. The
resulting naval battle cemented British sea power for the next 250
years and encouraged other European countries to mount military
opposition to Napoleon.
As well as the story we take a look at a medal awarded for the
victory, marine firearms and the uniforms of the Royal Navy.
Let’s skip forwards to WWI now, and Frank Jastrzembski has the
take of the chaplains who won the Victoria Cross in the hell of the
trenches, without ever lifting a weapon. Then, Graham Caldwell
recounts the fierce fighting at the battle of Belleau Wood, in June
1918, between the US 2nd and 3rd divisions, along with British and
French troops, and German forces.
Now, camels are something that you associate with war in the
middle east but the USA also had an Camel Corp. Eric Bryan brings
this unusual story to life.
On to WWII then and Dave Bilton brings us details of life on the
Home Front and what it meant to the general public while Joanna
Foat has the story of the Lumberjills, the women of the Women’s
Timber Corps which was set up in 1942 to free up more men for
fighting by getting them to hack down the wood needed for the
war effort.
Finally, John Pursley has a brace of stories, firstly with one
concerning the fate of German prisoners of war after fighting ended
and the second, collecting those highly sought after soft-caps from
the Wehrmacht. ■
SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE
ON SALE 1 AUGUST
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issue at www.armourer.co.uk
www.armourer.co.uk // August 2019 101
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102 Armourer 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk

 Arms, Armour & Militaria Auction
Wednesday 10th July 2019
Auction Location:The Spa Hotel, Mount Ephraim,
Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 8XJ
Selection of items being offered in this auction;

Please contact our Military Specialist Matthew Tredwen for more information
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 To be Sold with other Special Forces Items
3rd July 2019
Fully Illustrated “Flip” Catalogue Available on Bosleys Website
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