WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

A Good Original WW2 German MP38/MP40 Sub Machine Gun Magazine Loader

With heerswaffenamt stamp inspection mark All original and rare. The MP38 & MP40 (Maschinenpistole 38 or 40, literally "machine pistol 38 or 40") was a submachine gun developed in Germany and used extensively by paratroopers and platoon and squad leaders, and other troops during World War II. The MP38 and it's successor the MP40 had a relatively lower rate of fire and low recoil, which made it more manageable than other contemporary submachine guns. The MP38/40 was often called the Schmeisser by the Allies, after weapons designer Hugo Schmeisser. Although the name was evocative, Hugo Schmeisser himself did not design the MP40, but helped with the design of the MP41 which was effectively a MP40 with an old-fashioned wooden rifle stock. It is impossible to reconstruct how Schmeisser was honoured with this legend, but it must have been inspiring for the soldiers: the German slang-word "Schmeisser" describes someone who throws something inaccurately, but with high force. Schmeisser did produce the MP40 magazines and his name was engraved on them, which may explain the confusion. Shown fitted onto a regular magazine for demonstration purposes only. Generic photos,
not included.  read more

Code: 21063

An April 13th 1945 Daily Mirror Roosevelt Dies Headline Newspaper

and "End in a Few Days", US Told; A likely unique opportunity to own a piece of WW2 history. It would look splendid framed. Including within its pages is a story of a 20 year old WW2 widow, photographed working as a cinema ticket booth operator, who was told her Killed in Action husband has been posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the rarest and most valorous medal in the world. It details that he stood in open ground on a battlefield in Burma and held back a force of 300 Japanese on his own, from a distance of only 10 yards. When they returned for another assault he used a mortar, single handed, again completely unprotected in open ground, killed 7 then was mortally wounded. These were real and most worthy heroes, not the seemingly pointless self centred media celebrities of today, that appear to be worshiped by todays masses of the 21st century. Also, an article of the 14th Army Killing 1,029 Japs, "its greatest day of Jap-Killing since the fall on Mandalay". Not a piece of Western reportage that we would ever expect to see today! Plus a most peculiar cartoon section that we need not describe in words, humour certainly has changed in 70 years, but we think the pictures say it all??  read more

Code: 20216

Watercolour, Zeppelin LZ 47 Tactical No LZ 77 Bodensee by Manfred Hassel

Signed and In super condition. Mounted on card. An original early Aeronautical watercolour of WW1 beautifully executed. Attacks on England and France dropping a total of 12,610 kg (27,800 lb) of bombs. Destroyed by enemy fire on 21 February 1916 in the Battle of Verdun, killing the crew of 15. Reports at the time indicated LZ 77 had searchlights, eight machine guns, two so-called 'revolver' guns in the top lookout post, was accompanied by fixed-wing aircraft and at least one other Zeppelin and had orders to bomb the nearby railway lines. P Class Zeppelin Airships LZ 47 (LZ 77) and LZ 49 (LZ 79) were deployed to Namur in order to carry out bombing raid on Paris. LZ 49 (LZ 79) bombed Paris on the 29/30 of January, but was damaged by ground fire and was destroyed in a forced landing at Ath in Belgium. The Army Zeppelins were then used to support the German army in the early phases of the battle of Verdun. On 21 February, the first day of the German offensive, four of the six available Zeppelins set out to bomb the French supply lines. LZ 65 (LZ 95), the first Q class Zeppelin, was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire and was destroyed in a crash landing at the base in Namur. The P class LZ 47 (LZ 77) was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Revigny, catching fire and killing the crew of 11, and LZ 58 (LZ 88) was forced to return to its base by squalls and snow showers. The P class was an enlarged version of the preceding M class. On 5 August 1914 the Zeppelin company put forward a proposal to the German Navy Ministry for a design based on LZ 26. This had been started as a passenger carrying craft for DELAG and was the first Zeppelin with a duralumin framework, and also had the strengthening keel inside the hull structure. The proposed design was larger, with the volume increased from 25,000 m3 (880,000 cu ft) to 31,900 m3 (1,126,000 cu ft) and a fourth engine was added. As well as being larger, allowing a greater range and bomb load, the P class introduced enclosed crew accommodation. The Zeppelin P Class was the first Zeppelin airship type to be produced in quantity after the outbreak of the First World War. 22 of the type were built as well as 12 of a lengthened version, the Q Class . They were used for many of the airship bombing raids on the United Kingdom in 1915-16, for naval patrol work over the North Sea and Baltic and were also deployed on the eastern and south-eastern fronts. Painting front size 16.25 x 9 inches  read more

Code: 20920

Fabulous 'Black Museum' Piece, Sheepskin Driving Gloves of The Most Notorious Dr Adams Who Incredibly Escaped Conviction in England's Greatest Murder Trial, Suspected of Murdering Up to 162 Patients

Acquired from the estate of the most notorious Dr John Bodkin Adams A.K.A.: "Doctor Death"
The infamous yet unproven therefore most successful serial killer poisoner - John Bodkin Adams (21 January 1899 – 4 July 1983). Probably England's most prolific serial killer prior to Dr Shipman. His extraordinary acquittal at his murder trial was described as a travesty of justice, and highly suspicious due to suspected corruption and interference. The prosecution was subject to a demand for a professional inquiry.

He was a British general practitioner, convicted fraudster, and suspected serial killer. Between 1946 and 1956, 163 of his patients died while in comas, which was deemed to be worthy of investigation. In addition, 132 out of 310 patients had left Adams money or items in their wills. He was thus believed to be Britain's richest doctor.
Adams' first trial was received worldwide press coverage and was described as "one of the greatest murder trials of all time" and "murder trial of the century".The trial also had several important legal ramifications. It established the doctrine of double effect, whereby a doctor giving treatment with the aim of relieving pain may lawfully, as an unintentional result, shorten life. Secondly, because of the publicity surrounding Adams' committal hearing, the law was changed to allow defendants to ask for such hearings to be held in private. Finally, although a defendant had not been required within recorded legal history to give evidence in his own defence, the judge underlined in his summing-up that no prejudice should be attached by the jury to Adams not doing so. Scotland Yard's files on the case were initially closed to the public for 75 years.

The circumstantial evidence against him was extraordinary, but most was not brought into evidence. For example, on just one occasion he booked an appointment for a pathologist to perform an autopsy on his patient who was not even dead.

The first two of his highly suspicious and suspected murders were wealthy Eastbourne residents, Gertrude Hullet.and Edith Morell
Edith Alice Morrell was a patient of Dr Adams who had been partially paralysed after suffering a stroke. Adams supplied her with a cocktail of heroin and morphine to ease her discomfort, insomnia and symptoms of ‘cerebral irritation’ that was a condition of her illness.

However, three months before Morrell’s death on November 13th, 1949, she added a clause to her will stating that Adams was to receive nothing. Despite this clause Dr Adams, who maintained that Morrell had died from natural causes, still received a small amount of money, cutlery and a Rolls Royce.

The second alleged victim of Dr Adams did not occur until seven years after Mrs Morrell had died. Gertrude Hullett was another patient of Dr Adams who fell ill and then into unconsciousness. Despite not even being dead, Dr Adams called a local pathologist, Francis Camps, to make an appointment for an autopsy. When Camps realised that Hullett was still alive he accused Adams of ‘extreme incompetence’.

On July 23rd, 1956, Gertrude Hullett died and Adams recorded the cause of death as having been the result of a brain haemorrhage. An official investigation however, arrived at the conclusion that she had committed suicide. Camps argued that she had been poisoned with sleeping pills. Like Mrs Morrell before her, Hullett left several valuable items to Dr Adams including a Rolls Royce.
After years of rumours and Adams having been mentioned in at least 132 wills of his patients, on 23 July 1956 Eastbourne police received an anonymous call about a death. It was from Leslie Henson, the music hall performer, whose friend Gertrude Hullett had died unexpectedly while being treated by Adams.

The investigation

The investigation was taken over from Eastbourne police by 2 officers from the Metropolitan Police's Murder Squad. The senior officer, Detective Superintendent Herbert Hannam of Scotland Yard on 17 August was known for having solved the infamous Teddington Towpath Murders in 1953. He was assisted by a junior officer, Detective Sergeant Charles Hewett. The investigation focused on cases from 1946-1956 only. Of the 310 death certificates examined by Home Office pathologist Francis Camps, 163 were deemed to be suspicious. Many were given "special injections" - of substances Adams refused to describe to the nurses caring for his patients. Furthermore, it emerged that his habit was to ask the nurses to leave the room before injections were given.
On another, he told a nurse ‘it will only be a matter of minutes before she dies’, even though his patient had only been complaining of stomach ache before he injected her.

Another nurse remembered going into an elderly patient’s bedroom to find her freezing to death by an open window in February with her nightgown pulled up, while Dr Adams sat reading a book.

‘I am quite confident Adams is a mass-murderer,’ said the detective in charge of the investigation.

‘He has certainly killed 14 people.’  read more

Code: 23901

A Fascinating Most Rare Original Election Propaganda Poster of a Post WW1 German Political Party That Was Absorbed Into The Nazi NSDAP German National People’s Party. Designed by Richard Müller, Chemnitz.

A Reichstag election poster of the German National People's Party.

Wohin die fahrt?
nach nationaler einheit u freiheit
wahlt deutschnational

Where are you going?
according to national unity and freedom
elect a German national

The German National People's Party (German: Deutschnationale Volkspartei, DNVP) was a national-conservative party in Germany during the Weimar Republic. Before the rise of the Nazi Party, it was the major conservative and nationalist party in Weimar Germany. It was an alliance of nationalists, reactionary monarchists, völkisch and antisemitic elements supported by the Pan-German League After 1929, the DNVP co-operated with the socialist Nazis, joining forces in the Harzburg Front of 1931, forming coalition governments in some states and finally supporting Hitler's appointment as Chancellor (Reichskanzler) in January 1933. Initially, the DNVP had a number of ministers in Hitler's government, several prominent Nazis began their careers in the DNVP., but the party quickly lost influence and eventually dissolved itself in June 1933, giving way to the Nazis' single-party dictatorship, the majority of its former members joining the Nazi party. The Nazis allowed the remaining former DNVP members in the Reichstag, the civil service, and the police to continue with their jobs and left the rest of the party membership generally in peace
During the Second World War, several prominent former DNVP members, such as Carl Friedrich Goerdeler, were involved in the German resistance against the Nazis and took part in the 20 July assassination plot against Hitler in 1944. Approx size A4.  read more

Code: 23896

Reich Marshall Herman Goering Small Propaganda Poster With Luftwaffe Sword

In very good condition for age. Rarely surviving piece from the the pre war Germany.Weil wir einig sind, sind wir stark, weil wir stark sind, sind wir frei. ... Hermann Goring", " Because We Are United We Are Strong, Because We Are Strong We Are Free" 28th of February to 6th Martch 1938. [weekly slogans of the National Socialist German Workers' Party]. Another original copy of it is in the George C Marshall Foundation library During World War II, Marshall as Army Chief of Staff (1939-1945) was the most important military figure in the U.S. military establishment and of great significance in maintaining the Anglo-American coalition. After the war, he was named special ambassador to China (1945-1947), Secretary of State (1947-1949), President of the American Red Cross (1949-1950), and Secretary of Defense (1950-1951). In 1953 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in proposing, encouraging legislative action, and supporting the European Recovery Program (known as the Marshall Plan). For nearly 20 years he was a major U.S. leader, militarily, politically and morally, and he is still widely admired today.  read more

Code: 20865

Original, Antique, Watercolour Painting of Zeppelins Over Eastchurch 1917

Nicely framed and mounted, signed Norman Arnold, 1917. Original great war memorabilia is very much in the forefront of collectors minds. The best-known German strategic bombing campaign during World War I was the campaign against England, although strategic bombing raids were carried out or attempted on other fronts. The main campaign against England started in January 1915 using airships. From then until the end of World War I the German Navy and Army Air Services mounted over 50 bombing raids on the United Kingdom. These were generally referred to as "Zeppelin raids": although both Zeppelin and Schutte-Lanz airships were used, the Zeppelin company was much better known and was responsible for producing the vast majority of the airships used. Weather conditions and night flying conditions made airship navigation and therefore bombing accuracy difficult. Bombs were often dropped miles off target (one raid on London actually bombed Hull) and accurate targeting of military installations was impossible. The civilian casualties made the Zeppelins an object of hatred, and they were widely dubbed 'baby-killers'. With the development of effective defensive measures the airship raids became increasingly hazardous, and in 1917 the airships were largely replaced by aeroplanes.

Although the direct military effect of the raids was small, they caused widespread alarm, leading to the diversion of substantial resources from the Western Front and some disruption to industrial production. Concern about the conduct of defence against the raids, the responsibility for which was divided between the Admiralty and the Army, led to a parliamentary inquiry under Jan Smuts, whose report was to lead to the creation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918. The defence organisation developed by the British was an important precursor of the fighter direction system that would prove vital in winning the Battle of Britain. The raids were also influential because they led to an overestimation of both the material and psychological effects of the bombing of cities.

Airships made about 51 bombing raids on England during the war. These killed 557 and injured another 1,358 people. More than 5,000 bombs were dropped on towns across Britain, causing £1.5 million in damage. 84 airships took part, of which 30 were lost, either shot down or lost in accidents. Aeroplanes carried out 27 raids, dropping 246,774 lb (111,935 kg) of bombs for the loss of 62 aircraft, resulting in 835 deaths, 1972 injured and £1,418,272 material damage. the painting is in superb condition, the glass is showing a little odd reflection in our photos  read more

Code: 18101

Original Uniform Removed British Formation Badges 1939-1945 & King George VIth

An embroidered cloth shoulder title for the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire, comprising a base of scarlet wool cut in an arc and embroidered on obverse with the title of the regiment "PRINCE OF WALES'S OWN YORKSHIRE" in white thread, and 5 formation badges, including the 4th Guards Armoured. Formation signs were first used by the British Army in WW1 in order to provide an easy method of visual identification of the various units. They were worn on the upper sleeve in pairs, on epaulets, on head gear, painted on unit vehicles, and used on road signs. It was also quickly found that the signs created a morale boosting esprit de corps as each unit became proud of its own symbol. After WW1 the use of formation signs was discontinued, they were reintroduced at the outbreak of WW2.Divisional Signs were reintroduced early in 1940, but instructions were given in 1941 for all formation signs to be referred to as Formation Badges; the official American designation is Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Formation badges were worn on the sleeves of uniforms except on greatcoats; in battledress, one inch below the regimental or corps shoulder title, and immediately above the arm of service strip. These were narrow two inch strips, introduced in the autumn of 1940, which gave the soldier's arm of service when wearing a steel helmet, or no cap or other distinguishing badges. Infantry battalions wore one, two, or three red strips one below the other, as in the above illustration, to indicate the brigade to which they belonged as shown here.

In tropical kit areas, such as the Middle East and Far East, the formation badges were often worn affixed to the sleeves of Kahki Drill jackets by means of press studs to facilitate laundering, or even worn stitched onto slip-on epaulettes for wearing on the shoulders of K.D, shirts; this was also the method used in the hot summer months in Italy.

On all vehicles, formation badges were stencilled in colour on the forward and rear mudguards, or on the tailboard of trucks; on jeeps the badge appeared on the body below the windscreen on the driver's side.

Officially all formation badges, and other identifying insignia such as regimental titles, were to be removed before going into battle; however, photographic evidence clearly shows that every degree of obedience to this was to be seen in Normandy, and to some extent in Italy, from completely stripped sleeve and vehicle insignia to total disregard of the order. Guards 4th armoured. london district southern commanded
 read more

Code: 23864

Original Uniform Removed 8 British Formation Badges 1939-1945 & King George VIth

Formation signs were first used by the British Army in WW1 in order to provide an easy method of visual identification of the various units. They were worn on the upper sleeve in pairs, on epaulets, on head gear, painted on unit vehicles, and used on road signs. It was also quickly found that the signs created a morale boosting esprit de corps as each unit became proud of its own symbol. After WW1 the use of formation signs was discontinued, they were reintroduced at the outbreak of WW2.Divisional Signs were reintroduced early in 1940, but instructions were given in 1941 for all formation signs to be referred to as Formation Badges; the official American designation is Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Formation badges were worn on the sleeves of uniforms except on greatcoats; in battledress, one inch below the regimental or corps shoulder title, and immediately above the arm of service strip. These were narrow two inch strips, introduced in the autumn of 1940, which gave the soldier's arm of service when wearing a steel helmet, or no cap or other distinguishing badges. Infantry battalions wore one, two, or three red strips one below the other, as in the above illustration, to indicate the brigade to which they belonged as shown here.

In tropical kit areas, such as the Middle East and Far East, the formation badges were often worn affixed to the sleeves of Kahki Drill jackets by means of press studs to facilitate laundering, or even worn stitched onto slip-on epaulettes for wearing on the shoulders of K.D, shirts; this was also the method used in the hot summer months in Italy.

On all vehicles, formation badges were stencilled in colour on the forward and rear mudguards, or on the tailboard of trucks; on jeeps the badge appeared on the body below the windscreen on the driver's side.

Officially all formation badges, and other identifying insignia such as regimental titles, were to be removed before going into battle; however, photographic evidence clearly shows that every degree of obedience to this was to be seen in Normandy, and to some extent in Italy, from completely stripped sleeve and vehicle insignia to total disregard of the order.
Formation signs were first used by the British Army in WW1 in order to provide an easy method of visual identification of the various units. They were worn on the upper sleeve in pairs, on epaulets, on head gear, painted on unit vehicles, and used on road signs. It was also quickly found that the signs created a morale boosting esprit de corps as each unit became proud of its own symbol. After WW1 the use of formation signs was discontinued, they were reintroduced at the outbreak of WW2.Divisional Signs were reintroduced early in 1940, but instructions were given in 1941 for all formation signs to be referred to as Formation Badges; the official American designation is Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Formation badges were worn on the sleeves of uniforms except on greatcoats; in battledress, one inch below the regimental or corps shoulder title, and immediately above the arm of service strip. These were narrow two inch strips, introduced in the autumn of 1940, which gave the soldier's arm of service when wearing a steel helmet, or no cap or other distinguishing badges. Infantry battalions wore one, two, or three red strips one below the other, as in the above illustration, to indicate the brigade to which they belonged as shown here.

In tropical kit areas, such as the Middle East and Far East, the formation badges were often worn affixed to the sleeves of Kahki Drill jackets by means of press studs to facilitate laundering, or even worn stitched onto slip-on epaulettes for wearing on the shoulders of K.D, shirts; this was also the method used in the hot summer months in Italy.

On all vehicles, formation badges were stencilled in colour on the forward and rear mudguards, or on the tailboard of trucks; on jeeps the badge appeared on the body below the windscreen on the driver's side.

Officially all formation badges, and other identifying insignia such as regimental titles, were to be removed before going into battle; however, photographic evidence clearly shows that every degree of obedience to this was to be seen in Normandy, and to some extent in Italy, from completely stripped sleeve and vehicle insignia to total disregard of the order.
7th Armoured Division The best known of all armoured divisions, The Desert Rats. It was formed in Egypt in 1938 as a Mobile Division. In December 1939 it became known as the 7th Armoured Division and its commander, Major-General O'Moore Creagh, adopted the jerboa (the desert rat) divisional sign. 6th Armoured Division(1950) Black cat on red ground with red sword = 56th (london) Armoured Division  read more

Code: 23863

An Original King George VIth Fire Service Recruitment Poster By Fosh and Cross

In the first.22 nights of air raids, from Sept 1940, firefighters fought nearly 10,000 fires.

Bombings often occurring while the River Thames was at low tide meaning access to water was made even more difficult. Vehicles became vital in transporting water around the city. Steel frames were fitted to lorries to enable them to carry up to 1,000 gallons of water. Meanwhile, to reduce the workload of the fire service, small fires were dealt with by 'street fire parties' – civilians who were given and taught to use stirrup pumps.

The public's opinion of the fire service changed significantly as a result of the Blitz. During the 'phoney war', firefighters had been thought of as 'army dodgers'. But, in 1940 this attitude changed – our firefighters became known as 'the heroes with grimy faces'. Two days into the Blitz - Churchill told the House of Commons that Adolf Hitler 'hopes by killing large numbers of civilians, that he will terrorise and cow the people of this mighty imperial city... Little does he know the spirit of the British people.'

The Auxiliary Fire Service
As the political climate intensified in Europe during the late 1930s, an Act of Parliament was passed to authorise the formation of a voluntary fire service. The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) formed in January 1938 and fire stations were set up in schools, garages and factories.

A recruitment drive was launched, with over 28,000 firefighters needed to support the Brigade's 2,500 officers and firefighters. However, as most young men had joined the army, the AFS welcomed those too old or too young to go to war. It also marked the first time women joined the Brigade.

Did women fight fires in WWII?
Though women did train, they didn't actually fight fires in the Second World War. They became fire watchers and drivers, and managed the communications networks. A rank system for women of the fire service was developed during the war to recognise their service and bravery – many were awarded for their remarkable achievements.

By 1943 over
70,000 women
had enrolled in the NFS in the United Kingdom. When peace was declared, London's fire service had attended over 50,000 calls though tragically, 327 of London's firefighters lost their lives. It's a sacrifice we'll never forget.

We never normally comment on the investment potential of any collectable, but the potential for all underpriced WW1, WW2 etc. posters may be incredible, for example the more famed original poster, 'Keep Calm and Carry On' can now sell for over £20,000.
Good condition 15 inches x 19.75 inches  read more

Code: 23847