WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

Fabulous D-Day Collection, Medals, & Stripes, of An NCO Corporal of The Ox & Bucks Light Infantry, Part of the Airborne Div, Plus, An Original, Net Camouflaged, D.Day Pattern MK III 'High Rivet' Helmet.

The collection comprises group of his four British medals {unworn}, his German souvenirs of a near mint Iron Cross Ist Class in its original box, plus an Iron cross 2nd class, also near mint. Plus a D-Day Pattern MKIII high rivet helmet, with original netting and camouflaging, and his corporal's battledress stripes. The helmet may have painted regimental markings, but there is no way the net and camouflage should be removed in order to check. The German part of the collection, of the iron cross medals was sold separately.

We do not know if he qualified for more than his four medals, as his family knew not either. His German souvenir medals were put away after the war and never saw the light of day till very recently, which is why they are in superb condition. The helmet was not his original service issue, but it has been put with his collection. The German medals {which may be from an Arnham based SS Panzer Division} will be sold separately, but only his medals, stripes and D-Day MKIII camouflage helmet are sold together here under this stock code.

The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry committed three battalions to the Normandy campaign in 1944, with two landing on the 6th June 1944 - one by air, one by sea.

2nd Battalion (52nd), Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division

Part of 6th Airborne Division, 2nd Battalion were some of the first Allied troops to arrive in Normandy when six gliders carrying D Company and elements of B Company, led by Major John Howard, landed in the early hours of 6 June. Though one of the gliders landed some distance to the east, five would land remarkably close to their objective. They successfully captured and held the River Orne and Caen Canal bridges, securing a vital bridgehead to pave the way for the advance of the allied forces that would land on the beaches. One of these bridges was renamed Pegasus Bridge after the emblem of the British Airborne, the name it is still known by today. The rest of the Battalion would arrive by glider around 9pm on 6 June, landing at the bridgehead as part of Operation Mallard.

1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, No. 6 Beach Group

The 1st Bucks Battalion, a territorial army battalion of the Ox & Bucks, also landed at Sword Beach on D-Day. Part of No. 6 Beach Group, an anti-tank platoon landed with the first tide, while the remainder landed with the second tide of the invasion force. The Group was responsible for organising units landing on Sword and arranging supply dumps in the area. As infantry support for the Beach Group, 1st Bucks were tasked with defending the beachhead from any counterattacks.
The Battle of Arnhem and the subsequent defence of the Oosterbeek Perimeter have passed into legend and the subject of numerous books and films, meaning that the story of the Operation is quite well known by most who have an interest in military history, what is probably less known is the contribution of the Regiment in Operation Market Garden.

Operation “Market Garden”
“Market” was the Airborne element of the operation, with three Allied Airborne Divisions being dropped behind enemy lines in Holland with the task of capturing and holding until relieved by ground forces, all the bridges along a “corridor” from the Belgian/Dutch border along a single road to the river Rhine at Arnhem.
The American 101st Airborne Division were to capture the bridges around Eindhoven, the American 82nd Airborne Division the bridges around Nijmegen and the British 1st Airborne Division along with the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade the bridges at Arnhem on the Rhine.

“Garden” was the land based element with the main thrust along the “corridor” being made by Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks’s British 30th Corps, with the 12th and 8th Corps on each flank. 30th Corps objective was to advance along the corridor linking up with the Airborne Divisions and reaching the Rhine at Arnhem within four days! From there the British 2nd Army could then cross the River Rhine, the last natural barrier, and then turn into the Ruhr and Germany itself and end the war by the end of 1944.

“This is a tale you will tell your grandchildren... …and mightily bored they’ll be”
Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks, commanding British 30th Corps
1st Battalion (43rd) Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Operations by the 53rd (Welsh) Division in 12th Corps, containing the 43rd, aimed to protect the left flank of the land based “Garden” force, 30th Corps, pushing through the airborne corridor from Eindhoven to link up with the Market forces at Arnhem.

On 20 September the enemy withdrew through De Kruisberg, leaving a small force to cover the retreat. The 43rd followed at night to push ahead in single file through the town to protect the flank of 15th (Scottish) Division forming a bridgehead on the Wilhelmina Canal at Best.

The advance by the 43rd in the direction of Oirschot attracted heavy fire. The blown bridge at Oirschot was reached at midday on 21st and the nearside bank of the canal was made secure to protect the western flank of the Scottish Division. The canal was a formidable obstacle but could be crossed by wading infantry.
The village of Dun was captured and where Regimental Headquarters was established until 5 October.

Nijmegen, Holland - October 1944
On 5 October, the 43rd was ordered to move up to Nijmegen bridgehead as reserve battalion. The move was full of small incidents of enemy action and manoeuvre. The Battalion led the attack by 71st Brigade to liberate 's-Hertogenbosch, which was secured by 27th, but the remnants of the enemy did not withdraw completely over the Maas to the north.
The objectives of the 1st British Airborne Division were to capture and hold the bridges over the river Rhine at Arnhem, however in the end only a force slightly over battalion strength managed to reach and hold the northern approaches to the Road Bridge. Only the Second Parachute Battalion (less C company, who were separated in the town), reinforced by part of 1st Parachute Brigade HQ, individual members of 1st and 3rd Parachute Battalions and some attached arms personnel actually reached the Divisional objective – the Bridge.

The Corporal of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Defence Platoon, survived and escaped capture during Operation Market Garden, to be evacuated from Arnham, and was photographed. See a photo of him and his evacuated comrades in the gallery.

**The price shown is for the helmet, british campaign medals and stripes, it does not include the German medals, that were for sale, though now sold, separately.
The corporals name will be past on to the next owner.  read more

Code: 25378

A Large Original Duraluminum Zeppelin Aeronautical Alloy Embossed Bowl

It is on of the largest pieces of it kind we have ever seen, and a stunning example of the earliest forms of aeronautical object d’art.

It is made from Duraluminum, a very expensive and seldom-used white metal alloy, except for the construction of Zeppelins. Incredibly strong yet light, and not vulnerable to dangerous corrosion. The perfect material for the construction of airships in the earliest days of the aeronautics.

Often when a Zeppelin crashed in the early days, the framework was recycled and used to create such amazing pieces, embossed with the symbols of the vessels from which they were made, such as this, and eagerly acquired by the highly patriotic German people.

This bowl measures 9.25" x 11." It sports a likeness of Graf von Zeppelin and an early zeppelin in the sky. We have seen cups and bowls of this nature before, but this is the largest one we have ever seen.  read more

Code: 22682

Most Rare 1920's Artefacts, of Houdini's Great Friend, of Early 20th Century Stage Magicians. The Magician's Club of London, Founded by Harry Houdini, Gold Medal Mounted Badge, & A Magic Circle Gold Medal

Rare and highly interesting items of early Magicians Clubs, and both directly connected to the great and legendary, Harry Houdini. Both finest pure gilt and enamel, and from the 1920's, each with blue water silk ribbon mount. Magician’s Club medal, together with a Member of the Magic Circle medal, in pure gilt and finest blue enamel, of Wilfred Allan, and Houdini's great friend Douglas Dexter's principle pupil. The Magicians' Club of London was formed in 1911 by Harry Houdini along with others including Servais Le Roy, Chris Van Bern, Carl Stakemann, and Stanley Collins.
It was a concept of Will Goldston who had taken umbrage with The Magic Circle (founded in 1905) and decided to start his own society. He wrote an article titled "The League of Magicians - A Suggestion by Will Goldston" in his Magician Annual for 1910-11.
The first meeting was officially reported in Goldston's Magician Monthly.
Houdini was elected president, the rest as Vice-Presidents with Stanley Collins as Secretary and Will Goldston as Treasurer. Nearly a hundred members were enrolled at the inaugural meeting on May 27, 1911. Houdini remained president until his death.

After the death of Houdini in 1926, Will Goldston was unanimously elected to succeed him. He held this office for the next three years, relinquishing it to Louis Gautier in 1929, but continuing to serve as Treasurer

The club seemed to have disbanded some time after Will Goldton passed away in 1948. In Goodliffe's Abracadabra magazine July 1949, inquiries were made regarding the Magicians' Club, London, since the death of Will Goldston asking if it had died a natural death along with its founder. As far as they were able to ascertain, it had. Wilfred Allan was the principle pupil of magician, and dear friend of co member Harry Houdini, Douglas Dexter. Douglas Dexter was once summoned to the Royal Palace for a personal Command Performance for the King, died in 1938 and Wilfred Allan died a year later in 1939.  read more

Code: 22437

A Super WW2 Luftwaffe Bomber Radio, Morse Tapper and Earphones. Deutche Telefonwerk und Kabelindustrie ag Berlin Likely From A Heinkel He 111

A most rare Luftwaffe bomber radio element prufgerat PG10, with earphones, throat-mike and morse tapper. All original Luftwaffe issue and possibly removed from a crashed bomber. Serial number plate shows it was manufactured by Deutche Telefonwerk und Kabelindustrie ag Berlin, WW2 German code number 'bxo'. According to its 24 page manual it was issued with a splash-proof case, one might assume in case the plane crashed at sea and the radio was salvageable.

As may be used in the Heinkel He 111, and it probably was removed from such an aircraft. It was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter G?nter at Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1934. Through development it was described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing". Due to restrictions placed on Germany after the First World War prohibiting bombers, it masqueraded as a civil airliner, although from conception the design was intended to provide the nascent Luftwaffe with a fast medium bomber.

Perhaps the best-recognised German bomber due to the distinctive, extensively glazed "greenhouse" nose of later versions, the Heinkel He 111 was the most numerous Luftwaffe bomber during the early stages of World War II. The bomber fared well until the Battle of Britain, when its weak defensive armament was exposed. Nevertheless, it proved capable of sustaining heavy damage and remaining airborne. As the war progressed, the He 111 was used in a variety of roles on every front in the European theatre. It was used as a strategic bomber during the Battle of Britain, a torpedo bomber in the Atlantic and Arctic, and a medium bomber and a transport aircraft on the Western, Eastern, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African Front theatres. Top right guage lacking.  read more

Code: 21642

Simply Superb Hand Painted Portrait Miniature of a Winston Churchill’s ‘Harpoon Force’ Irish Guards Officer, 2nd Lieut. Gipps Romer, 2nd Batt. Irish Guards. The Heroic Rescuers of The Royal Dutch Family May 1940, And The Rear Guard Battle of Boulogne

A 2nd Battalion Irish Guards officer of ‘Harpoon Force’, and the heroic Dunkirk evacuation rear guard action at Boulogne, which was a ‘special section’ personally created by Churchill, the day Winston Churchill became Prime Minister.
Their first task was to rescue of the Dutch Royal Family and Government from the Hook of Holland and the second resulted in the incredible rear guard Battle of Boulogne. Effectively, it was Winston’s very first military special executive version of his later brainchild, the Commandos. A form of the British commando force before the commandos even existed. We had the privilege to own for a brief while the actual autographed book by Robert Graves, personally given to Churchill by Graves, {that he read in his bath during the war}, about a British Officer’s combat against the American sniper riflemen in the American Revolution, that inspired his decision how to create the British Commandos. That book now resides in a museum in Florida.

An original, stunning, WW2 Irish Guards miniature portrait. Of an officer of one of the great and famous regiments of the British Army. It was while serving in the Irish Guards that John Kipling, son of one of England's greatest poets and novelists, Rudyard Kipling, was declared missing, presumed killed, at Loos 1915.

A miniature portrait of 2nd Lieut. Gipps Romer, 2nd Batallion Irish Guards painted just prior to WW2, who died during his service in the early part of the war, August 1940.

His combat service included the protection of the Netherlands Royal Family in their evacuation in Holland, and his combat service was also noted by Colonel Hayden, commander of Harpoon Force, as being commendable at the rear guard action at Boulogne, to defend the withdrawal of the BEF and French Army from Dunkirk.

It is a fine small miniature, painted with stunning detail and a wonderfully fresh and vibrant colour. In a square gilt frame, with dart edging and plush velvet rear cover. Domed glass front.
The Irish Guards were formed on 1st April 1900 by order of HRH Queen Victoria to commemorate the bravery of the Irish people who fought in the Boer war. The Irish Guards played a major part in both World Wars, winning a total of six Victoria Crosses including the last to be presented in the Second World War and have seen armed conflict in many parts of the world since 1945.

During the Second World War, the regiment fought in Norway, France, North Africa, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. The regiment first saw combat during the Norwegian Campaign. Following a challenging sea voyage to Norway, the 1st Battalion arrived in May 1940 and fought for two days at the town of Pothus before they were forced to retreat. The Irish Guards conducted a fighting withdrawal and served as the Allied rearguard.

The Battalion was evacuated along with the rest of the expeditionary force in June. While the 1st Battalion was fighting in Norway, the 2nd Battalion was deployed to the Hook of Holland to cover the evacuation of the Dutch Royal Family and Government in May 1940. The 2nd Battalion was then deployed to France and ordered to defend the port of Boulogne. The guardsmen held out against overwhelming odds for three days, buying valuable time for the Dunkirk Evacuation, before they were evacuated themselves. The Irish Guards (IG), part of the Guards Division, is one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army and, together with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish infantry regiments in the British Army. The regiment has participated in campaigns in the First World War, the Second World War, the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan as well as numerous other operations throughout its history. The Irish Guards claim six Victoria Cross recipients, four from the First World War and two from the Second World War. 1940: George Gipps Romer, known as 'Gipps' was involved in the evacuation in 1940. According to the history of the Irish Guards in Celtopedia:

"In May 1940, the 2nd Irish Guards deployed to the Hook of Holland to cover the evacuation of the Dutch Royal Family. The battalion evacuated the day after the Government and Dutch Royal Family had been evacuated. They had only a short respite upon their returned to the UK for just a few days later they returned, along with the Welsh Guards, to the continent, to Boulogne, a port in northern France, reaching the town on 22 May.

Their orders were to defend part of Boulogne during the epic evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) from the overwhelming and inexorable advance of the Germans. The Guards stoutly defended their area of responsibility from better equipped German forces, repulsing a number of German attacks on the 22nd, but on the morning of the 23rd, superior Germany forces attacked the battalion and the Guards suffered very heavily in the attack. Later that day the battalion was evacuated from Boulogne, they were the last to leave, and fought valiantly while waiting to be evacuated." He was a "First reinforcement for the Harpoon Force under the command of Colonel Haydon.

"Colonel Haydon now determined to reorganize the whole position. Captain McCausland collected all his remaining men and at nine o’clock withdrew No. 1 Company to the centre of Outreau village, where they defended the road down into Boulogne. At the same time, Captain Murphy withdrew his remaining platoons to cover the area between No.. 1 and No. 2 Companies. No. 3 Company, under Captain Finlay, remained where it was, as yet untouched. Thus the line now ran from the centre of Outreau through some fields, which gave a field of fire of some 150 yards, on to the northern exits of Outreau, and thence to the sea. Though shorter than the original line, it was still too long and too thinly held to withstand a concentrated attack on any one point. Colonel Haydon sent Major Ross, his second-in-command, back to find some inner line of defence that could be held with only three companies, leaving one in reserve. ‘At this stage,’ he said, ‘I did not yet realize that No. 1 and 4 Companies had already been reduced to almost microscopic numbers.’ Of the 107 men of No. 4 Company who landed in Boulogne, only nineteen returned and only forty of No. 1 Company. Most of these casualties they had lost already, so the Battalion now had only two and a half rifle companies left.

A light railway runs through the middle of Boulogne, curving round behind the Battalion’s present position. At half-past ten the Companies began withdrawing to the line of this railway, from which they could defend the west of the town and the main road from the south. The remnants of No. 1 Company held the village till the rest of the Battalion was established in the houses and gardens along the railway. They and the Germans were within fifty yards of each other. For two hours the Company beat off every attempt to outflank or rush them. ‘The holding of this post by No. 1 Company,’ said Colonel Haydon, ‘in spite of the very heavy losses it had suffered, reflects the very highest credit on Captain C. R. McCausland, 2/Lieutenant G. G. Romer and the other ranks who held the post.’
80mm x 67mm in frame

link to;

THE RESCUE OF THE DUTCH ROYAL FAMILY
BY THE IRISH AND WELSH GUARDS
By Captain P.R.J.TILLEY
Former Welsh Guards
(Permission given to Krista Salter to publish article)

copy and paste

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/21/a4678121.shtml  read more

Code: 23087

German Solid Silver Medal {900 fine} Commemorating The William Randolph Hearst Sponsored, American Flight, of the World’s First Round the World Passenger Flight, of the "Graf Zeppelin" Airship In August 1929.

Medal commemorating round the world flight of the "Graf Zeppelin" airship, with portraits of Zeppelin and Eckener, silver, diameter 36mm, depth 3mm, German, 1929. Rim legend: Preuss. Staatsmunze. Silber 900 Fein. Obverse: legend, Weltfahrt August 1929. L.Z.127; exergue scene, airship above ocean. Reverse: Graf Zeppelin. Dr Hugo Eckener. 1898-1928. exergue, double portrait bust profiles to left
The airship LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin is considered the most successful commercial airship of its time and marked the pinnacle of airship travel. On August 15, 1929, it started under the leadership of Dr. Hugo Eckener in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance on the most spectacular demonstration flight in aviation history at the time:

Graf Zeppelin Round-the-World Flight (“Weltfahrt”)

In 1929, Graf Zeppelin made perhaps its most famous flight; a round-the-world voyage covering 21,2500 miles in five legs from Lakehurst to Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen to Tokyo, Tokyo to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Lakehurst, and then Lakehurt to Friedrichshafen again.

It was the first passenger-carrying flight around the world and received massive coverage in the world’s press.

The flight was partly sponsored by American newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, who paid for about half the cost of the flight in return for exclusive media rights in the United States and Britain.
Hearst had insisted that the flight begin and end in America, while the Germans naturally thought the Round-the-World flight of a German ship should begin and end in Germany. As a compromise, there were two official flights; the “American” flight began and ended at Lakehurst, while the “German” flight began and ended at Friedrichshafen.

The Round-the-World flight carried 60 men and one woman, Hearst newspaper reporter Lady Grace Hay-Drummond-Hay, whose presence and reporting greatly increased the public’s interest in the journey. Other passengers included journalists from several countries, American naval officers Charles Rosendahl and Jack C. Richardson, polar explorer and pilot Sir Hubert Wilkins, young American millionaire Bill Leeds, and representatives of Japan and the Soviet Union. All of those that took part received one of these solid silver medals.

Graf Zeppelin left Friedrichshafen on July 27, 1929 and crossed the Atlantic to Lakehurst, New Jersey, and the “American” flight began on August 7, 1929 with an eastbound crossing back to Germany.

The successful journey took just under 5 weeks with stopovers in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Lakehurst (New York).  read more

Code: 24154

A Superb Pre WW2 Nazi SS Fire Protection Police Sidearm & Original Frog. Used From 1933 till 1945 By The SS. Feuerschutzpolizei.

Originally manufactured circa 1933. Used by the Fire Protection Police under the control of the SS. With original leather frog. Plated blade, plated hilt with checquered celluloid grip. Double 'S' quillon guard.

An organization that was an auxiliary to the Ordnungspolizei, and during the war was absorbed into the SS. Feuerschutzpolizei. By 1938, all of Germany's local fire brigades were part of the ORPO. Orpo Hauptamt had control of all civilian fire brigades. ORPO's chief was SS-Oberstgruppenfuhrer Kurt Daluege who was responsible to Himmler alone until 1943 when Daluege had a massive heart attack. From 1943, Daluege was replaced by Obergruppenfuhrer Alfred Wunnenberg until May 1945.

ORPO was structurally reorganised by 1941. It had been divided into the numerous offices covering every aspect of German law enforcement in accordance with Himmler's desire for public control of all things. Small lateral crack in both quillon.  read more

Code: 24018

A Very Scarce Original Great War WW1 German Sniper's Armour Breast And Shoulder Armour and Tasset Protector Pads, And Very Rare Sniper's Butt Stock Rest

In superb condition, this is a very scarce example and survivor of WW1 as more often than not they are in near relic condition and very pitted.
This is the first in some time in this amazing state of preservation, that we have even seen that not only had provision for the snipers butt rest in front of his right shoulder, but it is still present. It enabled the rifle to be snugly rested against the breast plate and not slip upon firing. The snipers and machine gunners armour often came with lower groin protectors, but these were optional to remove for snipers {as this one has had} for when in the prone position for sniping the lower plates would be more of a hinderence than a benefit.

Trench raids at night by both sides were a feature of the Western Front; the object being to kill the occupants of a trench and take a few prisoners who might provide information on enemy strength and intentions. The Germans formed units of Stosstruppen for this purpose. They were issued with a medieval-style breastplate and visored helmet as protection in brutal man-to-man fighting. The armour proved to be too heavy and impracticable for this purpose but was often worn by German snipers, together with a reinforced helmet. German snipers used armour-piercing bullets that allowed them to penetrate loopholes. Another means to see over the parapet was the trench periscope – in its simplest form, just a stick with two angled pieces of mirror at the top and bottom. A number of armies made use of the periscope rifle, which enabled soldiers to snipe at the enemy without exposing themselves over the parapet, although at the cost of reduced shooting accuracy.

Trench warfare proliferated when a revolution in firepower was not matched by similar advances in mobility, resulting in a grueling form of warfare in which the defender held the advantage. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties.

The development of armoured warfare and combined arms tactics permitted static lines to be bypassed and defeated, leading to the decline of trench warfare after the war. Following World War I, "trench warfare" became a byword for stalemate, attrition, sieges, and futility in conflict  read more

Code: 25307

A Superb Pair of WW2 German Kriegsmarine "U-boat" Fixed-Focus Binoculars. “Doppelfernrohr 7 X 50 für U-Boote ‘U-Bootglas 7X50’”

These are an original pair of German, WW2 U-Boat commanders binoculars, and for desirability simply cannot be bettered. This delightful pair are in fabulous condition, with all the rubbers and lenses in lovely condition for age, with all the usual wear as to be expected.
Third Reich WW2 period code marked. With superb fixed focusing, excellent optics and lenses, just a very little condensation misting.

Winston Churchill claimed that the 'U-boat peril' was the only thing that ever really frightened him during WWII. This was when German submarines attacked the Atlantic lifeline to try to starve Britain into submission.

In WWII the British troop ship, RMS Laconia, was sunk by a German U-boat. The U-boat captain Werner Hartenstein immediately ordered the rescue of as many survivors as possible, taking 200 people on board, with another 200 in lifeboats. Although, it is fair to say that not all U-boat commanders were quite so considerate as he was. The U-Boat 7 X 50 binocular was manufactured from 1941 – 1945 specifically for use aboard submarines and was officially designated as the “Doppelfernrohr 7 X 50 für U-Boote ‘U-Bootglas 7X50’”. They were usually made by Zeiss but a smaller number were also manufactured by Emil Busch Rathenow (wartime code “cxn”).
It had three variations. The first was made from 1941-1943, lacked rubber armour and had hinged fold-back Bakelite eyecups. The second was made probably only in 1943 and had rubber armour without fold-back eyecups. The third was made from 1943-1945 and is identical to the second except for having a larger diameter eyelens. The first type is the rarest many being lost during service use.

The build of this binocular is remarkable and unequaled by WWII hand-held binoculars, and some believe never bettered since the war either. It is a fixed focus design for maximum sealing and weatherproofing. The primary user of the binocular could, however, set the focus to his eyesight by removing the rubber armour from the prism plates to access a large focus screw at the base of each eyepiece which could be adjusted using a screwdriver.
During World War II, U-boat warfare was the major component of the Battle of the Atlantic, which lasted the duration of the war. Germany had the largest submarine fleet in World War II, since the Treaty of Versailles had limited the surface navy of Germany to six battleships (of less than 10,000 tons each), six cruisers, and 12 destroyers.

In the early stages of the war the U-boats were extremely effective in destroying Allied shipping; initially in the mid-Atlantic where a large gap in air cover existed until 1942, when the tides changed. The trade in war supplies and food across the Atlantic was extensive, which was critical for Britain's survival. This continuous action became known as the Battle of the Atlantic, as the British developed technical defences such as ASDIC and radar, and the German U-boats responded by hunting in what were called "wolfpacks" where multiple submarines would stay close together, making it easier for them to sink a specific target. Later, when the United States entered the war, the U-boats ranged from the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Arctic to the west and southern African coasts and even as far east as Penang. The U.S. military engaged in various tactics against German incursions in the Americas; these included military surveillance of foreign nations in Latin America, particularly in the Caribbean, to deter any local governments from supplying German U-boats.

Because speed and range were severely limited underwater while running on battery power, U-boats were required to spend most of their time surfaced running on diesel engines, diving only when attacked or for rare daytime torpedo strikes. The more ship-like hull design reflects the fact that these were primarily surface vessels that could submerge when necessary. This contrasts with the cylindrical profile of modern nuclear submarines, which are more hydrodynamic underwater (where they spend the majority of their time), but less stable on the surface. While U-boats were faster on the surface than submerged, the opposite is generally true of modern submarines. The most common U-boat attack during the early years of the war was conducted on the surface and at night. This period, before the Allied forces developed truly effective antisubmarine warfare tactics, which included convoys, was referred to by German submariners as "die glückliche Zeit" or "the happy time."

The neck strap has separated, the rubber armour has overall age cracking as usual, the original eye protectors have has replacement post war retaining screws. Plus usual paint loss. Bear in mind they were subjected to some years at sea, over 80 years ago, as combat service surveillance equipment, above and below deck, in some of the most unpleasant weather one can experience, yet still survive till today as fully functioning binoculars as was originally intended eight decades ago. No doubt in some part due to their original owner’s skill or good fortune {the U-Boat commander}, at avoiding being sunk by the indomitable Royal Navy ships or RAF spotter planes.  read more

Code: 25298

A Superb WW1 ‘Trench Made’ Trench Periscope

Trench Periscope, manufactured in the trenches, comprising: a rolled metal cylinder with timber inserts to mount 2 mirrors [top round, was oval] and wooden "rolling pin" type handle. Unmarked unofficial pattern circa 1915 -18. They were very popular in the Gallipoli campaign as much as in the trenches of the Western Front. The threat of succumbing to a sniper's bullet was a reality for all who inhabited the trenches of the First World War. Keeping one's head below the line of sight was essential. In order to see out of a trench, loopholes were constructed into the parapets. These might be a simple gap in the sandbags or a steel plate, however with the increased use of armour piercing bullets different solutions needed to be explored.

The trench periscope was a device by which soldiers could fire their rifles from the safety of the trench. All sides developed various types of periscope, the simplest being a stick with two angled pieces of mirror at the top and bottom. By 1915 more advanced types were being manufactured. British born William Beech, veteran of the Second South African War enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force in 1914 and was the inventor of a type of trench periscope. The Beech periscope was a simple design on which the main body of the periscope was attached to the butt of the rifle at a point behind the trigger guard. A cord or wire was then wrapped around the butt in order to secure the rifle to the periscope. Using the mirror at the bottom of the device a view onto the battlefield could be obtained. However, to fire the rifle one would have to lean far forward in order to the reach the trigger. This could potentially alter the aim of the rifle affecting the accuracy of the shot.  read more

Code: 18909