5 1/2 inch Howitzer Explosive Cannon Ball. Likely Fired From Bull's Troop {at Hougemont} Royal Horse Artillery. Fired Into A Nearby Wood to Clear The French Tirailleurs {Napoleon's Light Infantry Skirmishers}. This Example Obviously Failed to Detonate

Napoleonic Wars howitzer ball recovered from a Waterloo excavation over 150 years ago.
The battery was formed on 1 February 1805 as I Troop, Royal Horse Artillery at Colchester, Essex as a horse artillery battery of the British Army. Captain Robert Bull was appointed to command and he took it to the Iberian Peninsula in August 1809 where it served until 1814. It arrived too late for the Battle of Talavera, but thereafter took part in most of Wellington's major actions of the Peninsular War including Bussaco (1810), Fuentes de Oñoro (1811), Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, and Burgos (1812), Vitoria, San Sebastián, the Bidassoa and the Nive (1813) and Bayonne (1814).

Captain Norman Ramsay, Royal Horse Artillery, Galloping his Troop Through the French Army to Safety at the Battle of Fuentes d'Onoro, 1811
Its most famous action during the Peninsular War occurred at the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro on 5 May 1811 when it was temporarily under the command of Lieutenant Norman Ramsay.a The troop was surrounded by French cavalry and cut off from the main force. With the guns limbered up and swords drawn, they charged through the surprised enemy horsemen thereby saving themselves from being captured.5

Armed with six 5+1⁄2-inch howitzers,b it took part in the Hundred Days Campaign in 1815. Early in the Battle of Waterloo it was ordered to support the garrison at Hougoumont. Firing shrapnel over the heads of friendly troops, in 10 minutes it cleared a nearby wood of French tirailleurs, much to the satisfaction of Wellington and Frazer (commander of the horse artillery). It then took part in the advance to Paris and joined the Army of Occupation. Napoleonic period

A tirailleur (right) and a voltigeur of the Young Guard.
In the wars of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods, the designation "tirailleur" was a French military term used at first to refer generically to light infantry skirmishers.1 The first regiments of Tirailleurs so called were part of the Imperial Guard of Napoleon I. By the fall of the Empire, some 16 regiments had been created. The Guard Tirailleurs were usually grouped as part of the Young Guard, along with their sister Voltigeur regiments.

The Guard Tirailleur regiments were disbanded during the reorganization of the French Army in 1814 by the new royal government. On 28 March 1815, during Napoleon I's short-lived return to power (the Hundred Days), Regiments 1-8 of the Guard Tirailleurs were officially re-raised. Only the 1st and 3rd Regiments actually took the field for the Waterloo campaign. All regiments of Imperial Guard Tirailleurs (along with the rest of the Guard) were disbanded following the Emperor's second abdication.

In commemoration of its performance in the Peninsular War and at the Battle of Waterloo, the Honour Title "Bull's Troop" was officially granted to the battery on 13 October 1926


These 5.5-inch howitzers are typical of Napoleonic field artillery. A British battery would have five cannon and one howitzer. Howitzers tossed exploding shells on high trajectories but came into their own when the British invented shrapnel shell.


The barrel in front is a heavier version of the same weapon intended to fire the same shell over greater ranges with bigger charges.

The weapon on the carriage was actually made at Woolwich in 1814 and is back at Woolwich today, displayed in Firepower, which is on the former Woolwich Arsenal site.  read more

Code: 25835

A Superb Original Waterloo Recovered Souvenir '6 Pounder' Royal Artillery Cannon Ball La Haye Sainte, Recovered Around 200 Yards From The Farm

At the Battle of Waterloo, the British Royal Artillery deployed 6-pounder cannons, a relatively light artillery piece that fired a 6-pound (approximately 2.7 kg) solid iron ball. These cannons, introduced in 1793, were crucial for supporting cavalry charges and were easier to maneuver than heavier guns.


Here's a more detailed look:
Purpose:
The 6-pounder was designed to provide lighter, yet still effective, artillery support to the cavalry and infantry.
Ammunition:
They fired various types of ammunition, including round shot (solid iron balls), canister shot (a type of scatter shot), and spherical case shot (a type of shell).
Range:
The effective range of the 6-pounder with round shot was around 800-900 yards (732-823 metres), though it could reach up to 1700 yards (1554 metres).
Impact:
The cannonballs were devastating, capable of inflicting serious injury and damage to both men and horses.
British Deployment:
At Waterloo, the 6-pounders were primarily used by the Royal Horse Artillery and some field artillery units, with variations in the types of 6-pounders used.
Captured at Waterloo:
Some French 6-pounder cannons were also captured by the British as trophies of war.
La Haye Sainte:
The strategic farmhouse of La Haye Sainte was a focal point of fighting, where the 6-pounder was used extensively

NAM Accession Number
NAM. 1999-05-8-1  read more

Code: 25836

An Original British Soldier’s Thimble, From a Soldier's Pouch Called His ‘Housewife’ Recovered From The Field of Battle at Waterloo. With Some Original Gilt Finish

Although one never sees them today, the soldiers thimble was popular in the early 1700’s to the 1800’s

Recovered with some relic items, thimbles, crucifixes finger rings of combat, plus rare grenades {both now sold }, cannon balls, swords etc {now sold}. Farm glazed tiles both now sold, discovered around La Haye Sainte (named either after Jesus Christ's crown of thorns or a bramble hedge round a field nearby).

The photo in the gallery shows our collection when they were first acquired, but most have now been sold. Act quickly, we have only released them for sale sporadically, and they sell fast!

All our relics are exactly as they also appear in the book ‘Waterloo Relics’ by Bernard & Lachaux, {containing similar examples recovered from the battle site } see photos in the gallery.

In the Napoleonic Wars every soldier was required to keep upon his person, a ‘housewife’, a small kit comprising needle, thread on a cotton reel, and a half or full thimble. Apparently they are no longer called a ‘housewife’

It is a walled farmhouse compound at the foot of an escarpment on the Charleroi-Brussels road in Belgium. It has changed very little since it played a crucial part in the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815.

La Haye Sainte was defended by about 400 King's German Legion troops during the Battle of Waterloo. They were hopelessly outnumbered by attacking French troops but held out until the late afternoon when they retired because their ammunition had run out. If Napoleon Bonaparte's army had captured La Haye Sainte earlier in the day, almost certainly he would have broken through the allied centre and defeated the Duke of Wellington's army.

The capture of La Haye Sainte in the early evening then gave the French the advantage of a defensible position from which to launch a potentially decisive attack on the Allied centre. However, Napoleon was too late—by this time, Blücher and the Prussian army had arrived on the battlefield and the outnumbered French army was defeated.

Strategic importance

A view of the battlefield from the Lion's mound. On the top right are the buildings of La Haye Sainte. This view looks east, with Allied forces behind the road to the left (north) and French forces out of shot to the right(south)
The road leads from La Belle Alliance, where Napoleon had his headquarters on the morning of the battle, through where the centre of the French front line was located, to a crossroads on the ridge which is at the top of the escarpment and then on to Brussels. The Duke of Wellington placed the majority of his forces on either side of the Brussels road behind the ridge on the Brussels side. This kept most of his forces out of sight of the French artillery.

During the night from the 17th to the 18th, the main door to the courtyard of the farm was used as firewood by the occupying troops. Therefore, when the King's German Legion (KGL) was stationed in the farm at the morning of the battle they had to hastily fortify La Haye Sainte.

The troops were the 2nd Light Battalion KGL commanded by Major Georg Baring, and part of the 1st Light Battalion KGL. During the battle, they were supported by the 1/2 Nassau Regiment and the light company of the 5th Line Battalion KGL. The majority of these troops were armed with the Baker rifle with grooved barrels, as opposed to the normal Brown Bess musket of the British Army. The French troops also used muskets which were quicker to load than the Baker rifle but the latter was more accurate and had about twice the range of a musket.

Both Napoleon and Wellington made crucial mistakes about La Haye Sainte as it was fought over and around during most of the day. Napoleon failed to allocate enough forces to take the farm earlier in the day while Wellington only realised the strategic value of the position when it was almost too late.


As with all our items, every piece will be accompanied by our fully detailed Certificate of Authenticity  read more

Code: 25830

A Fine French Consular Period Sabre of A Cavalry Officer, With 'Marengo' Hilt. A Sabre D'Officier De Cavalrie Legere, By Repute, Said To Be The Privilege of Officer's To Wear That Served At Marengo With Napoleon

A very fine and rare example, in very fine condition for age, with a few usual scabbard combat bruises.

Modelled after Napoleon’s sabre, re-named by him the Marengo sabre, that he used from the battle of the Nile and at Marengo during his defeat of the Austrians. He presented it to his brother Jerome who was crowned King of Westphalia.
Napoleon ordered a sword to be commissioned based on his own sabre and presented it as a Sword of Honour to Captain Blou for his important and vital service at Marengo, and that sword is near identical to this sword that we offer. See photo 10 in the gallery. Napoleon’s Marengo sword was sold at auction in 2007 for $6.5 million dollars.

Sabre D'Officier De Cavalrie Legere, 1800 circa, with the 'Marengo' pattern hilt, and double fullered Montmorency pattern blade. A fabulous French Sabre from the French consular period.

An original Consular period, 'Marengo' style light cavalry officer's sabre, with very fine and bright Montmorency-style blade one-third beautifully engraved with an incised decoration of weapon trophies and foliage, gilt bronze hilt, mellon pattern pommel, single guard branch with a side engraved with a farandole of foliage, the front side has a V-shaped groove, the rear side has a concave gutter, basal half ear, quillon arched towards the front with button ending, cross hatched carved wooden grip, in its origina sheet brass scabbard, two large brass bands each carrying a supension ring,

These styles are said to have gained popularity following Consular Napoleon's victory over the Austrians in Jun 1800 at the Battle of Marengo. French sword cutlers purportedly drew their inspiration from the sabre carried by Napoleon during the campaign.

It has been claimed that only officers who had participated in the battle with Napoleon were permitted to carry this style of hilt, although there is no official recognition of this claim.

The Battle of Marengo was fought on 14 June 1800 between French forces under the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces near the city of Alessandria, in Piedmont, Italy. Near the end of the day, the French overcame General Michael von Melas' surprise attack, drove the Austrians out of Italy and consolidated Bonaparte's political position in Paris as First Consul of France in the wake of his coup d'état the previous November.

Bonaparte needed to depart for Paris urgently and the next morning sent Berthier on a surprise visit to Austrian headquarters. Within 24 hours of the battle, Melas entered into negotiations (the Convention of Alessandria) which led to the Austrians evacuating northwestern Italy west of the Ticino, and suspending military operations in Italy.

Bonaparte's position as First Consul was strengthened by the successful outcome of the battle and the preceding campaign. After this victory, Napoleon could breathe a sigh of relief. The generals who had been hostile to him could see that his luck had not abandoned him. Thus, he had surpassed Schérer, Joubert, Championnet, and even Moreau, none of whom having been able to inflict a decisive blow on the Coalition. Moreau's victory at Hohenlinden, which was the one that in reality had put an end to the war, was minimised by Bonaparte who, from then on, would pose as a saviour of the fatherland, and even of the Republic. He rejected offers from Louis XVIII, who had considered the Consulate to be a mere transition toward the restoration of the king. Thanks to the victory at Marengo, Napoleon could finally set about reforming France according to his own vision.

Napoleon ordered that several ships of the French Navy be named Marengo, including Sceptre (1780), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1795), Ville de Paris (1851) and Marengo (1810). In 1802, the Marengo department was named in the honour of the battle. Furthermore, Napoleon's mount throughout the battle was named Marengo and further carried the Emperor in the Battle of Austerlitz, Battle of Jena-Auerstedt, Battle of Wagram, and Battle of Waterloo.  read more

Code: 25313

A Stunning Directoire Period French Blue and Gilt ‘Award’ & Imperial Garde Grade Sabre of a General or General Staff Officer, Probably By Boutet Director of Versailles. Napoleon's Personal Sword Maker

Gilt bronze mounting, engraved and chased. Round-backed ebony handle with fine chequering. Short-skirted lion's head pommel chased with feathers and scales. Single-branch hilt decorated with oak leaves and acorns, cruise with two chased auricles in a row around the edge, straight quillon ending in a lion's head. Curved, superbly engraved deluxe blue and gilt flat-backed blade, Infantry style scabbard with frog mount in copper gilt with leather in superb condition.

We show in the gallery a most similar sabre, by Boutet of the Versailles workshop, presented to General Lefebvre by the executive board of the French Directory before Napoleon declared himself emperor, another very similar sword was used by Marshal Davout {see his portrait}, The workmanship of the hilt is so fine and similar to Lefebvres Boutet presentation sabre that we presume this fabulous sabre was likely also made by Boutet at Versailles.

The Directory (also called Directorate, French: le Directoire) was the governing five-member committee in the French First Republic from 26 October 1795 (4 Brumaire an IV) until October 1799, when it was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte in the Coup of 18 Brumaire and replaced by the Consulate. Directoire is the name of the final four years of the French Revolution. Mainstream historiography1 also uses the term in reference to the period from the dissolution of the National Convention on 26 October 1795 to Napoleon's coup d'état.

This sword would have been used and carried in combat by one of those officer's on Napoleon's general staff. Napoleon was, and remains, famous for his battlefield victories, and historians have spent enormous attention in analysing them.

Napoleon had numerous general staff officer's. However, a general in the field would have a relatively smaller cadre of officers supporting them.. Whether they were on Napoleon's staff or the staff of a general, their function was the same, to gather reports from field officers, précis them and ensure Napoleon and the generals have the right information. Then take Napoleon's or the general’s high level orders and ensure they get to the correct field officers, which may mean encoding them by hand.
Manage all the logistics, ensure that all the units are supplied with food, equipment and munitions.

In 2008, Donald Sutherland wrote:

The ideal Napoleonic battle was to manipulate the enemy into an unfavourable position through manoeuvre and deception, force him to commit his main forces and reserve to the main battle and then undertake an enveloping attack with uncommitted or reserve troops on the flank or rear. Such a surprise attack would either produce a devastating effect on morale, or force him to weaken his main battle line. Either way, the enemy's own impulsiveness began the process by which even a smaller French army could defeat the enemy's forces one by one.

After 1807, Napoleon's creation of a highly mobile, well-armed artillery force gave artillery usage increased tactical importance. Napoleon, rather than relying on infantry to wear away the enemy's defences, could now use massed artillery as a spearhead to pound a break in the enemy's line. Once that was achieved he sent in infantry and cavalry. The Napoleonic Wars brought radical changes to Europe, but the reactionary forces returned to power and tried to reverse some of them by restoring the Bourbon house on the French throne. Napoleon had succeeded in bringing most of Western Europe under one rule. In most European countries, subjugation in the French Empire brought with it many liberal features of the French Revolution including democracy, due process in courts, abolition of serfdom, reduction of the power of the Catholic Church, and a demand for constitutional limits on monarchs. The increasing voice of the middle classes with rising commerce and industry meant that restored European monarchs found it difficult to restore pre-revolutionary absolutism and had to retain many of the reforms enacted during Napoleon's rule. Institutional legacies remain to this day in the form of civil law, with clearly defined codes of law an enduring legacy of the Napoleonic Code.

While Napoleon is best known as a master strategist and charismatic presence on the battlefield, he was also a tactical innovator. He combined classic formations and tactics that had been used for thousands of years with more recent ones, such as Frederick the Great's "Oblique Order" (best illustrated at the Battle of Leuthen) and the "mob tactics" of the early Levée en masse armies of the Revolution. Napoleonic tactics and formations were highly fluid and flexible. In contrast, many of the Grande Armée's opponents were still wedded to a rigid system of "Linear" (or Line) tactics and formations, in which masses of infantry would simply line up and exchange vollies of fire, in an attempt to either blow the enemy from the field or outflank them. Due to the vulnerabilities of the line formations to flanking attacks, it was considered the highest form of military manoeuvre to outflank one's adversary. Armies would often retreat or even surrender if this was accomplished. Consequently, commanders who adhered to this system would place a great emphasis on flank security, often at the expense of a strong centre or reserve. Napoleon would frequently take full advantage of this linear mentality by feigning flank attacks or offering the enemy his own flank as "bait" (best illustrated at the Battle of Austerlitz and also later at Lützen), then throw his main effort against their centre, split their lines, and roll up their flanks. He always kept a strong reserve as well, mainly in the form of his Imperial Guard, which could deliver a "knockout blow" if the battle was going well or turn the tide if it was not.

Overall the condition is stunning. Especially the original mercurial gilt on the hilt and the blue and gilt decor on the blade In the 20th century generals plotted campaigns and were not often in the thick of combat. In the Napoleonic wars era general staff officers fought, more often than not alongside their men in hand to hand combat, hence, Napoleon lost so many of his general staff officers.

The chequered ebony grip has narrow splits on both sides, but otherwise excellent. The outside quillon has two small holes, this would have been for a small silver cartouch mount of Napoleon's bust profile, used by the privilege of status, by very special grade officer's. It may have been removed in the restoration period of 1814, in order to show the officer removed his previous connection to Napoleon {in order to preserve his current service and thus his senior status in France post Napoleon, before the 100 Days of Napoleon's return from Elba}.  read more

Code: 25317

Rare, Napoleonic Wars Sabre of an Officer of The Grande Armee Carabiniers De Cheval Ist Empire, a Garde de Bataille

Traditional brass fully engraved shell guard pattern also for use by an officer of cuirassiers, but, with two very small holes within the shell, for the addition of a carabiniers grenade, but the grenade could be then removed {as was this one} if the officer transferred to the cuirassiers. Sword manufactured circa 1805

Double fuller blade and steel combat scabbard with two belted rings. Small wear hole at the base of the inner scabbard above the chape.

The 1st and 2nd Carabiniers-à-Cheval were created in 1788, as regiments of heavy cavalry. They participated with distinction to the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. Their uniform was described by the Etat militaire de l'an X (1802): "National blue costume and scarlet lapels, blue collar, bearskin hat, yellow bandolier and belt, with white plait on the edges. Horse equipage: saddle à la française, blue cover with white plait on the edges, a grenade in the corners, the ornaments of the bridle stamped with a grenade." Before 1810, the Carabiniers-à-Cheval did not wear a cuirass.

The decree of 24 December 1809 altered the uniform of the carabiniers: to, a white costume, double steel cuirass (breastplate and backplate) covered with brass sheathing (copper for officers), helmet with a peak and which covered the back of the neck, with a golden-yellow copper crest decorated with a chenille made of scarlet bristle. Their armament for other ranks included a carbine, a sabre (straight-bladed before c. 1811, then "a la Montmorency" – with a very slight curve) and a pair of pistols.

All of Napoleon's Heavy Cavalry Regiments fought at Waterloo, there were no reserve regiments. Some of the battles this would have been used at were; 1805: Wertingen, Ulm, Hollabrunn, Raussnitz, and Austerlitz.
1806: Jena and the Capture of Lubeck.
1807: Hoff and Eylau.
1809: Eckmuhl, Ratisbonne, Essling, Wagram, Hollabrunn, and Znaim.
1812: Borodino and Moscow, Ostrowno, and Winkowo 1813: Reichenbach and Dresden, Leipzig and Hanau
1814: La Rothiere, Rosnay, Champaubert, Vauchamps, Athies, La Fere-Champenoise and Paris
1815: Quatre-Bras and Waterloo

This would have seen service in the Elite Carabiniers of Napoleon's great heavy cavalry regiments of the Grande Armee such as in 1807 at Friedland. And in the French invasion of Russia ( Campagne de Russie) that began on 24 June 1812 when Napoleon's Grande Armee crossed the Neman River in an attempt to engage and defeat the Russian army. Napoleon hoped to compel Tsar Alexander I of Russia to cease trading with British merchants through proxies in an effort to pressure the United Kingdom to sue for peace. The official political aim of the campaign was to liberate Poland from the threat of Russia. Napoleon named the campaign the Second Polish War to curry favour with the Poles and provide a political pretence for his actions. The Grande Armee was a very large force, numbering nearly half a million men from several different nations. Through a series of long marches Napoleon pushed the army rapidly through Western Russia in an attempt to bring the Russian army to battle, winning a number of minor engagements and a major battle at Smolensk in August. Napoleon hoped the battle would mean an end of the march into Russia, but the Russian army slipped away from the engagement and continued to retreat into Russia, while leaving Smolensk to burn. Plans Napoleon had made to quarter at Smolensk were abandoned, and he pressed his army on after the Russians. The battles continued, but once the winter set in Napoleon's army was facing insurmountable odds that left it effectively shattered beyond repair. Napoleon fled, it is said, dressed as a woman, and the army left to it's sad and miserable fate. Only around 27,000 were able to return after a mere six months of the Russian campaign. The campaign was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. The reputation of Napoleon was severely shaken, and French hegemony in Europe was dramatically weakened.
The Grande Armee, made up of French and allied invasion forces, was reduced to a fraction of its initial strength. These events triggered a major shift in European politics. France's ally Prussia, soon followed by Austria, broke their alliance with France and switched camps. This triggered the War of the Sixth Coalition. The Heavy Cavalry Regiments used the largest men in France, recruited to serve in the greatest and noblest cavalry France has ever had. They fought with distinction at their last great conflict at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and most of the swords in England very likely came from that field of conflict, after the battle, as trophies of war.
Every warrior that has ever entered service for his country sought trophies. The Mycenae from a fallen Trojan, the Roman from a fallen Gaul, the GI from a fallen Japanese, the tradition stretches back thousands of years, and will continue as long as man serves his country in battle. In the 1st century AD the Roman Poet Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis Juvenal
wrote; "Man thirsts more for glory than virtue. The armour of an enemy, his broken helmet, the flag ripped from a conquered trireme, are treasures valued beyond all human riches. It is to obtain these tokens of glory that Generals, be they Roman, Greek or barbarian, brave a thousand perils
and endure a thousand exertions". A truly magnificent Napoleonic sword in superb condition for it's age.
The brass basket guard on this sword is first class, the grip is totally original leather and a great colour  read more

Code: 25275

WW2 Luftwaffe Combat Bomber Clasp (Frontflugspange für Kampf- und Sturzkampfflieger in Gold)From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit. Collected During A Clandestine Recon Mission

(Frontflugspange für Kampf- und Sturzkampfflieger in Gold). Constructed of gilded zinc, for 110 missions, the obverse consisting of a central circular laurel leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by a swastika, surrounding a central winged bomb executed in silvered tombak, flanked on each side by nine oak leaves, the reverse with a single visible rivet securing the bomb in position, with a crimped barrel hinge and tapering horizontal pinback meeting a flat wire catch emanating from a crimped base, maker marked with the maker mark and address of Richard Simm & Söhne, Gablonz,
The Front Flying Clasp was instituted on January 30, 1941, by Hermann Göring.
It was awarded to recognize the bravery and service of Luftwaffe aircrew, heavy, or medium fighters and dive bombers, during World War II.

The Bomber Clasp specifically recognized the achievements of pilots and crew flying bomber aircraft.
The Front Flight Clasp was awarded in bronze for 20 front-line flights, in silver for 60 front-line flights, and in gold for 110 front-line flights . Upon awarding a higher rank, the previously worn clasp had to be removed. The award was worn on the left breast pocket, directly above the medal bar .

A highly desirable original collectors item, uncleaned unpolished, kept just as is, untouched and unmolested for the past 80 years

Originally taken by a commando of 30 commando X troop while on clandestine missions as part of 30 Commando reconnaissance and sabotage.

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 {30AU} Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified, see Reading. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time!(6) (see Beau Bête)
Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as:
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.
s the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (10) (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe. (2) (see Reading section).
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe. (see Reading for details)
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’. (1)
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21 & 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (1)(All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde. (1)
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW  read more

Code: 25833

Victorian, Princess Victoria's 89th Regiment of Foot Highlander Officer’s Scottish Basket Hilted Regimental Combat Broadsword. Of The Crimean War, & The Indian Mutiny Later to Become The Princess Victoria's Royal Irish Fusiliers Serving In The Boer War

This superb Scottish highlander officer's sword has spent 30 hours being hand polished in our workshop, in order to return it to just as it looked, when first used in service in 1853, made by Hawkes & Co.of London.

The 89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot was a Highlanders regiment of the British Army, raised on 3 December 1793.
It sailed for Gibraltar in 1854 and then saw action at the Siege of Sevastopol in winter 1854 during the Crimean War. It transferred to the Cape Colony in 1855 to protect British interests there before embarking for India in 1857 to help suppress the Indian Rebellion. It returned home in August 1865 and became the 89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot in May 1866. It returned to India in 1870 and was deployed to Rangoon in Burma in 1876 before going back to India in 1880.

Under the Childers Reforms the regiment amalgamated with the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot to form the Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) in 1881. The regiment was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot and the 89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot. The regiment got its nickname, the Faughs, from its Irish war cry "Faugh A Ballagh" (Fág a' Bealach, meaning Clear the Way) from the Napoleonic Wars.

The 1st Battalion saw action in the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882.

Both battalions served in South Africa during the Second Boer War (1899–1902). The 1st battalion was present at the Battle of Talana Hill in October 1899 and the various engagements leading to the Relief of Ladysmith. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion saw action at the Battle of the Tugela Heights

Painting Oil on canvas, by Louis William Desanges, 1860 (c). of Surgeon Home V.C. with his Scottish basket hilted broadsword, defending a wounded corporal, at the Seige of Lucknow in the Indian Mutiny

The desperate action at the British Residency at Lucknow saw some of the bloodiest fighting of the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859). Under siege from July 1857, a relief force fought its way into the city in September 1857 but the siege could not be lifted until November.

Surgeon Home (1826-1914) and Assistant-Surgeon Bradshaw (1830-1861) were part of the relief force. For their bravery and good conduct they were both awarded the Victoria Cross. According to 'The London Gazette' of 18 June 1858:

'The dooly bearers had left the doolies (covered stretchers), but by great exertions, and notwithstanding the close proximity of the sepoys, Surgeon Home and Assistant-Surgeon Bradshaw, got some of the bearers together, and Assistant-Surgeon Bradshaw with about twenty doolies becoming separated from the rest of the party, succeeded in reaching the Residency in safety by the river bank.'  read more

Code: 25834

Fit For A King. Late 16th Century Style Holbein Swiss Dagger, a Fabulous Masterpiece, With a Superbly Pierced Scabbard Depicting a Scene of Landsnicht Knights. Designed By Hans Holbein For King Henry VIIIth. Only The Second We Have Seen in 20 Years

Wonderful 16th century pattern dagger, designed by Hans Holbein one of the greatest Old Master artists in the reign of King Henry VIII, with brass fully three dimensionally piecerd scabbard displaying scenes of Landsnecht knights mounted on horseback. This is not only a wondrous and extravagant dagger, it is a fine example object d'art. The dagger that gained its name from its design, and patterns of dagger, by Hans Holbein, one of the worlds greatest portrait artists of the 16th century, whose most famous owner of a Holbein pattern dagger was King Henry VIIIth, as can be seen in his portrait see the gallery. Holbein travelled to England in 1526 in search of work, with a recommendation from the renown Erasmus. He was welcomed into the humanist circle of Thomas More, where he quickly built a high reputation. He returned to Basel for four years, then resumed his career in England in 1532 under the patronage of Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell. By 1535, he was King's Painter to Henry VIII of England. In this role, he produced portraits and festive decorations, as well as designs for jewellery, plate, and other precious objects, including daggers. His portraits of the royal family and nobles are a record of the court in the years when Henry was asserting his supremacy over the Church of England.

Holbein's art was highly prized from early on in his career. French poet and reformer Nicholas Bourbon (the elder) dubbed him "the Apelles of our time," a typical highest accolade at the time. Holbein has also been described as a great "one-off" of art history, since he founded no school. Some of his work was lost after his death, but much was collected, and he was recognised among the great portrait masters by the 19th century. Recent exhibitions have also highlighted his versatility. He created designs ranging from intricate jewellery to monumental frescoes.

Holbein's art has sometimes been called realist, since he drew and painted with a rare precision. His portraits were renowned in their time for their likeness, and it is through his eyes that many famous figures of his day are pictured today, such as Erasmus and More. He was never content with outward appearance, however; he embedded layers of symbolism, allusion, and paradox in his art, to the lasting fascination of scholars. In the view of art historian Ellis Waterhouse, his portraiture "remains unsurpassed for sureness and economy of statement, penetration into character, and a combined richness and purity of style"

Double edged blade. This is a fabulous 19th-century representation of Holbein’s 16th century dagger, One of Holbien’s versions had a most similar pierced and chiselled decorative scabbard displaying scenes from the dance of death. In July 2000 Christie’s Auctioneers sold another 19th century representation of this Holbein dagger, it sold for £3,760, 25 years ago. The most famous example of a Holbein pattern dagger is depicted being worn by King Henry VIIIth in his portrait by Hans Holbein, we show this portrait in a gallery with Henry and his version of his personal most similar and beautiful Holbein Dagger. This Renaissance style dagger is based on original drawings from the work-books of Holbein the Younger, from whence the dagger gets its name. This is an accurate design that a nobleman of very high status could have chosen in around 1536, out of Holbein's work-books, and to have a personal dagger commissioned by a dagger maker.

See a plain wooden hilted version of Holbein’s original dagger in photo 8 in the gallery in the Wallace Collection in London.
This is a formidable dagger of impressive proportions and most substantial weight.
.  read more

Code: 23326

Now Sold A Really Rare Original WW2 Luftwaffe Night Fighter Airbase Command Commandant's {Fliegerhorst Kommandantur} of Stade, Double Sided Banner, Of A WW2 Night Fighter Luftwaffe Airbase For Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 {NJG 1} & Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 {NJG 3}

A most worthy candidate as the centrepiece of any, important or significant collection of original WW2 German Third Reich war trophies, captured by allied soldiers at the close of WW2. A representation of all the sacrifices made by the allied armed forces that fought and died to successfully destroy the Third Reich war machine.

Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 1 was formed on 22 June 1940 and comprised four Gruppen (groups). NJG 1 was created as an air defence unit for the Defence of the Reich campaign; an aerial war waged by the Luftwaffe against the bombing of the German Reich by RAF Bomber Command and the United States Air Force. In 1941 airborne radar was introduced with radar operators, and standardised in 1942 and 1943. Consequently, a large number of German night fighter aces existed within NJG 1.
Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3) was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 3 was formed on 29 September 1941 in Stade from Stab./Zerstörergeschwader 26. Pilots of NJG 3 claimed approximately 820 aerial victories by day and night.

Measuring 19 inches wide and 15 inches tall, both sides of the banner feature yellow fields trimmed in silver ribbon and 2 1/4 inch long silver wire fringe. One side in silver bullion lettering has the text.

Just one of the fighter aces was Oberst Günther Radusch (11 November 1912 – 29 July 1988) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot and wing commander. As a fighter ace, he claimed 65 enemy aircraft shot down in over 140 combat missions. He claimed one victory in the Spanish Civil War. During World War II, he was credited with 64 aerial victories in Defense of the Reich all of which claimed at night and includes the destruction of 57 four-engined bombers.

Stade airfield (German: flugplatz Stade or Fliegerhorst Stade) was an airfield 285 west-northwest of Berlin.
It's construction began in the spring of 1935, disguised as a civilian project. The first occupants arrived as early as October 1935 when the first students of the Fliegerersatzabteilung 47 (Pilot Replacement Unit 47) began their course. First use was that of a multi-engine piloting school in 1936 and a second training unit arrived at the airfield in 1937 from Ludwigslust, bringing their Junkers Ju52 and Ju86, Dornier Do17, Focke-Wulf Fw56 and Fw58 aircraft. In 1939 a new large hangar and the first concrete runway (Startbahn II) was built.
After the beginning of the war in 1939, the training units were withdrawn to the east in Brandenburg. In November, they were replaced with night fighters,
In April 1940, air transport aircraft filled with parachutists and mountain troops flew from Stade to begin the occupation of Norway.
In 1941, night-fighters of II./NJG1 were stationed here, making Stade an important part of the defense against Alllied strategic bombers. Although II./NJG1 left after some time, Stade was never really long without nightfigthers after this first prolonged stay. It is during this period that the second runway (Statbahn III) was built. Construction of the Northerly runway ('Startbahn I') was begun, but for unknown reasons it was never completed.
Allied attacks upon Stade;
22 Apr 44: strafed by VIII Fighter Command P-51 Mustangs – claimed 1 x Me 210 and 1 x Ju 88 destroyed, plus 2 x He 111s damaged.
18 Jun 44: bombed by 45 B-24 Liberators. (445th Bomb Group Mission 103 – 45 B-24s dropped 520 x 100 lb. AN-M30 General Purpose bombs)
06 Oct 44: bombed by 29 B-24s.
31 Dec 44: bombed by 13 B-17 Fortresses – 5-6 night fighters destroyed or damaged, 2 hangars burned out and at least one runway cratered.
03 Feb 45: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-51s – claimed 1 x He 111 destroyed and 2 more damaged.
09/10 Apr 45: bombed by 22 RAF Halifaxes and 14 USAAF B-24s in a joint night attack.
18 Apr 45: strafed by RAF Tempests – claimed 2 x Do 217s and 1 x Fw 190 destroyed plus other aircraft damaged. Same date, demolition of the airfield began and unserviceable aircraft destroyed.
01 May 45: occupied by 2nd Battalion Welch Guards.

Stade Operational Units: 10./JG 26 (Nov-Dec 39); Stab/JG 1 (Dec 39 – May 43); II./ZG 1 (Feb 40); I.(Jagd)/LG 2 (Feb-Mar 40); KGr. z.b.V. 104 (Mar-May 40); II./JG 52 (Sep 40); I./JG 27 (Oct 40); II./JG 51 (Oct 40); 3./JG 54 (Oct-Nov 40); Stab/ZG 26 (Sep 41); Stab/NJG 3 (Sep 41 – Apr 45); III./NJG 3 (Nov 41 – Aug 44), II./JG 1 (Feb 42); Luftbeobachterstaffel 2 (Oct 43 - Jun 44); Stab/JG 302 (Nov 43 – Jan 44); III./JG 76 (Jul-Aug 44); I./JG 26 (Apr 45).

School Units: FFS C (twin-engined conversion school) Stade (Nov 37 - Sep 39); Stab and I./Flieger-Ausb.Rgt. 42 (Apr 39 - Jan 40); Bombenschützenvorschule Stade (1940); Flieger-Techn.Schule 2 (1940-43).

Replacement Units: Flieger-Ers.Abt.14 (Oct 35 – Sep 37); Flieger-Ers.Abt.42 (Nov 38 – Mar 39); III./Fallschirmjäger-Ers.-u.Ausb.Rgt. 4 (c.Jan 45 - ? ).


On 18 April 1945 all flyable aircraft were flown to Uetersen, the remainder and the facilities were destroyed. The occupation by the British from 1 May 1945 left some surprises for the British: due to the fast Soviet advance, the commander of the E-Stelle (Erprobungsstelle or "Evaluation Unit") at Werneuchen) was ordered by the Oberkommando dere Luftwaffe (OKL) to evacuate equipment to Stade. As a result, the British discovered amongst others a camouflaged and incomplete Ju-248 V.1 prototype (a reworked Me163 rocket powered interceptor with landing gear instead of a retractable skid) at the airfield.
The Fighter aces of NJG 3;
Helmut Lent
Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
Guenther Radusch
Walter Borchers
Paul Zorner .
Gerhard Raht
Martin Drewes
Werner Hoffmann
Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weissenfeld
Hans-Joachim Jabs
Rudolf Frank
Helmut Bergmann
Werner Husemann
Hubert Rauh
Paul Szameitat
Hans Krause
Rudolf Sigmund
Alfons Koster
Alfred Kuhne
Arnold Doring
Reinhold Eckardt
Erhard Peters
Wilhelm Schmale

The closest example of such a historical one as this is one for another airbase commandant that was sold in America in 2017 at RIA est $12,000 to $14,000. That one had its hanging pole, but just like ours, in pretty much identical superb condition, with no damage all braiding present, no fading at all. Both are exactly the same size. See photo 9 in the gallery

RIA Rock Island Auction is the likely most important militaria auctioneers, for the rarest of all forms of militaria, in the US, if not the world.  read more

Code: 25832