WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

A Stunning Italian 'Order of the Crown of Italy' in Gold; Knight's Cross Medal. With Polychrome Transluscent Enamel Of The Crown Of Savoy

In Gold and enamels, 37 x 39mm, enamels superbly intact without chipping, original ribbon, extremely fine condition. Gold-edged white enamel cross pattee alisee with gold knots between the arms, on laterally-pierced ball suspension; the face with a circular central deep blue translucent enamel medallion bearing the gilt crown of Savoy with red, with white and green jewels, encircled by a gold ring; the reverse with a gold circular central medallion bearing a crowned black enamel eagle, an oval red enamel shield with a white enamel cross on its breast; The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuel II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for civilian and military merit.

Compared with the older Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572), the Order of the Crown of Italy was awarded more liberally and could be conferred on non-Catholics as well; eventually, it became a requirement for a person to have already received the Order of the Crown of Italy in at least the same degree before receiving the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.

The order has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic in 1946. However, Umberto II did not abdicate his position as fons honorum and it remained under his Grand Mastership as a dynastic order. While the continued use of those decorations conferred prior to 1951 is permitted in Italy, the crowns on the ribbons issued before 1946 must be substituted for as many five pointed stars on military uniforms. Following the demise of the last reigning monarch in 1983, the order, founded by the first, is no longer bestowed. Notable recipients of the order were; Major General Robert A. McClure, father of U.S. Army Special Operations, Director of Information and Media Control at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) during World War II
Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, United States Army air power advocate.
Charles Poletti, Governor of New York, and Colonel in the United States Army; served in Italy during World War II. Painting in the gallery by Karel Zadnik (1847-1929), painted in Bilowitz in 1912 of Count Hugo II Logothetti who is wearing his Italian Order of the Crown of Italy around his neck. Silk ribbon with small old staining.  read more

Code: 20481

WW2 Royal Canadian Naval Battle Flag White Ensign. Made By Piggott Brothers and Co. Bishopsgate London. His Majesty's Canadian Naval Service On Juno Beach, the D.Day Normandy Landings

HMCS Algonquin, white ensign battle flag, with original toggle and cord, on wool. Maker stamped Piggott Bros. Assigned to the 26th Destroyer Flotilla of the British Home Fleet, she left Scapa Flow with HMCS Sioux on 31 Mar 1944 to help escort the carrier attack on the Tirpitz. In Apr 1944 she escorted a similar attack on German shipping off the Lofoten Island, Norway, and on 28 May 1944 left Scapa, from whence she carried out attacks on German convoys off Norway. Taking part in D-Day operations she bombarded shore targets on the Normandy coast. As part of Operation Neptune, the HMCS Algonquin operated within Force J heading for Juno Beach and bombarded the German Nan positions on 6 June 1944 for the benefit of Canadian land forces.
Juno and or Juno Beach was one of five beaches of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944 during the Second World War. The beach spanned from Courseulles, a village just east of the British beach Gold, to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, and just west of the British beach Sword. Taking Juno was the responsibility of the First Canadian Army, with sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment force provided by the Royal Canadian Navy and the British Royal Navy as well as elements from the Free French, Norwegian, and other Allied navies. The objectives of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division on D-Day were to cut the Caen-Bayeux road, seize the Carpiquet airport west of Caen, and form a link between the two British beaches on either flank.

Shortly after the Battle of Normandy, the Allied troops could no longer support Allied troops because of the limit of the range of their armaments and HMCS Algonquin deployed in the North Sea as part of the fight against the German maritime forces. On 22 Aug 1944, she took off 203 of Nabob's ship's company when the latter was torpedoed in the Barents Sea. In November 1944, Algonquin was part of an attack on a German convoy that sank or destroyed seven vessels.

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), which started the war with only 13 vessels, had 450 ships in all, plus many smaller auxiliary units, when WWII ended. This 1945 figure breaks down as follows: 2 cruisers, 17 destroyers, 68 frigates, 112 corvettes, 67 minesweepers, 12 escort ships, 75 Fairmile motor launches, 9 motor torpedo boats, 12 armoured yachts and vessels of other types. This impressive fleet made the RCN the world’s fourth naval power.

The RCN expanded greatly during the Second World War. From its modest beginnings of six ocean-going ships and 3,500 officers and men (both regular and reserve) at the outbreak of the war, it grew into a large and capable fighting force. This was important as the navy was immediately called on to help. In fact, the navy was the main thrust of Canada’s war effort in the first two years of the conflict as German U-boats again made cutting off Allied shipping a top priority and the Allied navies had to find a way to protect the merchant vessels crossing the Atlantic Ocean so supplies could reach Europe.

This “Battle of the Atlantic” was the longest and one of the most important campaigns of the Second World War — lasting from the first day of the war in 1939 until the last day of the war in Europe in 1945. Canada played a major role with the RCN assuming responsibility for escorting convoys in the northwest Atlantic — the only major theatre of the war to be commanded by Canadians. This battle also saw the Germans bring the war to our own shores. U-boats even penetrated deep into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River.

A number of German U-boats, including U-130 surrendered to the RCN after the war in Europe ended in May 1945.

It was a tough fight, but with courage and the adoption of new technology and tactics, Canada helped the Allies to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. More than 25,000 merchant ships safely made it to their destination under Canadian escort, delivering approximately 165 million tons of vitally-needed supplies to Europe. The RCN sank or helped sink more than 30 U-boats, but at a steep price. The RCN lost 14 warships to enemy attack and another eight ships to accidents at sea during the Second World War, with approximately 2,000 losing their lives.

RCN ships also served in different ways during the war. They fought against the Japanese in the Pacific and took part in other kinds of military operations in the waters off Europe, like patrolling and mine sweeping in the English Channel and supporting Allied landings in Normandy, Sicily, mainland Italy and southern France.

At the end of the Second World War, Canada had one of the largest navies in the world with 95,000 men and women in uniform, and 434 commissioned vessels including cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes and auxiliaries. It was an incredible growth that symbolizes the great contributions that Canadians made in the cause of peace and freedom during history’s largest war.

This flag has small battle scars of tears at the section near the union flag, and longer tears at the far end.

Other WW2 Royal Naval White Ensigns shown the gallery.

Second World War period Royal Navy white ensign. This flag was flown by the Naval Officer in charge of landings Reggio di Calabria, on the coast of mainland Italy, on 3 September 1943 (and also previously during the Sicily landings). It is believed to have been the first British flag to fly on the beach at Reggio during the landings of British and Canadian forces as part of 'Operation Baytown'.
&
The White Ensign from HMCS Arrowhead
In June 1941, after commissioning in the RCN, Arrowhead joined the Newfoundland Escort Force and spent the majority of 1941 escorting convoys from St. John's to Iceland. In July 1942 she joined the Gulf Escort Force and participated in the Battle of the St. Lawrence. On 31 August the U-boats U-165 and U-517 entered the St. Lawrence River. On 6 September, the convoy QS 33, escorted by Arrowhead, HMCS Truro, two motor launches and the armed yacht HMCS Raccoon was spotted by U-517. Arrowhead detected U-517 and attempted to sink the submarine. See
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30016656
Also a WW1 Battle Flag white ensign of HMS Cornwall from the Battle of the Falkland Islands December 1914

Photo 9 in the gallery is of a similar WW2 White Ensign Battle Flag {but without battle scars} sold in New York in 2015
A Royal Navy White Ensign Battle Flag, C.1940 from an unknown vessel.
25 x 54 in (63.5 x 137 cm)
THE WORLD WAR II 70TH ANNIVERSARY SALE, Bonhams
29 April 2015, 10:00 EDT
New York
Estimate sale price US$3,000 - US$5,000


The flag is 57 inches by 103 inches

Another Royal Naval white ensign battle flag, raised on Sword Beach at the commencement of the Normandy landings sold in 2016  read more

Code: 25660

Part of a Superb WW1 Machine Gunner's Collection, British and German. A Superb & Fabulous Set of POW Medals, Plus, a Letter From the King & Two Photographs. 1 Signed, of a Machine Gunner of the Most Collectable WW1 British Machine Gun Corps

A British Prisoner of War group. A lovely pair of medals from one of the great services of WW1. Would look spectacular fully framed! With two photos of the recipient and a letter of thanks from King George Vth sent to liberated Prisoners of War. Medals in near mint condition small photo a little worn the original period blow up photo [10 x 12 inches] is very good indeed but with smalll scratches.
On 2 September 1915 a definite proposal was made to the War Office for the formation of a single specialist Machine Gun Company per infantry brigade, by withdrawing the guns and gun teams from the battalions. They would be replaced at battalion level by the light Lewis machine guns and thus the firepower of each brigade would be substantially increased. The Machine Gun Corps was created by Royal Warrant on October 14 followed by an Army Order on 22 October 1915. The companies formed in each brigade would transfer to the new Corps. The MGC would eventually consist of infantry Machine Gun Companies, cavalry Machine Gun Squadrons and Motor Machine Gun Batteries. The pace of reorganisation depended largely on the rate of supply of the Lewis guns but it was completed before the Battle of the Somme in 1916. A Base Depot for the Corps was established at Camiers.There are many instances where a single well-placed and protected machine gun cut great swathes in attacking infantry. Nowhere was this demonstrated with more devastating effect than against the British army's attack on the Somme on 1 July 1916 and against the German attack at Arras on 28 March 1918. It followed that multiple machine guns, with interlocking fields of fire, were an incredibly destructive defensive weapon. The German army developed their Hindenburg Line, to which they withdrew in spring 1917, and relied greatly on machine guns for defence. The British copied this. In addition, both offensively and defensively, the MGC began to fire in co-ordinated barrages. The guns of the 2nd and 47th (London) Divisions fired an indirect barrage over the heads of their advancing infantry, and behind the German trenches (in other words, this was an interdiction barrage, to stop enemy attempts to reinforce or re-supply their front), during the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915. This was possibly the first time an indirect fire tactic was borrowed from the artillery. Later, and certainly by the Battle of Messines in June 1917, machine gunners were also employing creeping barrages, with fire falling ahead of the artillery barrage to catch enemy troops moving to the rear. They would concentrate fire on specific targets, or sweep the enemy ground behind his front and support positions. Machine guns for these tasks were generally placed about 1000 yards behind the advancing infantry and were moved up as soon as the enemy positions were captured. Machinegun tactics had in fact, become more like those of the artillery than of the infantry. Photo of a Machine Gun crew near the Somme in 1916 wearing gas attack masks, and a Lewis gunner using it in it's anti aircraft capacity, and the London memorial for the Machine Gun Corps. Photos for information only not included. The letter text is as follows;
Buckingham Palace

1918

The Queen joins me in welcoming you on your release from the miseries and hardships, which you have endured with so much patience and courage.

During these many months of trail, the early rescue of our gallant officers and men from the cruelties of their captivity has been uppermost in our thoughts.

We are thankful that this longed for day has arrived, and that back in the old Country, you will be able one more to enjoy the happiness of a home and to see good days among those who ansciously look for your return. [signed] GeorgeRI
Written in blue pen on embossed paper, it is considered the first mass communication from a British monarch after it was reproduced and distributed using lithography. The photos of the soldiers in the trenches and the memorial are not included [for information only].  read more

Code: 22858

A Scarce Original Imperial German WW1, Elite 'Guards' Regiment Pickelhaub Helmet Cover, In Khaki. An Ideal Addition For a Collector of The Rare Forms of Guards Infantry Pickelhaub

Imperial Prussian guards issue. Photo in the gallery of Imperial German troops wearing covers on their pickelhaubs, with a captured Russian sign. In 1892, a light brown cloth helmet cover, the M1892 uberzug, became standard issue for all Pickelhauben for manoeuvres and active service. The uberzug was intended to protect the helmet from dirt and reduce its combat visibility, as the brass and silver fittings on the Pickelhaube proved to be highly reflective. Regimental numbers were sewn or stencilled in red (green from August 1914) onto the front of the cover, other than in units of the Prussian Guards, which never carried regimental numbers or other adornments on the uberzug. In October 1916 the colour was changed to be feldgrau (field grey), although by that date the plain metal Stahlhelm was standard issue for most troops. All helmets produced for the infantry before and during 1914 were made of leather. As the war progressed, Germany's leather stockpiles dwindled. After extensive imports from South America, particularly Argentina, the German government began producing ersatz Pickelhauben made of other materials. In 1915, some Pickelhauben began to be made from thin sheet steel. However, the German high command needed to produce an even greater number of helmets, leading to the usage of pressurised felt and even paper to construct Pickelhauben. The Pickelhaube was discontinued in 1916.

During the early months of World War I, it was soon discovered that the Pickelhaube did not measure up to the demanding conditions of trench warfare. The leather helmets offered little protection against shell fragments and shrapnel and the conspicuous spike made its wearer a target. These shortcomings, combined with material shortages, led to the introduction of the simplified model 1915 helmet described above, with a detachable spike. In September 1915 it was ordered that the new helmets were to be worn without spikes when in the front line  read more

Code: 21970

A Super Royal Air Force Band Side Drum King George VIth

A super item in nice condition overall. During the reign of King George VIth the RAF gained its worldwide recognition as the greatest and most valiant airforce in the world during the 'Battle of Britain'. Combating the the most powerful and most successful airforce in WW2, until they came up against the determination, heroism and resilience of the RAF. Although hugely outnumbered by the Germans in the Battle, there were 2,353 Pilots from Britain, and they were valiantly accompanied by 574 volunteer pilots from; Poland, New Zealand, Canada, Checkoslovakia, Belgium, Australia, South Africa, the USA, Rhodesia, Newfoundland, Jamaica, Ireland, France and Barbados. Including within that number of heroes, an Irishman, Brendan "Paddy" Finucane, from Dublin County, who became an ace who would claim a total of 32 enemy aircraft. Finucane became the youngest Wing Commander in the RAF, a rank he received at the remarkably young age of merely 21. He was shot down and killed on 15 July 1942. Polish pilots were among the most experienced in the battle; Despite, at the beginning, not being understood or appreciated by the top ranks of the RAF, most had hundreds of hours of pre-war flying experience and had fought in the Invasion of Poland or the battle of France. The Polish pilots had been well trained in formation flying and had learned from combat experience to fire from close range. By comparison, one Polish pilot referred to the close formation flying and set-piece attacks practiced in the RAF as "simply suicidal". The 147 Polish pilots claimed 201 aircraft shot down. No. 303 Squadron claimed the highest number of kills, 126, of any Hurricane squadron engaged in the battle of Britain. The RAF recognises seven aircrew personnel who were from the United States as having taken part in the Battle of Britain, and apparently all bar two brave Americans perished. It is believed that another four Americans misled the British authorities about their origins, claiming to be Canadian or other nationalities. As a sidebar 11 volunteers from America may seem to be a somewhat small number, however, one must appreciate that, apparently, they were threatened, by the American authorities at the time, that any American serviceman who volunteered to fight for Britain would have their US citizenship removed and they would be imprisoned upon return to the States. Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's aerial warfare force. Formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world. Following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as, at the time, the largest air force in the world. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history. In particular, it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain.

The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed: to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security". The RAF describe its mission statement as " [to provide] An agile, adaptable and capable Air Force that, person for person, is second to none, and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the UK Defence Mission". The mission statement is supported by the RAF's definition of air power, which guides its strategy. Air power is defined as "the ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events" Expected signs of service use. As a footnote for those that are unaware, “Uncle’” Joe Stalin insisted at the end of the war that the incredible contribution by Free Poland should be ignored unrewarded and not even acknowledged by the world. This situation continued for some considerable time but fortunately and eventually the massive contribution by the Free Polish forces was acknowledged by the world and they were given the huge credit they deserved.  read more

Code: 21614

A Most Rare British Empire Raj Period XII Frontier Force Regt. Silver Cap or Turban Badge

Cast low grade silver, for NCO or officer, with needle pin fixing, which often indicates for wear on a puggaree or a turban. The King Emperor crown of King George, and a crossed pair of choora knives or Afghan Khyber knives. So far we can find no other example, and it is the first we have seen. The more commonly known 12th Frontier Force Regiment in the Indian Army was a Light Infantry regiment, with a bugle badge, so we don't know if this was their first and earliest badge, that was potentially replaced around 1922, or, another XIIth Frontier Force regiment altogether. Either way it is a most fine and intriguing authentic British Empire Raj period piece, but, surrounded by an element of mystery to us at least. The armies of the East India Company were recruited primarily from Muslims in the Bengal Presidency, which consisted of Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and high caste Hindus recruited primarily from the rural plains of Oudh. Many of these troops took part in the Indian Mutiny, with the aim of reinstating the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah II at Delhi.

The meaning of the term "Indian Army" has changed over time, initially as an informal collective term for the armies of the three presidencies–the Bengal Army, Madras Army and Bombay Army–between 1858 and 1894. In 1805, the Indian Army began its formal existence and was the "army of the government of India", including British and Indian (sepoy) units; this arrangement lasted until 1902.

Then in 1903, Lord Kitchener became the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, his tenure continued until 1909. He instituted large-scale reforms, the greatest of which was the merger of the three armies of the Presidencies into a unified force. He formed higher level formations, eight army divisions, and brigaded Indian and British units. Following Kitchener's reforms, terminology used for military forces in India was altered, with the Indian Army referring to "the force recruited locally and permanently based in India, together with its expatriate British officers." Whereas the British Army in India referred to the British Army units posted to India for a tour of duty, and which would then be posted to other parts of the Empire or back to the UK. Comparatively, the term 'Army of India', meant the combined forces of both the Indian Army and the British Army in India. Militaria from the British Empire Indian Raj period over the past 30 years has become, extremely collectable, highly prized and most valuable. In many cases the rarer the better  read more

Code: 23703

A Superb Original Antique WW1 Leather Machine Gun Company Munition Case. A Very Rare Piece as Most Surviving Cases Were For Cordite For the Artillery, But the Machine Gun Corps Example is Very Rare Indeed

Part of a Superb WW1 Machine Gunner's Collection, British and German.
WW1 issue. Bearing the royal crest of King George Vth and British Army stamped for the 6th, 261 Machine Gun Company 6 261 MGC. Substantially strong and robust hardened buffalo hide. This is a particularly rare type, not the usual Royal Artillery version.
It is of very heavy grade solid leather, that is top, bottom and side, brass seam riveted, and with a wide leather carrying strap at the rear. The more common version used by the British army was a cordite carrier type, that are plain, lightweight and have no rivets, cork lined and are wide rim banded top and bottom. At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the tactical potential of machine guns was not appreciated by the British armed forces. The prevalent attitude of senior ranks at the outbreak of the Great War can be summed up by the opinion of an officer (albeit expressed a decade earlier) that a single battery of machine guns per army corps was a sufficient level of issue.
Despite the evidence of fighting in Manchuria (1905 onwards) the Army therefore went to war with each infantry battalion and cavalry regiment containing a machine gun section of just two guns.
These organic (embedded) units were supplemented in November 1914 by the formation of the Motor Machine Gun Service (MMGS) administered by the Royal Artillery, consisting of motor-cycle mounted machine gun batteries.
A machine gun school was also opened in France.
After a year of warfare on the Western Front it was self-evident that to be fully effective - in the opinion of former sceptics - that machine guns must be used in larger units and some commanders advocated crewing them with specially trained men who not only thoroughly conversant with their weapons but who understood how they should be best deployed for maximum effect. To achieve this, the Machine Gun Corps was formed in October 1915 with Infantry, Cavalry, and Motor branches, followed in 1916 by the Heavy Branch. A depot and training centre was established at Belton Park in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and a base dep?t at Camiers in France.
The Infantry Branch was by far the largest and was formed by the transfer of battalion machine gun sections to the MGC. These sections were grouped into Brigade Machine Gun Companies, three per division. New companies were raised at Grantham. In 1917, a fourth company was added to each division. In February and March 1918, the four companies in each division were formed into a Machine Gun Battalion.
The Guards Division formed its own machine gun support unit, the Guards Machine Gun Regiment.
The Cavalry Branch consisted of Machine Gun Squadrons, one per cavalry brigade.
The Motor Branch was formed by absorbing the MMGS and the armoured car squadrons of the recently disbanded Royal Naval Armoured Car Service. It formed several types of units: motor cycle batteries, light armoured motor batteries (LAMB) and light car patrols. As well as motor cycles, other vehicles used included Rolls-Royce and Ford Model T cars.
The Heavy Section was formed in March 1916, becoming the Heavy Branch in November of that year. Men of this branch crewed the first tanks in action at Flers, during the Battle of the Somme in September 1916. In July 1917, the Heavy Branch separated from the MGC to become the Tank Corps, later called the Royal Tank Regiment.

The MGC saw action in all the main theatres of war, including France, Belgium, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Salonika, East Africa and Italy. In its short history, the MGC gained an enviable record for heroism as a front line fighting force. Indeed, in the latter part of the war, as tactics changed to defence in depth, it commonly served well in advance of the front line. It had a less enviable record for its casualty rate, with 62,049 becoming casualties, including 12,498 killed, earning it the nickname 'the Suicide Club'.
A fabulous and beautiful artifact of WW1 Machine Gun Corps history, that is now perfectly useable as a stunning display piece, or stick stand or waste paper basket. Top section of rear leather strap handle is now detached, but it should be easily repairable. 14 inches high x 7.5 inches across  read more

Code: 20353

A Rare Aeronautical Medal, Dated 1912, Of The Zeppelin Z3 {AKA LZ12}, Count von Zeppelin Friedrichshafen to Hamburg Flight. Showing The Flight Over The Bismark Memorial

Original, 40.5mm scarce zinc medal of the 1912 flight of the zeppelin Z3 {also known as the LZ12} over Hamburg. The airship is shown sailing over the Bismark Memorial with the city view in background. Another, the more common bronze version sold in the Dr. Kallir auction for $360 in 1999.

Another example in the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Medal, Count von Zeppelin Friedrichshafen to Hamburg Flight Commemorative Medal of Count von Zeppelin's Friedrichshafen to Hamburg Flight; Obverse: relief profile bust of von Zeppelin depicted, embossed text "GRAF FERDINAND VON ZEPPELIN"; Reverse: relief of a Zeppelin airship over Hamburg cityscape depicted, embossed text "FRIEDRICHSHAFEN - HAMBURG 700 KoM. IN 10 STUNDEN 31 5.19.1912".  read more

Code: 25601

A Very Rare, Near Mint Condition Aeronautical Table Medal for The Graf Zeppelin LZ 4 Dirigible Test Flight To Strasbourg. Hallmarked Silver, {990} Plaque. Dated August 4th 5th 1908, For The Crew Of The Zeppelin That Exploded On Its Test Flight. By Lauer

Graf Zeppelin LZ 4 Dirigible 2 day Test Flight to Strasbourg Silver medal plaque August 1908. Hallmarked 990 silver on the edge, and maker marked by Ludwig Christian Lauer within the frontal design.

Silver plaque medal for presentation of the flight, but the flight was interrupted by several serious issues, which grounded the Zeppelin mid flight, but whereupon it was blown from its mooring, caught fire, and exploded.

The trial flight finally started on 4 August 1908, when the LZ 4 lifted off at 06:22 in the morning, carrying 12 people and sufficient fuel for 31 hours of flight. The flight to Zürich had excited considerable public interest, and large crowds gathered along the route to witness the flight, which took it over Konstanz, Schaffhausen, Basel and Strasbourg. Shortly after passing Strasbourg the forward engine had to be stopped since the fuel tank in the engine gondola had been exhausted, and needed to be refilled. At this point the airship was flying light due to the heat of the sun having caused the hydrogen to expand, and was being held at a low altitude by dynamic downforce generated by flying in a nose-down attitude: with the loss of the power of one engine, it rose to an altitude of 820 m (2,690 ft), venting gas from the relief valves as it did so. At 1:58 p.m the aft engine had to be stopped for refuelling: this time the airship rose to 884 m (2,900 ft), with a further loss of hydrogen. Two further engine stoppages caused further loss of gas: by now LZ 4 was only being kept in the air by dynamic lift generated by flying with a nose-up attitude, the resultant drag reducing its speed to 16 km/h (9.9 mph), and at 5:24 pm a landing was made on the Rhine near Oppenheim, 23 kilometres (14 mi) short of Mainz. All superfluous items and five crew members were unloaded, and the flight was resumed at 10:20. Mainz was reached half an hour later, and the ship turned to begin its return journey. Further engine problems followed: a crank bearing in the forward engine melted at 1:27 am, reducing airspeed to about 32 km/h (20 mph) and it was decided to land to have the engine repaired by engineers from the Daimler works at Untertürkheim. Accordingly, LZ 4 was set down at 7:51 am at Echterdingen.

The airship was tethered and engineers removed the forward engine to make repairs, but during the afternoon LZ 4 was torn from its moorings by a gust of wind. The soldiers present as a ground handling party could not hold it down, but it was brought to earth by a crew member who had remained on board. Unfortunately, the ship came into contact with a half-dead pear tree while landing, which damaged some of the gasbags, and it immediately caught fire. The cause of ignition was later ascribed to a static charge being produced when the rubberised cotton of the gasbags was torn.

The disaster took place in front of an estimated 40 to 50 thousand spectators and produced an extraordinary wave of nationalistic support for Zeppelin's work. Unsolicited donations from the public poured in: enough had been received within 24 hours to rebuild the airship, and the eventual total was over 6 million marks were donated, at last providing Zeppelin with a sound financial base for his experiments.

Made by Ludwig Christian Lauer was a medal maker in Nuremberg, Germany. He began his business in 1848. He expanded his business and in 1860 renamed it ‘coin mint L. Chr. Lauer’. He died in 1873 and the company continued under the supervision of his wife and three sons.
He was a leading 19th-century German manufacturer of medals

55mm x 36mm, 43 grams of 990 silver  read more

Code: 25602

An Original WW2 Battle of Britain and the Blitz Period British Police 'Messenger' Brodie Pattern Helmet

Following the defeat of France, Britain and the empire was all that was left to fight Germany.

To successfully invade Britain, Germany needed to control the skies over the English channel.

This led to the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940, followed by the targeted bombing of towns and cities during the Blitz.
The Blitz
The Luftwaffe decided to change their tactics from the Battle of Britain period and started targeting civilian targets and key landmarks instead of the RAF airfields. This was known as the Blitz.

Major British towns and cities were targeted from September 1940 to May 1941. The aim was now to try and force the British to surrender, rather than attempt to destroy the RAF.
Incendiary devices were used to start fires and light up targets on the ground, before bomber planes tried to target populated areas.

The Blitz caused huge loss of life. 40,000 civilians were killed and 2 million houses were damaged or destroyed.

The British Police during WW2
Their usual tasks included keeping the peace, dealing with criminals and making sure that the traffic flowed freely in towns and cities.
The Police also had new wartime duties. They had to make sure people obeyed the wartime blackout rules, help the rescue services during and after bombing raids and search for soldiers who had deserted from the army.
Looting was a big problem. The number of bombed properties provided a big temptation to looters. Many were given fines or short prison sentences.

Black market: Many items were sold on the black market without a ration card. If caught selling on the black market then the punishment could be a fine and imprisonment.

Murder rates increased dramatically during the war. Air raids killed so many people, it was often impossible for the police to investigate all deaths and criminals took advantage of this. {Pretty much like it is today}. Murder, however, still carried the death penalty.

Juliet Gardiner, the social historian and author of Wartime: Britain 1939-1945, says that, while most people found looting despicable, examples differentiated between stealing someone's property and spotting a wireless or jewellery lying on the pavement after an air raid and reckoning that, if you didn't take it, someone else would. "Looting can be a rather elastic term," says Gardiner. "There are stories about rescue parties going to a pub and having to dig for bodies, which is a very grisly task; one of the leaders of such a rescue party found a bottle of brandy and passed it round his men to have a swig to stiffen their sinews and he was actually sentenced to six months in prison. It was mitigated on appeal, but it gives you an idea of what a broad spectrum the notion of looting could cover."

In the archives of the Imperial War Museum in London, there are detailed records of people's experiences during the blitz. The Rev John Markham, vicar of a church near the Elephant and Castle and a chief fire warden, was one who kept a detailed log. He described how one "volunteer" warden had offered to join the team. "I made a few discreet inquiries and found out that he was a burglar and that his van was full of tools," wrote Markham, "and that he'd made a point of driving all over the borough, particularly to business premises when they were hit, and diving straight into the ruins to find the safe. His only concern with us was that he wanted the cover of a warden's badge as an identity card." Markham's team would take bodies to the crypt of his church and have them guarded by a warden because otherwise people might steal their wallets or wedding rings.  read more

Code: 25576