WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

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 Good Condition German 1936 SS-Polizei Officer's Degan By WKC, SS {Schutzstaffel} Sigrunen Rune Stamped Blade

One of the best condition examples we have seen. It would be near impossible to find a better looking example. Near perfect condition steel degan hilt, with black ribbed grip, bound with original wire, and with its original inset badge of the Third Reich German Police, and officer's extended pommel. Blade maker marked by WKC, Solingen, with the sigrunen rune SS stamp.

The Police and the SS officers shared this common pattern of sword from 1936 onwards. Although a solely serving SS officer may have a sigrunen rune badged hilt to his sword, a Police or combined Police/SS officer may have the Police badged hilt. The Ordnungspolizei was separate from the SS and maintained a system of insignia and Orpo ranks. It was possible for policemen to be members of the SS but without active duties. Police generals who were members of the SS were referred to simultaneously by both rank titles during the war. For instance, a Generalleutnant in the Police who was also an SS member would be referred to as SS Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei. In addition, those Orpo police generals that undertook the duties of both Senior SS and Police Leader (Höhere SS und Polizeiführer) gained equivalent Waffen-SS ranks in August 1944 when Himmler was appointed Chef der Ersatzheeres (Chief of Home Army), because they had authority over the prisoner-of-war camps in their area.

Heinrich Himmler's ultimate aim was to replace the regular police forces of Germany with a combined racial/state protection corps (Staatsschutzkorps) of pure SS units. Local law enforcement would be undertaken by the Allgemeine-SS with the Waffen-SS providing homeland-security and political-police functions. Historical analysis of the Third Reich has revealed that senior Orpo personnel knew of Himmler's plan and were opposed to it. Very good blade, good scabbard with no denting some paint wear. Very good bright hilt, with just light natural age wear, just traces of old pitting to the iron scabbard. Original paint present to the scabbard  read more

Code: 25314

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

A Very Good, Rare, 1910-1918 Historically Significant General's WW1 Austrian Kepi Service Cap

In superb condition. Photos in the gallery of Archduke Franz Ferdinand wearing his identical general's cap. An Austrian general's cap for a general that was serving at the time that Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated that ultimately was the direct cause of WW1.
It is even feasible he may have been on the Arch Duke's staff when he was killed.
Austro-Hungary was the dominant junior partner of the Central Powers, controlled by Imperial Germany and the Kaiser in WW1. With leather peak and bullion cockade and bullion trim. Maker label marked. It was the assassination of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand heir to the throne of the Austro Hungarian Empire in Serbia that was the cause for the greatest conflict known to man, The Great War or WW1 as it is known today. Franz Ferdinand (18 December 1863 - 28 June 1914) was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1896 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne.

His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia. This thus caused the Central Powers (including Germany and Austria-Hungary) and the Allies of World War I (countries allied with Serbia or Serbia's allies) to declare war upon each other, thus started, World War I.
After the death of Crown Prince Rudolf, Franz Joseph's nephew, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, became heir to the throne. On 28 June 1914, Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife, Countess Sophie Chotek, were assassinated on a visit to Sarajevo. When he heard the news of the assassination, Franz Joseph said that
"one has not to defy the Almighty. In this manner a superior power has restored that order which I unfortunately was unable to maintain."

While the emperor was shaken, and interrupted his vacation in order to return to Vienna, he soon resumed his vacation to his imperial villa at Bad Ischl. With the emperor five hours away from the capital, most of the decision-making during the "July Crisis" fell to Count Leopold Berchtold, the Austrian foreign minister, Count Franz Conrad von H?tzendorf, the chief of staff for the Austrian army, and the rest of the ministers. On 21 July, Franz Joseph was apparently surprised by the severity of the ultimatum that was to be sent to the Serbs, and expressed his concerns that Russia would be unwilling to stand idly by, yet he nevertheless chose to not question Berchtold's judgment. A week after the ultimatum, on 28 July, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and two days later, the Austro-Hungarians and the Russians went to war. Within weeks, the French and British entered the fray. Because of his age, Franz Joseph was unable to take as much as an active part in the war in comparison to past conflicts. On 28 July, the Austro-Hungarians fired the first shots in preparation for the invasion of Serbia.
As Russia mobilised, Germany invaded neutral Belgium and Luxembourg before moving towards France, leading Britain to declare war on Germany. After the German march on Paris was halted, what became known as the Western Front settled into a battle of attrition, with a trench line that would change little until 1917. Meanwhile, on the Eastern Front, the Russian army was successful against the Austro-Hungarians, but was stopped in its invasion of East Prussia by the Germans. In November 1914, the Ottoman Empire joined the war, opening fronts in the Caucasus, Mesopotamia and the Sinai. Italy and Bulgaria went to war in 1915, Romania in 1916, and the United States in 1917.

The war approached a resolution after the Russian government collapsed in March 1917, and a subsequent revolution in November brought the Russians to terms with the Central Powers. On 4 November 1918, the Austro-Hungarian empire agreed to an armistice. After a 1918 German offensive along the western front, the Allies drove back the Germans in a series of successful offensives and began entering the trenches. Germany, which had its own trouble with revolutionaries, agreed to an armistice on 11 November 1918, ending the war in victory for the Allies.
A group photo in the gallery of men wearing similar helmets probably belong to the k.u.k. Husarenregiment Graf von Hadik Nr. 3, which was founded in 1703. The men of this unit came from Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Croatia. This unit was based in Sopron (today in Hungary), where this picture was taken. Another very similar cap is worn by Frederic de Teschen, Arch Duke of Austria, Duc de Teschen.  read more

Code: 22599

A WW2 MK 1 British Army Bren Gun, Made After Dunkirk In Order To Restock Britains Armoury Stock After The Disaster of Dunkirk. The Type Used by The Desert Rats in 1942/3 Against Rommel

Made in 1942. Very good condition and good markings. Fully operational action. The most accurate and easy to operate light machine gun made, in fact so accurate, a slight inaccuracy was purposely built into it's design in order that rounds did not pass through the same entry hole. No film ever made about the British and Allies in WW2 fails the show the amazing Bren in action, from the Desert Rats combat against the Afrika Corps under Rommel, to the fateful Dieppe raid, the campaigns in Italy, the Normandy landings, the Parachute regiments action into Arnham, and against the fearsome SS Panzer divisions right across France, Belgium, The Netherlands and into the heart of the 3rd Reich in Germany itself.

The world renown Bren Gun was the most faithful servant of the British Tommy, and one that he regarded as the finest of arms a soldier could be given to fight a most powerful, determined and fanatical foe. It is impossible to calculate the incredible loss of life the British and Allies forces would have suffered without the magnificent services of this amazing gun. At Dunkirk we lost tens of thousands of the pre 1941 manufactured Brens leaving us with only around 2300 to defend Britain. All the captured Brens were re-issued by the Third Reich to the German Wehrmacht such as their falshirmjager, the Afrika Korps and even the French most ardent Nazi volunteers in the Melice, and Vichy. See photos in the gallery. Thus re-armament using our factories around the commonwealth was a priority and vital. A statistic that is not discussed today is that the survival rate of the inmates of the 15 French Nazi Concentration camps was near nil, apart from POW detainees.

Sights were a bladed foresight with an aperture rear sight. System feed was a vertical box magazine of 30 round capacity (usual practice was to only fill to 28 in order to prolong the spring's life); each magazine weighed 17oz (0.48kg) empty and 2lb 12 oz (1.25kg) full.

The Bren was first produced at the RSAF Enfield in 1937.
Each gun weighed 22lb 2oz (10kg), was 45.5 in. (1155 mm) long and had a rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute. It fired the .303 in (7.7 mm) standard British rifle round.

Non EU {ie British} sales Only. Can be re-deactivated to EU/ UK spec, if required but not if not. Deactivated .303 Light Machine Gun.

The Bren was a modified version of a Czechoslovak-designed light machine gun, the ZB vz. 26, which British Army officials had tested during a firearms service competition in the 1930s. They were loved by the troops who used them as they rarely went wrong and withstood all conditions equally well. They were very accurate and because they could fire in semi auto, they were often used to pick off long range targets. It was such an effective design that in modified form, it served in the British armed forces until very recently. They can still be found in Africa and work perfectly well to this day.

Photo in the gallery of the WW2 French Milice, the German falschirmjager, and the Afrika Korps. The Milice participated in summary executions and assassinations, helping to round up Jews and résistants in France for deportation. It was the successor to Darnand's Service d'ordre légionnaire (SOL) militia (founded in 1941). The Milice was the Vichy régime's most extreme manifestation of fascism, and force of around 30,000 strong.

Any deactivated weapons sold by The Lanes Armoury are deactivated in the United Kingdom and hold London or Birmingham proof marks and a certificate stating that the weapon has been deactivated correctly. Can be re-deactivated to EU/ UK spec.  read more

Code: 25288

A Very Good Pair of German WW2 Zeiss Service Binoculars

6 x 30. Alloy frame with original black paint. Leather covered body. Original neck strap. Maker marked Carl Zeiss, Jena. Dienstglas 6 x 30 H/6400. The pattern as used by all the major services SS division personnel, Panzer officer's etc. Each eye piece focuses individually. Porro Prism Grid Scale Designation = H/6400 .The lenses provide a sharp, bright, clear view. A photo of SS-Untersturmf?hrer Franz-Josef Kneipp in the gallery wearing his service binoculars of the same type. Small chip the right eye bakelite cover  read more

Code: 17358

'Australian' WW2 Despatch or Para Helmet In Excellent Condition

A British deluxe quality pattern but bears an Australian kangaroo symbol, maybe of an Australian that volunteered and fought in the British Armed forces.

A simply superb quality helmet with a fibre skull, quilted leather interior and exterior head and neck support with air deflectors over the ear section, and a single buckled strap

Over 557,000 Australian men and women volunteered to fight overseas in WW2

Picture in the gallery of the Corps of Military Police motorcyclists demonstrate how a metal rod fitted to a motorcycle can prevent the rider from being killed by a wire stretched across the road, 25 October 1944  read more

Code: 25252