WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

The Scottish Rifles, Helmet Plate, With Battle Honours, Silvered

In jolly nice condition, die cast, two lugs 10cm x 9.5cm.

The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Regiment and the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry. In 1968, when reductions were required, the regiment chose to be disbanded rather than amalgamated with another regiment, one of only two infantry regiments in the British Army to do so, with the other being the York and Lancaster Regiment. It can trace its roots to that of the Cameronians, later the 26th of Foot, who were raised in 1689. The 1881 amalgamation coincided with the Cameronian's selection to become the new Scottish Rifles.

The regiment's battle honours included:

Early wars: Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, South Africa 1846-72, South Africa 1877-8-92, Relief of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899-1902
The Great War: Mons, Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914 '18, Aisne 1914, La Bassée 1914, Messines 1914, Armentières 1914, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Loos, Somme 1916 '18, Albert 1916, Bazentin, Pozières, Flers-Courcelette, Le Transloy, Ancre Heights, Arras 1917 '18, Scarpe 1917 '18, Arleux, Ypres 1917 '18, Pilckem, Langemarck 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Passchendaele, St Quentin, Rosières, Avre, Lys, Hazebrouck, Bailleul, Kemmel, Scherpenberg, Soissonnais-Ourcq, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenberg Line, Épéhy, Canal du Nord, St Quentin Canal, Cambrai 1918, Courtrai, Selle, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914-18, Doiran 1917 '18, Macedonia 1915-18, Gallipoli 1915-16, Rumani, Egypt 1916-17, Gaza, El Mughar, Nebi Samwil, Jaffa, Palestine 1917-18
Second World War: Ypres-Comines Canal, Odon, Cheux, Caen, Mont Pincon, Estry, Nederrijn, Best, Scheldt, South Beveland, Walcheren Causeway, Asten, Roer, Rhineland, Reichswald, Moyland, Rhine, Dreierwalde, Bremen, Artlenberg, North-West Europe 1940, '44-45, Landing in Sicily, Simeto Bridgehead, Sicily 1943, Garigliano Crossing, Anzio, Advance to Tiber, Italy 1943-44, Pegu 1942, Paungde, Yenagyaung 1942, Chindits 1944, Burma 1942 '44.

Silver coloured metal, not hallmarked  read more

Code: 24444

Royal Gurkha Rifles, Pouch Belt Badge & Plate - Silver Plate "Come and fight a Gurkha!" Gurkha Lachhiman Gurung VC Who Single Handedly Fought Off & Beat 200 Japanese With One Hand Blown Off & Blinded in 1 Eye By Grenade

Considered to be one of the greatest and bravest regiments in the world. The very finest men to fight alongside, and the very, very worst to fight against.

"Ayo Gorkali" the battle cry of the Gurkhas, "The Gurkhas Are Coming", has been known to instill terror in any confronted enemy of the Gurkhas. Many battle hardened Japanese infantrymen in WW2, and Argentinian soldiers in The Falklands were known to have run and fled or surrendered immediately upon that battle cry being heard.

The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR) is a rifle regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. Unlike other regiments in the British Army, RGR soldiers are recruited from Nepal, which is neither a dependent territory of the United Kingdom nor a member of the Commonwealth.

Just one example of Gurkha heroism is Corporal Dip Prasad Pun of the 1st battalion (1 RGR) was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for an act of bravery during the War in Afghanistan in 2010. He alone defended his outpost against a force of up to 12 Taliban fighters. He fired more than 400 rounds, 17 grenades, and one mine. He resorted to fighting with his machine gun tripod after his ammunition had run out

The battle honours of the Royal Gurkha Rifles are as follows:29

Amboor, Carnatic, Mysore 1792, Assaye 1803, Ava 1852, Burma 1885–87, Bhurtpore, Aliwal, Sobraon, Delhi 1857, Kabul 1879, Afghanistan 1878–80, Kandahar 1880, Tirah, Punjab Frontier, Afghanistan 1919
First World War: La Bassée 1914, Festubert 1914–15, Givenchy 1914, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Loos, France and Flanders 1914–15, Egypt 1915, Tigris 1916, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1916–18, Persia 1918, Baluchistan 1918, Helles, Krithia, Suvla, Sari Bair, Gallipoli 1915, Suez Canal, Egypt 1915–16, Khan Baghdadi, Mesopotamia 1916–18, Persia 1916–1918, North West Frontier India 1915–17, Egypt 1915, Megiddo, Sharon, Palestine 1918, Shaiba, Kut al Amara 1915–17, Ctesiphon, Defence of Kut al Amara, Baghdad, Sharqat, Mesopotamia 1915–18
The Second World War: Tobruk 1942, El Alamein, Akarit, Tunis, Cassino 1, Poggio Del Grillo, Gothic Line, Tavoleto, Coriano, Santacangelo, Monte Chicco, Bologna, Medicina, Italy 1944-45, Jitra, Slim River, Sittang 1942, 1945, Kyaukse 1942, 1945, North Arakan, Imphal, Tuitum, Bishenpur, Tengnoupal, Shwebo, Kyaukmyaung Bridgehead, Mandalay, Myinmu Bridgehead, Fort Dufferin, Meiktila, Irrawaddy, Rangoon Road, Chindits 1943,44 & 45, Tamandu, Maymyo
Falklands War.

Picture 8 in the gallery is of Jemadar Jangia Bullets Thapa, 5th Gurkha Regiment, 1890

One of Major-General Frederick Roberts's orderlies during the 2nd Afghan War (1878-1880), Jemadar Jangia Thapa was nicknamed 'Bullets' because regimental tradition had it that he had once been hit on the forehead by a bullet which had been completely flattened without causing him the least discomfort. Thapa was admitted to the Second Class of the Order of British India in April 1897 and was selected as one of the representatives for India at the inauguration of the Australian Commonwealth in January 1901.

One of the most famous Gurkhas in the British Army

Lachhiman Gurung VC ( 30 December 1917 – 12 December 2010) was a Nepalese–British Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He is best known as the "Gurkha who took on 200 soldiers with only one hand" because of his actions in World War II.

On 12/13 May 1945 at Taungdaw, Burma now Myanmar, Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung was manning the most forward post of his platoon which bore the brunt of an attack by at least 200 of the Japanese enemy. He hurled back two hand grenades which had fallen on his trench, but the third exploded in his right hand after he attempted to throw it back, blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded but the rifleman, now alone and disregarding his wounds, loaded and fired his rifle with his left hand for four hours (all while he screamed "Come and fight a Gurkha!"), calmly waiting for each attack which he met with fire at point blank range.

His citation in the London Gazette ends with...

...Of the 87 enemy dead counted in the immediate vicinity of the Company locality, 31 lay in front of this Rifleman's section, the key to the whole position. Had the enemy succeeded in over-running and occupying Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung's trench, the whole of the reverse slope position would have been completely dominated and turned.

This Rifleman, by his magnificent example, so inspired his comrades to resist the enemy to the last, that, although surrounded and cut off for three days and two nights, they held and smashed every attack.

His outstanding gallantry and extreme devotion to duty, in the face of almost overwhelming odds, were the main factors in the defeat of the enemy.1

He received his Victoria Cross from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Lord Wavell at the Red Fort in Delhi on 19 December 1945

Four threaded mounting screw posts, with two affixing rounded nuts present.
93mm x 75mm  read more

Code: 24442

A Rare Original Handwritten German Picture Postcard From Hitler's Titanic, One of The Most Famous Ships of WW2. German Ship Sunk By Soviet Submarine with the Loss of up to 11,000 Lives Making It The Greatest Loss in Worldwide Maritime History

It is most rare to find an original, dated, addressed and handwritten postcard from the Willhelm Gustloff.

MV Wilhelm Gustloff was a German military transport ship which was sunk on 30 January 1945 by Soviet submarine S-13 in the Baltic Sea while evacuating civilian evacuees from East Prussia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Estonia and German military personnel from Gotenhafen (Gdynia) as the Red Army advanced. By one estimate, 9,400 people died, making it the largest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history.

Originally constructed as a cruise ship for the Nazi Strength Through Joy (Kraft durch Freude) organization in 1937, Wilhelm Gustloff had been requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine (German navy) in 1939. She served as a hospital ship in 1939 and 1940. She was then assigned as a floating barracks for naval personnel in Gotenhafen before being fitted with anti-aircraft guns and put into service to transport evacuees in 1945.

Headline from a German newspaper recording the disaster, translation;

​"Wilhelm Gustloff" - Disaster
​Party stormed with inquiries

​​ ​The offices of the Party and the Navy in all parts of the Reich were yesterday stormed by anxious persons, who suspect that their relatives were perhaps onboard the "Wilhelm Gustloff", which was torpedoed by a Russian submarine on January 30th at 9:00 pm in the Danzig Bay and sunk within 15 minutes. The number of victims of the "Wilhelm Gustloff" disaster is still not certain, since no office of the Party or of the Kriegsmarine can accurately say, how many Eastern refugees and members of the Wehrmacht were on board, when the ship left Gotenhafen.

​​932 saved
​ On the basis of the latest research, it must be assumed that not 8,000, as we reported yesterday, but 10 to 11,000 passengers were on board. Only 932 were saved. ​Of which 658 were members of the Kriegsmarine. Serious accusations are now being raised against the Danzig Party offices, who insisted that the "Wilhelm Gustloff" should depart on January 30th, even though the head of the Security Baltic Sea had pointed out that the necessary number of security units could not be placed before February 4.
​
​The "Wilhelm Gustloff" departed nevertheless on the 30th of January in the evening with the completely inadequate securing from an outpost boat and two R-boats. All the decks of the "Wilhelm Gustloff" were so crowded that no one could move. At the embarkation it was said, the journey takes however only a few hours.When the ship was hit by the Russian torpedo at exactly 9 o'clock pm, just an hour after the departure, hardly anybody could escape from the lower decks. Many passengers were thrown into the sea at the time the ship capsized, frozen in the icy water before they could be helped.
​
​Survivors report the horror scene, which took place after the explosion onboard the ship. All lights on board are extinguished at a stroke. In wild panic, the passengers tried to find a way to the deck despite the darkness. Hundreds of women and children were trampled to death on the stairs and corridors.
​
​Women and children
​ In the fierce battle that took place around the few rescue boats, women and children were ruthlessly pushed overboard. After just ten minutes, the 25,000 - ton ship listed hard. Five minutes later, the "Wilhelm Gustloff" capsized and took many thousands with her into the depth. Others, who had fallen from the deck or hurled into the sea, fell into the wake of the sinking ship and disappeared into the flood. The "Wilhelm Gustloff" was finished in 1937 as a KdF ship and was taken over by the Kriegsmarine in 1940 first as a hospital ship. Since March 1941 she was the home of the submarine teaching division in Gotenhafen.

The newspaper is shown for education purposes only  read more

Code: 24443

A Most Scarce Third Reich Period Deutche Luftfahrt/DLV Officer's Visor Cap Insignia, German Flyers Associoation

DLV (German Flyers Association). The German Air Sports Association (Deutscher Luftsportverband, or DLV e. V.) was an organisation set up by the Nazi Party in March 1933 to establish a uniform basis for the training of military pilots. Its chairman was Hermann Göring and its vice-chairman Ernst Röhm. Since the Treaty of Versailles officially forbade Germany from building fighter planes of any sort, the German Air Sports Association used gliders to train men still officially civilians for the future Luftwaffe. The first steps towards the Luftwaffe's formation were undertaken just months after Adolf Hitler came to power. Hermann Göring, a World War I ace with 22 victories and the holder of the Orden Pour le Mérite, became National Kommissar for aviation with former Deutsche Luft Hansa director Erhard Milch as his deputy. On 25 March 1933 the German Air Sports Association absorbed all private and national organizations, whilst retaining its 'sports' title. In April 1933 the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM – Reich Air Ministry) was established. The RLM was in charge of development and production of aircraft, and soon afterwards the test site or Erprobungsstelle at Rechlin became its testing ground, a military airfield that had been first established in August 1918. Göring's control over all aspects of aviation became absolute.

The German Air Sports Association was dissolved in 1937 and replaced with the National Socialist Flyers Corps, a corporation under public law and subordinate to Reichsluftfahrtminister Göring.  read more

Code: 23870

A Piece Of Zeppelin Air Ship, The L32 Shot Down by the Royal Flying Corps 24.9. 1916, Reshaped From A Section of The Airship With a Flattened Oval Panel, 5.2 cm Across

Made from the crashed Zeppelin’s rare alloy after it was shot down by 2nd Lt Sowrey and stamped with the airship’s designation and the date on a flat oval panel. Beautifully constructed as a souvenir for 2nd Lt. Sowrey, [later, Group Captain]

Group Captain Frederick Sowrey, DSO, MC, AFC (25 July 1893 - 21 October 1968) began his career as a World War I flying ace credited with thirteen aerial victories. He was most noted for his first victory, when he shot down Zeppelin L32 during its bombing raid on England. Having risen rapidly in rank during the war, he remained in service until 1940. Piece of the framework of German naval airship L32. This airship was shot down by 2nd Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey of 39 Squadron RFC on the night of 23/24 September 1916. It crashed near Billericay in Essex resulting in the death of all 21 crew members. The airship was under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Werner Peterson. Sowrey was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his action.  read more

Code: 18013

WW1 Middlesex Regt. Officer's Silver Cap Badge, With Rare Battalion Battle Patch

The battalion battle patch, is a very rare surviving piece of divisional command identification, here, it is set mounted behind the silver badge, as the colour designation of the regiment, and in WW1 it was often used thus so on the tropical helmet with the helmet badge together, it could also be sown separately on the uniform as a patch, with the silver badge affixed as usual on the cap, and it is very rare to see complete, the patch with its silver officer’s badge.

On the Brodie helmet it would be added as a painted regimental badge for identification.

The 1st Battalion landed at Le Havre, as line of communication troops, in August 1914 for service on the Western Front.


Lieutenant-Colonel John Hamilton Hall (standing directly in front of the Red Cross on the ambulance), the CO of the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (98th Brigade, 33rd Division), with his officers. Photograph taken during the battalion's rest near Cassel, 25 April 1918.
The 2nd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 23rd Brigade in the 8th Division in November 1914 also for service on the Western Front.[18]

The 3rd Battalion landed at Le Havre aspart of the 85th Brigade in the 28th Division in January 1915 for service on the Western Front before moving to Egypt in October 1915 and to Salonika in December 1915.

The 4th Battalion land at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 8th Brigade in 3rd Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front. Some 400 men of the 4th Battalion were killed at the Battle of Mons later that month  read more

Code: 22371

German WW2 RAD Buckle by Gustav Brehmer Markneukirchen 1937

The RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst) or Reich Labour Service was instituted to help alleviate the depression of Germany in 1934. It was similar to the WPA and other programs initiated by Roosevelt in the USA. Young men served a six month program of camp life, while taught the merits of drilling, digging, bridge and road building.  read more

Code: 19782

Original WW1 Gurkha's Kukri Field Marshall Manekshaw once said, " If someone says he does not fear death, then he is either telling a lie or he is a Gurkha".

Part of a collection of 3 original military Gurkha's kukri, two WW2 and one WW1 and a WW2 Japanese soldiers flag. All without scabbards, with very good blade with signs if combat use and surface marking and some areas of old pitting. They were all formerly on display on the walls of a [defunct in 1968] regimental officer's mess [the Royal Warwickshire Regt, moved when it merged in 1968 to become Fusilier Brigade] with a WW2 Japanese silk flag. All 4 pieces are being sold by us separately. Tempered steel blade and carved wood hilt. The Kukri is the renown and famous weapon of the Nepalese Gurkha.A Superb WW1 Gurkha's Kukri Combat Knife "Ayo Gorkali" The Gurkha Battle Call "The Gurkhas Are Coming!" Field Marshall Manekshaw once said, " If someone says he does not fear death, then he is either telling a lie or he is a Gurkha". The Gukhas are the finest and bravest, combat soldiers in the world, with legendary loyalty to the British Crown. When worn in combat it would normally be in a khaki canvas cover. Superb tempered steel blade, overall in fabulous condition. Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw once said, " If someone says he does not fear death, then he is either telling a lie or he is a Gurkha". On 12/13 May 1945 at Taungdaw, Burma now Myanmar, Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung VC was manning the most forward post of his platoon which bore the brunt of an attack by at least 200 of the Japanese enemy. Twice he hurled back grenades which had fallen on his trench, but the third exploded in his right hand, blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded but the rifleman, now alone and disregarding his wounds, loaded and fired his rifle with his left hand for four hours, calmly waiting for each attack which he met with fire at point blank range. Afterwards, when the casualties were counted, it is reported that there were 31 dead Japanese around his position which he had killed, with only one arm.In the Falklands War in 1982 the Argentinians abandoned Mount William without a fight simply because the enemy forces advancing towards them were the 2nd Battalion, 7th Ghurka Rifles. Probably the most respected and feared warriors in the world, the Gurkhas of Nepal have fought in the Gurkha regiments of the British Army for around two centuries. With a degree of loyalty and dedication that is legendary, there is no greater soldier to be at one's side when in battle than the noble Gurkha. With a Kukri in his hand and the battle cry called, "Ayo Gorkhali!" ["the Gurkhas are coming!"], no foe's head was safe on his shoulders. Battle hardened German Infantry in WW1, or WW2 Japanese Shock Troops, have been known to tremble in their boots at the knowledge that they would be facing the Gurkhas in battle. Some of the most amazing feats of heroism have resulted in the most revered medal, the British Victoria Cross [ the world's greatest and most difficult to qualify for gallantry medal] being awarded to Ghurkas. The blade shape descended from the classic Greek sword of Kopis, which is about 2500 years old.
Some say it originated from a form of knife first used by the Mallas who came to power in Nepal in the 13th Century. There are some Khukuris displaying on the walls of National Museum at Chhauni in Kathmandu which are 500 years old or even older, among them, one that once belonged to Drabya Shah, the founder king of the kingdom of Gorkha, in 1627 AD. But, some say that the Khukuri's history is possibly centuries older this. It is suggested that the Khukuri was first used by Kiratis who came to power in Nepal before Lichchhavi age, in about the 7th Century. In the hands of an experienced wielder Khukuri or Kukri is about as formidable a weapon as can be conceived. Like all really good weapons, Khukuri's or Kukri's efficiency depends much more upon skill than the strength of the wielder. And thus so that it happens, that a diminutive Gurkha, a mere boy in regards to his stature, could easily cut to pieces a gigantic adversary, who simply does not understand the little Gurkha's mode of attack and fearsome skill. The Gurkha generally strikes upwards with his Kukri, possibly in order to avoid wounding himself should his blow fail, and possibly because an upward cut is just the one that can be least guarded against however strong his opponent. Approx 18.5 inches long  read more

Code: 23722

A Rare Set of Spare Parts For A German WW2 Panzer Binocular Gun Sight

With excellent lenses.
Ideal for the collector of WW2 German military opticals, perfect as spares or for replacing lost or damaged parts. They would cost many, many times the price we ask to re manufacture, if they could even be replicated today, and may not be needed now, but to save them in case of need one day, would be exceptionally prudent and sound logic.

They could also be perfect for a collector of German WW2 Panzer military equipment at relatively minute cost.

Photo 3 in the gallery shows a complete binocular with the parts we offer in place

The beauty of these parts is that they are universal fit, even though they came from a panzer case originally they would fit kriegsmarine gun sights and luftwaffe anti aircraft sights  read more

Code: 17798

A Zeppelin Airship Post Letter, For Flight Returning to Berlin for The 1936 Olympics, on the Brazil to Germany Flight, 27 July 1936

A South American Europe Flight, the Hindenberg’s 31st flight, arrived back from Rio to Frankfurt flight and flew to arrive above Berlin at the Olympic Stadium on the 1st August the Olympics of 1936. Superb condition envelope and franked stamps.

The Hindenburg Zeppelin flew over the Olympic Arena, on the 1st of August, and the envelope was date stamped just a few days before on the 27th, midway on its journey from Brazil back to Germany, returning in order to fly at the Olympic Games opening ceremony.

The Berlin Games are best remembered for Adolf Hitler’s failed attempt to use them to prove his theories of Aryan racial superiority. As it turned out, the most popular hero of the Games was the African-American sprinter and long jumper Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump.

Television Coverage

The 1936 Games were the first to be broadcast on television. Twenty-five television viewing rooms were set up in the Greater Berlin area, allowing the locals to follow the Games free of charge.

Young Olympians

Thirteen-year-old Marjorie Gestring of the U.S. won the gold medal in springboard diving. She remains the youngest female gold medallist in the history of the Summer Olympic Games. Twelve-year-old Inge Sorensen of Denmark earned a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke, making her the youngest medallist ever in an individual event.

Debuts and Firsts

Basketball, canoeing and field handball all made their first appearances

The Hindenburg made 17 round trips across the Atlantic in 1936, its first and only full year of service, with ten trips to the United States and seven to Brazil. In July 1936 it completed a record Atlantic double crossing in five days, 19 hours and 51 minutes. Among the famous passengers was German heavyweight boxing champion Max Schmeling, who returned home on the Hindenburg to a hero's welcome after knocking out Joe Louis in New York on June 19, 1936. During the 1936 season the airship flew 191,583 miles (308,323 km), carried 2,798 passengers, and transported 160 tons of freight and mail, a level of success that encouraged the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin Company to plan the expansion of its airship fleet and transatlantic service.

The airship was reportedly so stable that a pen or pencil could be stood on a table without falling. Its launches were so smooth that passengers often missed them, believing that the airship was still docked to its mooring mast. The cost of one way passage between Germany and the United States was US$400, an especially considerable sum in the Depression era. Hindenburg passengers were generally affluent, including many public figures, entertainers, noted sportsmen, political figures, and leaders of industry.

The Hindenburg was used again for propaganda purposes when it flew over the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on August 1 during the opening ceremonies of the 1936 Summer Olympic Games. Shortly before the arrival of Adolf Hitler to declare the Games open, the airship crossed low over the packed stadium while trailing the Olympic flag on a long weighted line suspended from its gondola.

During 1936 the Hindenburg had a special Bl?thner aluminium grand piano placed on board in the music salon, although the instrument was removed after the first year to save weight. Over the winter of 1936?37, several alterations were made to the airship's structures. The greater lift capacity allowed ten passenger cabins to be added, nine with two beds and one with four beds, thus increasing the total passenger capacity to 72. In addition, "gutters" were installed to collect rain for use as water ballast: taking on rainwater ballast to compensate for the weight of fuel consumed during a voyage was more economical than venting hydrogen.

Another change was the installation of an experimental aircraft hook-on trapeze based on the system similar to the one used on the U.S. Navy Goodyear-Zeppelin built airships Akron and Macon. This was intended to allow customs officials to be flown out to the Hindenburg to process passengers before landing and to retrieve mail from the ship for early delivery. Experimental hook-ons and takeoffs were attempted on March 11 and April 27, 1937, but were not very successful, owing to turbulence around the area where the hook-up trapeze had been mounted. The loss of the ship ended all prospects of further testing.  read more

Code: 17968