mike-b Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 anybody else on here collect any 2nd world war bits and bobs??? i live right in the middle of east anglia which was full of yank air bases so its littered with historical intrest and with my grand farther serving in the Suffolk rgt im fasinated by it all!! and if there is anybody on here thata does collect or even sell bits im dying to get hold of some 55cal 'boys rifle' shells it was the gun issued to my grand farther when he served during the fall of singapore so im trying to get a few bits together in my collection ive got a few bits technical manual, 2 shells transport clip for the shells but im after anything boys rifle related ideally 3 more shells to fill the transport clip! there nearly indentical to .50cal shells so may be mistaken for them! heres a pic of what the look like: boys rifle on top .50 cal below and 2 boys rifle shells and an amusing training video made in the late 30's for it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixls0-iaqeA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jega Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 Hi mate heres a bit more information on the "Boys" http://www.antitank.co.uk/uk_&_canadian1.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-b Posted July 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 great link there thank you for that!!! cracking bit of kit shame theres hardly any footage of it in action! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 (edited) WW2 memorabilia is`nt something I normally collect but only yesterday I was given a MK1 Fairbairn Sykes fighting knife in it`s original scabbard. Sadly the blade is quite rusted but it should be salvagable. Edited July 21, 2013 by mudpatten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnerbob Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 WW2 memorabilia is`nt something I normally collect but only yesterday I was given a MK1 Fairbairn Sykes fighting knife in it`s original scabbard. Sadly the blade is quite rusted but it should be salvagable. Very collectable, even if rough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnerbob Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 mike-b, over the years I have collected WW 11 items and up to the present day Iraq and Balkans....never had any shells or ammo though. Seen many items from the airfields though, as you rightly say .50 shells from the B-17's etc. Good luck with your hunt for the Boyes shell cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 when i was a little fella and lived in suffolk...there was a field at the back of the house where during the war a flying fortress crashed ..the usaf took most of it away but there is still loads left mostly 50cal shells which are picked off the surface every year, the farm workers used to gather them up and make petrol lighters out of them...i used to pick them up and put them in the vice and pull the heads off and make piles of powder to burn.........i must have lived a charmed life then, i used to drive the caps out using a 6" nail and a hammer....boy they used to go off made my ears ring........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini52 Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 I had loads of ww2 stuff in the seventys,when i got into shooting i sold it all off,if i had it today would be worth a fortune,i have a 35 pattern german helmet which i brought back from the arden about seven years ago,it was rusty so i bead blasted it and restored it as it was,it just sits on top of the wardrobe now collecting dust it doesnt have the same interest any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnerbob Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 I had loads of ww2 stuff in the seventys,when i got into shooting i sold it all off,if i had it today would be worth a fortune,i have a 35 pattern german helmet which i brought back from the arden about seven years ago,it was rusty so i bead blasted it and restored it as it was,it just sits on top of the wardrobe now collecting dust it doesnt have the same interest any more. Strong possibility your helmet could, and I say could be SS. Kampfgruppe Pieper operated around and through the Ardennes...possibly never know for sure. I had an SS belt and buckle from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini52 Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 Strong possibility your helmet could, and I say could be SS. Kampfgruppe Pieper operated around and through the Ardennes...possibly never know for sure. I had an SS belt and buckle from there. When i got home i gave it a clean with some wd40,it still had some of the apple green paint showing and the national shield and the eagle and swastika,so it looks like it was just a normal army unit,the liner was well rusted so that was no use,i had some pictures done before i restored it but cant seem to find them,when i was a kid i swopped a spud gun for a ss dagger,then went on to swop it for a old bsa air rifle,i found a kriegsmarine 40 pattern helmet in a garden shed about fifteen years ago,i was doing some work on a old ladys house,i asked her about the helmet and she told me her husband had took it off a captured german ship that was berthed at liverpool docks,she told me to take it,she allso gave me two navel shells as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-b Posted July 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 well if you dont want it theres always room in my collection for more bits and lucky ****** getting given some navel shells to! quite after some more 20mm cannon shells to if anybody knows of any?? im praying for the day i come across a old pill box coverd in brambles with a lee enfield proped up in the corner a box of mills bombs and general dads army stuf!!!! keep dreaming mike! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletyne Posted July 21, 2013 Report Share Posted July 21, 2013 (edited) I used to have quite a collection a few years back of WW2 German gear Still have a party banner 10' x 4' that was one of four hanging on the front of the library in Munich removed by a Captain in the US army A few helmets Edited July 21, 2013 by castletyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 I've been selling off my collection for the past year. I started collecting ww2 german stuff when i was a kid. It seemed like a logical progression from action man! The collection stagnated for a few years but then i started investing heavilly when the prices were rising. As a kid a decent double decal lid in original condition could be picked up for less than 50 sheets, now its 10 times that and theres the increased risk of picking up a moody one. The standard of the fakery is very high now. I used to go for very unspectacular but clearly original pieces as the top end items were just too risky. A fellow collector/ dealer got stiffed on a snide para lid to the tune of £1800 a few years back. I'd have thought he'd have known better but it only goes to show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnerbob Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Cracking helmets castletyne.......some years ago I swopped a Webley Junior for an untouched M35 helmet with chicken wire, was found in the lad's loft when they moved house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Im sure there are still some attic finds to be made. I spoke to a dealer at a show a few years back and he used to follow the rag and bone man round east london as a nipper on the cadge for german stuff. The wives of ex servicemen used to sling out their bring backs and thats how he started. He had some great items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 I used to have quite a collection a few years back of WW2 German gear Still have a party banner 10' x 4' that was one of four hanging on the front of the library in Munich removed by a Captain in the US army A few helmets What sort of outfit would have used the m42 front left with the frontal decal? Nice lids by the way ct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletyne Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 What sort of outfit would have used the m42 front left with the frontal decal? Nice lids by the way ct That one is a no decal M42 helmet the swastika on the front was hand painted on It had gone yellow with age so could have been done by the vet who brought it back or possibly some biker back in the 50/60s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Had a very good collection of militaria in the past;mostly WW1,which is where my main interest lays.Still have a few bayonets. Amongst other things I think I have a German WW2 helmet in the shed if anyone is interested,and my last remaining revolver is going to be put on 'Gunwatch' when I can figure out how to get round the shotgun/rifle default settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini52 Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 I used to have quite a collection a few years back of WW2 German gear Still have a party banner 10' x 4' that was one of four hanging on the front of the library in Munich removed by a Captain in the US army A few helmets Nice collection,it reminds me of the stuff i had many years ago,i was in crete about ten years ago on holiday,cant quite remember were at the time i saw a german para helmet in a second hand shop,so goes in and asked the guy if i could have look at it,to say it was mint was a understatement,it dated 1942 with both decals and the rough sand finish,he had 1500 euros on it,the story he told me was it had been brought in by the family of old boy that poped his clogs and they found it in his wardrobe with a few other bits,i am no expert on para helmets i know there are more fakes out there then the real thing,so at the time it was around 1000 quid i reluctantly walked out,i have often thought what happend to it,know dought some one bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunnerbob Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Had a very good collection of militaria in the past;mostly WW1,which is where my main interest lays.Still have a few bayonets. Amongst other things I think I have a German WW2 helmet in the shed if anyone is interested,and my last remaining revolver is going to be put on 'Gunwatch' when I can figure out how to get round the shotgun/rifle default settings. Any chance of a pic please Scully ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the pigeon man Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 havrigg old air field is where you want to go !! they are everywhere me and other half walked dog up there year back she used to live there when she was younger and collect them as a little girl so we went up to have another look and you can still find them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 I've been selling off my collection for the past year. Tell me you've kept the nazi zombie gimp dungeon though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletyne Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Still have this ashtray if only it could talk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Tell me you've kept the nazi zombie gimp dungeon though. Obviously, der!!!!! It took so long getting the curtains right i didnt have the heart to re-do it. Its mums room now, she quite likes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Still have this ashtray if only it could talk It might say "FOR YOU ZE CIGARETTE IZ OVER!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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