‘From Delhi to Arnhem’: 156 Parachute Battalion. Was £40 now £35 ‘From Delhi to Arnhem’: 156 Parachute Battalion. John O’Reilly First published by Thoroton Publishing Ltd., 2009 (Hardback) ISBN: 978095604402 A detailed study following the 156 Parachute Battalion, one of the first British parachute battalions, from their formation in Delhi to the Battle of Arnhem and its aftermath. With many first-hand accounts. Includes material on Operations Pegasus I and II. With over 350 b/w photographs (many previously unpublished) and 40 colour maps and illustrations. 432 pages. Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the description.

‘Off at Last’: An Illustrated History of the 7th Kings Own Scottish Borderers 1939 to 1945 Author Signed Was £60 now £50 ‘Off at Last’: An Illustrated History of the 7th Kings Own Scottish Borderers 1939 to 1945 Robert Sigmond First published by R N Sigmond in 1997 ISBN: 9789081270328 Hard to source and profusely illustrated with many rare and unseen photos. Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the description.

‘Pegasus and Orne Bridges’, Very Rare and Hard to Source, Limited & Numbered Edition. Author and Veteran Signed. Was £120 now £99 ‘Pegasus and Orne Bridges’ Very Rare and Hard to Source Limited & Numbered Edition 3/150 Author and Veteran Signed, via bookplates, with Certificate of Authentication. First published in 2009 by Pen & Sword (Hardcover) ISBN: 9781848840416 The glider-borne operation to capture Pegasus Bridge has an established place in the annals of warfare. Conducted by Major John Howard and his company of Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry it was a superbly daring, brilliantly executed \'coup de main\' assault. Equally brave was the seizure of the Orne bridges by airborne forces and the defence against ferocious German counter attacks over a prolonged period. The author who has a deep specialised knowledge of the area and period uses extensive personal accounts to tell this thrilling and inspiring story. He covers events and operations from Ranville in the East to Benouville in the West and this embraces the fierce fighting by 7th, 12th and 13th Parachute Battalions and reinforcements such as the Commandos, seaborne engineers and the Warwick’s. A gift from the author to myself and as such dedicated to ‘Gary’. A rare chance to own this very sought after version of this publication!! Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the description.

‘Red Berets and Red Crosses’: Story of the Medical Services in the 1st Airborne Division in World War. AUTHOR SIGNED!! Was £50 now £40 ‘Red Berets and Red Crosses’: Story of the Medical Services in the 1st Airborne Division in World War. Naill Cherry First published by R. Sigmond 1999 (Hardcover) ISBN: 978-9080471818 This book is a detailed account of the Medical services in the 1st Airborne division during World War II. It charts the royal Army Medical Corps and tells the history of the formation and training of its airborne units. Purchased by myself from the Hartenstein Museum during the 70th Anniversary and now getting harder to source. Author signed!! Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the description.

‘The Day the Devils Dropped In’. The 9th Parachute Battalion in Normandy, D-Day to D+6: Merville Battery to the Chateau St Come Was £40 now £35 ‘The Day the Devils Dropped In’ The 9th Parachute Battalion in Normandy D-Day to D+6 Merville Battery to the Chateau St Come Neil Barber First published in 2002 by Pen & Sword (Hardcover) The Allied assault on Hitler\'s Fortress Europe began in the dawn of 6 June 1944 with daring airborne landings by men of the Parachute Regiment. This book tells of the Paras\' first week of intense fighting from the assault on the vital Merville Battery onwards. Through personal accounts and detailed research, a full and dramatic picture is built up of the actions that occurred as the Germans desperately attempted to displace the Allies\' tenuous beachhead. Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the description.

‘When Dragons Flew’. Super Rare & Hard to Source!! An Illustrated History of the 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment, 1939-1945. Second Revised Edition. Was £120 now £99 When Dragons Flew. An Illustrated History of the 1st Battalion The Border Regiment, 1939-1945. S Eastwood, C Gray & A. Green First Published by Silver Link Publishing, 2009 (Hardcover) This new edition is comprehensively illustrated with 388 b/w photographs, illustrations & maps, and 8 colour plates of photographs & maps. 272 pages ISBN: 978-1857943498 The book chronicles the history of the 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment from the outbreak of War in September 1939, through service with the BEF in France, to its training in an independent role, then as part of the 1st Air Landing Brigade of the 1st Airborne Division from October 1941 to October 1945. The Battalion moved to North Africa in May 1943 and took part in the first major Allied glider operation of the Second World War, the landings on Sicily on 9-10 July, when tragically many lives were lost as gliders crashed in the sea. The Battalion went on to serve in Italy, then played a significant and distinguished role defending the western side of the Division’s perimeter at Oosterbeek near Arnhem in the famous Operation Market Garden of September 1944, and it is this action that receives closest attention in the book. In May 1945 the Battalion was sent to Norway to supervise the surrender of German forces. Purchased by myself from the Hartenstein Museum during the 70th Anniversary and now very rare and hard to source. Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the description.

‘Without Tradition’: 2 Para 1941-45, Author Signed and Dedicated. Was £40 now £35 Without Tradition: 2 Para 1941-45. Robert Peatling Self-published by Robert Peatling in 1994 (Hardcover) ISBN: 978-0952299202 Without Tradition is compelling and essential reading for anyone wishing to know what made parachute troops tick during WW2. Contents: 1) Enthusiastic Early Days. 2) Into Action - the Bruneval Raid. 3) Preparing for North Africa. 4) Depienne - Haphazard Adventure. 5) Tunisia - 5 Months Bitter Fighting. 6) Into Europe via Sicily. 7) Seven Months in the UK. 8) Arnhem - the Battalion Annihilated. 9) Dutch Courage and Pegasus. 10) 1945 - the Prisoners Return. 11) And 50 Years Later. 12) A Tribute to our Colonel. Appendix: A) Roll of Honour. B) Officers Who Served 2nd Battalion. C) Awards and Decorations Gained. Sadly, missing its dust jacket but author signed and a very interesting dedication worthy of further research. Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the description.

\'A Wartime Christmas\', Compiled by Marla & Andrew Hubert, 1997 Was £10 now £8 Just the tonic for that Christmas afternoon read, lovely stories and photographs from Christmas WW2.

Ack-Ack Pre-Christmas Sale To make way for new stock, Ack-Ack Militaria are holding a pre Christmas sale. 100\'s of BARGAINS, DON\'T MISS OUT, ORDER NOW!! All items previously listed before this date are now between 5% and 25% off, which will remain until further notice. New stock for Christmas will be listed soon. Register to receive news of new stock as it is added. Please note that due to new work commitments, purchased items can only be shipped on Saturdays.

British, WW1 Pattern, Brown Leather, Cavalry Boots. Was £160 now £145 A gorgeous pair of British, WW1 pattern cavalry boots in supple brown leather. The boots are in overall good order; however, four of the six leather straps have snapped at some point with some wear to the sole. Both boots have RD70 heel plates in place and appear to have the original soles. The boot pattern was first introduced into the British Army in 1913 and was still being worn throughout the Second World War. Priced to reflect condition and rarity, please refer to the photos as they form part of the description.

Early to mid 20th Century grouping of Bugle and Pre-WW1 Book: \'Army Trumpet and Bugle Sounds\'. Was £53 now £45 Copper and Brass bugle, possible REME, with a book of bugle sheet music published just prior to WW1 in 1913. Compiled by C.A. Atherley, Bandmaster 1st Royal Irish Regiment, including War and Peace calls.

Folio Society WW1 Book Grouping Was £33 now £25 ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’, Edited and introduced by Lyn Macdonald, 2000, Folio Society, London Hardback with slip case in excellent condition. Over 250 pages of First World War Poets, Brooke, Cummings, Graves, et al and profusely illustrated with B&W photographs. ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, Erich Maria Remarque, 1966 reprint, Folio Society, London. Hardback in excellent condition. Over 180 pages illustrated with 12 lithographs by Charles Keeping. Charles William Keeping (1924 – 1988), English illustrator, Carnegie Medal winner 1970. His lithographs have been exhibited in world-wide and his work can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Inter-war / Early WW2, British, Dunkirk Era Style, ‘Tommy Cooker’. Was £75 now £60 Self-contained \'solid fuel\' version of the WW1 pattern portable stove in a small tin with attachable pot stand. There were similar commercial stoves sold as the ‘Tommy\'s Cooker and the ‘Blackie’. This example is of the Blackie and is in good condition, still containing its shrunken pellet of fuel. There is some conjecture that these Blackie Cookers are of post war manufacture being that packaging refers to the Everest Expedition, however, this may not refer to the 1953 Hillary conquest of the mountain but to one of the British expeditions of the 1920’s e.g., the Mallory attempt of 1924. The final photograph shows a group of British BEF Tommie’s during the Phoney War period ‘brewing up’ with their new pattern mess tins, white enamel mugs, SRD rum ration and using a Tommy Cooker. Priced to reflect the rarity of this much sought after item of kit, photographs of which show use in the trenches of the Phoney war.

Inter-War, British, \'Easy Opener\' Clasp Knife. Was £25 now £20 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. The full range of clasp knives, colloquially known as Jack or Pen knives, that were issued to British and Commonwealth forces can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, however, those produced during the war will normally have the broad arow stamp, date, and makers name or initials. Knives with the marlin spike were generally, but not exclusively, issued to airborne, commando or naval personnel. The purpose of the spike being to work effectively with rope, line, or cords. Common features to clasp knives included, though not always, were a single edged cutting blade, slot type screwdriver head with a lanyard ring at the opposite end. Except for the navel pattern knife all models had a separate blade that served as a can opener. Later war models can be identified by their flat metal slab sides and are considered to be part of the 44 Pattern issue of equipment intended for use in the Far East. This example is known to collectors as an ‘easy opener’ and dates from somewhere between the wars. They were contracted by the WD but very rarely are W/lD marked or dated, there is some evidence that they were also contracted to the Scouting movement. Many thanks to Martin Cook for assisting in the identification of this clasp knife. Priced to reflect its missing lanyard ring and the common warpage of the slab fibre grip. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

Inter-War, British, General Service, Cap, 1938. Was £120 now £105 The General Service Cap was produced from khaki serge material similar to that of the Service or Battle Dress. A brown leather chinstrap with brass buckles, which needed to be carefully polished, was held in place by a pair of small brass buttons. The wearers regimental cap badge was also positioned to the front centre. The caps had the capability to be ‘set up’ using a short flat metal strip inserted into a specially provided pocket inside the cap under the oil cloth sweat band. The metal strip was attached to an internal wire grommet that formed the shape of the crown of the cap, this allowed all the fabric to be kept ‘taught’ and uncreased. In good condition it features its original leather strap, two small General Service buttons and is letter date stamped ‘O’ for 1938. Priced to reflect condition and rarity, please refer to the photos as they form part of the description.

Late WW2 Allied Toothbrush. Was £65 now £50 Rare chance to acquire one of the harder objects of personal kit to obtain. Price is for ONE toothbrush

Post War Era Tin Khaki Blanco. Was £35 now £25 Blanco was used to clean and waterproof webbing in the sense that it covered stains and gave the webbing a consistent appearance. First the dirt needed to be brushed off then an even coating of the wet Blanco could be applied with a sponge or small brush, common practice was to use an old tooth or shaving brush. Once dry it could be lightly brushed to remove any excess. N.B. only the outside surfaces of the webbing had Blanco applied, this kept the Blanco off the uniform and avoided any staining. We suspect that this tin was manufactured post war, by Quippy of Dunmow, Essex, preliminarily for civilian use.

Post WW2, British, National Service Clasp Knife. Was £40 now £30 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of drivi ng licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. The full range of clasp knives, colloquially known as Jack or Pen knives, that were issued to British and Commonwealth forces can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, however, those produced during the war will normally have the broad arow stamp, date, and makers name or initials. Knives with the marlin spike were generally, but not exclusively, issued to airborne, commando or naval personnel. The purpose of the spike being to work effectively with rope, line, or cords. Common features to clasp knives included, though not always, were a single edged cutting blade, slot type screwdriver head with a lanyard ring at the opposite end. Except for the navel pattern knife all models had a separate blade that served as a can opener. Later war models can be identified by their flat metal slab sides and are considered to be part of the 44 Pattern issue of equipment intended for use in the Far East. This example is dated to 1956 and was manufactured by RBS and has various stampings. Please study the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

Post-War, 1957, Concealment in the Field Was £17 now £12 Cracking little manual with lots of WW2 photographs, explains the art of concealment for the individual, units, aids to concealment, of weapons, vehicles, artillery, and communications. Ideal for re-enactment battle preparation or displays.

Post-War, British Issue, Mk IV, Helmet Shell, 1953. Was £35 now £30 A nice example of a British Mk IV helmet shell, manufactured in 1953 by ROC. Having its original black factory finish paint to inner surface and textured matt green paint to outer surface. After WW2 the Mk IV replaced the Mk III, which it closely resembled. The differences were that the rivets attaching the chinstrap to the helmet were placed much lower down on the shell and the use of a \"lift-the-dot\" fastener for the liner. These modifications allowed the Mk IV to be utilised for carrying water. The Mark III helmet was designed to provide better protection for the side of the head than its predecessor. It was a deeper helmet with a smaller brim and provided 38% more protection than the Mark II, particularly at the sides (total area of head protection was increased by 12%, horizontal protection was increased by 15% and from items falling from overhead by 11%). The Mark III helmet was issued primarily to assault troops for the Normandy invasion in June 1944, and a large number of helmets from British stocks were issued to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in addition to British units. Small numbers also went to the 2nd and 4th Canadian Divisions. All Mark III helmets in Canadian stores were returned to the UK shortly after the end of World War II. Note: This item does not have the liner or chin strap and is for the shell only.

Post-War, British, 49 Pattern, Battledress Grouping, 1951 & 1954, National Service. Was £95 now £85 After the Second World War, individual Commonwealth nations developed their Battledress uniform into both a parade and. a field uniform. The new British 1949 Patter Battledress had several changes from its WW2 predecessor. It was given broad lapels with an open collar. It was worn with a collared shirt and tie. The map pocket was moved to the sides. Etc. Priced to sell, please refer to the photos as they form part of the description.

Post-WW2 British, Anti-Dimming Outfit. Was £20 now £15 The problem of respirator lenses dimming first occurred in WWI and led to the development of Glaso Anti-Dimming Paste that was smeared over the lenses to prevent condensation. In 1938 two new types of anti-dimming samples were tested; Liquid (G1: being a brown, alcohol-water solution) and Paste (P1: based on a substance called Turkey Red Oil), both were found to give good visibility for about an hour, but the paste appeared more practical and became the basis for future outfits. Up until 1945 the issued kits went through four marks, Mk III to Mk VI, with later post-war marks appearing after 1945. This is a Mk 7. and was most commonly found in the Lightweight Respirator haversack which had a special pocket in the base for storage, held by a metal press stud. Priced to reflect later date but outstanding condition.

Post-WW2, British, Dubbin Protective No1, 2 Oz Cat. No. H.A. 13530 Was £20 now £15 Dubbin was used as a protective measure against gas. It was rubbed into the leather to provide a waterproof seal and to prevent the absorbing of gas. This post-war example comes with most of its contents and is in very good condition. Priced to reflect post-war date, contents and good condition.

Pre/Early WW2 British, Complete Album of Cigarette Cards of ‘National Importance’: Air Raid Precautions. Was £25 now £20 A complete album of cigarette cards relating to Air Raid Precautions with a large section relating to Anti-Gas equipment and procedures. Beautiful art work with some superb images relating to anti-gas!!

RARE WW2 British, Denim Overall Blouse, Size 11, 1941. Was £285 now £225 Denim overalls produced early in the war have the same looks as the Battledress Serge, while later they followed similar changes as to the 1940 Austerity Battledress. These two-piece utility uniforms were made from Denim and used removeable, revolving shank buttons to avoid damage whilst laundering. As with the single piece overalls they were designed to be worn over the usual uniform to aid protection. They were most notable and well known as the early issue uniform for the newly formed LDV and Home Guard and were often worn during the Italian campaign. This example has been ‘very lightly’ worn, is in very good condition and comes in a very useful large size No. 11: Height: 6’1” to 6’2” Breast: 39” to 41” Waist: 34” to 36” I have included an image of myself wearing both the Blouse and trousers and I am 6’2” and at the time had a 35” waist. The blouse was manufactured in 1941 by The Osband Knitwear company, having all the original buttons and buckle. There are some very light ‘oil’ stains to the right-hand sleeve and breast pocket plus evidence of insignia being applied to the shoulder epaulette, otherwise the blouse is in exceptional order. Priced to reflect the exceptional condition and sizing of this hard to source item of uniform.

RARE WW2 British, Dunkirk Era, Box of Six, MKI, Anti-Gas Eye Shields, 1938. Was £65 now £45 Eyeshields were a simple plastic visor designed to protect the eyes from gas spray. These are examples of the first of three MK\'s. One packet of six was issued to each man. Clearly marked and dated to November 1938 A rare chance to acquire these now hard to source items!!

RARE WW2 British, Dunkirk Era, Box of Six, MKII, Anti-Gas Eye Shields, 1939. Was £55 now £45 Eye shields were a simple plastic visor designed to protect the eyes from gas spray. These are examples of the second of three MK\'s. One packet of six was issued to each man. Clearly marked and dated to ‘EJB 1939’ it is clear to see by the staining to the envelope, one of the modifications made to the MKII’s that made them different to the MKI’s i.e., a green strip of oil cloth was stapled at the top edge and is backed by a piece of white flannel for added comfort and sweat absorption. Other changes being a one-piece elastic headband and a pressed edge to the plastic giving increased strength. A rare chance to acquire these BOXED and now hard to source items!!

Spanish Civil War Era, ‘Alpargatas’ (Espadrilles). Was £69 now £55 Typical Spanish alpargatas rope and tar-soled, canvas espadrilles as worn by both sides in the conflict but mostly associated with the Republican militias. This ‘salty’ pair from the SCW era, has seen quite a lot of wear; however, the canvas is solid, and they have an interesting field repair of some string to replace one of the canvas straps. A rare chance to acquire a period correct item of footwear that would enhance any Spanish Civil War kit collection. Acquired from Spain during the 1980’s.

Spanish Civil War, Patch for the Communist U.G.T. Was £27 now £20 The U.G.T. or General Union of Workers, was a communist/socialist workers union who formed militia units the fight the fascist, pro-Franco Nationalist forces. Particularly known as one of the militia units fighting in the defence of Madrid. This patch is in mint, un-issued condition and was machine embroidered and manufactured by Tovarra de Saville.

Spanish Civil War, People’s Army of the Republic, Transmissions (Signaller’s) Badge. Was £175 now £120 A stamped in relief example of the Transmission’s metal badge, with some minor paint loss and still retaining its soldered fixing ‘prongs’ to the rear, often found missing. A rare and much sort after item of insignia, approx. 5cm in diameter.

Spanish Civil War, Republican, ‘Isabelino’ Barrack Cap with Red Star Insignia of the Peoples Republic. Was £249 now £190 The Barrack Cap known or ‘Isabelino’ was worn by both Nationalist and Republican forces during the conflict, however, Republican service men and women preferred to remove the arm-of-service tassel from the front of the cap. This mint and un-issued example retains its red for infantry piping and is clearly stamped as a size ‘2’, however, it is very small. Retaining its red star insignia to the Army of the People’s Republic. Priced to reflect its rarity in the UK, insignia and it being a rare Republican survivor, as much was destroyed during the Franco period. Acquired from Spain during the 1980’s.

Spanish Civil War, Republican, Canteen. Was £77 now £60 Canteens were issued to combatants of both sides in the conflict, however, this unusual canteen manufactured from copper, as such, was probably in use by Republican forces. Still retains its original cork stopper with leather and steel chain strap. Acquired from Spain during the 1980’s.

Spanish Civil War, Republican, M1923/6 Cartridge Pouch. Was £35 now £25 M1923/6, leather cartridge pouch, as issued by the People’s Army, Militia, and International Brigade. The pouch itself is in good order, however, the rear straps have not fared so well and have ‘field repairs’ of undetermined age. Priced to reflect condition, would display on a mannequin very well or for re-enactment purposes.

Spanish Civil War, Republican, Overseas, ‘Isabelino’ Barrack Cap. Was £199 now £130 The Barrack Cap known or ‘Isabelino’ was worn by both Nationalist and Republican forces during the conflict, however, Republican service men and women preferred to remove the arm-of-service tassel from the front of the cap. This mint and un-issued example retains its red for infantry piping, is the paler colour used for overseas caps and is clearly stamped as a size ‘5’, however, it is VERY small. Priced to reflect its rarity in the UK, insignia and it being a rare Republican survivor, as much was destroyed during the Franco period. Acquired from Spain during the 1980’s.

Spanish Civil War, Republican, Ratio 2:3 Military Flag. SPECIAL, SPECIAL OFFER!! Was £865 now £695 The flag of the Second Spanish Republic, known in Spanish as ‘la tricolor’, was the official flag of Spain between 1931 and 1939 and was the flag of the Spanish Republican government in exile until 1977. The flag began to be used on April 27, 1931, thirteen days after municipal election results led to the abolition of the monarchy and the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic. This same flag had been previously displayed by certain Republican groups as an alternative to the red-and-yellow flag that they identified with the Bourbon Monarchy, because of this previous use, the young republic eagerly adopted this symbol. The flag presented to the army of the nation on May 6 with the following words: \"The national uprising against tyranny, victorious since April 14, has hoisted a flag that is invested by means of the feelings of the people with the double representation of the hope of freedom and of its irreversible triumph.\" The flag was formed by three horizontal bands of the same width, red, yellow, and dark purple. The military version of the flag, with a proportion of 2:3 and without the coat of arms was used by Republican Army units, with the International Brigades adding a three-pointed red star to the centre. This ‘salty, battle scarred’ flag is a very, very rare chance to acquire an almost irreplaceable relic of the conflict. Priced to reflect the symbolism and rarity of an extraordinary survivor from the period of Franco’s dictatorship where such objects were destroyed for fear of arrest.

Spanish Civil War, Spanish, Model M26 Helmet. Was £145 now £105 Used by both Republican and Nationalist forces this M1926, colloquially known as the Trubia, retains much of its original paint finish, original leather and cloth liner and has had field modifications made to the leather chin strap. A good salty example of these increasingly hard, in original condition, helmets to find. Sourced in Spain during the 1980\'s. The Franco dictatorship led to the destruction of the majority of Republican items making these pieces rare and hard to source. I will be listing more Spanish Civil War items soon.

United States Marine Corps, Officers, ‘Tropical’ Peaked Cap. Was £160 now £140 A nice \'salty\' example of a USMC, officers, Tropical, peaked cap. Named to Lieutenant H. Allan Wright and retaining its Eagle and Anchor badge. Worthy of further research, however, we believe that this may have belonged to HENRY A. WRIGHT, 2LT, USMC, killed in action on February 6, 1968 by small arms fire from North Vietnamese forces. He was a platoon commander with Company D, First Battalion, Seventh Marines. He had been in Vietnam for just over a month. The son of Roy E. Wright and Marjorie J. Wright of Oakland CA, Henry was commissioned on June 7, 1967 and entered into service with the US Marine Corps at the US Naval Academy. Arriving in Vietnam on January 5, 1968 2dLt Wright was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion 7th Marines 1st MARDIV (Rein) FMF. On February 6 at approximately 08:45 CAP B-4 located in the hamlet of La Chau became engaged with an enemy force and requested assistance. Company D, nearby on Hill 47 deployed a two squad reaction force supported by an M48A1 Tank to the scene of the fire fright. Approaching La Chau the Tank struck a mine becoming disabled as the Marines began to receive heavy automatic weapons fire, B-40 rockets were fired at the Tank setting it ablaze. Additional reinforcements and air support was requested by the Marines. The action resulted in the deaths of eight Marines and one US Navy Corpsman, including 2Lt Wright who died as a result of a gunshot wound. Twenty men were also wounded during the fire fights with the enemy forces. 2Lt Wight received a posthumous award of the Bronze Star Medal with combat \"V\" for \"heroic achievement while serving as a Platoon Commander ...on 6 February 1968..\" A Bronze Star Medal with combat \"V\" was awarded posthumously to Henry A. WRIGHT by the Commandant of the Marine Corps in the name of the President of the United States. Henry was killed in action 6 Feb. in Vietnam. The medal was sent to his mother, and notification to the class was made by his uncle, Capt. Gerald S. Norton, USN \'39. The citation stated: \"For heroic achievement while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company D, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in the Republic of Vietnam on 6 February 1968. While conducting operations in Quang Nam Province, two squads of Company C suddenly came under intense small-arms and automatic weapons fire from an estimated hostile force of two companies entrenched along a tree line in the vicinity of the village of La Chau. Upon learning of the situation, Lieutenant Wright immediately organized a reaction platoon and expeditiously moved his unit to the area of the fire fight to reinforce the beleaguered Marines. Arriving in the battle area, he completely disregarded his own safety as he exposed himself to enemy fire to move to a vantage point where he could analyze the situation and more effectively control and direct the actions of his men. He led an aggressive assault against hostile emplacements by skillfully directing his men by fire and maneuver across an open rice paddy in an attack that breached the center of the enemy line. When his radio operator was seriously wounded, without hesitation he placed the radio on his back and carried the injured Marine to a secure position, where he gave first aid to him. Quickly returning to his platoon, he continued to direct and influence the actions of his men and provide effective covering fire for the extraction of the wounded and the movement of his men to defensive positions, until he was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Due largely to his bold initiative and fearless action, he was instrumental in accomplishing the hazardous mission and saving several of his fellow Marines from further injury or possible death. His superior leadership, steadfast courage and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk inspired all who observed him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.\"

WW1 / WW2 Era, ‘Private Purchase’, Cutthroat Razor. Was £45 now £35 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. Until 1916, it was a statutory requirement for all members of the British Army to wear a moustache. Uniform regulation command number 1695 stipulated “the hair of the head will be kept short. The chin and the under-lip will be shaved, but not the upper lip…”. It is not clear how far this order was rigidly enforced but until General Sir Neville Macready, who apparently hated moustaches, repealed the order in October 1916 British soldiers were moustachioed! Nonetheless, shaving was still required; to appear stubbly was still effectively a breach of regulation. In the dirty environment of the trenches, without access to running water, basins, towels and even privacy, how did men even manage to shave? In some regiments, rules were relaxed in times of action meaning that stubble was permitted, although soldiers were expected to take the first opportunity to attend to their beards in calmer conditions. In the field, though, even obtaining clean water to shave was no easy matter. Complete washing was an irregular occurrence. According to one account, a single tub of water served for the whole company. Instead, soldiers might get a cursory wash of face and hands at best. In such circumstances ingenuity was required. Some soldiers took to using cold tea as shaving water – better than drawing water from a muddy puddle although even this likely sufficed in an emergency. Manufactured by Henry Hobson and Son’s, Sheffield. Priced to reflect good overall condition, would enhance any WW1 or WW2 collection or display. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW1 & WW2 Era Toothbrush. Was £55 now £45 First half of the 20th Century unmarked toothbrush that would make an excellent addition to any wash roll or kit layout. In good unused condition, however, it is recommended that for hygiene purposes it is used for display only.

WW1 British / Commonwealth Service Number & Unit Marked Fork and Spoon. Was £37 now £30 A good clean pair of what appear to be private purchase fork and spoon, service number and unit marked: PLY (possibly Royal Marines Plymouth Division RMLI) FS 22183 The fork was manufactured by Hutton’s of Sheffield with the markers mark for the spoon being obscured but appears to have been made in Birmingham. Worthy of some future research.

WW1 British Army, ‘Issue’, Cutthroat Razor. Was £65 now £55 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. Until 1916, it was a statutory requirement for all members of the British Army to wear a moustache. Uniform regulation command number 1695 stipulated “the hair of the head will be kept short. The chin and the under-lip will be shaved, but not the upper lip…”. It is not clear how far this order was rigidly enforced but until General Sir Neville Macready, who apparently hated moustaches, repealed the order in October 1916 British soldiers were moustachioed! Nonetheless, shaving was still required; to appear stubbly was still effectively a breach of regulation. In the dirty environment of the trenches, without access to running water, basins, towels and even privacy, how did men even manage to shave? In some regiments, rules were relaxed in times of action meaning that stubble was permitted, although soldiers were expected to take the first opportunity to attend to their beards in calmer conditions. In the field, though, even obtaining clean water to shave was no easy matter. Complete washing was an irregular occurrence. According to one account, a single tub of water served for the whole company. Instead, soldiers might get a cursory wash of face and hands at best. In such circumstances ingenuity was required. Some soldiers took to using cold tea as shaving water – better than drawing water from a muddy puddle although even this likely sufficed in an emergency. This example is W /I D marked, has the owner’s abbreviated service number and was manufactured by Hunter and Son, Sheffield. Priced to reflect good overall condition. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW1 British, original ‘pack-filler’, Comforts Tea and Sugar tin. Was £55 now £45 After the war, reflecting on the Allied victory, some authors cited the restorative effects of tea as part of a winning strategy. In 1921, British neurologist M. Allen Starr noted: ‘During the war English troops were freely supplied with tea and carried it instead of water in their canteens’. The British Army’s Surgeon-General Annesley de Renzy wrote: ‘All I can say is that on a long march, and where troops are exposed to great hardships, a cup of Assam tea is one of the most sustaining and invigorating beverages a soldier could have’. More recently, authors Ian and Iris MacFarlane have suggested tea was both stimulating and relaxing: ‘The caffeine stimulates and relaxes both the mind and body, adds to the confidence of the drinker, and so makes him more efficient as a fighter. The caffeine also combats stress and injury; hence the immediate response of most British people after any accident is to offer or drink a hot cup of sweet tea’. Sectioned in the middle with embossed lids to each end: ‘Tea and Sugar Box’. Plated ‘silver to the outside and ‘gold’ to the inner, some rust spotting but in overall good condition. I have period tea for sale else where on the site!!

WW1 Era, ‘Private Purchase’, Cutthroat Razor with box. Was £55 now £40 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. Until 1916, it was a statutory requirement for all members of the British Army to wear a moustache. Uniform regulation command number 1695 stipulated “the hair of the head will be kept short. The chin and the under-lip will be shaved, but not the upper lip…”. It is not clear how far this order was rigidly enforced but until General Sir Neville Macready, who apparently hated moustaches, repealed the order in October 1916 British soldiers were moustachioed! Nonetheless, shaving was still required; to appear stubbly was still effectively a breach of regulation. In the dirty environment of the trenches, without access to running water, basins, towels and even privacy, how did men even manage to shave? In some regiments, rules were relaxed in times of action meaning that stubble was permitted, although soldiers were expected to take the first opportunity to attend to their beards in calmer conditions. In the field, though, even obtaining clean water to shave was no easy matter. Complete washing was an irregular occurrence. According to one account, a single tub of water served for the whole company. Instead, soldiers might get a cursory wash of face and hands at best. In such circumstances ingenuity was required. Some soldiers took to using cold tea as shaving water – better than drawing water from a muddy puddle although even this likely sufficed in an emergency. Manufactured by Hunter and Son, Sheffield. Priced to reflect good overall condition and box, would enhance any WW1 or WW2 collection or display. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW1, British, ‘Acting’ Sergeant Armband. Was £75 now £65 These ‘Acting Sgt’ stripes/chevrons came from the effects of G. Moss, Machine Gun Corps who saw action during the Somme campaign on Thiepval Ridge 26th - 30th September. They appear to be field made from part of a tunic sleeve, utilising a tunic button and what appears to be a button from a mess tin cover? Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description. A rare and unusual item worthy of further research.

WW1, British, ‘The Young Officers Guide to Knowledge’, Harrison & Sons Ltd, 1917. Was £25 now £20 A good copy, written Capt. C.G. Massie Blomfeld, in its Fifth and Enlarged addition.

WW1, British, Silver SIXPENCE, 1918. Was £15 now £12 A WW1, British silver ‘Sixpence’ dated 1918. A great little pocket filler or would be a great addition for a vintage Christmas Pudding. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW1/2 British SRD (Supply Reserve Depot) Rum Jar. Was £47 now £40 Soldiers on active service could be issued with 2.5 fluid ounces (1/8 of a pint) of rum at the discretion of their commander or on the recommendation of their medical officer. It was commonly issued during or after the dawn ‘stand-to’. Marked with the letters SRD which stood for ‘Supply Reserve Depot’; other, more ironic interpretations of the initials have included: ‘Seldon Reaches Destination’, Service Rum Diluted’ and ‘Soon Runs Dry’. In good condition with no maker mark, appears to have been abraded away from the bottom surface.

WW2 British ‘Excavated’, Hudson ARP, Relic Whistle with Provenance (working!!). Was £75 now £65 A rare survivor of the Southampton Blitz, this ARP whistle, manufactured by Hudson & Co. of Barr Street, Hockley, Birmingham was recovered in the early 1960’s during the restoration of Quilter Vault that was used as an air raid shelter. The item comes with written and photographic provenance (refer to final photo), which will be forwarded to the purchaser along with the whistle. The item has a fantastic patina and will display really nicely!! Quilters Vault is located on the West side of the lower end of the High Street, Southampton, between Porters Lane and Broad Lane. The Royal George Hotel at 88-89 High Street used to stand above it. It became known as the “Quilters” after the landlord and landlady of that name who ran the Royal George in the 19th century. The vault was probably erected during the late 13th century and is internally semi-circular of rubble construction. It is 18.7 metres long by 6.2 metres wide running east to west. The hotel above the vault, when the vault was being used as a shelter, was destroyed during the blitz of 1940 and the vault is now on open land. In itself not an unusual item, however, please refer to the photographs carefully as they form part of the description, priced to reflect the rarity and provenance, worthy of further research. Left for the purchaser to display as they wish!! Copy the links below, you will need to cut and paste, for an interesting film about the Southampton Blitz, the last of which specifically shows the vaults: https://youtu.be/1lQrInAeYBw https://youtu.be/YxnWQTbyGcw https://youtu.be/0WiwapOIpD4

WW2 British Aluminium Early Pattern Mess Tin, Dunkirk Era, 1939. Was £65 now £45 The British Army on introduction of the 37 Pattern Kit decided to replace the older D-shaped mess tin for something more suitable to modern warfare. They adopted a rectangular pair of nesting aluminium tins with a folding steel handle. These proved to be lighter and more hygienic than the older model, however, these were quickly withdrawn to use the aluminium for aircraft production. This single tin, being the smaller \'inner\' tin of the pair, is a very rare survivor. Manufactured by E&C in 1939 it is Broad Arrow marked and has the even rarer welded fixture. One small hole to the corner edge, refer to photo\'s, and priced accordingly. I will be listing a pair of the same pattern early aluminium mess tins their mess tin bag soon.

WW2 British Amphibious Assault Life Belt, 1943. Was £100 now £85 Produced to be worn on amphibious operations by troops, these models needed to be manually inflated by means of a nozzle to the front and were held in place by cotton tapes. This 1943 dated example is in good order, profusely stamped and would enhance any D-Day or Rhine crossing collection or mannequin. Priced to reflect condition.

WW2 British Army ‘Tent Heater’. Was £95 now £80 British army tent heater comprising porcelain burner, shield, copper heating element and storage tin. Dated 1943 with tin manufactured by the Metal Box company. A rare piece of kit designed to heat the British ‘Pup Tent’ by the burner heating the copper mesh which would then radiate heat. Also used to ‘brew-up’ by placing the standard enamel mug on the top, refer to listed ‘Tea Ration’ tin listed on the site.

WW2 British Army Bush, ‘Slouch’ Hat, 1942, Size 6 ½, Badged to Royal Engineers. Was £289 now £235 Colloquially known as the ‘Slouch Hat’, ‘Wide Awake’ or ‘Smasher’, the ‘Bush Hat’ was the most highly prized of British tropical headwear. Introduced at the start of the 20th Century it soldiers were particularly fond of it as it shielded the eyes from the sun, sheltered the wearer from the rain and on patrol kept leeches away from the neck. Ventilation was provided by plain, painted steel eyelets placed on either side of the crown, around which the ‘Puggaree’, a long length of muslin wound around its circumference, could be wetted to keep the wearer cool via evaporation. The left side of the brim could be raised and fastened up by a pressure stud, allowing for easier carrying of the rifle. Arm of service flashes were often sewn onto the upturned side of the upturned brim. Most of these hats were manufactured in the UK. This example is in outstanding condition with little to no moth damage, maintains its original leather liner and chin strap and was manufactured by Elliot & Co. in 1942. Sized at 6 ½ it also still retains the owner’s addition of a SMLE stripper clip to keep the crown crease nice and sharp. Difficult to up-grade, an excellent example of this much sort after piece of headwear.

WW2 British Army Cigarette ‘Compo’ Ration Tin (Larger Format; Cylindrical). Was £80 now £65 The grey cigarette tin was included in the 14 man ‘compo’ ration issued to troops in the field. The tin contained 50 cigarettes and was designed to be opened and distributed between the men on the battlefield. In addition to tea, cigarettes were one of the most important comfort items available to troops. As well as commercially available items, usually purchased at the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Forces Institute), many were part of the issued rations and were often used like money for wagers in card games, etc. Most cigarettes were available in boxed packets of ten or packed tins of fifty. Lighters were usually a private purchase item with boxes of matches readily available for lighting cigarettes, stoves, etc. Priced to reflect rarity and fair condition.

WW2 British Army Cigarette Ration Tin (Larger Format) Grouping. Was £130 now £110 An example of the larger sized, issue, ration tin with some contents. Contains a complete packet of ‘Mogul’ cigarettes and a larger box of the very rare ‘Bryant & May’s, Royal Wax Vestas’ period matches. In addition to tea, cigarettes were one of the most important comfort items available to troops. As well as commercially available items, usually purchased at the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Forces Institute), many were part of the issued rations and were often used like money for wagers in card games, etc. Most cigarettes were available in boxed packets of ten or packed tins of fifty. Lighters were usually a private purchase item with boxes of matches readily available for lighting cigarettes, stoves, etc. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. Priced to reflect condition and period contents.

WW2 British Army Cigarette Ration Tin (Larger Format). Was £110 now £90 An example of the issue, pocket-sized cigarette ration tin in extremely good condition. In addition to tea, cigarettes were one of the most important comfort items available to troops. As well as commercially available items, usually purchased at the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Forces Institute), many were part of the issued rations and were often used like money for wagers in card games, etc. Most cigarettes were available in boxed packets of ten or packed tins of fifty. Lighters were usually a private purchase item with boxes of matches readily available for lighting cigarettes, stoves, etc. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. Priced to reflect the good condition of this much sought after ration tin.

WW2 British Army Housewife, 1943. Was £65 now £58 The WW2 British army Housewife, or ‘Hussif’, was issued to all troops to enable them to carry out running repairs in the field. This example has no markings; however, it does contain a 1943 dated packet of 5 needles, 4 for sewing and one for darning. It also contains two balls of darning wool, fifty yards of sewing thread, ‘Bakelite’ thimble and a range of brass and steel buttons from various manufactures. With some external storage marks an excellent addition to any small pack collection.

WW2 British Army Issue Soap Grouping. Was £47 now £40 British army 44 pattern issue soap tin with an original bar of ‘Lifebuoy’ soap. Tin is broad arrow stamped and dated 1945

WW2 British Army One Pint Ceramic Tea Mug, 1943. Was £65 now £55 A rare survivor, this ceramic, one pint tea mug is dated 1943 with a clear George VI cipher, manufactured by Barker Brothers Ltd. of Derby as part of their Royal Tudor Ware range. One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea. Priced to reflect good condition and would make an excellent addition for any display of army NAAFI or barrack life.

WW2 British Army Tea Ration Tin Was £95 now £85 One of the rarer and more sought-after ration tins. To overcome providing ‘Tommy’ with hot brew in the front lines an instant tea was issued with milk and sugar already included in the mix, so a soldier just had to add water. One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea. Manufactured from pressed steel and issued in the standard sized tin used for emergency rations, cigarettes etc: I also have the opportunity for you to purchase unopened packets of WW2, 4 Oz, Ty-Phoo Tea, which can also be found in ‘WW2 British personal kit, pack fillers and comfort’. *Note: no contents.

WW2 British Army, ‘Commandeered’, Mk V. Roadster Bicycle, No 4276. Was £495 now £399 Purchased by myself many years ago for Home Guard and Royal Engineers Reenacting the bicycle is as found. We believe that the bicycle is an early Mk. V Roadster, commandeered shortly after the outbreak of war, as the green paint has been roughly applied over the original black stove enamel. I am sure that experts out there will correct me if we are wrong, the listing will be changed to reflect any new information that arrives. We have retained the original wheels, three speed ‘hub’ and slightly bent crank so that the purchaser can return to its original state. We have replaced the seat with a period correct leather saddle for comfort, note that the original ‘economy’ saddle that came with the bicycle is also available, please refer to item number 491. I have included an image of myself using the the cycle during a Home Guard reenactment. **NOTE: Item shipped by buyers own arrangement and cost or can be picked up from the Southend on Sea area of the UK. Shipping can be arranged by courier for £65

WW2 British Army, Economy Mk. V, Economy, Bicycle Seat. Was £65 now £55 A somewhat rare item this a used but usable example of the economy war time British Army Mk. V bicycle saddle. Covered in what appears to be an oil cloth or canvas material, this item originally came with the Mk. V roadster also available on the site, item number 503. Priced to reflect rarity and condition.

WW2 British Army, Machete and Scabbard, 1945. Was £170 now £155 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. During WW2 British and Commonwealth forces were issued with machete’s as opposed to an axe or smaller hatchet for field use and could be used for most tasks short of cutting down trees. This late war machete was part of the 44 Pattern equipment, designed for jungle use in the Far East, and featured an American style webbing scabbard with wire hanging loops designed to work with the grommets found on 44 Pattern belts and haversacks. The blade was 17.5” long with an overall length of 22.5”. The machete itself has black plastic grips and marked with a code of ‘AF 0100’. At least six British manufactures have been identified during 1945. Priced to reflect rarity and condition with some minor ‘discolouration’ to the blade and a mint unissued scabbard. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW2 British Army, Woodworking Gouges, 1939. Was £35 now £20 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. A pair of British Army, cast steel, woodworking gouges, broad arrow marked, clearly dated 1939 and manufactured by ADDIS. Priced to reflect good overall condition. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW2 British Civil Defence Gas Decontamination MKII Helmet, 1939. Was £145 now £110 A good example of a Civil Defence gas \'Decontamination\' British MKII helmet with a large 7 ¼ sized liner comprising the early foam pad and is dated 1939, some minor rust to inner rim, however the outer surface has only minor crazing and scratched with a clear \'DC\' hand painted to front. A very desirable Civil Defence item that will display well. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’.

WW2 British Home Front ‘Coin Grouping’. Was £55 now £45 A fantastic grouping of pre-1945 coins with a WWII era coin purse. A great pocket filler!! Farthing: x1, 1944 Pennies: x4, 1928, 30, 36 & 40 ‘Threepenny Bit’: x1, 1937 ‘Silver’ Three Pence: x4, 1931, 34, 39 & 40 ‘Silver’ Sixpence: x2, 1929 & 43 ‘Silver’ Shilling: x1, 1939 ‘Silver’ Half Crown: x1, 1931 Priced as a multiple of current individual coin values as of October 2023. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 British Home Front ‘Ticket Grouping’. Was £35 now £25 An unusual set of WWII dated public transport tickets with their original ‘cottage industry’ manufactured copper ticket holder. A great pocket filler!! Priced to reflect rarity. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 British Homefront ARP ‘Paragon’ First Aid Shoulder Bag with Contents. Was £139 now £110 An excellent, clean example of the canvas, ARP ‘Paragon’ First Aid shoulder bag with supple leather straps and contents. Contents include Shell Dressing, various bandages, Safety pins, torniquet, etc. Also includes a superb St. Johns triangular bandage with beautiful instructional graphics.

WW2 British Issue ‘Lifebuoy’ Soap Was £30 now £25 An unissued bar of issue ‘Lifebuoy’ soap, we think that this was of ‘Victorian’ manufacture but would have been held in stores and issued through WWI and into WWII. X2 available Priced to reflect rarity. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 British Issue Shaving Brush, 1944. Was £30 now £25 A mint and unissued, bristle and horsehair shaving brush, manufactured in 1944 by Britton Brush Co Ltd. Priced to reflect mint condition. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 British Issue, ULTRA-RARE FIRST ISSUE, Water Sterilizing Kit. Was £65 now £55 A ‘grubby’ on the outside but ‘ultra-rare’, first issue, Water Sterilizing Kit as identified by the early cork stoppers. Later issue bottles having metal screw caps. Priced to reflect rarity. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 British Mk V Brake Pad Sleeves. Was £25 now £20 WW2 British Mk V brake pad sleeves, still with their coat of British Army paint. For use with rod brakes, sold as seen therefore refer to photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 British Mk V Rear Wheel Bike Rack. Original WW2, British Army cycle racks are getting harder to find, this example has its original paint, some surface rust but is in solid and original condition. Has the cut out area to allow for the rifle to be slung on the frame. Perfect for finishing that restoration project. Sold as seen, please refer to photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 British Number 247 ‘Always Fuze’. Was £65 now £55 This particular fuze was known as the ‘Always’ as it was designed to detonate on impact, no matter what angle it strikes. Originally designed for use with the N0. 69 Mk1 grenade its use was extended to other types of grenades as the need arose. The body is made of Bakelite which contained a detonator pellet, striker, creep spring and weighted ball. A treaded cap closes the body which includes a flash hole to the base with the fuse being covered by a threaded safety cap, marked 247/MK1. Priced to reflect excellent condition, with only the detonator pellet missing.

WW2 British Publication: ‘The Enemy’, 1943. Was £11 now £9 ‘The Enemy; The German Army in Photographs, edited by Capt. A. Pryce-Jones, 1943, paperback, published by John Murry, London. A wartime publication consisting of over 70 interesting photographs accompanied with text. In very good condition, some slight damage and foxing to spine, glossy pages.

WW2 British Soldier\'s ‘Tommy Pipe’ Lighter. Was £35 now £25 In addition to tea, smoking was one of the most important comforts available to troops. Small petrol lighters were not issue items but were carried, at least by the end of the war, in the pockets of most Tommy’s. Being able to light a flame is a very useful thing for a soldier so that he can smoke a cigarette, ‘brew-up, heat through some food or give himself some light. This example is of the rarer ‘pipe’ lighter, who’s top, unlike the normal lighter, didn’t come off but when pulled up left a hole that could be placed over the bowl of the pipe. Not tested.

WW2 British Universal Pattern Service Field Cap, Badged to Royal Engineers. Was £69 now £60 Colloquially called the ‘forage’ or ‘side’ cap this universal pattern was reintroduced into the British army at the same time as the Battledress, 1937. Officers’ models were often produced in barathea whilst other ranks were manufactured from plain khaki drab serge. The cap was required to be worn one size larger than other head-dress in order that a proper fit was secured. When worn correctly the cap was placed on the right side of the wearers head with the front of the cap positioned over the right eye, often seen being worn at a very ‘rakish’ angle. Regimental badges were worn to the left-hand side with two small brass buttons used to fasten the ends of the curtain flaps, which during cold weather could be dropped to afford some protection to the ears. This example is badged to the Royal Engineers, sized to a 7 and has a lovely worn in salty patina that will display very well.

WW2 British, UNIQUE, Civil Defence Anti-Gas Course Lecture Notes, Borough of Kettering, 1941. Was £110 now £90 A rare set of typed and ‘Riso’ copied Anti-Gas course lecture notes, War Gas Charts and test paper relating to the Borough of Kettering, with one paper dated 1941 and belonging to ‘A.W. Gravestock’, contained in ‘TBM Quick-Folder’ with additional handwritten annotation in pencil. As can be seen the folder is quite thick and contains numerous sheets coving a wide range of subjects. Contents includes: Introduction. Nature and properties of war gasses. Protection-individual. Respirators. Charts of war Gases Protection of the body Test paper Etc. A very rare survivor and priced to reflect this.

WW2 British, ‘A Home Guard Drill Book & Field Service Manual’ by John Brophy, 1942. Was £25 now £20 John Brophy was an Anglo-Irish soldier, journalist and writer who wrote over 40 books and during WW2 served as a member of the Home Guard, for which he wrote a series of commercially available manuals. This handbook includes details regarding squad and arms drill, field operations, map-reading, weapons instruction, etc. An April 1942 reprint of the November 1940 first edition in good overall condition with some staining to cover and foxing to some pages.

WW2 British, ‘Air Raid Precautions Handbook No.4: Decontamination of Materials’, 1939. Was £25 now £20 An essential publication in the understanding of decontamination procedures for war gases, covers, amongst other things: General Principles of Decontamination. Duties of Decontamination. Decontamination of Roads. Decontamination of Buildings. Glossary of Technical Terms. Etc. Priced to reflect condition and rarity. This item would accompany the Decontamination MkII steel helmet I also have for sale in the shop.

WW2 British, ‘Field Service Pocket Book No.8: Protection Against Gas’ 1939. Was £20 now £15 An essential officers training manual that covers instructions for gas training, it covers, amongst other things: Types of gas weapon. Anti-Gas protection. Decontamination. When used in conjunction with the ‘Gas Training’ Manual, June 1942, of which I have a copy for sale, will give comprehensive knowledge of Anti-Gas warfare.

WW2 British, ‘Home Guard, A Handbook’ by John Brophy, 1941. Was £25 now £20 John Brophy was an Anglo-Irish soldier, journalist and writer who wrote over 40 books and during WW2 served as a member of the Home Guard, for which he wrote a series of commercially available manuals. This handbook includes details regarding how to best resist the invader, aircraft recognition, anti-tank defences, arms of the LDV and use of the rifle. An October 1941 reprint of the September 1940 first edition in good overall condition with some staining to cover and foxing to some pages.

WW2 British, 1937 Pattern Webbing Cartridge Carriers, Dunkirk Era. Was £45 now £35 When issued the Cartridge Carriers were worn in pairs to replace the Basic Pouches. Each of the carriers consisted of two pockets, covered by a flap that was held by a brass snap that could be fixed in x2 positions. Each pocket could hold x2 .303 rifle stripper clips of 5 rounds per clip, 20 rounds per carrier and 40 rounds in total for the pair. A one-inch web strip was sewn onto the centre rear of each carrier, ended with an identical brass buckle as found on the basic pouch it provided a fixing point to the webbing shoulder braces. A brass loop can also be found below the buckle which enabled the carrier to be attached to other pieces of equipment. As with the Basic Pouch a pair of brass fixings can be found to the rear; enabling the carrier to be fixed to the Web Waist Belt. The Pattern 1937 web equipment was designed for the most part as an improved version of the Pattern 1908 web equipment. Straps were narrowed down from two inches; new pouches reduced the surface area of webbing in contact with the body and new items were introduced to accommodate new weapons and equipment. Unfortunately, this pair has dates and maker marks that have become illegible; however, we believe that they can be dated to the early war years due to the application of KG 97 (Khaki Green, Medium) Blanco or more colloquially known as ‘pea-green’; most associated with the BEF and Battle of France campaign of 1940. Apart from the ‘faded’ maker marks and Blanco the pair are in very good sound condition with all straps, buckles and snaps in place. Priced to reflect condition and early war production.

WW2 British, 1937 Pattern Webbing Large Pack and Pair of ‘L’ Straps, 1940, Dunkirk Era. Was £80 now £65 The Webbing Large Pack and its’ cross straps are survivors from the 1908 Pattern Webbing. Unlike the Webbing Small Pack, it has no internal dividers leaving it large to transport the Greatcoat (ref’ item 155) and could be carried in the unit’s baggage caravan until needed. The back has a pair of web tabs for attachment of the ‘L’ Straps, which would be removed from the Small Pack and worn on the left side of the body, attached to the end of the Equipment Braces. A pair of one inch Webbing Straps are fitted so that they cross the outside of the pack and can be used to carry the helmet. The ‘L’ straps came in left and right orientation so that they would hand around the wearer’s body to attach to the braces. The Pattern 1937 web equipment was designed for the most part as an improved version of the Pattern 1908 web equipment. Straps were narrowed down from two inches; new pouches reduced the surface area of webbing in contact with the body and new items were introduced to accommodate new weapons and equipment. These examples were all manufactured by ‘MECo’ (Mills Equipment Co) in 1940. Both pack and ‘L’ straps appear to be in unissued condition with only minor storage marks, priced to reflect early war date and excellent condition.

WW2 British, 1937 Pattern Webbing Mk. III, Basic Pouches. Was £75 now £60 The Basic Pouches were usually worn as a pair on the chest and were interchangeable. Rectangular in shape they have a hinged lid held by a brass ‘snap’, have a pair of brass buckles to the rear to allow fixing to the Web Equipment Braces and a set of double hooks for fixing to the Web Waist Belt. At least three different Mk’s. exist, the difference between Mk’s. 1 & 2 being that the fixing for the double hook was moved down; it was found that in the original design that the bottom of the Pouch interfered with the wearer’s waist and thigh, moving the double hook down had the effect of raising the base of the pouch up. The Mk. III differed only in that the height was raised to accommodate the new ‘Sten’ gun magazines, however, some later war and post-war examples have a quick release closure that replaced the brass snap fixing. The Pattern 1937 web equipment was designed for the most part as an improved version of the Pattern 1908 web equipment. Straps were narrowed down from two inches; new pouches reduced the surface area of webbing in contact with the body and new items were introduced to accommodate new weapons and equipment. A good matching pair, albeit that they have x2 different dates and manufactures: Bagcraft Bagcraft Ltd. 1942 MK III A.C. Associated Cutters 1943 MK III Both in excellent, ‘un-Blancoed’ and in unused condition. Priced to reflect mint condition.

WW2 British, 1937 Pattern Webbing Pistol and Ammunition Pouch, 1943. Was £65 now £60 There were two standard patterns of Web Pistol Cases produced during the war. The larger being produced for the larger .455 chambered weapons and the smaller for produced for those chambered for .380, the main difference being that the larger case had a curved flap whilst the smaller was square. Both patterns had an internal sheath for a cleaning rod, brass snap fastener and three double hook fasteners fixed to the rear. The Ammunition Pouch is of a box shape with a square lid and single snap fastener. On the rear it had a pair of hooks for fixing to the belt, a web fitting that allowed the pouch to be attached to the pistol case and a webbing flap to accept the shoulder brace. The pouch would accept two 12 round boxes of both .455 and .380 ammunition. This pairing has a light coat of KG3 Blanco, I cannot make out the makers marks for either, however the Pistol Case is clearly dated 1943.

WW2 British, Anti-Dimming Outfit, Mk.VI. Was £20 now £15 The problem of respirator lenses dimming first occurred in WWI and led to the development of Glaso Anti-Dimming Paste that was smeared over the lenses to prevent condensation. In 1938 two new types of anti-dimming samples were tested; Liquid (G1: being a brown, alcohol-water solution) and Paste (P1: based on a substance called Turkey Red Oil), both were found to give good visibility for about an hour, but the paste appeared more practical and became the basis for future outfits. Up until 1945 the issued kits went through four marks, Mk III to Mk VI. This is a Mk VI and was most commonly found in the Mk VII haversack and Lightweight Respirator which had a special pocket in the base for storage, held by a metal press stud. Unlike previous outfits the instructions can be found printed onto the impregnated cloth.

WW2 British, Army Issue, Ointment Anti-Gas No.2, Tube Variant Tin, Coloured Coded ‘Cream’. Was £65 now £55 Anti-gas ointments were developed to protect troops from the effects of blistering gases and could be used as a preventative (applied in anticipation of an attack) or curative (applied to blisters after an attack). The ointment consisted of a strong alkali to neutralise acidic blistering agents and could also be used to decontaminate weapons and equipment. Personnel were issued with two tins; one to be stored in the haversack and the other in the pocket of the anti-gas cape. The ointment itself was predominantly manufactured by ‘British Drug Houses’ (sometimes stamped BDH) with most of the tins being made by the ‘Metal Box Co. and stamped with MB or the number 12. Ointment Anti-Gas No.2 is by far the most common anti-gas ointment used in WW2 and could even be purchased in a civilian form via chemists. Initially supplied in a glass jars, using white or brown glass, with a metal lid and later replaced by tubes held in a flat rectangular tin. The glass jars continued to be issued to Police and civilian organisations whilst the tins were issued to the armed forces. The ointment itself was a mixture of Chloramine-T and vanishing cream with the date of filling stamped to the inner lid of the colour coded ‘cream’ tin. The front and rear of the of the tin had printed instructions and diagrams for its use, something that remained consistent for all subsequent Mk’s of the tin. This example is date stamped ‘21 MAR 41’ and is priced to reflect its good condition with 7 of its 8 Mk II tubes, Mk I tubes had a screw cap, still in place and in excellent condition.

WW2 British, Army Issue, Ointment Anti-Gas No.5, Tube Variant Tin, Coloured Coded ‘Grey/Blue’, WITH CONTENTS!! Was £45 now £35 Anti-gas ointments were developed to protect troops from the effects of blistering gases and could be used as a preventative (applied in anticipation of an attack) or curative (applied to blisters after an attack). The ointment consisted of a strong alkali to neutralise acidic blistering agents and could also be used to decontaminate weapons and equipment. Personnel were issued with two tins; one to be stored in the haversack and the other in the pocket of the anti-gas cape. The ointment itself was predominantly manufactured by ‘British Drug Houses’ (sometimes stamped BDH) with most of the tins being made by the ‘Metal Box Co. and stamped with MB or the number 12. Ointment Anti-Gas No.5, there is no evidence that a No.4 existed, was issued prior to D-Day. The ointment itself was a mixture of Chloramine-T and vanishing cream and was held in plain tubes without labels. This empty example dates stamped ‘6/42’, early for No.5 and contains its contents. I have purposely not attempted to restore the inside and will leave this to the owner, I have a near mint N0.5 tin also for sale to which the contents of this tin could be transferred. Priced to reflect fair to poor condition of tin but having its contents intact.

WW2 British, Army Issue, Ointment Anti-Gas No.6, Tube Variant Tin, Coloured Coded ‘Green’. Was £30 now £25 Anti-gas ointments were developed to protect troops from the effects of blistering gases and could be used as a preventative (applied in anticipation of an attack) or curative (applied to blisters after an attack). The ointment consisted of a strong alkali to neutralise acidic blistering agents and could also be used to decontaminate weapons and equipment. Personnel were issued with two tins; one to be stored in the haversack and the other in the pocket of the anti-gas cape. The ointment itself was predominantly manufactured by ‘British Drug Houses’ (sometimes stamped BDH) with most of the tins being made by the ‘Metal Box Co. and stamped with MB or the number 12. Ointment Anti-Gas No.6 was issued from mid 1944 onwards. The ointment itself was a mixture of Chloramine-T and vanishing cream and was held in plain tubes without labels. This empty example is date stamped 45 (re-issued in 53) and is further ‘over’ stamped in red to the lid ‘FOR TROPICAL USE’ (developed for use in countries with higher ambient temperatures and humidity). It is priced to reflect its some paint loss, albeit that it has no contents.

WW2 British, Arnhem Related, Mid-War, Red/Brown Enamelled Mug. Was £125 now £105 Recovered by myself during the 65th Anniversary events around Arnhem and was gifted to me by a resident of Oosterbeek, who claimed it had been in their ‘outhouse’ since the war ended. One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea. Priced to reflect its Arnhem link and would enhance any Airborne, Arnhem, mid-late war kit, NAAFI or barrack life display. IF ONLY OBJECTS COULD TALK!!

WW2 British, BEF Christmas Card 1939 Was £12 now £10 Lovely early war Christmas card. Please refer to photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Bicycle, Issued, ‘Lucas’ Bell. Was £65 now £55 Moving bicycles make little noise so they were often fitted with a warning bell. These tended to range in diameter from 1 ½ “ to 3”. This example is of Joseph Lucas Ltd. Birmingham, England and is a Number 50 Challis pattern, produced from Brass painted Nickel and painted to reduce its reflective nature. Please refer to the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Book \'Mighty Midget\', No.40, Dick Whittington & His Cat. Was £12 now £10 The \'Mighty Midgets\' were sold by Woolworths during the war at less than cost price. Small and subsidised so that children could have them in their pockets when rushing for shelter during the Blitz, popular Christmas stocking fillers for both girls and boys. Please study the photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Book, The Changing Face of Britain by Fougasse, 1940 Was £15 now £12 A very popular Christmas present on the Home Front of Britain in 1940. A lovely book that contrasts life before and after the beginning of hostilities, of its time but very funny. \'Fougasse\' was the pen name for British cartoonist Cyril Kenneth Bird (1887 - 1965) who created cartoons for the popular magazine \'Punch\'. He also created many of the well know posters of WW2 e.g. the \'Careless Talk Costs Lives\' series. Please study the photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Book: \'Bomber\'s Moon\', Negley Farson, 1941. Was £35 now £30 A lovely copy of Negley Farson\'s, Bomber\'s Moon with 48 illustrations by artist Tom Purvis. Published in 1941 by Victor Gollancz Another popular present for the Christmas of 1941, beautifully illustrated stories of war time Home front Britain. Rare to find intact as many books have been \'split\' for the illustrations. Minus its dust jacket but still a lovely copy!! Please study the photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Book: \'Mighty Midget, No.47, Puss in Boots. Was £12 now £10 The \'Mighty Midgets\' were sold by Woolworths during the war at less than cost price. Small and subsidised so that children could have them in their pockets when rushing for shelter during the Blitz, popular Christmas stocking fillers for both girls and boys. Please study the photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Book: \'Mighty Midget\', No.13, Aladdin. Was £12 now £10 The \'Mighty Midgets\' were sold by Woolworths during the war at less than cost price. Small and subsidised so that children could have them in their pockets when rushing for shelter during the Blitz, popular Christmas stocking fillers for both girls and boys. Please study the photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Box of Six, MKIII, Anti-Gas Eye Shields, 1943 (re-packed 1955). Was £45 now £30 Eye shields were a simple plastic visor designed to protect the eyes from gas spray. These are examples of the third of three MK\'s. One packet of six was issued to each man. The MKIII’s differed from the MKII’s by having, in an effort to save material, a smaller section of elasticated material. The green oil cloth was also replaced by a strip of black cotton. This MK also differed from the MKI’s in that three of the six pairs were manufactured from tinted plastic. It should also be noted that the box packaging has now been replaced by a much sturdier card envelope which has decontamination instructions printed to its outer surface. These instructions followed the procedure known as ‘COECDO’. C: cotton waste. O: ointment. E: eye shields. C: clothing. D: detectors. O: ointment again. A chance to obtain a full set in very good condition.

WW2 British, Bush (Aertex) Shirt, SMALL/MEDIUM Size. Was £80 now £65 Synonymous with the \'Desert Rat\' in the North African Campaign. Patterns vary immensely as many were made by local contractors and shops. Most of the shirts had integral collars with buttons halfway down the front, were a pullover style, worn tucked into trousers or shorts and had two pleated breast pockets. The buttons are made from hard rubber with shoulder straps being held by loops that allowed them to be removed. Unfortunately, no markings exist on this example that pertain to date, manufacture, or size: Collar: 14” Width, armpit to armpit: 22” Length, top of collar to bottom hem: 31” Inner arm, armpit to cuff: 18” Please ensure that you refer to the photographs as they form part of the description, priced to reflect a smaller size with some ‘spotting’ to the aertex fabric. Please refer carefully to the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Childs Christmas Book, \' Eye\'s Right! \', 1944. Was £45 now £35 One of the favourite items from my collection and given as a Christmas present in 1944, published by Tuck Book\'s its full title being \'Eyes Right! The Army of Today\'. Jam packed with fantastic illustrations!! Please refer to photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Civil ‘Fire Guard’ Armlet, Post August 1941. Was £27 now £20 In August 1941 a new national organisation was formed to replace the locally organised Supplementary/Street Fire Parties and was known as the ‘Fire Guard’. Although still controlled by local authorities’ members now became trained to national standards. Manufactured from dark blue cotton with printed yellow title ‘Fire Guard, this example is in used condition with some staining to both front and rear.

WW2 British, Civil ‘Supplementary/Street Fire Party’ Armlet, August 1940 – August 1941. Was £37 now £30 In August 1940 Supplementary Fire Parties organised by fire brigades were issued with a blue cloth armlet, bearing the red letters SFP, and the issue was extended in September 1940 to the Street Fire Parties organised by wardens. Manufactured from dark blue cotton with printed red letters SFP, this example is in used clean condition.

WW2 British, Civilian Respirator Tin (with relic mask). Was £50 now £40 Gas masks were issued in simple but sturdy cardboard boxes with a strip of linen or string to be worn over the shoulder. Commercial and cottage industry manufactures got into the act producing a variety of cases, bags, boxes and tins to hold the civilian respirator. Still containing its original civilian respirator, all be it in poor condition, this tin, manufactured by Barringer, Wallis and Manners, of Mansfield, is priced to reflect its good condition. *NOTE: This item is sold for display purposes only and it is highly recommended that it is not worn to avoid inhaling any toxic substances that may be contained within the filter.

WW2 British, Clasp Knife, ‘Dunkirk Period’,1940. Was £65 now £55 The full range of clasp knives, colloquially known as Jack or Pen knives, that were issued to British and Commonwealth forces can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, however, those produced during the war will all have the broad arow stamp, date, and makers name or in initials. Knives with the marlin spike were generally, but not exclusively, issued to airborne, commando or navel personnel. The purpose of the spike being to work effectively with rope, line, or cords. Common features to all clasp knives were a single edged cutting blade, slot type screwdriver head with a lanyard ring at the opposite end. Except for the navel pattern knife all models had a separate blade that served as a can opener. Later war models can be identified by their flat metal slab sides and are considered to be part of the 44 Pattern issue of equipment intended for use in the Far East. This example is an extremely early dated example, 1940, of the new pattern that replaced the 1905 pattern most associated with WW1. NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW2 British, Decontamination Cotton Waste (II). Was £60 now £45 Cotton waste was designed to soak up blister gas agents before the anti-gas ointment was applied. As the name suggests it was a by-product from mill and garment manufactures and was issued in bundles of 1oz (28g) per man to be broken up with half stored in the haversack whilst the other half could be found in the gas cape pocket. Interesting in the fact that it is held in a period brown paper bag/envelope and appears to be made from the waste produced from helmet nets. Missing from many haversack collections and priced to reflect this rarity.

WW2 British, Dunkirk \'Propaganda\' Figurine, 1940 Was £210 now £190 British \'Propaganda\' Figurine, standing on the prow of one of the \'Small Ships\', named the \'Sally Anne and designed to be used as an ash tray. Manufactured from painted plaster in 1940 the figure strongly resembles the popular entertainer Tommy Trinder, who had recently stared in the film \'A Foreman Goes To France\'. British press later exploited the successful evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940, and particularly the role of the \"Dunkirk little ships\", very effectively. Many of them were private vessels such as fishing boats and pleasure cruisers, but commercial vessels such as ferries also contributed to the force, including a number from as far away as the Isle of Man and Glasgow. These smaller vessels—guided by naval craft across the Channel from the Thames Estuary and from Dover—assisted in the official evacuation. Being able to move closer into the beachfront shallows than larger craft, the \"little ships\" acted as shuttles to and from the larger ships, lifting troops who were queuing in the water, many waiting shoulder-deep in water for hours. The term \"Dunkirk Spirit\" refers to the solidarity of the British people in times of adversity, this very rare survivor represents an early example of how propaganda turned a defeat into victory

WW2 British, Early War / Dunkirk Period, Field Dressing, 1939. Was £35 now £30 A clean early example of the Field dressing, manufactured in March 1939 by Johnson and Johnson Ltd. Priced to reflect excellent condition and very early date.

WW2 British, Early War / Dunkirk Period, Shell Dressing, 1940. Was £30 now £25 A clean early example of the Field dressing, manufactured in November 1940 by Johnson and Johnson Ltd. At some point one of the ties has come away and the dressings outer ‘pouch’ is held with a safety pin. Priced to reflect condition and very early date.

WW2 British, Early War, Foot Powder Tin. Was £25 now £15 Foot powder was an essential issue of the British army and was used to soldiers to keep their feet dry and free from fungal infections. All the standard tins held 1.75 ounces of powder and can be found in oval, rectangular and oval tins. Identified as early war period by its ‘gold’ colour and black letting, later tins were coloured dark green with lighter green lettering, this tin still contains its foot powder and is in clear bright condition. Priced to reflect ‘good’ condition.

WW2 British, Foot Powder Tin, 1 3/4 Oz, Mid/Later War Period. Was £20 now £15 Foot powder was an essential issue of the British army and was used by soldiers to keep their feet dry and free from fungal infections. All the standard tins held 1 3/4 ounces of powder and can be found in round, rectangular and oval tins. Not dated, but came from a 1943 dated crate, of the oval variety and clearly marked with the makers initial R & C Ltd it still contains its original contents and is in good condition.

WW2 British, Fork from the KFS set, Dunkirk Period, 1939. Was £65 now £50 A three-piece eating utensil set was issued to all personnel, along with mess tins and drinking mug. The most common set being the separate knife, fork, and spoon, however, the knife was not commonly carried in the field as the issue clasp knife could be used and the missing knife saved both space and weight. Most were manufactured from nickel silver or nickel stainless and were usually marked with make name or initials and sometimes the date. Due to the huge range of manufactures, there are a vast range of slightly differing patterns. Rare, as an early dated example of British kit, it is broad arrow marked, dated 1939 and was manufactured by ‘BISBY’. Priced to reflect the rarity and condition of the item. I also have 1939 examples of the knife and spoon available in the shop.

WW2 British, Gas Warning Rattle (MkI). Was £95 now £80 A wooden rattle was issued to every platoon and subunit HQ to warn of detection of gas by the gas sentry. The gas sentry was a throwback to WWI and was fairly redundant by 1944 when the possibility of gas attack had diminished. Larger camps were issued with a ‘siren’ of which a continues blast warned of gas. This 1940 dated example, re-stamped ROC 1944, is typical of the style used in WWII that, unlike earlier versions, were wider and fitted with a metal panel to increase sound levels. Priced to reflect its cleanness, many were painted in team colours post war to be used at sports matches, and good condition.

WW2 British, Gas Warning Rattle (MkII) Was £80 now £70 A wooden rattle was issued to every platoon and subunit HQ to warn of detection of gas by the gas sentry. The gas sentry was a throwback to WWI and was fairly redundant by 1944 when the possibility of gas attack had diminished. Larger camps were issued with a ‘siren’ of which a continues blast warned of gas. This 1941 dated example, manufactured by M. Bros, is typical of the style used in WWII that, unlike earlier versions, were wider but as an economy measure is not fitted with a metal panel to increase sound levels. Priced to reflect its cleanness, many were painted in team colours post war to be used at sports matches, and good condition. However, even though NOT painted post-war with team it bears the signs of being used by a ‘speedway’ fan as evidenced by the written names of famous riders from yesteryear e.g., Dent Oliver who appeared in the world finals at Wembley in 1949,50 & 53, etc.

WW2 British, General Service Cap, Badged to Royal Engineers, 1945 Was £97 now £80 As a wartime measure to save on time and materials it was decided to introduce a universal khaki cloth cap made on the beret pattern. Known as the \'Cap-General Service\' it was quickly nicknamed the \'Cap Ridiculous\'. Correctly worn with the band in a level position one inch above the eyebrows with the crown of the cap pulled to the right. The badge was worn over the left eye with the badge position centrally between the headband and crown of the cap. This example is in good condition with very minor moth nips, was manufactured in 1945 by Gelfer of Glasgow and is made to size 6 3/4 with the addition of the late war plastic economy cap badge. A nice clean example that will display very well.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘AFS’ (Auxiliary Fire Service), Zuckerman Helmet. Was £95 now £85 This ‘Zuckerman’ was manufactured by PSC (Pressed Steel Company), dates to 194,1 with the application of AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) to front with the addition of the number ‘5’ applied to the sides. The helmet is in good order apart from the ‘lace’ holding the liner in place which has almost rotted away, I am leaving ‘as is’ and will let the new owner decide on whether to replace the lace. The AFS was in existence until August 1941 when superseded by the NFS (National Fire Service), unusual in the fact that AFS helmets are usually MkII’s, however, this may have been used as a stop gap or even used by a civilian volunteer with the AFS? Priced to reflect condition and unknown provenance. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘Zuckerman Helmet History’ below: ZUCKERMAN HELMET HISTORY: The Zuckerman helmet, officially designated the Civilian Protective Helmet, was a designed for use by civil defence organisations and the general public. It was developed and designed by Solly Zuckerman, Derman Christopherson and Hugh Cairns. Zuckerman and Cairns first started looking into a design for a helmet to aid civil defence in mid-1940. Their aim was to provide a helmet that could deal with impact from falling and flying masonry and provide more coverage for the head and the neck areas. After the War Office accepted their design, the Civilian Protective Helmet went into circulation in December 1940 and throughout 1941, the vast majority therefore being dated 1941. Helmets were made from pressed mild steel or manganese steel (known for its impact resistance) in two sizes only and sometimes marked with either M (medium) or L (large) on the inside of the brim. The design of the high dome was to allow the helmet to withstand impact and still protect the wearer. Many have two single holes opposite each other on the brim. The marking details the amount of resistance the helmet offered to ballistic impact (that being the lowest and therefore not for use as a frontline helmet). The helmet was available in several colours: white, black, grey and olive green. A helmet liner made of leather and webbing was attached to the helmet with string, lace or leather thong that was threaded through 16 pre-drilled slightly angled holes around the helmet to hold it in place. Small loops were incorporated on the helmet for attaching a chinstrap, but no official strap was issued though many used the Mk II helmet chinstrap. Consequently, helmets can be found with numerous chin strap variations. Zuckerman helmets were issued to Civil Defence personnel such as Fire Guards, Street Fire Parties and factory workers. They were also on sale to the general public for 5 shillings and sixpence (5s 6d). When used by Fire Guards and Street Fire Party personnel, the helmets were marked accordingly with FG or SFP. Bands around the helmet (often in black) would denote seniority within the Fire Guard service. The helmet was manufactured by a number of companies such as the Austin Motor Co. and Morris Motors.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘FG’ (FIRE GUARD), Zuckerman Helmet. Was £105 now £90 Externally painted white, over the factory grey finish, with one, ½ inch, narrow black band identifies this example as one belonging to a ‘Block Leader’. The shell and liner both date to 1941 with the shell being manufactured by ‘VM’, to size ‘M’, and the liner by M & Co to size 7. Has an additional ‘DIY’ homemade chinstrap of riveted rubber. Fire Guards came into effect towards the end of 1943 when they replaced the Supplementary/Street Fire Parties. Priced to reflect rank and excellent condition. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘Zuckerman Helmet History’ below: ZUCKERMAN HELMET HISTORY: The Zuckerman helmet, officially designated the Civilian Protective Helmet, was a designed for use by civil defence organisations and the general public. It was researched and designed by Solly Zuckerman, Derman Christopherson and Hugh Cairns. Zuckerman and Cairns first started looking into a design for a helmet to aid civil defence in mid-1940. Their aim was to provide a helmet that could deal with impact from falling and flying masonry and provide more coverage for the head and the neck areas. After the War Office accepted their design, the Civilian Protective Helmet went into circulation in December 1940 and throughout 1941, the vast majority therefore being dated 1941. Helmets were made from pressed mild steel or manganese steel (known for its impact resistance) in two sizes only and sometimes marked with either M (medium) or L (large) on the inside of the brim. The design of the high dome was to allow the helmet to withstand impact and still protect the wearer. Many have two single holes opposite each other on the brim. The marking details the amount of resistance the helmet offered to ballistic impact (that being the lowest and therefore not for use as a frontline helmet). The helmet was available in several colours: white, black, grey and olive green. A helmet liner made of leather and webbing was attached to the helmet with string, lace or leather thong that was threaded through 16 pre-drilled slightly angled holes around the helmet to hold it in place. Small loops were incorporated on the helmet for attaching a chinstrap, but no official strap was issued though many used the Mk II helmet chinstrap. Consequently, helmets can be found with numerous chin strap variations. Zuckerman helmets were issued to Civil Defence personnel such as Fire Guards, Street Fire Parties and factory workers. They were also on sale to the general public for 5 shillings and sixpence (5s 6d). When used by Fire Guards and Street Fire Party personnel, the helmets were marked accordingly with FG or SFP. Bands around the helmet (often in black) would denote seniority within the Fire Guard service.4 The helmet was manufactured by a number of companies such as the Austin Motor Co. and Morris Motors.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘GPO’ (General Post Office), MkII Helmet. Was £120 now £105 This General Post Office helmet, as designated by the application to the centre front by the letters ‘GPO’ has a 1940, size 7 ¼ liner manufactured by S.E. Norris Ltd. (Dagenham). Priced to reflect paint loss to dome and some wear. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘If The Invader Comes’ Leaflet, June, 1940. Was £21 now £15 The British government faced a terrifying prospect in the summer of 1940. Following the rapid advance of Nazi troops into Western Europe, they feared an invasion. This threat had been secretly discussed since October 1939, but it was not until defeat in the battle for France, however, that it was treated as a serious possibility. And the situation was such that ‘the invasion of Great Britain’ was discussed at 19 War Cabinet meetings during the first three weeks of Winston Churchill’s premiership. One of the greatest difficulties facing the government was the need to explain the situation to the public. This was the responsibility of the Ministry of Information’s ‘Emergency Planning Committee’, and it was asked to produce a leaflet of instructions explaining the steps that should be taken in the event of an invasion. Now the story behind these instructions has been uncovered by the Institute of English Studies project ‘A Communication History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-45’. It highlights the extent of confusion which existed at the top of government at one of the most significant moments in British history. The main difficulty was the different motives of those involved. The Home Office wanted to avoid panic by stopping ‘responsible people’ from ‘running away’. Military authorities wanted to ensure that possible battle sites were kept clear for troops and pushed for civilian evacuation. The Ministry of Information, by contrast, wanted to ‘rouse the public’ by encouraging resistance. Officials working for the Ministry of Information hoped to do this by including instructions about ‘harassing the enemy’ and ending with the lines: ‘Be clever. Be brave’. The final version of the leaflet was an unhappy compromise. Its tone oscillated between confident assertions that any invading force would be ‘driven out’ and dire warnings that ‘If you run away … you will be machine-gunned from the air’. Advice about making roadblocks and defending factories was retained in a shortened form. Other points were simply left out. On 18 June 1940, some 15 million copies of the finished leaflet were printed under the title If the Invader Comes. Every household in Britain received a copy during the next three days. Poster-sized versions were sent to local councils, Winston Churchill introduced its content in his ‘Finest Hour’ speech, and the press reproduced most of its seven rules in full. However, the Ministry of Information found that the public’s reaction was mixed. A poll commissioned by its Home Intelligence Division concluded that ‘the leaflet has not been taken seriously’. A non-official report by Mass Observation (which was employed by the Ministry) was even more critical. It called the leaflet’s tone ‘out of touch with common sense’ and suggested that the public were being treated as ‘blithering idiots’. Britain was not invaded in the summer of 1940. But the Ministry of Information’s reputation would be tarnished by the leaflet issued under its name for years to come. This shows the difficulty of its task. The Ministry was presented as an authoritative source of information but lacked the authority to make this responsibility a success. In clean but ‘brittle’ condition a chance to own a classic piece of Home Front ephemera, priced to reflect condition.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘Plasfort’ Composite Helmet. Was £75 now £65 Several commercially manufactured helmets were targeted towards the civilian market during WW2. Some were adopted by factory workers, especially those working in munitions as sparks could be avoided. Emulating the shape of the MkII steel helmet they provided rudimentary protection but had a psychological benefit. Some were made from Bakelite and others from lightweight alloy or composite fibre. The ‘Plasfort’ design dates to 1940, the shell was compression moulded from phenol formaldehyde with a raised moulded logo, ‘REGD PLASFORT PAT APPLIED FOR’, on the underside of the rim. It was thicker than the usual steel helmet but utilised some component parts used in military helmets such as liner and chin strap. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description, priced to reflect overall good condition.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘POLICE’, MkII Helmet. Was £120 now £105 This shell and liner example dates to 1939 with other components dating from 1938 (refer to images). The shell was manufacture by Harrison Bros. & Howson (Sheffield) with the liner being manufactured by Helmets Ltd (Wheathampstead). The shell still retains its original factory ‘constabulary blue paint’ with the word ‘POLICE’ being applied to the front. Priced to reflect some rust spotting and minor paint loss. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘R’ (Rescue), MkII Helmet. Was £120 now £105 This example has a size ‘7’ liner, dates to 1939 and was manufactured by Everett W Vero & Co. The shell still retains its original black paint, which has obscured the shells manufacturer, with the letter ‘R’ for Rescue being applied to the front. Priced to reflect some rust spotting and minor paint loss. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘SFP’ (Supplementary/Street Fire Parties), Zuckerman Helmet. Was £95 now £85 This example retains its factory grey green finish with the addition of ‘SFP’ stencilled to the front. The liner dates to 1941 and was manufactured by ‘M.M.’ to a good size 6 ¾. Supplementary/Street Fire Parties were active until the end of 1943 when replaced by Fire Guards. Priced to reflect rank and excellent condition. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more specific information please refer to ‘Zuckerman Helmet History’ below: ZUCKERMAN HELMET HISTORY: The Zuckerman helmet, officially designated the Civilian Protective Helmet, was a designed for use by civil defence organisations and the general public. It was researched and designed by Solly Zuckerman, Derman Christopherson and Hugh Cairns. Zuckerman and Cairns first started looking into a design for a helmet to aid civil defence in mid-1940. Their aim was to provide a helmet that could deal with impact from falling and flying masonry and provide more coverage for the head and the neck areas. After the War Office accepted their design, the Civilian Protective Helmet went into circulation in December 1940 and throughout 1941, the vast majority therefore being dated 1941. Helmets were made from pressed mild steel or manganese steel (known for its impact resistance) in two sizes only and sometimes marked with either M (medium) or L (large) on the inside of the brim. The design of the high dome was to allow the helmet to withstand impact and still protect the wearer. Many have two single holes opposite each other on the brim. The marking details the amount of resistance the helmet offered to ballistic impact (that being the lowest and therefore not for use as a frontline helmet). The helmet was available in several colours: white, black, grey and olive green. A helmet liner made of leather and webbing was attached to the helmet with string, lace or leather thong that was threaded through 16 pre-drilled slightly angled holes around the helmet to hold it in place. Small loops were incorporated on the helmet for attaching a chinstrap, but no official strap was issued though many used the Mk II helmet chinstrap. Consequently, helmets can be found with numerous chin strap variations. Zuckerman helmets were issued to Civil Defence personnel such as Fire Guards, Street Fire Parties and factory workers. They were also on sale to the general public for 5 shillings and sixpence (5s 6d). When used by Fire Guards and Street Fire Party personnel, the helmets were marked accordingly with FG or SFP. Bands around the helmet (often in black) would denote seniority within the Fire Guard service.4 The helmet was manufactured by a number of companies such as the Austin Motor Co. and Morris Motors.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘W’ (Warden, London), MkII Helmet. Was £130 now £110 This Wardens helmet, as designated by the application to the centre front by the letter ‘W’, London helmets had the addition of an additional designation to the rear of the helmet, has a 1939 manufactured shell made by Harrison Bros. & Howson (Sheffield). Priced to reflect excellent condition of liner, double decal and minor paint loss. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more specific information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘W’ (Warden, Outside London), MkII Helmet Was £95 now £80 A Warden’s helmet from outside London, as designated by having the logo placed to the front of the helmet only, in ‘salty’ condition with some paint loss but with bags of character, if only it could tell a story!! With a good sized 7 liner produced by ‘VERO’ in 1939 (the helmet maker mark is obscured) it displays very well. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’.

WW2 British, Home Front, ‘W’ (Warden), MkII Helmet. Was £120 now £105 This No.2C shell, designated ‘2C’ by the addition of three holes to each side of the brim and being made from an inferior steel, was manufactured by BMB (Briggs Motor Bodies Ltd of Dagenham) in 1940 with a size 7 liner manufactured in 1939 by J Compton Sons & Webb Ltd (London). Retaining its original factory grey green paint with ‘W’ stencilled to the front and ‘K’ to the front and rear inner rim, I presume these stands for post K? Priced to reflect very good overall condition with ‘minor wear’ and limited paint chipping. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more general information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’.

WW2 British, Home Front, \'After the Raid\' Leaflet, 1940. Was £11 now £9 Issued by the Ministry of Home Security, this leaflet gives details to home owners as what to do if effected by air raids in a number of ways. Priced to reflect overall good condition, a small but are and sought after leaflet.

WW2 British, Home Front, \'Masking Your Windows\' Leaflet, 1939. Was £11 now £9 Published by the Lord Privy Seal starting in July 1939, prior to the formation of the Ministry of Home Security, this is one of a series of leaflets aimed at preparing the public for a possible war with Germany. All leaflets bore the rubric: \'Read this and keep it carefully. You may need it.\' This example covers the preparation of window glass to prevent injury during bombing raids. A rare survivor in good condition.

WW2 British, Home Front, \'The Protection of your Home Against Air Raids\' Booklet, 1938. Was £21 now £15 Published by HMSO in 1938, this small booklet gives details to the public as to how to prepare their homes against air raids, gas attack, etc. Priced to reflect its near MINT condition.

WW2 British, Home Front, ARP, Handbook No.1, 1938 Was £13 now £10 ARP HandbookNo.1, \'PERSONAL PROTECTION AGAINST GAS\', published by HMSO, 1938. The Home Office ARP Dept. published a series of handbooks for the ARP that were regularly updated. These handbooks were published from the birth of the department in 1935 and formed a series that was expanded and developed as the war progressed, with some running into several editions. With the worry of gas attacks causing a major concern during this period many of the first editions covered gas safety. This edition covers, amongst other things, detection of gas, protection of the eyes and lungs, anti-gas treatment, respirator drill, etc.

WW2 British, Home Front, Employment Documentation Group, 1941 & 1942. Was £13 now £10 An interesting pair of employment documents; ‘Regular Unemployment Book. YOUNG MAN’ and a ‘National Health and Pensions Insurance Contribution Card’. Containing numerous stamps and carriers’ details, would enhance any Home Front display.

WW2 British, Home Front, First Aid Notes, un-dated. Was £13 now £10 During the war a vast array of leaflets and booklets offered basic instruction as to first aid. These rare survivors consist of a \'folded leaflet\' coving basic fist aid knowledge plus a locally produced note, typed in red ink, giving details as to the contents of first aid tins or boxes. Priced to reflect foxing to the first aid leaflet.

WW2 British, Home Front, Salute the Soldier: Birmingham, Lapel Badge in Contemporary Storage Box. Was £37 now £32 Salute the Soldier Weeks were British National Savings campaigns with the aim of British Army equipment being sponsored by individual civil/town/city communities, hence, on this example, the designation Birmingham. Each county was set a target of money to raise with a plaque being awarded for fund raising efforts. Prior to Salute the Soldier, War Weapons Weeks helped pay for the lost equipment from Dunkirk and other campaigns such as Wings for Victory and Warship Week raised funds for other arms of service. In total, Salute the Soldier Weeks raised over £628,000000, equivalent to over £28 billion today. This example must have had some significance for the owner as it has been carefully preserved in a small box and is in good condition. I also have available a ‘cut-down’ version of ‘War Savings Commemorative Plaques’.

WW2 British, Home Front, Zuckerman Helmet Shell. Was £45 now £40 Zuckerman helmet shell in good order, please note that the liner is missing but displays well and would make a cracking and cheap addition to any collection. Manufactured by the Press Steel Company as shown by the stamped PSC logo in 1941 to size \'M\'. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more specific information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: ZUCKERMAN HELMET HISTORY: The Zuckerman helmet, officially designated the Civilian Protective Helmet, was a designed for use by civil defence organisations and the general public. It was researched and designed by Solly Zuckerman, Derman Christopherson and Hugh Cairns. Zuckerman and Cairns first started looking into a design for a helmet to aid civil defence in mid-1940. Their aim was to provide a helmet that could deal with impact from falling and flying masonry and provide more coverage for the head and the neck areas. After the War Office accepted their design, the Civilian Protective Helmet went into circulation in December 1940 and throughout 1941, the vast majority therefore being dated 1941. Helmets were made from pressed mild steel or manganese steel (known for its impact resistance) in two sizes only and sometimes marked with either M (medium) or L (large) on the inside of the brim. The design of the high dome was to allow the helmet to withstand impact and still protect the wearer. Many have two single holes opposite each other on the brim. The marking details the amount of resistance the helmet offered to ballistic impact (that being the lowest and therefore not for use as a frontline helmet). The helmet was available in several colours: white, black, grey and olive green. A helmet liner made of leather and webbing was attached to the helmet with string, lace or leather thong that was threaded through 16 pre-drilled slightly angled holes around the helmet to hold it in place. Small loops were incorporated on the helmet for attaching a chinstrap, but no official strap was issued though many used the Mk II helmet chinstrap. Consequently, helmets can be found with numerous chin strap variations. Zuckerman helmets were issued to Civil Defence personnel such as Fire Guards, Street Fire Parties and factory workers. They were also on sale to the general public for 5 shillings and sixpence (5s 6d). When used by Fire Guards and Street Fire Party personnel, the helmets were marked accordingly with FG or SFP. Bands around the helmet (often in black) would denote seniority within the Fire Guard service.4 The helmet was manufactured by a number of companies such as the Austin Motor Co. and Morris Motors.

WW2 British, Home Guard Instruction No. 17 - 1940. Was £17 now £12 One of a series of instructions used to coordinate the response of the Home Guard to German attack. This example covers \'Anti-Aircraft Training\' using notes, maps and silhouettes. A must for anyone interested in WW2 home defence or those planning an interesting Home Guard display or reenactment. Priced to reflect some yellowing and crispness to the paper with some minor creasing.

WW2 British, Home Guard, ‘Small Arms Manual’ by Lt. Col. J. A. BARLOW, S.A.C. 1942 Was £21 now £15 During the Second World War, Barlow was Director of Artillery Small Arms in the Ministry of Supply, Artillery Division. Prior to WW2, in 1921, he had joined the West Yorkshire Regiment and reached the rank of Brigadier. Just like his father he took an interest in musketry winning medals at Bisley in 1930, 1933, 1936, winning the Queens Prize Gold Medal in 1934 and 1938. After WW2 he wrote the Army’s new Small Arms Training Manual. This manual has chapters covering rifles, light & medium machine guns, machine carbines, revolvers, and pistols. A February 1942 reprint of the January 1942 first edition in average condition with some creasing with WW2 era pencil notes to some pages.

WW2 British, Homefront, 10 oz Tin of \'Newforge\', Meat Soup Consommé. Was £65 now £55 An unopened tin of Meat Soup Consommé, manufactured by Newforge Ltd, of Belfast and retaining the majority of its war time label. Following rationing guidelines the label is printed in only two colours and covers approx. 2/3 of the tin. Another rare survivor and would enhance any collection of Homefornt or ration items.

WW2 British, Homefront, Propaganda Figurine of Winston Churchill. Was £95 now £75 Cast in plaster and hand painted propaganda figurine of Winston Churchill, still retaining his iconic cigar. Striking a defiant pose with bow tie and handkerchief in top pocket this is a must have item for any Homefront collection.

WW2 British, Homefront, Sweet Packaging, Christmas, 1939. Was £120 now £99 Striking the pose and silhouette of a typical British ‘Tommy’ and reminiscent of ‘Old Bill’ this figurine was manufactured to contain sweets and sold in the run up to Christmas 1939. One of four designs available; sailor, airman, policeman and soldier, this soldier was by far the most popular. Manufactured from papier Mache and hand painted it stands in very good condition.

WW2 British, Hurlock Stove, PLUS FREE GIFT!! Was £185 now £150 A good clean example of the British Hurlock \'Primus\' pressure stove. Item consists of the stove, with all its legs and wind shield, spare parts tin and main storage tin. In clean, straight and untested condition, plus the addition of a free set of seals and washers. A must for the \'vintage camper\' or \'re-enactor\' who wants that authentic method of cooking in the field.

WW2 British, Inter- War / Early War / Dunkirk Period, 1905 Pattern, Clasp Knife, 1938. Summer sale item 10% off, new price £85, NOW £70 The full range of clasp knives, colloquially known as Jack or Pen knives, that were issued to British and Commonwealth forces can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, however, those produced during the war will all have the broad arow stamp, date, and makers name or in initials. Knives with the marlin spike were generally, but not exclusively, issued to airborne, commando or naval personnel. The purpose of the spike being to work effectively with rope, line, or cords. Common features to all clasp knives were a single edged cutting blade, slot type screwdriver head with a lanyard ring at the opposite end. Except for the navel pattern knife all models had a separate blade that served as a can opener. Later war models can be identified by their flat metal slab sides and are considered to be part of the 44 Pattern issue of equipment intended for use in the Far East. This example inter-war, early war example is one of the 1905 patterns, manufactured to the standard British pattern 6353/1905, as modified in 1913 with changed dimensions for the tin opener. The hilt of the knife has two chequered pattern sides secured by five metal rivets. The underside of the hilt has two recesses to allow storage of the blade and the tin opener. A tapered steel Marline spike is mounted on the other side of the hilt, pivoting at the opposite end to the blade and tin opener. A copper wire shackle is also secured at this end of the hilt that was used to attach the knife to a lanyard or belt clip. A fingernail indentation is located near the top of one side of the blade. The tin opener has bevelled edges tapered to a point on one side, with a steel post mounted in the middle of the other side. A rare opportunity to acquire this much sought after item of kit for those wanting to portray the ‘old salt’ during the Battle of France and Dunkirk. NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Boiled Sweets’ Ration Tin (1). Was £90 now £65 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in September 1943 by J.P. Ltd. Later war pattern with larger font size in ‘pea green’ with darker ‘khaki’ background. This example is in ‘VERY GOOD’ condition, with only minor scratches consummate with age and few if any ‘dents’ and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. Priced to reflect rarity and condition. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Boiled Sweets’ Ration Tin (2). Was £65 now £45 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in May 1944 by J.B.B. Ltd. Later war pattern with larger font size in ‘pea green’ with dark ‘khaki’ background. This example is in ‘POORER’ condition, overall rust spotting consummate with age and few if any dents’ and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. Priced to reflect rarity and condition. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Boiled Sweets’ Ration Tin (4). Was £90 now £65 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in September 1943 by W. Ltd. Later war pattern with larger font size in ‘pea green’ with dark ‘khaki’ background. This example is in ‘GOOD’ condition, with mostly minor scratches consummate with age and few if any ‘dents’ and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Boiled Sweets’ Ration Tin (5). Was £85 now £65 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in October 1942 by N. Ltd. Earlier war pattern with smaller font size in ‘pea green’ with darker ‘olive green’ background. This example is in ‘GOOD’ condition, with only minor scratches and some rust spotting consummate with age and few if any ‘dents’ and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. Priced to reflect the rarity of having the month ‘written, and condition. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Boiled Sweets’ Ration Tin (6). Was £80 now £55 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in May 1943 by T.R. Ltd. Earlier war pattern with smaller font size in ‘pea green’ with slightly darker ‘olive green’ background. This example is in ‘FAIR/GOOD’ condition, with only minor scratches consummate with age and few if any ‘dents’ and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. Priced to reflect rarity as an early verion and condition. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Boiled Sweets’ Ration Tin (7). Was £70 now £55 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in February 1943 by J.P. Ltd. Later war pattern with larger font size in ‘pea green’ with dark ‘khaki’ background This example is in ‘FAIR’ condition, with overall rust spotting and scratches consummate with age and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. Priced to reflect rarity and condition. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Boiled Sweets’ Ration Tin (8). Was £60 now £45 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in April 1944 by C.N. & C. Ltd. Later war pattern with larger font size in ‘pea green’ with dark ‘khaki’ background This example is in ‘POOR’ condition, with scratching and rust spotting consummate with age, few if any ‘dents’ and fading to the lettering, is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. Priced to reflect rarity and condition. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘Housewife’ Needles, 1945. Was £45 now £35 An unissued packet of issue ‘Hussif’ sewing needles, Crows Foot marked and manufactured by Guillaume & Sons Ltd in 1945. Would enhance any display of personal kit. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Issue, ‘L2’, Light Pattern Anti-Gas Respirator, 1943. Was £85 now £75 The Light Respirator was introduced in 1943 and was to replace the General Service Respirator. Available sizes were ‘Small’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Large’ and can be identified by the word being moulded onto the outer mask. The harness was, to save on rubber, from cotton webbing with elastic straps sewn directly onto it. The container filter consists of a metal drum with a threaded neck on one end with a 1” inlet hole on the other. This early example has a dated filter of 6th July 1943 with the L2, MkII, designation moulded into the inner mask. The rubber is in good, clean and supple condition. The L2 had some minor modifications from the L1 and was introduced on 27th March 1943 by the army council and was soon being issued to all troops and was the most common type used by troops on D-Day. *NOTE: This item is sold for display purposes only and it is highly recommended that it is not worn to avoid inhaling any toxic substances that may be contained within the filter.

WW2 British, Issue, Anti-Gas Wallet (I). Was £80 now £70 The Anti-gas wallet was, like the anti-gas cape, made from oil cloth and made to protect the AB64 and other small personnel effects such photo’s, etc. The first pattern was 12 ½ “ by 8 “, when fully open and 12 by 4 when folded once and 6 by 4 when folded twice to fit into the breast pocket of the battle dress blouse or trouser pocket. The closure flap ran the entire length of the wallet with a 4” overlap to be fastened by a metal press stud. Later patterns dispensed with the press studs as the overlap was deemed sufficient to keep a good seal. By 1942 they were deemed unnecessary and ceased to be issued. This example has, like many, suffered from some hardening, one or two very tiny holes (refer to photographs) and the ‘pocket’ cannot be accessed. Priced to reflect rarity and condition.

WW2 British, Issue, Anti-Gas Wallet (II). Was £60 now £50 The Anti-gas wallet was, like the anti-gas cape, made from oil cloth and made to protect the AB64 and other small personnel effects such photo’s, etc. The first pattern was 12 ½ “ by 8 “, when fully open and 12 by 4 when folded once and 6 by 4 when folded twice to fit into the breast pocket of the battle dress blouse or trouser pocket. The closure flap ran the entire length of the wallet with a 4” overlap to be fastened by a metal press stud. Later patterns dispensed with the press studs as the overlap was deemed sufficient to keep a good seal. By 1942 they were deemed unnecessary and ceased to be issued. This example has, like many, suffered from the becoming ‘over sticky’ and whilst the cloth is still supple and able to fold it has resulted in a ‘tear hole to the flap, refer to photographs. I have retained the pieces to enable future restoration. Priced to reflect rarity and condition.

WW2 British, Issue, Civilian Respirator Box. Was £15 now £10 Gas masks were issued in simple but sturdy cardboard boxes with a strip of linen or string to be worn over the shoulder. This example is in good order with the inside being mint and the exterior having only some crossing out to an address on the lid. Priced to reflect condition, and good piece to upgrade a tatty box and will display

WW2 British, Issue, Housewife, 1942 Was £60 now £50 The WW2 British army Housewife, or ‘Hussif’, was issued to all troops to enable them to carry out running repairs in the field. This example is of Indian manufacture, 1942, and includes, amongst the issue items, a private purchase pair of scissors and packet of needles. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Issue, Rarer, ‘Boiled Sweets, Salt & Matches’ Ration Tin (3). Was £95 now £70 British ‘Boiled Sweets’ issue ration tin, 5-ozs, packed in November 1943 by W. Ltd. Later war pattern with larger font size in ‘pea green’ with dark ‘khaki’ background. This example is in ‘GOOD’ condition, with only minor scratches consummate with age and few if any ‘dents’ and is now a rare survivor; many were kept to store cigarettes and other ‘pocket’ items that needed to be kept dry. Priced to reflect the rarity of this much sought after version, with the addition of ‘slat and matches’, and good condition. The Metal Box Company Ltd who manufactured, amongst other things, Boyes Anti-tank Rifles and Verey Pistols produced many of these metal tins. The base and lid are pressed from single sheets of metal negating the use for a soldered joint and allowing them, when taped, to be watertight. Inner surfaces were ‘tinned’ to prevent rust. Sized at: Length: 10.5cm (4”) Height: 8cm (3”) Thickness: 2.5 cm (1”) *Sizes are approx. The sweets were issued to provide a concentrated energy boost in the field i.e., the sugars in the sweet were quickly converted into energy. The sweets also kept a soldier’s mouth moist, by producing saliva, reducing the need to drink water. *Note: no contents and the last image with the ruler is for sizing and may not show the tin for that listing.

WW2 British, LDV & Home Guard, Metal Respirator Tin with Civilian Respirator. Was £85 now £70 Members of the LDV initially used their civilian issue respirators carried in its cardboard box slung over the shoulder with a piece of string, which gave little protection to the elements. The poor quality of the cardboard, during wet weather, made the boxes fall apart. During the period of name change, from LDV, over to Home Guard some units were issued with cylindrical metal containers to replace the boxes. These carrying tins could be better taken on exercises, parades and on patrol with the respirator remaining dry and free from damage. This example is in excellent condition with only minor scuff marks, retains its internal cloth bag, with instruction for use to inner surface of lid, original cord and is Labelled to ‘BLADON M.U. 42’

WW2 British, Mess Tins, Tinned Steel, 1942, with Storage Bag. Was £57 now £45 The British Army, on introduction of the 37 Pattern Kit, decided to replace the older D-shaped mess tin for something more suitable to modern warfare. They adopted a rectangular pair of nesting aluminium tins with a folding steel handle. These proved to be lighter and more hygienic than the older model, however, these were quickly withdrawn to use the aluminium for aircraft production. Several changes to the basic design took place, rounding the corners, reducing the depth, adding reinforcement crimps to the top edge, adding a reinforcement groove along the long edge of the side, and finally moving away from aluminium to tinned steel. This pair of tins were manufactured in 1942, however, heavy tinning to the body of the pan has obliterated the manufactures name. As is standard the steel handles are attached to the main body by rivets and the pair come with an also un-issued buff/white cotton, draw string, storage bag. Perfect for those who wish to display an un-issued kit layout, priced to reflect the condition and rarity of this much sought-after piece of British kit.

WW2 British, Mk. V1a, Haversack waist Belt. Was £75 now £65 For certain jobs/roles the haversack was deemed impractical to be worn on the chest and needed a respirator with a long hose to be used and the haversack to be worn on the side. The belt prevented the haversack from ‘flapping’ during vagarious movement. This example is in very good order, has the owners’ initials, FE, stamped to the buckles and is priced to reflect rarity and condition. Just the thing to finish off a long-hosed haversack and respirator combo.

WW2 British, NAAFI, Teacup, 1944. Was £25 now £15 With some damage a very nice 1944 dated teacup, manufactured by TAMS. One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea. Priced to reflect chip to rim but would still make an excellent addition for any display of army NAAFI or barrack life.

WW2 British, News Chronicle, Cricket Annual, 1939 Was £18 now £15 A are copy of the News Chronicle Cricket Album 1939 that would have graced to Christmas stocking of many a cricket mad young boy and even their fathers. Please refer to photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Number 2 Prismatic 6x30 Binoculars, 1942. was £75 now £65 The Number 2 Prismatic Binoculars were the standard general service optics used by British and Commonwealth forces during WW2. There were three patterns, of which only the second and third had graticule markings in the focal plane, the third pattern had the opportunity to fill the body with nitrogen gas to prevent misting. Neck staps came in leather or canvas, of which the canvas was 32 inches in length, between the adjustment buckles and had a width of 5/16”. The adjusting ends had an additional 5 inched that formed the hanging loop when affixed to the lugs of the binoculars. This example is the second pattern, with the canvas neck strap and webbing carry case and webbing shoulder strap, both dated to 1944. These optics come in used and ‘salty’ condition, ‘been there, seen it and done it’ and would suit the modern reenactor who wants to portray the British office during battle/patrol conditions. Priced to reflect condition, however, with a little time and patience they will clean to display condition.

WW2 British, Number I, Electric Lamp. Was £55 now £46 Suitable for mounting to the front bracket of British WW2 bicycles. The Number I electric lamp came in different configurations; however, they all featured a swivel handle at the top where the on/off button is mounted. Pulling the ends of the handle out allowed access to the battery compartment. All variations are known to have a mounting bracket to the rear, with this example having, for fixture to a bicycle, the desirable lens hood. Please refer to the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Officers Dress Service Cap, Badges to Royal Engineers. Was £127 now £95 Manufactured from khaki drab material with a plain peak and the crown stiffened with a wire former. These caps had brown leather chin strap, unless for rifle regiments which were black, held in place by two small brass buttons. Cap badges for these caps were always produced from a bronze finished metal or, in later stages of the war, the brown economy patterns. This example is badged to the Royal Engineers and has that salty worn in look with some staining and wear to the leather chin strap.

WW2 British, Ointment Anti-Gas No.2, Glass Jar Variant, Coloured Coded ‘Cream’. Was £65 now £55 Anti-gas ointments were developed to protect troops from the effects of blistering gases and could be used as a preventative (applied in anticipation of an attack) or curative (applied to blisters after an attack). The ointment consisted of a strong alkali to neutralise acidic blistering agents and could also be used to decontaminate weapons and equipment. Personnel were issued with two tins; one to be stored in the haversack and the other in the pocket of the anti-gas cape. The ointment itself was predominantly manufactured by ‘British Drug Houses’ (sometimes stamped BDH) with most of the tins being made by the ‘Metal Box Co. and stamped with MB or the number 12. Ointment Anti-Gas No.2 is by far the most common anti-gas ointment used in WW2 and could even be purchased in a civilian form via chemists. Initially supplied in a glass jars, using white or brown glass, with a metal lid and later replaced by tubes held in a flat rectangular tin. The glass jars continued to be issued to Police and civilian organisations whilst the tins were issued to the armed forces. The ointment itself was a mixture of Chloramine-T and vanishing cream. This rare early example of the white glass jar (manufactured by UGB) variant is priced to reflect its rarity, excellent condition with the addition of its contents.

WW2 British, Respirator Spectacles. Was £50 now £40 The respirator could only function properly if a good seal was achieved between the mask and the wears face. Personnel who wore glasses ran the risk of the arm of the glasses preventing a proper seal, to overcome this problem the RAMC, in 1939, introduced a set of spectacles that could be worn with the majority of respirator face pieces. These spectacles have round lenses, white metal frame and cable earpieces to keep them firmly in place. The arms running from the lenses to the earpiece have a flat and thin profile which prevented the seal being broken. They were issued in a thin fibreboard case with an instruction label affixed to the inner lid. This example is in good order, has the original prescription lenses, I have a pair with modern lenses I used for re-enactment, and they still have the original owners name and service number to the case. Priced to reflect good condition and rarity.

WW2 British, Royal Engineers, Coloured Field Service Cap Was £76 now £65 Colloquially called the ‘forage’ or ‘side’ cap this universal pattern was reintroduced into the British army at the same time as the Battledress, 1937. Officers’ models were often produced in barathea whilst other ranks were manufactured from plain khaki drab serge. However, in June 1937 Amendment No.1 to the existing Dress Regulations for the Army, 1934 stated in Para. 31A: ‘The colour of the cap, crown and piping will be decided by the colonel’s commandant or colonels of regiments or corps. The badge will be of authorised regimental pattern.’ This cap, the use of which is entirely optional, may be worn with mess dress and on other informal occasions; it will not be worn on any occasion when on parade or duty, and will be maintained in addition to, and not in substitution of, the forage cap. This example is coloured and badges to the Royal Engineers with dark blue crown, body, peak and curtain with yellow piping to the crown. Badges with the Royal Engineers grenade. A well-worn solid example with little to no mothing.

WW2 British, Sheet Music, \'Kiss Me Good-Night Sergeant-Major\'. Was £15 now £12 Essential for community and family singing around the piano at Christmas, a good sheet music copy of \'Kiss Me Good-Night Sergeant-Major\'. One of the most popular British, civilian and military songs of WW2. Please refer to photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Sheet Music, \'The Quartermaster\'s Store\', hand dated \'1940\'. Was £15 now £12 Essential for community and family singing around the piano at Christmas, a good sheet music copy of \'The Quartermaster\'s Store\', hand dated \'1940\' in pen to front cover. Another very popular British, civilian and military song of WW2. Please refer to photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Spoon from the KFS set, Dunkirk Period, 1939. Was £65 now £50 A three-piece eating utensil set was issued to all personnel, along with mess tins and drinking mug. The most common set being the separate knife, fork, and spoon, however, the knife was not commonly carried in the field as the issue clasp knife could be used and the missing knife saved both space and weight. Most were manufactured from nickel silver or nickel stainless and were usually marked with make name or initials and sometimes the date. Due to the huge range of manufactures, there are a vast range of slightly differing patterns. Rare, as an early dated example of British kit, it is broad arrow marked, dated 1939 and was manufactured by ‘G Ltd.’. Priced to reflect the rarity and condition of the item. I also have 1939 examples of the knife and fork available in the shop.

WW2 British, Telegram Dated 4th May 1940, Buckingham Palace. Was £11 now £9 A small and unusual item of ephemera and dating to just four days prior to the Battle of France with Guard Divisions and Buckingham Palace interest.

WW2 British, The Triumph and Gem Comic, Jan\' 1940. Was 10 now £8 A nice copy of the popular boys comic, The Triumph and Gem, dated Jan\' 1940. Usual browning and foxing to pages, a rare survivor!! Please refer to photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, The Triumph and Gem Comic, May 1940. Was £10 now £8 A nice copy of the popular boys comic, The Triumph and Gem, dated May 1940. Usual browning and foxing to pages, a rare survivor!! Please refer to photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 British, Toggle Rope (1). Was £95 now £85 A good example of the British Army toggle rope, most associated with Airborne and Commando personnel. They consist of a 6’6” length of rope, varied from ¾ to 1 inch thick, with a sliced loop at one end and a wooden ‘toggle’ at the other. They were a general-purpose item that could be used for pulling carts and other vehicles or to make longer scaling ropes. We believe this example to be I unissued order as it appears to be still ‘untied’.

WW2 British, Toggle Rope (2). Was £85 now £75 A good example of the British Army toggle rope, most associated with Airborne and Commando personnel. They consist of a 6’6” length of rope, varied from ¾ to 1 inch thick, with a sliced loop at one end and a wooden ‘toggle’ at the other. They were a general-purpose item that could be used for pulling carts and other vehicles or to make longer scaling ropes. In good order with signs of only little use.

WW2 British, Unissued, Late War, Green Enamelled Mug. Was £45 now £40 Not dated, however, this example has the tell-tale triple spur marks to base. One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea. Still has its brown paper issue wrapping, however, as with many the enamel has chipped so priced to reflect this.

WW2 British, Unissued, Late War, Green Enamelled Mug. Was £65 now £55 One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea. Not dated, however, this example has the tell-tale triple spur marks to base. Priced to reflect unissued condition.

WW2 British, Unit ‘Tin’ of Foot Powder, 16 Oz, Dunkirk Period, 1940. Was £35 now £30 Foot powder was an essential issue of the British army and was used to soldiers to keep their feet dry and free from fungal infections. All the standard tins held 1.75 ounces of powder and can be found in oval, rectangular and oval tins. This unit sized ‘tin’ could be used to refill the smaller tins as and when needed. Clearly dated March 1940, holding 16 Oz and manufactured by ‘Boots’ of Nottingham.

WW2 British, War Savings Commemorative Plaque, 1944. CUT DOWN Was £157 now £135 Commemorative presentation wall plaque for supporting the ‘For Freedom War Savings Campaign’ (an extension of the National Savings’ campaign run for the government by Sir Robert Kindersley) of 1944 and was presented by the War Office to local saving committees in appreciation of their success in Salute the Soldier Week savings campaigns. Manufactured in ivory-coloured plastic by De La Rue Plastics. This example has unfortunately been cut down, refer to final \'thumb nail\' photo, fixing holes re-drilled and the bottom edge filed to shape, hence priced, un-cut examples regularly sell in excess of £250, to reflect this ‘editing’. I also have available one of the much sought after ‘Salute the Solider’ lapel badges.

WW2 British, Women’s Land Army, Corduroy Breeches, 1945. Was £110 now £95 A truly lovely pair of Women’s Land Army, Corduroy Breeches in stunning complete condition. Manufactured in 1945 by ‘Arthur Crabtree’ they are Size 0: Height 4’10” to 5’0” Waist 22” to 24” Hips 34” to 36” The breeches come complete with all buttons, both original leg laces are present with their metal tip and the fabric appears to be undamaged. Priced to reflect condition and rarity, please refer to the photos as they form part of the description.

WW2 British/Free French, Cigarette Papers. Was £25 now £20 Manufactured by CP Ltd. at their Riverside factory in West London. Translation: ‘PAPIER SUPERIEUR GOMME PURETE ABSOLUMENT GARANTIE’. Superior gum paper purity absolutely guaranteed. ‘FRANCE LIBRE’ Free France. ‘PAPIERS A CIGARETTES’ Cigarette papers. ‘FFF’ Free French Army These cigarette papers were originally given to me by a neighbor who claimed that they were given to his mother by a Free French soldier in the famous ‘French Pub’ in London\'s Soho during the WW2.

WW2 Civilian Respirator in Issue Carrying Box Was £45 now £35 Civilian respirator with cardboard box of issue in above average, supple condition. Sized ‘Large’ and manufactured in 1937. Designed in 1935 and becoming available in 1936, 38 million were produced. GAG0001

WW2 Commonwealth Issue, Anti-Gas Hood. Was £95 now £80 The Anti-Gas Hood was introduced with the Anti-Gas Cape and was worn over the head with a drawstring to seal under the chin. The length of the lower flap was sufficient to cover the neck and collar. It was discontinued in 1942 in favour of the No.2 Anti-Gas Ointment that could be applied to the neck before an attack. Whilst it gave excellent protection to the head it gave no protection to the helmet which would have to be decontaminated. There is some evidence that hoods returned to stores were reissued as rain hoods. This example was manufactured in 1941 by the Canadian, Dominion Rubber Company Limited and is priced to reflect rarity and near mint condition.

WW2 Commonwealth, 1937 Pattern Webbing Anklets, 1941. Was £75 now £60 Anklets, also known as Gaiters, were issued as a left and right pair and replaced the puttees worn in WW1. They were manufactured in four sizes; 1 to 4, with 4 being the largest, one additional inch was added for each increase in the sized number, the height remained the same for all sizes. Throughout the war all anklets had a pair of brass buckles, later replaced with steel; however, the small straps or ‘tabs’ went through some changes from being webbing made with a brass end cap, webbing minus the cap and then leather, which overcame the fraying of the webbing tabs with the removed cap. When worn the buckles should be on the outside of the ankle with the tabs treaded so that they point to the rear, they should be worn tight enough to ‘blouse’ the trousers but not be so tight that they are difficult to put on. This pair are in outstanding, mint, unissued condition, manufactured in Canada by Z. T. & L. Ltd (Zephyr Loom and Textile) and clearly dated 1941. Webbing manufactured in Canada was worn by combatants from all the Commonwealth forces. Priced to reflect outstanding condition and early war date, much prized by Dunkirk era reenactors who require the brass capped tabs.

WW2 Era Cake/Puck of KG103 Khaki Green (Light) Blanco. Was £40 now £30 Blanco was used to clean and waterproof webbing in the sense that it covered stains and gave the webbing a consistent appearance. First the dirt needed to be brushed off then an even coating of the wet Blanco could be applied with a sponge or small brush, common practice was to use an old tooth or shaving brush. Once dry it could be lightly brushed to remove any excess. N.B. only the outside surfaces of the webbing had Blanco applied, this kept the Blanco off the uniform and avoided any staining. This example is coloured to the shade of KG103 Khaki Green (Light) and has associated with the mid-war period. Priced to reflect rarity and lack of major damage.

WW2 Era Cake/Puck of KG103 Khaki Green (Light) Blanco. Was £35 now £30 Blanco was used to clean and waterproof webbing in the sense that it covered stains and gave the webbing a consistent appearance. First the dirt needed to be brushed off then an even coating of the wet Blanco could be applied with a sponge or small brush, common practice was to use an old tooth or shaving brush. Once dry it could be lightly brushed to remove any excess. N.B. only the outside surfaces of the webbing had Blanco applied, this kept the Blanco off the uniform and avoided any staining. This example is coloured to the shade of KG103 Khaki Green (Light) and has associated with the mid-war period. **Please note that the cake/puck has a large crack across the centre. Priced to reflect rarity and damage.

WW2 Era Cakes/Pucks of KG3 Khaki Green (Dark) Blanco. Was £35 now £30 Blanco was used to clean and waterproof webbing in the sense that it covered stains and gave the webbing a consistent appearance. First the dirt needed to be brushed off then an even coating of the wet Blanco could be applied with a sponge or small brush, common practice was to use an old tooth or shaving brush. Once dry it could be lightly brushed to remove any excess. N.B. only the outside surfaces of the webbing had Blanco applied, this kept the Blanco off the uniform and avoided any staining. These examples are coloured to the shade of KG3 Khaki Green (Dark) and are associated with the mid to late and post war period. At the time of uploading to the shop; 11 cakes/pucks of the Blanco were available; price is for one cake/puck.

WW2 Era Unopened Packet of Ty-Phoo Tea, 4 Oz. SPECIAL OFFER 50% PRICE DROP: was £64 now £32 per packet. An exceptional chance to own an original unopened 4 Oz. packet of Ty-Phoo Tea. One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea. It is recommended that it is not used and is used for display purposes only. I also have the opportunity for you to purchase issue Tea Ration tins which can also be found in ‘WW2 British personal kit, pack fillers and comfort’. Price is for ONE packet only. SPECIAL OFFER 50% PRICE DROP: was £64 now £32 per packet.

WW2 Era, British, ‘Infantry Section Leading’, HMSO, 1938, printed, 1939. Was £22 now £18 A grubby but intact copy priced to reflect early date and rarity. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2 Era, British, ‘Small Arms Training’, HMSO, 1937, printed 1937. Was £22 now £15 A grubby but intact copy priced to reflect early date and rarity. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2 era, British, ‘Tommy Cooker’. Was £75 now £65 Self-contained \'solid fuel\' version of the WW1 pattern portable stove in a small tin with attachable pot stand. There were similar commercial stoves sold as the ‘Tommy\'s Cooker and the ‘Blackie’. This example is of the Blackie and is in good condition, still containing its fuel. There is some conjecture that these Blackie Cookers are of post war manufacture being that packaging refers to the Everest Expedition, however, this may not refer to the 1953 Hillary conquest of the mountain but to one of the British expeditions of the 1920’s e.g., the Mallory attempt of 1924. Priced to reflect the rarity of this much sought after item of kit, photographs of which show use in the trenches of the Phoney war. Priced to reflect rarity and unissued mint condition. Please study the photo’s carefully as they form part of the description.

WW2 era, British, NOS, Bicycle Brake Blocks. Was £25 now £20 WW2 era, factory packaged in \'oil cloth\', bicycle brake blocks.

WW2 era, British, NOS, Bicycle Brake Blocks. Was £25 now £20 WW2 era, factory packaged in brown paper, bicycle brake blocks.

WW2 era, British, NOS, Cycle Chain, Suitable for the BSA Folding Airborne Bicycle. Was £45 now £40 NOS, boxed, example of the ‘Coventry Cycle Chain’, No. III048, Size 1/2 x 1/8, 112 links and suitable for the BSA folding airborne bicycle. Please refer to the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 era, Electric, Bicycle, ‘Convoy’ lamp. Was £75 now £65 In some wartime photographs, examples of these small electric torches can be seen mounted to the lower bicycle frame. Approx 3 ½” in length and 1 ½ inches wide, the metal housing was made to carry a single D-Size battery but had no provision for an on/off switch. When not in use the battery was simply removed, turned and re-inserted to break the circuit which also prevented the lens and springs from rattling. With some paint loss this example is priced to reflect rarity, please refer to the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 Era, Private Purchase, “Gillette” Safety Razor. Was £35 now £25 Until 1916, it was a statutory requirement for all members of the British Army to wear a moustache. Uniform regulation command number 1695 stipulated “the hair of the head will be kept short. The chin and the under-lip will be shaved, but not the upper lip…”. It is not clear how far this order was rigidly enforced but until General Sir Neville Macready, who apparently hated moustaches, repealed the order in October 1916 British soldiers were moustachioed! Nonetheless, shaving was still required; to appear stubbly was still effectively a breach of regulation. In the dirty environment of the trenches, without access to running water, basins, towels and even privacy, how did men even manage to shave? In some regiments, rules were relaxed in times of action meaning that stubble was permitted, although soldiers were expected to take the first opportunity to attend to their beards in calmer conditions. In the field, though, even obtaining clean water to shave was no easy matter. Complete washing was an irregular occurrence. According to one account, a single tub of water served for the whole company. Instead, soldiers might get a cursory wash of face and hands at best. In such circumstances ingenuity was required. Some soldiers took to using cold tea as shaving water – better than drawing water from a muddy puddle although even this likely sufficed in an emergency. Manufactured by ‘Gillette’ and made from Stainless Steel. Priced to reflect condition, would be a welcome addition to for anyone starting to create a WW2 wash roll or those collecting or re-enacting the Home Front. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 Era, Private Purchase, “Wardonia” Safety Razor. Was £30 now £25 Until 1916, it was a statutory requirement for all members of the British Army to wear a moustache. Uniform regulation command number 1695 stipulated “the hair of the head will be kept short. The chin and the under-lip will be shaved, but not the upper lip…”. It is not clear how far this order was rigidly enforced but until General Sir Neville Macready, who apparently hated moustaches, repealed the order in October 1916 British soldiers were moustachioed! Nonetheless, shaving was still required; to appear stubbly was still effectively a breach of regulation. In the dirty environment of the trenches, without access to running water, basins, towels and even privacy, how did men even manage to shave? In some regiments, rules were relaxed in times of action meaning that stubble was permitted, although soldiers were expected to take the first opportunity to attend to their beards in calmer conditions. In the field, though, even obtaining clean water to shave was no easy matter. Complete washing was an irregular occurrence. According to one account, a single tub of water served for the whole company. Instead, soldiers might get a cursory wash of face and hands at best. In such circumstances ingenuity was required. Some soldiers took to using cold tea as shaving water – better than drawing water from a muddy puddle although even this likely sufficed in an emergency. Manufactured by ‘Wardonia’ of Sheffield and made from Bakelite and Stainless Steel. Priced to reflect condition, would be a welcome addition to for anyone starting to create a WW2 wash roll or those collecting or re-enacting the Home Front. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 Era/Post War, Private Purchase, Combined KFS. Was £55 now £45 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. Towards the end of the war a new lightweight stackable set of eating utensils was developed, but few were issued, and it is now considered part of the 44 Pattern equipment. These three-piece sets were made from steel and die cast aluminium with a clasp at the end of the spoon handle to hold the set together when stacked. They were designed to be as light as possible, being half the weight of previous issue sets and unlike previous issues could fit inside the standard issue mess tin. Manufactured towards the end or post war this set is slightly shorter than the WD contract sets but follows that design by Richards of Sheffield. Priced to reflect good overall condition, would be a welcome addition for any reenactors kit. Please examine the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW2 German Aircraft relic, SUSPECTED FROM, Messerschmitt Me 110C-4, 1/ZG2. Was £35 now £30 Part of the aircrafts hydraulic system this single relic is SUSPECTED to have come from: Messerschmitt Me 110C-4, 1/ZG2, shot down by Hurricanes during escort duty during a sortie for KG51 that crashed and burned out at North Baddesley at 4.00 p.m. on 13th August 1940, Adlertag (\"Eagle Day\"). SOME RECENT GENTLE CLEANING HAS UNCOVERED A WERK NO. FOR THE AIRCRAFT OF 8243, WORTHY OF FURTHER RESEARCH. Please refer to the photographs carefully as they form part of the description, priced to reflect some missing aspects of the provenance and sold as seen. Left for the purchaser to display as they wish!!

WW2 German Box of ATA Soap Powder. Was £25 now £20 An unopened box of German, ATA, ammonia soap powder. \'Particularly suitable for all dirt, removes rust and stains, cleans everything sparkling clean.\' This would make a great Bread Bag filler.

WW2 German, SUPER RARE & IMPORTANT, Duxford, Messerschmitt Me109E-4, ‘White-4’, Werk No. 1190, Relic Pieces. Was £145 now £105 Relic parts from one of the most important famous German, Battle of Britain survivors: Messerschmitt BF109E-4, 4/JG26 Werke No. 1190 – White 4. A VERY RARE opportunity to own relic parts of this important aircraft, currently on display at Imperial War Museum, Duxford. Purchased by the museum in 1998 it previously belonged to Peter Foote who, in 1966 at Hurn airfield, undertook some remedial restoration work, which included removing these parts, which come with Peters handwritten label. We acquired the pieces from Richard C. Smith, famous aviation author, who auctioned them off to raise money for a local museum in Purfleet, Essex. History: The aircraft was built at Leipzig in 1939 by Erla Maschinwerk and was operated by the 4th Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 26 (4/JG26), based at Marquise-Ost. Flown by Unteroffizier Horst Perez on September 30th, 1940, it was attacked by Spitfires of 92 Squadron over beachy Head, later belly-landing in a field at east Dean, Suffolk. Prior to this it is believed to have been flown by Hauptmann Karl Ebbighausen, whose five previous ‘kills’ appear recorded on the tail fin, x2 Dutch aircraft dated May 13th, 1940, x1 French or Belgium dated May 18th, 1940, and x2 British dated May 25th and June 14th, 1940. Receiving only minor damage the aircraft was taken for examination to the Royal Aircraft Establishment and was later despatched to Canada and the U.S. to help raise funds for the ‘Bundles for Britain’ campaign. At the end of the war, it was delivered to the Arnprior Research Establishment in Ontario, Canada. Please refer to the photographs carefully as they form part of the description, priced to reflect the rarity and desirability of these important relics. Left for the purchaser to display as they wish!! Copy, you will need to cut and paste, the link below for fascinating film about the aircraft: https://youtu.be/u2CCQ4CIaOk

WW2 German, V1 (‘Buzz Bomb’ / ‘Doodle Bug’), VZ80(A), Mechanical Impact, \"All-Ways\", Action Fuse. Was £400, Summer sale, £352, NOW £295 OPERATION: When the bomb was launched, the arming ring of the fuse was pulled, removing the central part of the aluminium diaphragm and a spiralled arming wire. The removal of the latter released a lever which freed the balance wheel of the clock and allowed the clock to begin operating. After approx. 7 minutes, the arm holding down the arming bolt sprung to one side, and the arming detent was forced out by its spring, the fuse then fully armed. HISTORY: The V1 Flying Bomb, also known as a \'buzz bomb\' or \'doodlebug\', was one of the most fear-inducing terror weapons of the Second World War. In the face of relentless Allied bombing of German cities, Hitler created its \'revenge weapons\' (Vergeltungswaffen) in an attempt to terrorise British civilians and undermine morale. Powered by a simple but noisy pulsejet, more than 20,000 were launched at British and continental targets, mostly London and Antwerp, from June 1944 to March 1945. It carried a one-ton, high-explosive warhead and had a range of about 240 km (150 miles) but was, however, very inaccurate. At the impact site houses or buildings were totally demolished and destroyed. In the inner London suburbs where terrace houses were packed together, sometimes up to 20 houses would totally collapse, just at one hit. Brick walls were pulverised into small fragments. Further out from the epicentre walls, roofs and window frames were ripped out exposing the contents and innards of the house. Further out still, all the windows were blown out and roofing slates blown off. Every time a Doodlebug landed hundreds of houses were damaged. Ranging from total demolition to minor damage. This was a freezing, drenched summer and repairs would take several months. Londoners were de-housed in their tens of thousands or shivered in cold, damp and roofless houses. The blast area of a V1 extended across a radius of 400 -600 yards in each direction. Anyone unlucky enough to be close to the impact site would be blown apart or suffer crush injuries from falling masonry. Others would be trapped below collapsed buildings and have to be dug out. Further away from the impact site awful injuries were inflicted by shards of flying glass. During the course of the attacks the nature of the injuries changed somewhat. At the beginning people were caught unawares on the street and injuries from flying glass were widespread. Later on, people had understood the necessity of shelter in safe (er) areas of their home e.g. under the stairs. However, this had the effect of less flying glass injuries but more crush injuries from people being buried in the ruins of collapsed houses. The toll of human suffering was appx. 6184 people killed by V1’s and 17981 seriously injured and maimed. Tens of thousands of others received lesser injuries. Countless more would suffer the pain of bereavement or from the loss of their home and treasured possessions. Please refer to the photographs carefully as they form part of the description, priced to reflect the rarity. Left for the purchaser to display as they wish!!

WW2 Pad and Envelope Grouping. Was £18 now £12 An interesting group of display items being a writing pad and Active Service Envelope. The pad, as can be seen, has no sheets left but has a cracking image of a British Tommy to the front cover. Inside was photograph that presumably was the recipient of the letters? On the reverse there is the address \'90 Stanley Road\' from which it is possible to identify the door using Google Street View, the use of a local directory from the period would probably give details of the family, an interesting research project for those long winter evenings!!

WW2 Period British ‘NAAFI’ Ash Tray. Was £45 now £35 The ‘Navy, Army, Air Forces Institute’ is a company created by the British Government in 1920 to run recreational establishments for forces personnel, and their families, to relax and purchase goods. During WW2 the NAAFI ran over 7000 canteens manned by 96,000 personnel. In addition to tea, cigarettes were one of the most important comfort items available to troops. As well as commercially available items, usually purchased at the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Forces Institute), many were part of the issued rations and were often used like money for wagers in card games, etc. Most cigarettes were available in boxed packets of ten or packed tins of fifty. Lighters were usually a private purchase item with boxes of matches readily available for lighting cigarettes, stoves, etc. To accompany this iconic item from service personnel’s life I also have other articles available such as lighters, cigarette papers, matches, etc. Priced to reflect very good condition.

WW2 Period, British, ‘Trench Lighter’ and Improvised Match Tin. Was £25 now £20 Small petrol lighters were not issue items but were carried, at least by the end of the war, in the pockets of most Tommy’s. Being able to light a flame is a very useful thing for a soldier so that he can smoke a cigarette, ‘brew-up, heat through some food or give himself some light. Matches were another possibility but can become wet or damp, hence the need for a method for storing them ‘dryly’, I suspect that this small match tin originated as some kind of medical tin. To accompany these iconic items from service personnel’s life I also have other articles available such as cigarette packets and papers, match boxes, etc.

WW2 period, British, Chocolate Box with Photograph\'s, etc. Was £25 now £20 A rare WW2 period Cadbury\'s \'Milk Tray\' chocolate box with period photographs. The perfect Christmas present for the period and found containing WW2 period photo\'s. Please study the photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 Period, British, Cigarette Packet Pairing. Was £20 now £15 Two of the most popular WW2 period cigarette packet brands in very good condition: Wills ‘Woodbines’, packet of 10 (empty). Players ‘Weights’, packet of 10 (empty). In addition to tea, cigarettes were one of the most important comfort items available to troops. As well as commercially available items, usually purchased at the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Forces Institute), many were part of the issued rations and were often used like money for wagers in card games, etc. Most cigarettes were available in boxed packets of ten or packed tins of fifty. Lighters were usually a private purchase item with boxes of matches readily available for lighting cigarettes, stoves, etc. To accompany these iconic items from service personnel’s life I also have other articles available such as lighters, cigarette papers, matches, etc. To avoid damage, I have padded the boxes, so they keep their shape.

WW2 Period, British, Cigarette Packet Pairing. Was £20 now £15 Two of the most popular WW2 period cigarette packet brands in very good condition: Wills ‘Woodbines’, packet of 10 (empty). Players ‘Weights’, packet of 10 (empty). In addition to tea, cigarettes were one of the most important comfort items available to troops. As well as commercially available items, usually purchased at the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Forces Institute), many were part of the issued rations and were often used like money for wagers in card games, etc. Most cigarettes were available in boxed packets of ten or packed tins of fifty. Lighters were usually a private purchase item with boxes of matches readily available for lighting cigarettes, stoves, etc. To accompany these iconic items from service personnel’s life I also have other articles available such as lighters, cigarette papers, matches, etc. To avoid damage, I have padded the boxes, so they keep their shape.

WW2 Period, British, Private Purchase, Tea Diffuser. Was £25 now £20 A nice little pack filler, this WW2 period tea diffuser is chrome plated and of British manufacture. This item would allow loose tea leaves to be re-used and would keep the precious brew free from leaves. One must never underestimate the importance of tea to the British soldier during both World Wars. Tea was vital to the soldiers’ morale. Naturally, it contains caffeine and can provide a boost of energy; but there are many who find it calming, as well. Tea is a part of British culture, even more so in the 1940’s than today. To the soldier, it was more than just a beverage; it was a reminder of home, family, and happier times. In barracks and camps, large urns of tea were housed in the cookhouses and dining halls. When soldiers were off duty, they could buy a cup at the NAAFI canteen found on every base (NAAFI was the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes). There were also mobile canteens which followed the men on training exercises; most of these were operated by the NAAFI, but others were from the YMCA, Salvation Army, and other civilian organizations. While tea breaks were commonly permitted on exercise, this was an impossible luxury in combat operations. Nevertheless, the troops became adept at quickly brewing tea at every possible opportunity. Any time a halt was called, and if there were no bullets flying overhead, out would come the tea.

WW2 period, British, Will\'s Wild Woodbine Cigarette, Promotional Playing Cards. Was £15 now £12 A nice complete set of Will\'s Wild Woodbine Cigarette, Promotional Playing Cards. Essential for those Post-Christmas dinner party games and building Christmas house of cards. Please study the photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 period, Cadbury\'s \'Sliced Nut\' Milk Chocolate, Shop Display. Was £15 now £12 A lovely condition WW2 period shop display, Cadbury\'s \'Sliced Nut\' Milk Chocolate bar. Please note that this item contains NO chocolate and was made for display purposes only. Please study photo\'s as they form part of the description.

WW2 Period, CC41, Civilian Shirt with Fixed Collar, CWS, ‘Wheatsheaf Make’. Was £79 now £65 WW2 Period, CC41, Civilian Shirt with Fixed Collar, CWS, ‘Wheatsheaf Make’. An original 1940’s CC41, Utility labelled, men\'s shirt, with collar attached, made by C.W.S. Attached collar shirts were available from the 1930s onwards, but only became common in the 1940s. The original label is still bright and legible, featuring the standard CC41 logo as well as the fabric code X3025/1. C.W.S. was the acronym for the Cooperative Wholesale Society with the shirt probably being manufactured in Leicester. Prominent also is the Wheatsheaf logo, embroidered in bright yellow. Measurements when flat: Armpit to armpit: 21” to 22” Armpit to cuff: 21” Collar: 13” Please bear in mind that shirts of this period are cut in a very \'full\' manner meaning that a chest measurement of 22\" will fit around a 36-38\" chest, depending on desired fit, smaller collar size is ok when worn with to button undone. The shirt is in very condition, with only minor wear to the collar, something which could be rectified by, as ‘Make do and Mend’ suggested, ‘turning the collar’. This would be ideal for a small to medium sized reenactor or ideal for a home front or Home Guard display, remembering that Home Guard wore civilian shirts under their Battledress. Priced to reflect good condition and slightly smaller sizing. Please refer carefully to the photographs as they form part of the description.

WW2 Period, Dunlop, Puncture Repair Tin. Was £25 now £20 A lovely little extra for that WW2 bicycle, this Dunlop puncture repair tin, with its original French Chalk tin, would enhance any display and fits into the standard leather tool pouch, which is also available, item number 888888. Priced to reflect condition, please refer to the images as they form part of the description.

WW2, British and Commonwealth, Ankle Boots a.k.a. ‘Ammo Boots’, plus FREE GIFT!! SUMMER SALE ITEM, WAS £225, NOW £180 Ankle boots were the standard issue foot ware for most of the British and Commonwealth armies during WW2. Often referred to as Ammo Boots, they came just above the ankle and were made from dyed black, pebbled, leather. Size was broken down by width fittings and normally marked S (small/narrow), M (medium/normal) and L (large/wide), the heels and soles were typically made from smooth leather, whose life was extended by the addition of metal cleats fitted to the front edge of the sole and heel. Hobnails were also added, to create traction for field use, to the sole with the pattern and number decreasing as the war wore on. These examples are in a good, wearable, size 12M (medium to normal width) and were manufactured by Wilkins and Denton (London) Ltd. The right-hand boot was manufactured in 1944, with the left hand being produced in 1942. This was not unusual as boots were issued on an individual level, dependant on the wear of each boot, and as we suspect that these boots were driver issued, lack of hobnails helped prevent the foot slipping off the clutch, break and accelerator pedals, with the right foot receiving more wear from constant use of the accelerator. ¬ Perfect for the reenactor who wants original kit or would suit a modern sized mannequin, a RARE piece of foot ware in this larger size. FREE GIFT: we will supply, free of charge, a set of late war, type hobnails. 26 in total, 13 per boot. This will allow the purchaser to convert to field use.

WW2, British Issue, Wolseley Pattern Helmet, 1942. Was £95 now £80 Slightly tatty but sound, size 7, Wolseley Pattern Helmet, manufactured in 1942 by Moores of London. It still retains its silver foil liner, to help reflect the heat of the sun, but as is very common, is missing its leather chin strap. The Wolseley pattern helmet was worn by the British Army from about 1899 to 1948 and described in the 1900 Dress Regulations as \"the Wolseley pattern cork helmet\" and was covered in a lightweight cloth with a puggaree. Named after Garnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley, it can be identified by its swept-back brim, providing greater protection from the sun than the old Colonial pattern helmet, becoming widespread among British personnel serving overseas.

WW2, British, ‘DRILL, Up to Date’, Longmans. Was £22 now £15 A good copy with only minor foxing, intended for Home Guard personnel. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, ‘Durex’, ULTRA-RARE, Prophylactic Condom. Was £135 now £110 Essential for stopping the spread of ‘Venereal Disease’ (VD) throughout the ranks, Prophylactic; a medicine or course of action used to prevent disease, no tunic pocket or wash roll is complete without one. For example, the rate of venereal VD encountered by the Eighth Army in Italy was more than twenty times that found in Britain. Dire warnings of the dangers of VD were published in the \"Health Notes\" issued by the director of medical services. As VD was considered a \"self-inflicted wound,\" a soldier admitted to the hospital with this condition lost trade and efficiency pay, which, in the case of a married soldier, would show up as a lower pay allotment sent to his wife. Largely for cultural reasons, the Eighth Army had much more serious problems with VD in Italy than it had encountered in North Africa. In one sample month (December 1943), 80,000 man-days were lost. At the Allied Conference on War Medicine in March 1944, the vexing question as to whether brothels should be licensed continued to prove controversial. Attempts to control venereal disease in this way had not been successful. This might have been because, as was revealed at the conference, prostitutes could take on as many as thirty men per day. Treatment with penicillin began in earnest in September 1944, and following this the bed state fell dramatically. The mass manufacture of latex-dipped condoms in Britain was established in 1932 by British Latex Products Ltd., under the direction of rubber technologist Lucian Landau, with financial backing from LRC (London Rubber Company). These condoms were produced under the flagship brand Durex, standing for “Durability, Reliability, and Excellence”. Soldiers soon found a number of non-sexual uses for condoms because they were readily available. Anecdotal evidence states that soldiers used condoms to protect their “other weapons” by covering the muzzles of their gun to prevent mud and other material from clogging the barrel. It is known that they were issued to ‘Chindits’ to keep objects such as matches and fuses dry during river crossings. This extremally rare and original un-opened packet of DUREX with original, perished, contents, was found in the pocket of an RAF officers tunic. Being branded it was probably ‘private purchase’ though there is photographic evidence that they were sometimes issued as part of the Prophylactic Kits issued to personnel go on leave. Priced to reflect the ULTRA-RARE nature of this often-overlooked item of personal kit. When will you find another? Note: the posters are for illustration and are not part of the sale.

WW2, British, ‘Home Guard Instruction No. 17 Anti-aircraft Training’, G.S. Publications, 1940. Was £20 now £15 A good intact copy with only minor foxing, priced to reflect early date and rarity. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, ‘Manual of Small Arms and Special Weapons, Bernards (Publishers) Ltd. Was £25 now 20 A fine copy, priced to reflect condition. Intended for Home Guard personnel. Full of outstanding diagrams, etc. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, ‘Notes on Map Reading’, HMSO, 1929, printed, 1940. Was £25 now £20 A grubby but intact copy, priced to reflect early date and rarity. Packed with maps and diagrams, essential reading for any officer and would add to any display of officer’s kit. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, ‘STEN Machine Carbine’, The Bravon Ledger Company, 1942. Was £20 now £15 A fine copy, priced to reflect condition. Intended for Home Guard personnel. Full of outstanding diagrams, etc. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, ‘The Morse Code’, Longmans, 1943. Was £22 now £15 A good copy with only minor foxing, written R.G. Shackel, intended for civilian duty personnel. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, Adult General Civilian (GC) Respirator Grouping Including ULTRA-RARE Ear Defenders. Was £120 now £99 Civilian gas masks were issued to all British households from 1938 onwards. Design by scientists at Porton Down, Wiltshire, manufacture began in 1936. Assembly was completed in a government factory sited in an old mill in Blackburn, Lancashire. During the two years prior to the Munich crisis, they were stored in sealed tins of nitrogen with an initial 35 million being issued after Munich. There were issued in 4 sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large, suitable for most members of the population. The filter was made of tinned steel containing a charcoal filter that was needed to be kept dry and was connected to the mask by a simple rubber band. Air was drawn in via the filter and exited via a simple rubber outlet valve situated above the filter. An additional filter was fitted, by wardens, after May 1940 to account for a new Arsenic-based gas. This grouping consists of the box of issue, being a sturdy cardboard box with a strip of linen or string to be worn over the shoulder, ‘cottage industry’ produced outer shoulder bag which greatly extended the life of the issue box, respirator in excellent, supple condition and a set of ULTRA-RARE rubber ear defenders. Priced to reflect overall excellent condition with the addition of the ultra-rare ear defenders. Worthy of some research with its clear link to a Norwich based training college, named to an Ivie Hudson

WW2, British, Army Housewife, Dunkirk Era, 1939. Was £75 now £65 The WW2 British army Housewife, or ‘Hussif’, was issued to all troops to enable them to carry out running repairs in the field. This example has no markings; however, it does contain a 1939 dated packet of needles, three balls of darning wool, brass thimble, scissors, additional needles attached to khaki serge flap and a range of brass and steel buttons from various manufactures. A rare chance to obtain an early pack of dated sewing needles. Priced to reflect condition and early date.

WW2, British, ARP, Uniform Grouping, Kensington, London. Was £375 now £315 Handsome ARP uniform grouping of blouse and trousers in very good condition, consisting of: An original Civil Defence A.R.P 59A pattern, battledress blouse dating from the Second World War and in a good large size No. 17. Height 5’11” and over. Breast 36” to 38” Waist 33” to 35” Manufactured by ‘S. Simpson Ltd.’ This pattern of blouse was introduced in mid-1942 as an austerity measure and replaced the earlier pattern which did not have exposed buttons. Officially designated \'Blouse A.R.P 59A\', this pattern was the heavier wool intended for use with Rescue party workers. The blouse features all its original plastic buttons, buckle and fastenings with little sign of wear and use. It is badged to Headquarters, Kensington, London and also has the ‘Kings Crown’, Civil Defence Corps breast badge to the left breast pocket. The service was stood down in May 1945, however, with the growing tensions of the Cold War, in 1949, the Civil Defence Corps (CDC) was set up/reactivated, with the badge coming from this era. Denoting the Kings Crown it therefor dates this badge from between 1949 to 1953. Of interest is the original ARP badge to the left breast pocket flap, a common practice to those that saw war service in the Corps and wanting it known they were an ‘old sweat’. An original pair of 1943 dated, Civil Defence Battledress Trousers ARP 58 in size 9. Height 5’7” to 5’8” Waist 30” to 32” Breech 36” and under Manufactured by ‘Alexandre Ltd.’ This pattern of trousers was introduced in July 1941 and used by various arms of the Civil Defence including ARP Wardens. Made from a very dark blue serge wool they feature a map pocket to the left leg, first field dressing pocket to the upper right leg, belt loops to the waist, slash pockets to each hip and a flapped rear pocket. Priced to reflect the condition and absolute rarity of these very sought after items, please refer to the photos as they form part of the description. Note: Also available are the helmet and whistle that came with the uniform grouping, please refer to my other listings.

WW2, British, ARP/Wardens Whistle and Helmet Grouping, London. Was £135 now £115 This grouping came with the ARP uniform grouping also for sale, please refer to my other listings. The group consists of: 1. ARP whistle manufactured by Hudson & Co. of Barr Street, Hockley, Birmingham (found in the breast pocket of the ARP blouse I have listed). 2. Wardens helmet, as designated by the application to the centre front by the letter ‘W’, London helmets had the addition of an additional designation to the rear of the helmet, has a 1939 manufactured shell made by J.S.S. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the item’s description. For more specific information please refer to ‘MKII Helmet History’ below: MKII HELMET HISTORY: Following the end of WW1, the British Governments attitude of ‘peace through disarmament’ led to a considerable reduction in the size of Britain’s armed forces and a freezing of expenditure. Consequently, uniforms and equipment remained virtually unchanged until the mid-1930’s, when belatedly the rearmament programme brought some changes. During late 1937 it was decided that since it was desirable that steel helmets be totally non-magnetic, refurbished MKI helmets should be fitted with a stainless-steel rim and strap securing lugs, becoming known as the MKI* During early 1937 the Home Office began considering the purchase of steel helmets for the Air Raid Precautions Service, Police and Fire Services. During June 1937 the War Office informed the Home Office that they did not have the stock to supply these helmets and that the dies did now not exist to manufacture new helmets. At this point a joint decision was made to investigate the production of a war time estimated need for 2, 250, 000 new helmets. During early 1938 contracts were placed with three companies to begin the production of the required helmet shells: Harrison Bros. & Howson., William Dobson and Son. And Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. with liners being manufactured by Everet W. Vero & Co and Helmets Ltd. Helmet assembly was given to P.B. Cow & Co Ltd who began the work in late September 1938. Initial production was earmarked for the Police and Fire Services with Air Raid Precautions and the Armed Services being supplied from early 1939. These first helmets were painted in various colour schemes at time of manufacture to meet different requirements; Police were painted constabulary blue and fire service being a smooth grey green. Initial air raid precautions were also painted grey green, but this was later changed to black. Service helmets, for all three departments, were initially painted ‘khaki grey’ but in 1943 this was changed to ‘dark brown’. Priced to reflect condition and rarity, please refer to the photos as they form part of the description.

WW2, British, ATS, Lisle Stockings. Was £55 now £45 Often described as ‘passion killers’ these ATS stockings were warm and serviceable but hardly flattering. Grimly unbecoming, compared to the feminine lingerie available on the civilian market, a token effort had been made in the choice of shades of ‘pink’ as the standard colour. Spike Milligan stated that the top of these could be called the ‘giggle-line’, once passed you were laughing? Named and suffixed ‘W’ (Woman); W/394649 BOWIEH, worthy of further research.

WW2, British, Civilian Duty Haversack, Unissued with Anti-Dim Tin and Cloth. Was £45 now £35 Carrying bags for the civilian duty respirator were simple, varying from hessian sack to cotton and were closed by a simple drawstring or a more sophisticated flap with button fastenings. This example is dated to 1942 and comes with an original Anti-Dim cloth and tin dated to 1938.

WW2, British, Civilian Duty Respirator and Haversack with Anti-Dim Tin and Cloth. Was £65 now £55 All members of the civilian services such as the ARP were issued with a slightly more robust version of the General Civilian Respirator which was designated as the Civilian Duty Respirator. Designed by researchers at Proton Down it was initially called the Special Service Respirator with a name change prior to issue. It consisted of a moulded face piece that allowed for the fitting of a microphone for communication staff. Unlike the General Respirator the Duty Respirator had a filter that could be changed as employed a better grade of charcoal. Carrying bags for the civilian duty respirator were simple, varying from hessian sack to cotton and were closed by a simple drawstring or a more sophisticated flap with button fastenings. This example is dated to May 1940 and comes with the simpler draw string bag. Priced to reflect its good order, could be upgraded by the addition of the ‘mint’ haversack also available on the site.

WW2, British, Civilian Duty Respirator, Related to Bournemouth. Was £65 now £55 All members of the civilian services such as the ARP were issued with a slightly more robust version of the General Civilian Respirator which was designated as the Civilian Duty Respirator. Designed by researchers at Proton Down it was initially called the Special Service Respirator with a name change prior to issue. It consisted of a moulded face piece that allowed for the fitting of a microphone for communication staff. Unlike the General Respirator the Duty Respirator had a filter that could be changed as employed a better grade of charcoal. This interesting example is complete with its original haversack, named to Bournemouth O.P. (I presume this to mean Observation Post) and is priced to relate its local history interest and its average condition with the usual ‘perishing’ and ‘hardening’ to parts of the rubber.

WW2, British, Clasp Knife. Was £35 now £30 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. The full range of clasp knives, colloquially known as Jack or Pen knives, that were issued to British and Commonwealth forces can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, however, those produced during the war will normally have the broad arow stamp, date, and makers name or initials. Knives with the marlin spike were generally, but not exclusively, issued to airborne, commando or naval personnel. The purpose of the spike being to work effectively with rope, line, or cords. Common features to clasp knives included, though not always, were a single edged cutting blade, slot type screwdriver head with a lanyard ring at the opposite end. Except for the navel pattern knife all models had a separate blade that served as a can opener. Later war models can be identified by their flat metal slab sides and are considered to be part of the 44 Pattern issue of equipment intended for use in the Far East. This example is not dated, manufactured by RBS and does not have the marlin spike. Please study the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW2, British, Clasp Knife. Was £40 now £35 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded. The full range of clasp knives, colloquially known as Jack or Pen knives, that were issued to British and Commonwealth forces can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, however, those produced during the war will normally have the broad arow stamp, date, and makers name or initials. Knives with the marlin spike were generally, but not exclusively, issued to airborne, commando or naval personnel. The purpose of the spike being to work effectively with rope, line, or cords. Common features to clasp knives included, though not always, were a single edged cutting blade, slot type screwdriver head with a lanyard ring at the opposite end. Except for the navel pattern knife all models had a separate blade that served as a can opener. Later war models can be identified by their flat metal slab sides and are considered to be part of the 44 Pattern issue of equipment intended for use in the Far East. This example is not dated was manufactured by RBS, does not have the marlin spike, however, it comes with the issue rope lanyard. Please study the photographs as they form part of the description. 18+ NOTE: Only to be sold to those over 18 years of age, verification will be needed, e.g., photo of driving licence or passport, before any sale is concluded.

WW2, British, Haversack Mark V-C Conversion Pocket, Unissued, 1940. Was £45 now £40 A need for extra pockets on the haversack came about in 1939 when the anti-gas eye shields and anti-gas ointment became standard issue. To accommodate this need another bag was created that had two pockets and a single closing flap with a pair of press studs. This bag was intended to be sewn onto the front of the haversack with the new designation ‘Haversack Mark V-C for converted. The Mark VI haversack came into production at the same time as the conversion so only a limited number were produced. This example is in mint unissued condition and was manufactured by ‘W&G Ltd 1932’, dated to 1940. An excellent addition to any chronological collection of British respirators bridging the gap between the Mark V & Mark VI haversacks.

WW2, British, Home Guard, Rubberised, Economy Respirator Haversack, 1940. Was £40 now £35 A rare economy and rubberised respirator haversack. Manufactured by T&T in 1940 for possible Home Guard use. Named to A.J. Halls with name written to inner closing flap and the service number stencilled to the strap. Priced to reflect rarity and grubby condition.

WW2, British, Mark VII, Respirator Haversack, 1942. Was £45 now £38 In a further effort to economise production the Haversack Mk VII was introduced in early 1941. It eliminated the second closing flap by moving one set of pockets into the inside of the bag and number of metal drain vents to the base was reduced to two. Other changes included the inclusion of a small pocket for the newly designed ant-dim cloth tin that allowed for easier access, the haversack strap was further simplified by eliminating the metal hooks and a small pocket was added near the bottom to hold the whipped cord which held the bag close to the chest during the alert position and was fixed using a new metal, quick release tying disk. Priced to reflect condition and current availability.

WW2, British, MK VI Respirator Haversack, 1940. Was £50 now £40 The MK VI Haversack was introduced to simplify the MK V plus additional pockets for the newly standard Eye Shields and Anti-Gas Ointment. The strap was made simpler with added metal hooks to attach to the D-rings allowing it to be changed if damaged. This example is in ‘grubby’ but is structurally in excellent condition. We suspect it to be of Home Guard, or other civilian, issue as along with the users name it has a civilian address rather than a service number.

WW2, British, RARE, ‘The Defence of Bloodford Village’, Practical Press Ltd, 1943. Was £ 30 now £25 A fascinating ‘what might have been’ account of a fictitious defence of an English village by the Home Guard in the Second World War. Published by the Home Guard late in 1940 when the invasion scare was at its height, the booklet, illustrated with maps, presents a narrative of a war game that might have become all too real. Used in Home Guard training to provides ideas and strategies, the publication gives a unique glimpse into British defences against Operation Sealion. An outstanding copy of this super rare book, written by Col G.A. Wade M.C. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, RARE, Prophylactic Condom. Was £85 now £70 Essential for stopping the spread of ‘Venereal Disease’ (VD) throughout the ranks, Prophylactic; a medicine or course of action used to prevent disease, no tunic pocket or wash roll is complete without one. For example, the rate of venereal VD encountered by the Eighth Army in Italy was more than twenty times that found in Britain. Dire warnings of the dangers of VD were published in the \"Health Notes\" issued by the director of medical services. As VD was considered a \"self-inflicted wound,\" a soldier admitted to the hospital with this condition lost trade and efficiency pay, which, in the case of a married soldier, would show up as a lower pay allotment sent to his wife. Largely for cultural reasons, the Eighth Army had much more serious problems with VD in Italy than it had encountered in North Africa. In one sample month (December 1943), 80,000 man-days were lost. At the Allied Conference on War Medicine in March 1944, the vexing question as to whether brothels should be licensed continued to prove controversial. Attempts to control venereal disease in this way had not been successful. This might have been because, as was revealed at the conference, prostitutes could take on as many as thirty men per day. Treatment with penicillin began in earnest in September 1944, and following this the bed state fell dramatically. Soldiers soon found a number of non-sexual uses for condoms because they were readily available. Anecdotal evidence states that soldiers used condoms to protect their “other weapons” by covering the muzzles of their gun to prevent mud and other material from clogging the barrel. It is known that they were issued to ‘Chindits’ to keep objects such as matches and fuses dry during river crossings. With an ‘un-branded’ packet this was probably issued to other ranks prior to leave or a night on the town. Priced to reflect the RARE nature of this often-overlooked item of personal kit. When will you find another? Note: the posters are for illustration and are not part of the sale.

WW2, British, SUPER RARE, ‘Unarmed Action!’ Practical Press Ltd, 1942. Was £55 now £45 An outstanding copy of this super rare book, written by Micky Wood who was the Light-Weight Wrestling Champion of Great Briton and Lieutenant – Instructor on Unarmed Combat to the Home Guard. Please study the photograph carefully as they form part of the item’s description.

WW2, British, Vacuum-Packed Tin, Lyons Coffee, UNOPENED!! Was £75 now £60 Ultra-rare ration tin of, ¼ Pound, vacuum-packed Lyons Coffee. Priced to reflect condition of tin and full, unopened contents.

WW2, Coventry Raid, Relic German Incendiary Bomb (B1 E) Tail Fin. Was £85 now £70 A rare souvenir of the November 1940, Coventry Blitz that consists of a German Incendiary Bomb (B1E) Tail Fin. The bomb consisted of a cylindrical body made of magnesium alloy and filled with thermite, an incendiary compound, to which was riveted a three-finned steel tail. These bombs did not explode, but on impact the needle in the igniter was driven into a small percussion cap which in turn ignited the thermite filling and, ultimately, the alloy casing itself which produced heat that was sufficient to melt steel. These bombs were 34.5cm long, and 5cm in diameter. When dropped on built-up areas such as towns and cities, the incendiary bomb proved to be one of the most effective weapons to be used by the German Air Force during the Second World War. During 1940-41, the Luftwaffe caused serious damage by dropping large quantities of incendiary bombs on British towns and cities, either by means of containers that were carried on bomb racks and released to open at a predetermined point, or from very large containers holding up to 700 bombs that remained on the aircraft. To defeat the efforts of the fire services, a small explosive charge was sometimes used in the tail or nose of the 1kg bomb that was either ignited by the heat itself or by means of a delayed action device.

WW2, German, Ration Box, 1941. Was £45 now £40 Empty, but very rare, WW2 German ration box, manufactured in 1941 by F. Lieken &A of Munich. The contents would have contained 125g of \'Crisp bread\' similar to Ryvita\'. This would make a great Bread-bag filler.

WW2, Relic German Incendiary Bomb (B1 E) Tail Fin. Was £70 now £60 Relic tail fin that fell on Woodbury Common, 7 miles Southeast of Exeter, no drop date but found in 1941 and manufactured in 1937. Some paint loss to the base from the heat of the burning bomb. The bomb consisted of a cylindrical body made of magnesium alloy and filled with thermite, an incendiary compound, to which was riveted a three-finned steel tail. These bombs did not explode, but on impact the needle in the igniter was driven into a small percussion cap which in turn ignited the thermite filling and, ultimately, the alloy casing itself which produced heat that was sufficient to melt steel. These bombs were 34.5cm long, and 5cm in diameter. When dropped on built-up areas such as towns and cities, the incendiary bomb proved to be one of the most effective weapons to be used by the German Air Force during the Second World War. During 1940-41, the Luftwaffe caused serious damage by dropping large quantities of incendiary bombs on British towns and cities, either by means of containers that were carried on bomb racks and released to open at a predetermined point, or from very large containers holding up to 700 bombs that remained on the aircraft. To defeat the efforts of the fire services, a small explosive charge was sometimes used in the tail or nose of the 1kg bomb that was either ignited by the heat itself or by means of a delayed action device.

WW2, Two London Evening News, Original Censored Photographs of the London Blitz, 1941. Charlie Chaplin Link. Was £35 now £25 Two original, rare and censored London Evening News press photographs of London Blitz damage, one relating to the home of Charlie Chaplin. Dated towards the end of April 1940, just before the end of the major London Blitz, some interesting survivors and worthy of further research.

WW2/Post War Era Tin of ‘No. 103 Khaki Green (Light) Blanco. Was £35 now £25 Blanco was used to clean and waterproof webbing in the sense that it covered stains and gave the webbing a consistent appearance. First the dirt needed to be brushed off then an even coating of the wet Blanco could be applied with a sponge or small brush, common practice was to use an old tooth or shaving brush. Once dry it could be lightly brushed to remove any excess. N.B. only the outside surfaces of the webbing had Blanco applied, this kept the Blanco off the uniform and avoided any staining. We suspect that this tin was manufactured post war, by Pickering’s, preliminarily for National Service use. **Please note that the tin has contents and is empty.