Lately I have been finding a few artillery and mortar optics. I like them because they are precision equipment and are quite tactile. The optics viewfinder on this one is a bit different as it has a calculating mechanism for tracking a target traversing the field of view. This one was manufactured by Optische Werke G.Rodenstock in München and has their eso code. It is an Rbl.F.36, which stands for Rundblickfehrnrohr 36. It was used on the Pak-36, 38 & 40 as well as smaller artillery tubes.
Nice simple pickup last weekend at the local antique fair. This is a souvenir belt put together from a Prussian infantry belt and the tunic buttons from a wide range of Allied and German units. This example has a predominance of Canadian buttons so I am guessing that it was Canadian in origin. The rest are French, Australian, New Zealand, German and one single U.S. General Service button. You see these in all sorts of configurations, some on Allied belts, some with cap badges and other oddments. The legend is that these were put together from souvenirs taken from dead bodies but that sounds overly complex to me and likely nonsense. More likely most of the buttons were swapped at rear area camps between bored soldiers making up a souvenir. The U.S. button suggests a late war job, 1917-19. The Empire buttons make sense as often these units found themselves together in the line. The Canadian Regiments are from different divisions so that’s why I think this is a rear area put together. Still, a great belt, in fine condition and worth it just for the buttons and belt IMHO.
Ever since that KM Dagger walked into my life a few months ago I have been looking for a good Officer belt and buckle to hang it off. The dagger came with the narrow undress belt but I wanted the broader undress belt. Here it is, lovely.
This is an RA-35 optical sight for the Granatwerfer 34 8cm medium mortar. The sight shows signs of post war use by the Austrians (the green over paint). The sight was manufactured by Hanseatische Werkstätten für Feinmechanik u. Optik, in Hamburg-Schnelsen and is marked with their CRN code.
German postal services used the so-called Hitler Head issue between 1941 and 1944. There were three sizes in the basic set. Those between 1 and 24 pfennig, between 25 and 80 pfennig and between 1 and 5RM. This is a block of 9 of the 40 pfennig examples. I don’t collect these, they collect me.
These were liberated in the millions btw, they were work pfennigs then, they are worth less now!
This is a wonderful New Zealand 3rd Division group to a courageous young man, sadly KIA endeavouring to save others under terrible conditions. 2nd Lieutenant Colin David Griffiths was a 24 year old ex-shop assistant from Timaru, New Zealand who was killed in action at Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands on the 2nd of October 1943.
He lost his life during a third attempt at rescuing a cut-off patrol from the Japanese. Swimming a line ashore to the party, consisting of a number of wounded, sharks had to be held off by tommy-gun fire. Griffiths was killed in the water, along with almost everyone else in the rescue party, by heavy Japanese small arms fire. To be clear here, this was Griffiths third attempt and the second that day to reach the beach.
Colin David Griffiths
Colin’s grave marker at Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery, New Caledonia
This flag is a wartime Hinomaru or national flag. It’s small size would suggest that it is a personal flag although not of the “Good Luck” variety as it is absent any writing.
