The Atlantic Star was awarded for six months of service afloat or two months for air-crew service and was not awarded unless the recipient was qualified for the 1939-1945 Star by six months of operational service afloat or by two months of airborne service. Therefore, the total requirement was twelve months of service afloat or four months of airborne service. This star is non-conforming since you were only allowed either the F&G bar or the ACE bar to be added, whichever you qualified for first.
This is the Emergency Service Medal 1939-1946 issued by the Republic of Ireland. For service with good conduct between 3 September 1939 and 31 March 1946 this medal came in eleven variations depending on the unit or branch of service. I have four of these variants, this one is for NA SEIRBHISE REAMHCURAIM IN AGHAIDH AER-RUATHAR : the Air Raid Precautions Organisation.
This is the Emergency Service Medal 1939-1946 issued by the Republic of Ireland. For service with good conduct between 3 September 1939 and 31 March 1946 this medal came in eleven variations depending on the unit or branch of service. I have four of these variants, this one is for NA FORSAI COSANTA : the Defence Forces (Regular Army, Air Corps, Marine Service, etc.).
A simple little item that has been sitting unloved by me in a drawer. This is a 1938 cinderella, a postal item that was affixed to the envelope that usually contained a message that supported some sort of public program. This one is for the Territorial Force as evidenced by the message “Help Your Territorials – Home Defence Only”.
This bayonet was manufactured for use with the M38 Carcano carbine. Effectively it is the same as this bayonet here but with the design simplified by removing the folding function. This example has been severely handled by someone to remove the blueing.
These are a really common fuse type, the Brennzünder 39. You first start seeing these on the E39 egg grenades but later they turn up on everything including the M43 stick grenades as well as the late-war improvised grenades and explosives.
The igniter (Brennzünder 39) consists of a short brass or steel body, screw-threaded at the head to receive a square nut and the ball cap and at the base for insertion in the bush. An internal screw thread is formed in the base end to receive the delay unit. The body contains a friction composition through which passes the pull wire. The lower end of this wire is coiled to provide resistance to the pull. The upper end of the wire has a loop through which is threaded a two-and-a-quarter-inch length of cord. The cord at its outer end is attached to a loose washer within the ball cap. When the cap is screwed to the grenade the slack of the cord is stowed inside the cap. The delay unit consists of a short steel tube filled with compressed powder and is screw-threaded to receive the detonator. The igniter is packed and fitted with a molded transit cap in place of the detonator.
These are a couple of Gluhzünder 28 electrical fuses along with a length of original engineers’ wire that would be used to hook them up. These were used for demolition charges and booby traps. One of these is an early brass version while the other is a bakelite body example.
This lever type fuse was used almost exclusively on the Glasmine 43.
Hebelzunder (Lever Igniter), also called Schuko Igniter consisted of an inverted L-shaped tube, the vertical arm of which was screwed into a mine. The horizontal arm contained the percussion cap, striker, striker spring, and striker retaining pin. On top of the arm was attached a lug, an actuating lever (consisting of a hollow metal tripping piece pivoted on a rivet), and a safety pin. After removing the pin, the downward pressure (as little as 40 lb) on the actuating lever forced out the striker retaining pin, thus releasing the striker to fire the percussion cap. The igniter was used in Glasmine 43 (as an alternative to the Buck Igniter) and in some booby traps.
This fuse is off a B1E1 incendiary bomb. It’s coded DKP for Hagenuk Hanseatische Apparatenbauges, Neufeldt & Kuhnke GmbH at Berlin-Tempelhof. It is dated 1942.
This bomb consists of a cylindrical body made of an alloy of magnesium and aluminum with traces of silicon and is closed at its upper end by a screwed plug. One the shoulder of the bomb, three pegs, which also serve to lock the plug, and hold the tail. The base is closed by a plug that houses the percussion fuze AZ. 8312.
This fuze consists of a striker, an arming spring, and a detonator holder. The whole is sealed and held in position by a crimped washer. A safety pin keeps the needle clear of the detonator. The igniting arrangements consist of a detonator relay kept away from the plug by a washer and a cylinder with vents drilled in it. The whole is covered by a mixture that appears to be smoke-producing. The vents in the body of the bomb serve for the release of gases. These vents are normally closed by a strip of Chatterton’s compound.
The main filling is in two parts. The first of a small quantity, in contact with the detonator, serves as a relay. Its composition is not known. The main filling is an incendiary powder mixture of iron, aluminum, etc.
The main parts of the F.P.Z 8001 are accommodated in a cylindrical steel container closed by a steel washer and consist of an inertia pellet with a needle, arming collar, three springs, a detonator, and a detonator holder. All except the detonator, are made of steel. The inertia pellet and arming collar are hollow cylinders with an external flange at one end to form a bearing for a steel spring surrounding them. Both have free longitudinal movement inside the container, the arming collar being arranged to move telescopically over the inertia pellet. The other end of the inertia pellet is closed except for three flash holes and has the needle and a distance piece secured to it. The distance piece is made in two diameters. It supports a spiral spring, whilst the fuze is in the unarmed condition, and a wire locking spring, hexagonal in shape, is fitted around the smaller diameter. The detonator holder and closing washer are supported on a step at the end of the container and secured by turning over the continuation of it.
Here are a couple of Tellermine 42 fuses, T.Mi.Z.42. The load required to actuate the fuze in the mine varies between 570 and 580 lb. if app-lied to the cover plate above the fuze. With the load applied near the outer edge of the main cover plate, the lever effect reduces the required load which may be as low as one-half of the amount.
With the fuze removed from the mine, so that the resistance of the spring under the cover plate is excluded and only the shearing pin has to be severed, the load required is 495 lb.
When the S-Mine 35 or 44 is set up the engineer has a choice of fuse configurations to use, depending on terrain and intended wiring. This includes single, double, and triple head layouts. Commonly the center fusing used was the S.Mi.Z-35, a pronged igniter intended to catch on clothing or boots.
The safety bolt is withdrawn by removing its retaining nut and pulling the bolt out of the plunger against the resistance of the spring-loaded ball.
When pressure is applied to the prongs the plunger is forced down into the body against the resistance of the supporting spring. When the two steel balls in the plunger have moved down sufficiently to lose the support of the low-diameter portion of the body, there are ejected by the inclined surface in the striker groove, under the pressure of the striker spring, which drives the striker to the cap assembly. The weight required to operate the fuze is approximately 7 lb.
Here are a variety of Z.Z35’s configured as they were commonly used.
The brass igniter, fitted with a detonator of the No. 8 type, is used with a pull wire in the side and base of the Tellermine and in conjunction with trip wires to function the S-mine. Booby traps operated by pull wires may also be fitted with this igniter. The mechanism consists of a striker, with a spring under initial compression, held off an igniferous detonator by supporting pins which are held in position by a guide until the pull is applied. The body of the igniter is a cylindrical casing fitted with a projecting sleeve at the outer end and screw-threaded internally at the inner end for the insertion of the guide. The sleeve is perforated to receive the safety pin which passes through a hole in the release cylinder. The outer end of the retaining spring bears against a flange on the inner end of the sleeve.
These ones are often unmarked only three of my five are marked, one GRO 41 (Georg Beissbarth Metallwarenfabrik from Nurnberg), one CXL 41 (Rachmann Metallwerk Inh. in Halda in the Sudetenland), and one RR 985 40 (Josef Mellert, Fabrik Für Feinmechanik in Bretten).
You can also see the double and triple fitting for the S-mine.
This is an impact fuse and detonator for use with the glass Flascheneismine 42. This device was intended for placement in frozen waterways in a pattern that would allow the river or lake surface to be disrupted in the event of an attack. These mines were also used as anti-personnel mines by the Germans by being encased in cement. In this case an S.Mi.Z. 35 pronged igniter would be used.
In order to fit either the concrete Stockmine 43 or Glasmine 43 for action, the bakelite adapter here had to be screwed into the explosive charge. In the case of the Stockmine the charge was a Bohrpatrone 28, a replica of which is shown here. With a Glasmine 43 you would use the most common charge block, the Sprengkörper 28.
This igniter is used in the wooden box mine and also in the Stockmine, Schützenmine 42, and wooden box mine U.B.1. The igniter consists of a bakelite tube about 2.5 inches long, 0.5 inches in diameter carrying a spring-loaded striker. The tension of the spring retains a cross-shaped pin in a hole in the striker rod, firmly against the top of the bakelite case. The percussion cap is carried in a tube screwed into the base of the igniter. The tube is closed by a screwed cap. No safety device is fitted. The screwed cap is removed and a detonator is inserted when required for use.
Pressure on the arms of the pin, or tension applied to the loop of the pin will cause it to withdraw. The force required is reported to be between 6 and 10 lb. weight. The striker is then impelled forward onto the percussion cap by the action of the spring.
These are coded btb for J.Duderstadt Metallwarenfabrik in Esslingen.
This fusing is used on the Tellermine 35. As you can see it still retains the claw wire and safety bolt. After the mine has been laid the setting head is turned so that the red spot on the setting head is aligned with the red rectangular patch marked “Scharf”, thus disengaging the safety lug from the striker, and the safety bolt is withdrawn from the striker by pulling the claw wire. When the bolt has been withdrawn to the extent permitted by the stop pin in the sleeve the claw becomes detached from the bolt and the striker is then supported only by the shearing pin. When pressure is applied to the fuze or the cover plate of the mine, the spring supporting the cover plate is compressed and the fuze is forced downwards. The striker guide, supported by the mine beneath, enters further into the fuze body. The movement of the striker guide, relative to the striker, breaks the shearing pin and the striker is driven down by its spring and fires the igniferous detonator. The flash produced passes through the channel in the closing discs of the detonator socket of the mine and initiates the main detonator which with the amplifying effect of the exploder pellet detonates the bursting charge.
The weight required to set this fuse off is about 350 lbs on the fuse or on the cover plate.
The fuze (weight 15 oz. 12 dr.) is used in 8.8 cm and 10.5 cm H.E. A.A. shell and resembles the Zt.Z. S/30 in external appearance but differs in the mechanism in which the motive power is derived from centrifugal force instead of from a clock spring. The type is identified by the stamping “Zt.Z. S/30 Fg1” around the side of the body above the flange. The fuze is igniferous and has a maximum time of running of 30 seconds. The mechanism governing the setting is designed to prevent the fuze from functioning at settings shorter than approximately 1 second.
This is the fuse off my 3.7cm H.E. round. It is a Kpf.Z.Zerl.Pv, very similar to the A.Z.39 used on the 5cm gun. It’s a direct action impact fuse. The designation means “Point detonation powder self-destruction nose fuse simplified”. The fuse is marked for Gritzner-Kayser AG in Karlsruhe-Durlach. It was manufactured in 1941.
This little guy is the Zündschnuranzünder 39 or Zdschn.Anz. 39 This fuse lighter is used to light a time fuse attached to a prepared charge of hollow charge. It may also be used to ignite a smoke candle or, with a trip wire attached to the pull cap, as a fuze for booby traps, activated antitank mines, or improvised mines.
It looks a lot like the fuse used on an E39 egg grenade but doesn’t have the wings, collar and is quite a bit smaller as you can see by the comparison photos below. Also the thread is left handed as opposed to right handed on the E39.
A while back a friend traded me a Solothurn 20mm HE round that had this fusing on it. After a bit of digging around, I discovered it was a AA round used by the ground-based 20mm AA gun. The fuse nose is recessed slightly to house an aluminum hammer.
It is marked ASB for the manufacturer Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) in Werk Berlin-Borsigwalde. It is dated 1943. The fuse is marked 20MM Kpf.Z.46
Here are three Zündschnuranzünder 29 fuse lighters. These are made from brass and because of this are often found in good condition. These fuse lighters were used to light time fuses attached to a prepared charge or hollow charge. They may also be used to ignite a smoke candle or, with a trip wire attached to the pull ring, as a fuze for a booby trap, activated antitank mine, or improvised mine.
The one on the left is marked RR 486 and WaA686 for Voight & Häffner of Frankfurt-Main. The centre one is marked RR470 for Storch & Stehmann GmbH in Ruhla and dated 1939. The one on the right is marked for RR37 Machinenfabrik Donauwörth GmbH in Donauwörth. The style of the factory codes indicates these are all prewar or early wartime.
Here are two examples of the D.Z. 35, one prewar in brass and the other mid-late war in aluminium. These were used to fuse makeshift land mines or booby traps. They required between 125 and 150lbs of pressure to fire. The brass one is marked for Gebr. Brehmer Machinenfabrik in Leipzig-Plagwitz and dated 1938. The late war one is coded DWX for Schmöle & Comp. in Bad-Salzungen.
This fuse is the Zt.Z S/30 timed anti-aircraft fuse. It was the standard German heavy fuse used right through the war on the 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41. Shown is the clockwork timing mechanism as well as the bakelite transport container. This example is marked DPV indicating manufacture by Zeiss-Ikon AG in Dresden in 1941.
This is an original M35 helmet with the standard double decal. It is marked EF60 indicating production by Emaillierwerke Fulda. The 60 is the smallest size helmet made and were produced in very small numbers. This example was oversprayed in a weird purple which I carefully removed although some remains where the decal is as I didnt want to ruin that.
Kiwi Medals 