43rdrecce

Paul, I guess in one sense you can see why. They were Airborne delivered Infantry, once dropped there was no need for a jump boot. I'm sure in those dark days of 1941 we couldn't afford fancy jump boots. Someone must have studied the number of drop zone injuries and come up with a big fat NO! Cheers Paul

There were trial copies of German side-laced boots in the early days of the Parachute Regiment but they were not adopted. A high version of the standard ammo boot was trialled with an extra cuff with eyelets added to the top of the boot. They were also fitted with thick crepe rubber soles. Once again though trialled, they were not adopted. It can't have been a technical reason as the British shoe industry at the time was more than capable of producing quality boots. The reason must have been solely cost based and on perceived need. I guess the War Office felt the Parachute Regiment would have to make do with ammo boots and web anklets! Cheers Paul

Well Wakefield's 'Special Clinic' certainly dealt with burning....but only in a certain part of the body!

I have....Handle with care!!

The smock shown has a field dressing pocket on the right arm. which does make it of post 84 manufacture. The material is a less reliable as a way of dating them. I also have examples where 'early' material was used after 1984! Some of the smaller scale producers seem to have had stocks for some time. Still a bloody good tenners worth though.... Regards Paul

I'd say a civvy mod. Too crude to be a service modification. Most Royal Marines I have spoken to hated the arctic rucksack. Used in the Falklands war but there were far better options available post 1982. Most of these arctic rucksacks were fitted with new frames around 1983, a bit sturdier than the original type. The bottom of the rucksack also attached in a slightly different way. They were still crap even when modified! The one you show seems to have mismatched shoulder straps too...the left hand one is the original version the right hand strap is from the GS Bergen. cheers Paul

Mark, i'd like to take them pm sent cheers Paul

I'd have ten too...any news on these? Cheers Paul

Gary, Found this from a quick google.... This might be Col. Douglas Eric Cook OBE, Royal Logistics Corps. 'Colonel D. E. Cook, Late RLC, is appointed Colonel Military Secretary Soldiers Combat Service Support, Army Personnel Centre, with effect from October 2010.' He is/was Chairman of the Army Football association. Cheers Paul

Not a period photo, but an ancient photo of 43rd Recce Group using said burner. Note the catering axe on standby for use on the cabbage mechanic if the scoff doesn't turn out as planned.... Also note the ration assassin is in the prone position, wisely adopted when using this method of cooking. The fez is Regimental Mess Dress. Cheers Paul

And the PPSh-41 was very popular too. The Germans had a programme to convert these to fire 9mm Parabellum and used the code MP717® for the converted weapon. They also did this with the later PPS-43 which was designated MP719 ® by the German Army. Handbooks were issued for both weapons. Cheers Paul

Several possible reasons why he could have had a Denison smock, but you would need to know his specific employment or unit. There are many examples of non-airborne use of the smocks. After Market Garden it seems that 43rd Wessex Division units acquired them, presumably from Airborne Division stocks. Several units in 43rd Div had them, including 4th Somerset Light Infantry, though they seemed to be largely confined to Officers and NCOs. I have the one used by Major GV Bennets, who was IO to 4 Som LI. I also have a sketch of him wearing it drawn by his batman. He also used German camouflage mittens and a small map case he recovered from a German sniper. I guess anything that could be acquired was possible, Denisons included! Cheers Paul

Once again good to see that all passengers and crew are safe..... The 'Duckmarine' website includes the following statement: 'making a dramatic “SPLASHDOWN” in the Salthouse Dock. It’s the start of an amazing dockland adventure, ending at the Albert Dock. It’s a trip you’ll never forget!' I'll say! Cheers Paul

He probably is..... Hold tight at the back please

It's always lovely seeing the master race at events.....

Thanks for the replies, i'll have a look at Combermere. I thought that those that were for sale were Panhard AML 60s, same vehicle but different turret? and main gun. I've pm'd you Private Windrush! Cheers Paul

Just pm'd you. I might be able to help with original canvas for patterning. Cheers Paul

Didn't some of the earlier ones have sticky backed size labels? I thought that the post Falklands production had green labels regardless of the lining style. I must admit I don't recall seeing the fully fleece lined ones until after the Falklands period. I had a complete RM arctic rig in late 1982 ( all manufactured and issued pre FI) the ECW cap did indeed have a larger peak than the later 83-84 period ones. The dpm material was of the original gabardine type and pattern of very fine quality. The lining was quilted, with Angola lined side and front 'flaps' the fur pile was also of a better quality ie finer, than the later manufacture. On the RM example I had the fur was a definite olive. Some of the Falklands period caps had a lighter and more yellowy shade of fur pile. I recall thinking at the time that the post Falklands made were pretty cr-ap quality. I also recall that they were widely made for the civvy market in the 80s, again of not very good quality. They were everywhere in the mid 80s and I would think that quite a lot were not genuine issue. Not sure when the Dutch army adopted their version, these are often passed off as 'British' and FI issue. Cheers Paul

Thanks for the reply. BOCN, I'm already on that. As they are specialist collectors they are usually reluctant to offer advice on prices and are evasive which is why there are then several pm's offering to buy your items! The reason I've asked the question is that there seem to be so few for sale at the moment except for a couple of wildly overpriced examples on dealers websites. I'm not trying to kick the rrrs out of these items price wise, but It's been several years since I had to buy one. I know prices of these things have gone up quite a bit. A google hardly shows anything and there was nothing on SA last time I looked. Cheers Paul

Does anyone know the current prices for the following: 1944 dated HE, all original paint, very good 151 fuse, near mint condition Weighted practice, black body pre 1964 paint scheme original paint, near mint, wartime dated fins Single red star bomb, very good 1944 dated, wartime dated fins Post war para illum Mk2/2 very nice finish dated 1967/68 A heads up on value would be appreciated. Cheers Paul

Technically it is a nazi lathe, government stamped and therefore property of the nazi regime. Or is it like all the other 'non-nazis' that swore the oath of allegiance to Mr Hitler? Or the 89.9% of German who voted for Mr H in the first place. I guess the other 10.1% must have been in the Wehrmacht studiously avoiding being a nazi.

Does anyone know if there are any surviving Argentine Panhard ACs in the UK? I know there is one at Bovington, I was there a few days ago, but are there any privately owned examples? The Blues and Royals brought some back does anyone know the present whereabouts of these vehicles? I also see from a google search that there was an article in CMV last year. I haven't seen that so would appreciate any info that might help. Cheers Paul

They also seem to have quite a few beret wearing dilemmas too...........the usual modern tv effort sadly, like an explosion in a props store! Cheers Paul

Clive, I've just listed a Fordson WOT 2-H Drivers Handbook in the classified sales section. This had the code Book No 100/FD 5A, Air Publication No. 2687 Vol 3 Part 1 It's a 1944 edition. I've never come across an index for these either. Cheers Paul

Thanks for the info Steve. I'd thought there were likely to be others but I just wanted a representation of the 'standard' ranks. I've never fully got my head round some of the special ranks in various units! Cheers Paul