WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

A Sample of Our New Collection Of Bayonets, From The Late Bayonet Collector's Pride and Joy. All In Super Condition. A Few Are Jolly Rare Ones

Each one shall be photographed and detailed from today and henceforth.

We bought the entire small collection from the widow of a 'Best of British Empire and German' Rifles and Bayonets' collector, who acquired them over the past 40 years, and only ever kept the very best he could afford to keep. Act fast they are selling really fast. All are top quality and condition,19th and 20th century scarce British and German collectables are always the most desirable of all.

Including; a most scarce 1907 SMLE bayonet with a very good South African brown hide leather frog plus the soldiers SA WW2 medals and badges to be sold seperately

A group of superb American WW1 1917 bayonets by Remington,some with British frogs, some American.

A German G98 Bayonet, A Lancaster Oval Bore Rifle bayonet 1st pattern,

Victorian Enfield P53-6 Rifle bayonets. 1856/8 with Yataghan blades for the two band rifle. Made by Reeves, and a Chavasse Export type, a recorded British manufacturer and exporter for the Confederacy, plus another from America, made for the Confederacy by Chavasse but with no maker markings.

In 1861 Chavasse & Co, produced the 1853 Enfield socket bayonet and 1856 sword bayonet under contract, they bear no British government markings or stampings to link with British government, indicating that all the bayonets were made for export to America for the American civil war Confederate States.The company was used because of its manufacturing abilities and its connections and successes in sales in the foreign market. Markings on bayonet rear edge and socket.of the socket type, and blade ricasso of the sword bayonet. The mark of "CHAVASSE & Co" or 'Chavasse'. Sometimes in marked. Total manufactured of socket bayonets 11,173, far fewer of the 1856 Sword-bayonet were made.
It also details in the ..the1853/6 Enfield pattern rifles bayonets batches sent to American Confederate States did not have any British government stamps or markings. All the above details are from their company records, and the company was based at the Crocodile Works , Alma Street, Ashton Newton, Birmingham, England from 1860 to 1869  read more

Code: 25177

A 1st Army Intelligence Corps HQ General Staff Officer Medal Group of the British Army 'Desert Rats', With His Slip On Eppaulettes and Cap Badge

Part of a very desirable collection of service items, of one veteran officer, from the 'Afrika Korps Vs Desert Rat' Campaign 1942-43, between Rommel and Montgomery

Acquired with a rare original Afrika Korps combatant's souvenir, of a tunic breast eagle, rare 1st pattern, in blue bevo weave cotton over tan, but sold separately.
From a former Desert Rat veteran Intelligence Corps of the 1st Army HQ. He was part of the General Staff at Montgomery's HQ tasked with defeating General Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps.

The so called British 'Desert Rats', under Montgomery's command, kicked the DAK's bottoms at El Alamein, and then, with the 8th Army, were transferred to Italy in order to fight from the south right through to Rome.

When Rommel was promoted to the newly formed Panzerarmee Afrika, his command included a number of Italian units, including four infantry divisions. Two Italian armoured divisions, Ariete and Trieste initially remained under Italian control as the Italian XX Motorized Corps under the command of General Gastone Gambara.

The Afrika Korps was restructured and renamed in August 1941. "Afrikakorps" was the official name of the force for less than six months but the officers and men used it for the duration. The Afrika Korpswas the major German component of Panzerarmee Afrika, which was later renamed the Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee and finally renamed Heeresgruppe Afrika (Army Group Africa) during the 27 months of the Desert campaign.

On 26 November the Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command, General Sir Claude Auchinleck, replaced Cunningham with Major-General Neil Ritchie, following disagreements between Auchinleck and Cunningham. Despite achieving a number of tactical successes, Rommel was forced to concede Tobruk and was pushed back to El Agheila by the end of 1941. In February 1942 Rommel had regrouped his forces sufficiently to push the over-extended Eighth Army back to the Gazala line, just west of Tobruk. Both sides commenced a period of building their strength to launch new offensives but it was Rommel who took the initiative first, forcing the Eighth Army from the Gazala position.

Ritchie proved unable to halt Rommel and was replaced when Auchinleck himself took direct command of the army. The Panzer Army Afrika were eventually stopped by Auchinleck at the First Battle of El Alamein. Auchinleck, wishing to pause and regroup the Eighth Army, which had expended a lot of its strength in halting Rommel, came under intense political pressure from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to strike back immediately. However, he proved unable to build on his success at Alamein and was replaced as Commander-in-Chief Middle-East in August 1942 by General Harold Alexander and as Eighth Army commander by Lieutenant-General William Gott. Gott was killed in an air crash on his way to take up his command and so Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery was appointed in his place. Alexander and Montgomery were able to resist the pressure from Churchill, building the Army's strength and adding a pursuit formation, X Corps, to the Army's XIII and XXX Corps.

Very good group. Italy Star, Africa Star 1935-45 Medal Defence Medal 1939-45 Star. 1st Army Bar. The British First Army was reformed during the Second World War. It was formed to command the American and British land forces which had landed as part of Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French North Africa, in Morocco and Algeria on 8 November 1942. It was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Kenneth Anderson. The First Army headquarters was formally activated on 9 November 1942 when Anderson arrived in Algiers to assume command of the redesignated Eastern Task Force.

The First Army initially consisted of American and British formations only. After the surrender of French forces following the German abrogation of their armistice agreement with Vichy France, French units were also added to the First Army's order of battle. It eventually consisted of four corps, the US II Corps, the British V Corps, British IX Corps and French XIX Corps.

After the landings, Anderson's forces rushed east in a bid to capture Tunis and Bizerte before German forces could reach the two cities in large numbers. They failed. Following that lack of success, a period of consolidation was forced upon them. The logistics support for the First Army was greatly improved and bases for its accompanying aircraft greatly multiplied. By the time General Sir Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army approached the Tunisian border from the east, following its long pursuit of Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel's forces after El Alamein, the First Army was again ready to strike.

Supported by elements of XII Tactical Air Command and No. 242 Group RAF, the First Army carried the main weight of General Sir Harold Alexander's 18th Army Group's offensive to conclude the Tunisian Campaign and finish Axis forces in North Africa off. The victory was won in May 1943 in a surrender that, in numbers captured at least, equalled Stalingrad. Shortly after the surrender, the First Army was disbanded, having served its purpose.  read more

Code: 25173

A Superb German WW2 Afrika Korps 1st Pattern Tunic Breast Eagle. From a former 'Desert Rat' Intelligence Corps General Staff Officer of the 1st Army HQ

Part of a very desirable collection of service items, of one veteran officer, from the 'Afrika Korps Vs Desert Rat' Campaign, between Rommel and Montgomery

Now a very difficult to find 1st pattern breast eagle for the Afrika Korps tunic. Bevo woven in blue on tan. As removed from a tunic. Loose threads remain. Excellent original examples, especially uniform removed are now near impossible to find.

They were a souvenir of a British Intelligence Corps General Staff officer with 1st Army HQ in the Africa Campaign against Rommels Afrika Korps. We acquired his medals, cap badge, General Staff Lt's epaulettes x 2 pairs, and his Afrika Korps uniform eagle souvenir. Sold seperately.

Despite achieving a number of tactical successes, Rommel was forced to concede Tobruk and was pushed back to El Agheila by the end of 1941. In February 1942 Rommel had regrouped his forces sufficiently to push the over-extended Eighth Army back to the Gazala line, just west of Tobruk. Both sides commenced a period of building their strength to launch new offensives but it was Rommel who took the initiative first, forcing the Eighth Army from the Gazala position.

Ritchie proved unable to halt Rommel and was replaced when Auchinleck himself took direct command of the army. The Panzer Army Afrika were eventually stopped by Auchinleck at the First Battle of El Alamein. Auchinleck, wishing to pause and regroup the Eighth Army, which had expended a lot of its strength in halting Rommel, came under intense political pressure from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to strike back immediately. However, he proved unable to build on his success at Alamein and was replaced as Commander-in-Chief Middle-East in August 1942 by General Harold Alexander and as Eighth Army commander by Lieutenant-General William Gott. Gott was killed in an air crash on his way to take up his command and so Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery was appointed in his place. Alexander and Montgomery were able to resist the pressure from Churchill, building the Army's strength and adding a pursuit formation, X Corps, to the Army's XIII and XXX Corps.  read more

Code: 25172

A Very Good WW2 German NSKK Sleeve or Kepi Eagle

The NSKK were the motorized section of the Political SA Sturm Abeitlung, or Storm troopers they were all part of the political section of the uniformed Nazis under the control of Himmler's SS. They were instrumental in training dedicated men for service in armoured vehicles and even tanks and many NSKK members were subsequently transferred or volunteered to the Waffen SS Panzer Divisions at the outbreak of war. By 1943, almost all of the NSKK was on active service with either the Army or the Waffen SS.  read more

Code: 19801

1917 US Bayonet, The *U.S. Model 1913 ‘1917’ Dated Remington Bayonet and Scabbard.

Excellent plus, and an exceptional example. The American U.S. Model 1913 , 9 1917 Bayonet in leather and steel scabbard with frog button mount. Known as a 'sleeper', in the collecting market, in that it was put into storage in 1946 and hasn't seen the light of day since, we have just acquired a super collection of bayonets all in stored condition since the end of the war.

This is a superb 1913- 1917 pattern bayonet marked to the blade with 1913 and 9 1917 over Remington in a circle on one side and U.S. on the other. These bayonets were originally manufactured by the U.S. in WWI and acquired by the British in WWII for use mainly by the Home Guard.

Pattern 1913/17. In excellent order with frog mount. Made by Remington. The pattern of bayonet that was continually used in WW2 by the British Home Guard. With twin cuts in the wood grip added to differentiate for British forces that it was the American bayonet and not a British 1907 Wilkinson.

Originally the bayonet design was made for the British in September 1917 (the 9 17 mark) by Remington in the US as the 1913 Pattern intended to be issued with the P14 Rifle in .303 inch calibre. However, when America entered the war they changed production of the P14 rifle over to .30 inch calibre, at which point it became their M17 rifle. As the calibre change meant no alteration to the bayonet was required they basically took the unfinished/unshipped bayonets and made them American property by over-stamping the British marks with American marks, thus becoming M1917 bayonets.

We can hand polish this bayonet beautifully for the next owner, or leave just as is.  read more

Code: 25111

WW1 Polish Volunteer French Foreign Legion Medal Group and Badge of the Bayonian Battalion, with Dog Tag Bracelet. One of the Only 200 Polish Volunteers To Serve In The French Foreign Legion In WW1.Tragically 150 Were KIA by 1915

Possibly one of of only a maximum of fifty groups of medals awarded to the surviving Polish volunteers, from this Polish Volunteer Legion, that survived up to the end of 1915, during WW1. However, between 1915, up to November 1918, how many of those 50 survivors, that transferred to the regular Polish Army, may well have also tragically perished in combat in those two years.

So just how few such groups survive till today is anyone's guess, but there only being a maximum of fifty surviving members of the volunteers by the end of 1915, less all the later casualties, it is possible this set is a unique survivor from the history of the Polish French Foreign Legion Volunteers of WW1. A plaque dedicated to these very men is upon the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” in Poland

A group of four World War One French Foreign Legion Polish volunteer’s military service medals, the Croix De Guerre and star, Croix du Combattant de 1914-1918, The 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal with foreign volunteer bar, French WWI Victory Medal, with a set of matching miniatures, plus the silver and enamel badge of the Polish Foreign Legion volunteers Bajończyk battalion. Made of silver and enamel, it is in the form of a breast badge with a screw threaded mount made by the contract maker, B. Szulecki of Warsaw. With its original maker marked, domed, screw threaded mount. The group, miniatures and badge is complete with the Polish French Foreign Legion Volunteer’s named dog tag bracelet, made and issued in Paris in 1914, and mounted on a wrist bracelet. In October 1915 a Polish Periodical Newspaper Publication in Paris {Polonia : Revue Hebdomadaire Polonaise. A. 2, October 1915, issue no 40} mentions this Polish volunteer’s soldiers name, as he was a Polish Legion Volunteer, and made a listed donation of 5 Francs, on the fifth list of donations received by the administration of the Polonia magazine, for Polish Victims of War.

This group was colloquially called the Bayonian Legion. They formed the 2nd company of the 1st regiment of the Foreign Legion, which received its own banner with the image of an eagle. Command positions were filled by French officers, and some lower functions were in the hands of Poles from the Foreign Legion
Instead of the planned legion ( Legion Bayonne ), two units were formed from Polish volunteers recruited in Paris in August 1914: approximately 200 soldiers were sent to Bayonne for training , hence they were called Bayonians, and approximately 250 soldiers were sent to Rueil, hence their name - Rueilians . While the Bajonians remained a compact unit consisting of one company , the Rueilians were dispersed in various units of the 3rd Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion. Further recruitment was suspended after a protest from the Russian embassy, ​​which feared that the legion would fight for Poland's independence.

Ultimately, the Bajonians were incorporated into the 2nd March Regiment (commander: Colonel Louis Pein) as part of the 1st Foreign Regiment - as the 2nd company of Battalion C (battalion commander - Major Gustave Alfred Noiré ). Among the volunteers was the son of the famous historian Józef Szujski - Władysław . Initially, Xawery Dunikowski was also a Bajończyk, who, together with Jan Żyznowski , designed the company's banner, presented to the Poles on September 21, 1914 by the mayor of the city, Joseph Garat. The remaining companies of this battalion were composed of Czechs (1), Belgians (3) and Italians (4). Initially, the Bajonians' company was commanded by Reserv. Julien Maxime Stephen "Max" Doumic (who died on November 11, 1914 near Sillery in the Marne department ), and after him by Capt. Juvénal Osmont d'Amilly (died on May 9, 1915 near Neuville-Saint-Vaast in the Pas-de-Calais department ).

The uniform of the Bajonians consisted of red trousers and a red hat, a navy blue sweatshirt and a blue coat . The unit's banner depicted a white eagle without a crown on a red background . Władysław Szujski served as the Bajoni's standard-bearer .

The company was sent to the front on October 22, 1914. Bajoons fought against the Germans on the Western Front in Champagne in 1914–1915. They served near Sillery from November 1914 to April 1915. Then they were sent to the town of Arras , where on May 9 they participated in the attack on the Vimy hills near Neuville-Saint-Vaast. They captured the German positions, at the cost of their success with heavy losses amounting to ¾ of the company's strength.

“The surviving soldiers of the division
were almost completely lost”. “The
commitment and sacrifice of this first rate unit was demonstrated in particular on 9 May 1915, when, placed at the head of the column attacking the “Ouvrages Blancs”, it distinguished itself brilliantly in
capturing enemy positions hitherto defended stubbornly, not stopping until it had fulfilled
its objectives, despite very heavy losses”, the
citation states in the military order of the day.

After this period, only about 50 Bajonians remained alive, and after resting on June 16, they were sent to German positions at the cemetery in Souchez, where other soldiers died, and therefore the unit was disbanded in the summer of 1915. a. On
16 June 1915, the “Bayonnais survivors”
attacked with bayonets to take the cemetery at Souchez.


Their heroism is still documented by the company banner with traces of 34 bullet holes, which is kept in the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw . Some former Bajon soldiers enlisted in French units or went to Russia to fight in Polish troops . The vast majority joined the Polish Army in France, organised since 1917 .

On June 10, 1922, the Minister of Military Affairs awarded the Cross of Valor for the first time "for the bravery and courage shown in the fights against the enemy of the Homeland" to the late. major of the French army Noiret (Noiré), late the captain of the French army, Ossman (Osmont d'Amilly) and three officers, ten non-commissioned officers and thirteen privates - soldiers of the former 1st Polish Division of the "Bajones" .

On September 27, 1922, the Commander-in-Chief and Chief of State Józef Piłsudski awarded the Silver Cross of the Order of Virtuti Militari No. 6155 to the banner of the "former 1st Polish Division in France (Bajones)" and awarded the order of the same class to 18 former soldiers of the Legion, including 6 officers and 12 privates


Bayonne Company

In 1914, Poland had been divided between Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary for more than a century. At the outbreak of the war, Polish subjects largely expressed loyalty towards their relevant sovereigns. On 31 July 1914 – shortly before the outbreak of the war between Germany and France – Polish emigrants in Paris formed the “Committee of Polish Volunteers for a Service in the French Army”. Since the French authorities considered the Polish issue an internal Russian problem, they permitted the creation of Polish units exclusively within the Foreign Legion.

Although there were sufficient volunteers for two companies, only one – the Bayonneans – went to the front as a complete unit. The French decided to split the second company and allocated its soldiers to other formations. The Bayonneans suffered heavy losses, and in spring 1915 they were ordered to withdrew from the immediate front line.

Thanks to the efforts of the Polish community in France, a monument to the Bajone people was unveiled on the site of the Battle of Arras in La Targette on May 21, 1933. In Bayonne , on July 15, 1934, the "Aux Volontaires Polonaises" plaque was unveiled, and at the Notre-Dame de Lorette necropolis, a similar plaque "In Honor of Polish Volunteers" was unveiled, funded by the French Polish Congress in 1978. A number of names of Bayonians were engraved on the "L'Anneau de la Mémoire" monument. ” unveiled on November 11, 2014 next to the above-mentioned cemetery . In Poland, the Bajonians were commemorated with the inscription "Arras 9 May 1915" on the plaque of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw . On April 5, 1929, the Minister of Military Affairs gave the 43rd Infantry Regiment the name "43rd Infantry Regiment of the Bajonan Legion" , and on July 25, 1939, changed it to "43rd Rifle Regiment of the Bajonan Legion". Apart from the tombstones and names of the few Bajo people commemorated in cemeteries in France and Poland, the only monument outside the cemetery to a Bajoan, 2nd Lieutenant . Lucjan Malcza is located in his birthplace in the village of Olszowa .

Pictures in the gallery of the Polish Volunteers Bajonian French Foreign Legion
Dream of Polish volunteers in French army 1914

Wladyslaw Szujski death 1914  read more

Code: 25169

A Pair of Very Good German Kriegsmarine Officer's Wehrmacht ‘Dienstglas’Binoculars, Maker Code ddx, By Voightlander & Sohn AG, Braunschweig. 6 X 30 & Marked with Naval Eagle and Marine 'M'

Naval black finish, very good and crisp optics, nicely marked and with original strap. A most scarce Kriegsmarine service issue pair, as almost 70% of all that were purchased for the Kriegsmarine, before and during WW2, were lost in combat.

We show in the gallery exactly the same pair as this, worn by Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral) Oskar Kummetz, of the Kriegsmarine Heavy Cruiser Blucher, before it was sunk during the invasion of Norway. The Admiral Hipper class heavy cruiser Blücher (launched 1937), was the lead ship of the German armada headed for Oslo, Norway, and was sunk in the Oslofjord by Norwegian military at Oscarsborg Fortress during the Battle of Drøbak Sound on 9 April 1940, the first day of the German invasion of Norway (part of the Norwegian Campaign in World War II).

By sinking the ship the Norwegian king and government were saved from being taken captive in the first hours of the invasion. The number of casualties is unknown, but the loss of life probably ranges between 600 and 1,000 soldiers and sailors. The wreck remains on the bottom of the Oslofjord. The admiral did not perish in the sinking, but was captured, for a brief period, but later released.

The Kriegsmarine can be said to have consisted of three main components between 1935 and 1945, individual naval vessels, naval formations consisting of specific types of ships, and a wide variety of ground-based units. From these three main components, the Kriegsmarine fielded thousands of ships and hundreds of naval formations and ground units. Between 1939 and 1945 over 1.5 million served in the Kriegsmarine. Over 65,000 were killed, over 105,000 went missing and over 21,000 were wounded.

Of all the branches of the Wehrmacht, the Kriegsmarine was the most under-appreciated, likely due in part as it was the least NAZI of the armed forces, and Hitler never truly trusted his navy as much as his other services. It fought against superior numbers on almost every front with a force greatly limited by a lack of effective coordination and a harsh misunderstanding from within the German High Command (OKW). Although Allied air and naval power largely destroyed the entire German High Seas Fleet and U-boat force, the smaller and auxiliary vessels of the Kriegsmarine continued to serve effectively until the last hours of WWII. These vessels saw service along thousands of miles of coast in every theater of war and provided an important link in the backbone of the Wehrmacht.

German naval ground units also provided a critical service during WWII, manning massive guns along the Atlantic Wall in the west and naval flak and artillery units all across Western and Eastern Europe. There were also countless naval infantry, engineer, and communications units as well. In the last months of WWII most, all of the naval ground units were involved directly in fighting of some form or another, some naval units even took part in the Battle of Berlin in 1945.  read more

Code: 25167

A Good pair of Original WW2 Air Ministry RAF Issue Binoculars in Original Air Ministry Leather Case and Strap

A good pair of original wartime 6 X 30 binoculars and issue case. The binoculars are outwardly excellent. The grips good, data plates in nice order with clear markings AM and code. The focuses work well. The optics show no chips or damage. They are usable and not out of culmination. The internal lenses are ok but do show dirt and slight cloudy appearance. This could be cleaned as only dirt but not something that we would attempt. There is minor paint loss and wear to the metal edges and central bar from use. The case is a correct Air Ministry case. The case is in good order and complete with shoulder strap.  read more

Code: 25168

A Good and Sound King George Vth, WW1 British Officer's Sword, Made by Gieves of London, in Field Service Scabbard. Used in Both World Wars

The blade is straight and symmetrical in shape about both its longitudinal axes. The thick blade has a deep central fuller on each side and is rounded on both its edge and back towards the hilt, giving a “dumbbell” or “girder” cross section. Through a gradual transition, the blade becomes double edged towards the tip, and the last 17 inches were sharpened when on active service. The blade ends in a sharp spear point.
The guard is a three-quarter basket of pressed, plated steel. It is decorated with a pierced scroll-work pattern and had the royal cypher of the reigning monarch set over the lower knuckle bow.

ground condition almost as it was when it was made in WW1.
The 1897 pattern Infantry officer's sword has remained unchanged to the present day.
By the time of its introduction, the sword was of limited use on the battlefield against rapid-firing rifles, machine guns and long-range artillery. However, the new sword was regarded, when needed, as a very effective fighting weapon. Reports from the Sudan, where it was used in close-quarters fighting during the Reconquest of the Sudan 1896-99, were positive.
Field Marshal Montgomery advanced with his 1897 Pattern drawn during a counter offensive in the First World War. The actual sword he carried is exhibited in the Imperial War Museum, London.

One of the famous British officer's of WW2, who was a devoted exponent of hand to hand sword combat, using his sword in battle, was infantry officer 'Mad' Jack Churchill. After fighting at Dunkirk, he volunteered for the Commandos. On one occasion, a general who had commented on his weaponry, Churchill is said to have replied "Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed."
Traces of old polished out light pitting throughout  read more

Code: 25165

WW1 Era Quality Made Leather Holster For A .32ACP 'Model 1913' Self-Loading Pistol by Webley & Scott,

This is a service holster for the Webley small frame .32 pistol. All leather and intricate stitching are clean and intact. The rear of the holster has a single belt loop stitched to the body. It has a single brass press stud fastener and full flap cover. From muzzle end to the open top of the holster measures 10 inches. The opening is 4 1/8 inches wide.

Winston Churchill owned this form of pistol {his was sold at auction in 2015} as a personal defence weapon.
The .32 Webley & Scott was adopted by Scotland Yard for use on close protection details in 1911. Walter J. Thompson, Churchill's most famous bodyguard, carried one during his eighteen years service beside the Prime Minister.  read more

Code: 25142