WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

A Really Scarce WWI US Army 'Doughboy' Canvas Webbing Grenade Vest Pack Dated 1918. In Superb Condition.

Made by the Troy Carriage Sunshade Co. May 1918. 11 flap pockets in excellent condition. US inspector stamped.
Original American Army service kit of WW1 is really rare in the UK, and this is a superb example.

"Doughboy" was a popular nickname for US infantry soldiers, particularly during World War I. The origin of the term is debated, but it's widely believed to stem from the Civil War, possibly referencing the large brass buttons on uniforms or a practice of using clay to whiten uniform piping. Regardless of the exact origin, "Doughboy" became the common nickname for American soldiers in WWI, especially those serving in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).

According to the "Manual for Hand Bombers and Rifle Grenadiers", published in July 1918,

The number of grenades which can be carried by each man will be determined by the distance he has to travel, the condition of the ground and the general physique of the man. These points demand the most careful consideration, as the overloading of the men has frequently had disastrous results.

The following approximate numbers are given as a guide:

Hand Bomber Section

(a) Scouts, throwers and N.C.O.'s, each man 7 grenades

(B) carriers, each man 14 grenades



Rifle Grenadier Section

(a) Rifle grenadier, each 7 grenades

(B) Rifle grenadier carrier, each 14 grenades

All other infantrymen taking part in the

attack, each man 2 Rifle or hand grenades

Carrying parties, each man 14 grenades  read more

Code: 17220

Original British Army Paras Issue, 1959 Pattern, Parachute Regt. Warrant Officer's Denison Smock. Made For Government Contract By B.M.C. 1964. Operation Banner & Falklands War Period

One of two smocks from the same Para. Named to the WO who served between 1964 into the 80's. The first smock we sold immediately, and this we are offering was his second.

For campaign service used from Northern Ireland, in Operation Banner, to the Falklands War,

Operation Banner was the code name for the British military operation in Northern Ireland, lasting from 1969 to 2007, during the period known as the Troubles. It was the longest continuous deployment in British military history, involving over 300,000 personnel. The operation aimed to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in maintaining law and order amidst sectarian violence and political instability.

In 1982, the battalion was part of the force sent to the South Atlantic in Operation Corporate, as part of 3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands War. The battalion's men were the first troops from the main assault body to land on the Falkland Islands. The landing was on the shore at San Carlos Water (codename: Blue Beach). The battalion's first battle was the Battle of Goose Green on 28 May. This was followed by the Battle of Wireless Ridge and then the recapture of Port Stanley.

The Battle of Goose Green (Spanish: Batalla de Pradera del Ganso) was fought from 28 to 29 May 1982 by British and Argentine forces during the Falklands War. Located on East Falkland's central isthmus, the settlement of Goose Green was the site of a tactically vital airfield. Argentine forces were located in a well-defended position within striking distance of San Carlos Water, where the British task force had positioned themselves after their amphibious landing.

The main body of the British assault force was composed of the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment (2 PARA), commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Jones. However, the BBC Radio broadcast news of the imminent attack on Goose Green, and the assault had to be urgently brought forward. Some, thus believe the BBC consider news more important than British service personnel’s lives. The BBC informing the world that the Argentine bombs were failing to detonate against UK ships due to wrong timing settings within the bombs was another subjective confirmation of this belief, once the Argentine forces changed their settings accordingly, and they then sunk our vessels successfully. Needless to say the BBC denied their assistance to Argentina brought about any unnecessary slaughter to our armed forces.

Knowing that this had likely forewarned the Argentinian defenders, the broadcast resulted in immediate criticism from Jones and other British personnel.

After the attack began in the early hours of 28 May, the 2 PARA advance was stalled by fixed trenches with interlocking fields of fire. Jones was killed during a solo charge on an enemy machine-gun post. The Argentinian garrison agreed to a ceasefire and formally surrendered the following morning. As a result of their actions, both Jones and his successor as commanding officer of the battalion, Major Chris Keeble, were awarded medals. Jones received a posthumous Victoria Cross, and Keeble received the Distinguished Service Order.

Just some of the history of the Parachute Regiment;
The 1st Battalion can trace its origins to 1940, when No. 2 Commando trained as parachutists. In 1941, the battalion was assigned to the 1st Parachute Brigade which also included the 2nd and 3rd battalions. The 1st Parachute Brigade was part of the 1st Airborne Division and remained with it throughout the war.

The battalion took part in operations in Tunisia in late 1942 to May 1943, suffering heavy casualties. The battalion and the brigade took part in Operation Fustian, when the Allies invaded Sicily and, again, suffered heavy casualties and was withdrawn to England in late 1943 to train and prepare for the Allied invasion of France. The battalion wasn't used in the initial invasion on 6 June 1944, D-Day, but was held back in the UK in reserve in case any of the five invasion beaches encountered serious difficulties and needed support. The plan turned out not to be required. During the fighting in Normandy numerous plans to drop the 1st Airborne were formed, none of which came to fruition. Finally, in September 1944, the battalion dropped into Arnhem the Netherlands with the rest of the 1st Airborne Division, as part of Operation Market Garden, where they suffered extremely heavy casualties and never saw combat again for the rest of the war.

After the war the battalion was reconstituted in 1946, and affiliated to the Brigade of Guards and served with the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine. It was disbanded in 1948, only to be reformed by the renumbering of the 4th/6th Battalion. The battalion was part of Operation Musketeer in 1956.

In the 1970s, the battalion first deployed to Northern Ireland in Operation Banner.

The battalion was involved in the NATO operation in Kosovo in 1999, Operation Agricola. In 2003, they were deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation Telic in Iraq where despite overwhelming odds, two multiples of No. 8 platoon managed to fight their way out of the town of Majar al-Kabir. The Denison smock (or Smock, camouflage on later garments) remained on inventories in Commonwealth and other militaries after the Second World War, and was popular with troops in Korea. It remained standard combat dress for the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment until the mid-1970s . 1959 Para Smock Denison parachutist smock fish tail flap date 1964 size 1 knitted cuffs Beginning in 1959 the Denison smock was redesigned and the brushstroke pattern reconfigured. The 1959 pattern smock camouflage (and those produded thereafter) has a distinctively different look to it than the earlier Denisons, with a lighter and more prominent background, incorporating only two additional colours (usually brown and green) to create the basic brushstroke overprint. (WW2 era Denisons were darker and often appeared to incorporate more than two colours due to the blending and mixing of dyes that occurred during the application process.) These smocks were produced into the 1970s, and despite the standardization in manufacturing and printing technique, they still show much variation in colour and hue depending on when they were produced. The 1959 pattern Denison smock was worn primarily by members of the Parachute Regiment in theatres such as the Suez and Ulster (Northern Ireland), although there is evidence to suggest it was also issued in limited quantities to the Royal Marines (RM). and worn by British Special Forces , and US Special Forces in vietnam war too. The Denison smock (or Smock, camouflage on later garments) remained on inventories in Commonwealth and other militaries after the Second World War, and was popular with troops in Korea. It remained standard combat dress for the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment until the mid-1970s (see below), and changed little from the wartime issue. A full length brass zip had become standard - with no cloth flap to cover it - and the ever-popular knitted cuffs (deleted on the 2nd Pattern smock, but often imitated by sewing woollen sock tops to the cuffs), were reintroduced. The base colour of the camouflage pattern was now a lighter khaki shade. The "Newey" press studs changed from brass/copper to nickel-plated versions.

The 1959 Pattern Denison Smock.
The Denison was significantly modified in the 1959 Pattern. This had a higher hem line, and was much less baggy. This was because wearing it over the personal carrying equipment (but under the parachute harness) while parachuting was no longer the practice. The '59 Pattern retained the full length zip and knitted wool cuffs, but the flannel lining of the collar was changed from khaki to light green. The most obvious difference to the eye, however, was the change in pattern and colours of the camouflage. The pattern became less random, more defined, with broad, vertical brush-strokes, and greater contrast between the base light khaki and the overprinted tones. The green was much darker than previous versions, and the brown was now chocolate, rather than brick. Where green and brown overlapped, they formed a fourth, darker, olive brown colour.

The name of its wearer is confidential but will be passed to the next owner.  read more

Code: 23664

WW2 Luftwaffe Combat Bomber Clasp (Frontflugspange für Kampf- und Sturzkampfflieger in Gold)From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit. Collected During A Clandestine Recon Mission

(Frontflugspange für Kampf- und Sturzkampfflieger in Gold). Constructed of gilded zinc, for 110 missions, the obverse consisting of a central circular laurel leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by a swastika, surrounding a central winged bomb executed in silvered tombak, flanked on each side by nine oak leaves, the reverse with a single visible rivet securing the bomb in position, with a crimped barrel hinge and tapering horizontal pinback meeting a flat wire catch emanating from a crimped base, maker marked with the maker mark and address of Richard Simm & Söhne, Gablonz,
The Front Flying Clasp was instituted on January 30, 1941, by Hermann Göring.
It was awarded to recognize the bravery and service of Luftwaffe aircrew, heavy, or medium fighters and dive bombers, during World War II.

The Bomber Clasp specifically recognized the achievements of pilots and crew flying bomber aircraft.
The Front Flight Clasp was awarded in bronze for 20 front-line flights, in silver for 60 front-line flights, and in gold for 110 front-line flights . Upon awarding a higher rank, the previously worn clasp had to be removed. The award was worn on the left breast pocket, directly above the medal bar .

A highly desirable original collectors item, uncleaned unpolished, kept just as is, untouched and unmolested for the past 80 years

Originally taken by a commando of 30 commando X troop while on clandestine missions as part of 30 Commando reconnaissance and sabotage.

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 {30AU} Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified, see Reading. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time!(6) (see Beau Bête)
Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as:
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.
s the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (10) (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe. (2) (see Reading section).
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe. (see Reading for details)
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’. (1)
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21 & 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (1)(All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde. (1)
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's most famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.

Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW  read more

Code: 25833

Now Sold A Really Rare Original WW2 Luftwaffe Night Fighter Airbase Command Commandant's {Fliegerhorst Kommandantur} of Stade, Double Sided Banner, Of A WW2 Night Fighter Luftwaffe Airbase For Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 {NJG 1} & Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 {NJG 3}

A most worthy candidate as the centrepiece of any, important or significant collection of original WW2 German Third Reich war trophies, captured by allied soldiers at the close of WW2. A representation of all the sacrifices made by the allied armed forces that fought and died to successfully destroy the Third Reich war machine.

Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 1 was formed on 22 June 1940 and comprised four Gruppen (groups). NJG 1 was created as an air defence unit for the Defence of the Reich campaign; an aerial war waged by the Luftwaffe against the bombing of the German Reich by RAF Bomber Command and the United States Air Force. In 1941 airborne radar was introduced with radar operators, and standardised in 1942 and 1943. Consequently, a large number of German night fighter aces existed within NJG 1.
Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3) was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 3 was formed on 29 September 1941 in Stade from Stab./Zerstörergeschwader 26. Pilots of NJG 3 claimed approximately 820 aerial victories by day and night.

Measuring 19 inches wide and 15 inches tall, both sides of the banner feature yellow fields trimmed in silver ribbon and 2 1/4 inch long silver wire fringe. One side in silver bullion lettering has the text.

Just one of the fighter aces was Oberst Günther Radusch (11 November 1912 – 29 July 1988) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot and wing commander. As a fighter ace, he claimed 65 enemy aircraft shot down in over 140 combat missions. He claimed one victory in the Spanish Civil War. During World War II, he was credited with 64 aerial victories in Defense of the Reich all of which claimed at night and includes the destruction of 57 four-engined bombers.

Stade airfield (German: flugplatz Stade or Fliegerhorst Stade) was an airfield 285 west-northwest of Berlin.
It's construction began in the spring of 1935, disguised as a civilian project. The first occupants arrived as early as October 1935 when the first students of the Fliegerersatzabteilung 47 (Pilot Replacement Unit 47) began their course. First use was that of a multi-engine piloting school in 1936 and a second training unit arrived at the airfield in 1937 from Ludwigslust, bringing their Junkers Ju52 and Ju86, Dornier Do17, Focke-Wulf Fw56 and Fw58 aircraft. In 1939 a new large hangar and the first concrete runway (Startbahn II) was built.
After the beginning of the war in 1939, the training units were withdrawn to the east in Brandenburg. In November, they were replaced with night fighters,
In April 1940, air transport aircraft filled with parachutists and mountain troops flew from Stade to begin the occupation of Norway.
In 1941, night-fighters of II./NJG1 were stationed here, making Stade an important part of the defense against Alllied strategic bombers. Although II./NJG1 left after some time, Stade was never really long without nightfigthers after this first prolonged stay. It is during this period that the second runway (Statbahn III) was built. Construction of the Northerly runway ('Startbahn I') was begun, but for unknown reasons it was never completed.
Allied attacks upon Stade;
22 Apr 44: strafed by VIII Fighter Command P-51 Mustangs – claimed 1 x Me 210 and 1 x Ju 88 destroyed, plus 2 x He 111s damaged.
18 Jun 44: bombed by 45 B-24 Liberators. (445th Bomb Group Mission 103 – 45 B-24s dropped 520 x 100 lb. AN-M30 General Purpose bombs)
06 Oct 44: bombed by 29 B-24s.
31 Dec 44: bombed by 13 B-17 Fortresses – 5-6 night fighters destroyed or damaged, 2 hangars burned out and at least one runway cratered.
03 Feb 45: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-51s – claimed 1 x He 111 destroyed and 2 more damaged.
09/10 Apr 45: bombed by 22 RAF Halifaxes and 14 USAAF B-24s in a joint night attack.
18 Apr 45: strafed by RAF Tempests – claimed 2 x Do 217s and 1 x Fw 190 destroyed plus other aircraft damaged. Same date, demolition of the airfield began and unserviceable aircraft destroyed.
01 May 45: occupied by 2nd Battalion Welch Guards.

Stade Operational Units: 10./JG 26 (Nov-Dec 39); Stab/JG 1 (Dec 39 – May 43); II./ZG 1 (Feb 40); I.(Jagd)/LG 2 (Feb-Mar 40); KGr. z.b.V. 104 (Mar-May 40); II./JG 52 (Sep 40); I./JG 27 (Oct 40); II./JG 51 (Oct 40); 3./JG 54 (Oct-Nov 40); Stab/ZG 26 (Sep 41); Stab/NJG 3 (Sep 41 – Apr 45); III./NJG 3 (Nov 41 – Aug 44), II./JG 1 (Feb 42); Luftbeobachterstaffel 2 (Oct 43 - Jun 44); Stab/JG 302 (Nov 43 – Jan 44); III./JG 76 (Jul-Aug 44); I./JG 26 (Apr 45).

School Units: FFS C (twin-engined conversion school) Stade (Nov 37 - Sep 39); Stab and I./Flieger-Ausb.Rgt. 42 (Apr 39 - Jan 40); Bombenschützenvorschule Stade (1940); Flieger-Techn.Schule 2 (1940-43).

Replacement Units: Flieger-Ers.Abt.14 (Oct 35 – Sep 37); Flieger-Ers.Abt.42 (Nov 38 – Mar 39); III./Fallschirmjäger-Ers.-u.Ausb.Rgt. 4 (c.Jan 45 - ? ).


On 18 April 1945 all flyable aircraft were flown to Uetersen, the remainder and the facilities were destroyed. The occupation by the British from 1 May 1945 left some surprises for the British: due to the fast Soviet advance, the commander of the E-Stelle (Erprobungsstelle or "Evaluation Unit") at Werneuchen) was ordered by the Oberkommando dere Luftwaffe (OKL) to evacuate equipment to Stade. As a result, the British discovered amongst others a camouflaged and incomplete Ju-248 V.1 prototype (a reworked Me163 rocket powered interceptor with landing gear instead of a retractable skid) at the airfield.
The Fighter aces of NJG 3;
Helmut Lent
Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
Guenther Radusch
Walter Borchers
Paul Zorner .
Gerhard Raht
Martin Drewes
Werner Hoffmann
Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weissenfeld
Hans-Joachim Jabs
Rudolf Frank
Helmut Bergmann
Werner Husemann
Hubert Rauh
Paul Szameitat
Hans Krause
Rudolf Sigmund
Alfons Koster
Alfred Kuhne
Arnold Doring
Reinhold Eckardt
Erhard Peters
Wilhelm Schmale

The closest example of such a historical one as this is one for another airbase commandant that was sold in America in 2017 at RIA est $12,000 to $14,000. That one had its hanging pole, but just like ours, in pretty much identical superb condition, with no damage all braiding present, no fading at all. Both are exactly the same size. See photo 9 in the gallery

RIA Rock Island Auction is the likely most important militaria auctioneers, for the rarest of all forms of militaria, in the US, if not the world.  read more

Code: 25832

WW2 German Luftwaffe Reconnaissance & Air/Sea Rescue,Clasp From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit. Collected During A Clandestine Recon Mission At An Airbase

Luftwaffe recon clasp in silver. Early war solid nickel silver clasp with nickel silver riveted eagle head. Top ‘Frontflugspange für Aufklärer in Silber’

Instituted January 30, 1941, the Clasp for Reconnaissance, Air/Sea Rescue, and Meteorological Squadrons in silver was awarded for specialized squadrons in the Luftwaffe and even Kriegsmarine upon the completion of sixty combat missions.

A highly desirable original collectors item, uncleaned unpolished, kept just as is, untouched and unmolested for the past 80 years

Originally taken by a commando of 30 commando X troop while on clandestine missions as part of 30 Commando reconnaissance and sabotage.

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 {30AU} Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified, see Reading. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time!(6) (see Beau Bête)
Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as:
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.
s the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (10) (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe. (2) (see Reading section).
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe. (see Reading for details)
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’. (1)
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21 & 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (1)(All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde. (1)
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's most famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.

Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW read more  read more

Code: 25831

Four Royal Marine Commando WW2 Burma Campaign Medal Group, of Ronald Edward Meadowcroft 1939-46. Including Burma Railway Assisting POW Liberation Action

Acquired direct from his family.

The Royal Marines participated in the Burma Campaign during World War II, primarily in commando and amphibious assault roles. Specifically, No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando was heavily involved, landing on the Teknaf peninsula and participating in operations like Operation Screwdriver and Operation Passport. They also supported other units in amphibious landings and worked alongside the Chindits.
Royal Marines in the Burma Campaign:
No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando:
This unit was a key component of the 3rd Special Service Brigade and saw action against the Japanese in the Arakan region.
Amphibious Operations:
Royal Marines Commandos were frequently used in amphibious landings to support larger formations like the 25th and 26th Indian Divisions.
Chindits:
Royal Marines were involved with the Chindits, who were special operations units known for their long-range penetration tactics in the Burmese jungle.
Supporting Role:
Royal Marines also served in a supporting role, providing engineer support and contributing to the defense of vital installations.

The campaign in Burma was brutal, with significant casualties from both combat and disease.
Operation Screwdriver:
No. 44 Commando participated in this operation, landing at Alethangyaw and securing the town for the advance of other units.
Operation Passport:
Following their time on Akyab, No. 44 Commando was ordered to Myebon as part of Operation Passport.
Other Operations:
They were also involved in operations in the Arakan region, supporting the advance of other units  read more

Code: 25827

Early Luftwaffe Transport & Glider Silver Squadron Combat Clasp in Silver (Frontflugspange für Transport und Luftlandflieger in Silber)From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit

The first Flight Clasps were introduced on January 30, 1941 by the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Goring The Bronze grade clasp was awarded for participation in 20 combat missions, the Silver grade clasp for 60 missions, and the Gold grade clasp for 110 missions.

Constructed of silvered tombak with nice patina. The reverse is unmarked which includes a barrel hinge complete with a flattened tapered pin and round wire catch, The clasp has no damage or repairs and in good condition.

The silver grade clasp, being the second out of 3 grades, was awarded to transport aircraft and glider pilots for carrying out 60 missions.

A highly desirable original collectors item, uncleaned unpolished, kept just as is, untouched and unmolested for the past 80 years

Originally taken by a commando of 30 commando X troop while on clandestine missions as part of 30 Commando reconnaissance and sabotage.

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 {30AU} Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified, see Reading. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time!(6) (see Beau Bête)
Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as:
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.
s the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (10) (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe. (2) (see Reading section).
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe. (see Reading for details)
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’. (1)
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21 & 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (1)(All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde. (1)
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW read more  read more

Code: 25826

WW2 Kriegsmarine Destroyer Badge The Destroyer Badge (German: Zerstörerkriegsabzeichen)From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit

Badge By Friedrich Orth, It was a World War II German military decoration awarded to officers and crew for service on Kriegsmarine destroyers. It was instituted on 4 June 1940 by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder following the battle of Narvik. It was also awarded to the crews of torpedo boats and fast attack craft until the institution of the Fast Attack Craft War Badge.

The medal, designed by Paul Carsberg of Berlin, consists of an outer oakleaf laurel wreath of oak leaves with the national emblem of eagle clutching a swastika at its apex. The central area features a side-view of a destroyer cutting through a wave

A highly desirable original collectors item, uncleaned unpolished, kept just as is, untouched and unmolested for the past 80 years

Originally taken by a commando of 30 commando X troop while on clandestine missions as part of 30 Commando reconnaissance and sabotage.

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 {30AU} Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified, see Reading. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time!(6) (see Beau Bête)
Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as:
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.
s the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (10) (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe. (2) (see Reading section).
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe. (see Reading for details)
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’. (1)
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21 & 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (1)(All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde. (1)
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW  read more

Code: 25823

A Scarce Kingdom of Bavaria WW1 Medal Pair. A 1905 Bavarian Prinz Luitpold Pair With WW1 Honour {Hindenberg} Cross. The Honour Cross For WW1 Qualifying Veterans Throughout Imperial Germany & The German Kingdoms, Principalities, and Duchys

Rare Kingdom of Bavaria WW1 medal group. By an Armeebefehl dated 12. Marz 1905, Luitpold, Prinz von Bayern, regent of Bavaria, announced the creation of the Jubilee Medal (Jubilumsmedaille) for the Bavarian Army.
The event was the 70th anniversary of Luitpold's entering the army. This medal of merit is a bronze medal, oval in form. It is worn on a watered ribbon in the colours of the House and Knightly Order of St. Hubertus (cinnabar red with light green edges/zinnoberrot mit hellgrunen Randstreifen).

The obverse has a bust of Luitpold and the inscription "LUITPOLD PRINZ-REGENT VON BAYERN". The reverse has the inscription: "AM 70. JAHRESTAG MEINES DIENST-ANTRITTES DER BAYER. ARMEE GEWIDMET XII. III. MCMV."
Only 22,003 were ever awarded.

The only WW1 medal Adolf Hitler approved to be worn by WW1 recipients in their service in WW2. The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (German: Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs 1914/1918), commonly, but incorrectly, known as the Hindenburg Cross was established by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, President of the German Republic, by an order dated 13 July 1934, to commemorate the distinguished deeds of the German people during the First World War. This was Germany's first official service medal for soldiers of Imperial Germany who had taken part in the war, and where they had since died it was also awarded to their surviving next-of-kin. Shortly after its issuance, the government of Nazi Germany declared the award as the only official service decoration of the First World War and further forbid the continued wearing of German Free Corps awards on any military or paramilitary uniform of a state or Nazi Party organization. The Honour Cross was modelled on the reverse side of the War Commemorative Medal of 1870/71 (Preußen Kriegsdenkmünze 1870-1871). The form of it awarded to combatants (the Frontkämpferkreuz) shows a laurel wreath encircling a medallion, with the dates "1914 1918". Crossed swords are between the arms, while the Honour Cross for non-combatants has no swords and has instead a wreath of oak leaves. Both crosses are in bronze. The Honour Cross for Next-of-Kin (commonly known as the Widows Cross), is black. The Honour Cross is worn suspended from a ribbon with black edges, two white stripes, and a red stripe between them. The ribbon for the Honour Cross for Next-of-Kin has these colours in a different order, having a white edge, with two black stripes on either side of a red stripe. They were frequently worn with the ribbon fashioned into a bow, with a pin on the back, which the mother or widow in question attached to her clothing. The application for this award had a time limit, which expired at the end of 1942.  read more

Code: 21990

A “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineering Unit

A “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge). See photos 9 and 10 in the gallery.

Bomb disposal sections of special engineering units in wartime Europe {so called Fleming’s “Red Indians” } were a vital part of clandestine warfare, and all parts of the units combat service were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, bomb disposal, and combined with recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment for intelligence gathering. Reporting all elements of their findings back to CoCO, and by them to the Admiralty. Fleming referred to such brave men as his ‘Red Indians’. see Casino Royale for reference.

All the badges, clasps and buckles are offered for sale separately. A “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge). Although a relatively innocuous title the German Auxiliary Cruisers were also known as Hitler's Secret Pirate Fleet: The Deadliest Ships of World War II, a formidable secret weapon of maritime warfare in WW2. These few merchant ships, were called 'commerce raiders', that concealed incredible hidden firepower that could easily sink and destroy allied warships that came too close while the German vessel was pretending to be a harmless fishing or merchant vessel etc. in distress. Within their first year of operation seven such merchant commerce raiders sunk 80 allied ships.

At first the Kriegsmarine had no plans to use commerce raiders, despite their use in the First World War and interwar thought about their use. Armed merchant cruisers of the type used by the British were too big, too hard to disguise and keep supplied with fuel. Ordinary merchant ships were a better prospect, especially those with a long range and were easier to alter to look like neutral and Allied ships to deceive their targets and Allied warships. Planning began soon after the declarations of war and by the end of September a first wave of six ships had been identified.

Each ship would need a crew of 284 men, six 150 mm guns, four 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, four torpedo tubes, provision for 400 mines and two seaplanes aircraft. The ships needed to be at sea for a year, cruising for 40,000 nmi (74,000 km; 46,000 mi). The first raider was to sail in November 1939 but it took until 31 March 1940 before the first raider sailed and July before all of the first wave had departed. By March 1941 the seven raiders in action had sunk or taken 80 ships of 494,291 gross register tons (GRT).

The British navy had the very same secret combat vessels called Q-Ships during WW1
The WWII German naval campaign against Allied shipping was not waged only with naval vessels. Eleven merchant ships were also specially equipped by the German Navy with a variety of anti-ship weapons. These armed ships, disguised as peaceful merchant vessels, patrolled shipping lanes. To recognize the bravery of the crews of these vessels, the German Navy commander Grossadmiral Erich Raeder introduced a special award, “Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer” (Auxiliary Cruiser War Badge), on April 24, 1941. The badge was designed by Ernst Peekhaus and featured a Viking ship sailing on a northern hemisphere, surrounded by a wreath, and surmounted by a German national eagle and swastika emblem. They were made in silver, Tombak, and zinc. The entire badge was gilt with the exception of the globe, which had a gray finish. The globe could be integral to the badge, or could be a separate piece, affixed with a single rivet. The badge was awarded to the crews of ships that completed successful long-range voyages. It could also be awarded for exceptional leadership on a voyage and was automatically awarded to any sailors wounded in action on such a vessel. Because there were not many of these disguised merchant vessels, the Auxiliary Cruiser Badge was made in very limited numbers, likely, not more than 2,500, and likely most of those ended up at the bottom of the seas and oceans with their drowned owners still within their sunken vessels.

Pinguin was once of the most infamous of the small fleet of German auxiliary cruisers (Hilfskreuzer) which served as a commerce raider in the Second World War. The Pinguin was known to the Kriegsmarine as Schiff 33, and designated HSK 5. The most successful commerce raider of the war, she was known to the British Royal Navy as Raider F. The name Pinguin means penguin in German.

At first the Kriegsmarine had no plans to use commerce raiders, despite their use in the First World War and interwar thought about their use. Armed merchant cruisers of the type used by the British were too big, too hard to disguise and keep supplied with fuel. Ordinary merchant ships were a better prospect, especially those with a long range and were easier to alter to look like neutral and Allied ships to deceive their targets and Allied warships. Planning began soon after the declarations of war and by the end of September a first wave of six ships had been identified.

Each ship would need a crew of 284 men, six 150 mm guns, four 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, four torpedo tubes, provision for 400 mines and two seaplanes aircraft. The ships needed to be at sea for a year, cruising for 40,000 nmi (74,000 km; 46,000 mi). The first raider was to sail in November 1939 but it took until 31 March 1940 before the first raider sailed and July before all of the first wave had departed. By March 1941 the seven raiders in action had sunk or taken 80 ships of 494,291 gross register tons (GRT).

See for ref; Duffy, James P. (2005). Hitler's Secret Pirate Fleet: The Deadliest Ships of World War II.

AUXILIARY CRUISER BADGE BY C.E. JUNCKER
An Auxiliary Cruiser Badge (Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer) constructed of gilded and silvered tombak, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, surmounted by a Kriegsmarine eagle clutching a mobile swastika, around a central depiction of a Viking longship sailing over the Northern Hemisphere. This badge is the second to be offered from the collection. The reverse includes a block-style hinge banjo pin with a classic flat wire catch soldered directly to the badge, unmarked but attributed to C.E. Juncker. It has no damage or repairs in very good condition.

A highly desired pieces! all uncleaned unpolished, kept just as is, untouched and unmolested for the past 80 years

The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 {30AU} Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified, see Reading. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time!(6) (see Beau Bête)
Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as:
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.
s the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (10) (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe. (2) (see Reading section).
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe. (see Reading for details)
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’. (1)
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21 & 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (1)(All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde. (1)
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW  read more

Code: 25705