WW2 battlefield found
- Thread starter snowhunter
- Start date
Infanteer90
CGN Regular
- Location
- Where you all want to be... Alberta
Hmmmm, someone needs to do a bit of research as some of the items are clearly misidentified. The grenades are No36 Mills bombs and one of the machine guns is a Bren gun... both used by commonwealth forces and not the Japanese.
I find it interesting that the word "Japanese" appears 9 times while "Australia" appears a mere 3 times (other than identifying the hiker who found the site as Australian).
It seems like every single thing that they mentioned "decisively proved" Japanese involvement, nothing about the other side...
It seems like every single thing that they mentioned "decisively proved" Japanese involvement, nothing about the other side...
To best of my understanding, the Japanese used captured, British weapons as well ?
At picture # 6 clearly shows a loaded Japanese, "ammo strip", which was used on the licensed of copy of the french Hotchkiss, M14, machine gun, called by the Japanese as the, "Type 3" heavy machine gun, firing the 6.5x50 Arisaka round.
The helmets are standart japanese army/military.
Picture # 1 shows a Japanese "knee mortar" just behind the empty artillery casing ?
Also at picture # 6, shows few loaded rifle clips for the Japanese Arisaka rifle ?
The water canteens look Japanese as well ? On of them apears to have bullet hole through it ?
At picture # 6 clearly shows a loaded Japanese, "ammo strip", which was used on the licensed of copy of the french Hotchkiss, M14, machine gun, called by the Japanese as the, "Type 3" heavy machine gun, firing the 6.5x50 Arisaka round.
The helmets are standart japanese army/military.
Picture # 1 shows a Japanese "knee mortar" just behind the empty artillery casing ?
Also at picture # 6, shows few loaded rifle clips for the Japanese Arisaka rifle ?
The water canteens look Japanese as well ? On of them apears to have bullet hole through it ?
Battlefield
The receivers of the two guns are a Mark 1 Bren Gun, and a Lewis Gun type. However, the trigger guard is opened up on the Lewis. The Japanese did make a copy of the Lewis in 7.7 mm. It was used mostly as an aircraft model, with the D handle in a defensive role.
In picture #1 the large shell cases are pretty bright and clean for being in a jungle for over 50 years. Compare to the shell cases to the right of them, and also to the cartridges on the feed strip. Kind of neatly stacked, too.
The receivers of the two guns are a Mark 1 Bren Gun, and a Lewis Gun type. However, the trigger guard is opened up on the Lewis. The Japanese did make a copy of the Lewis in 7.7 mm. It was used mostly as an aircraft model, with the D handle in a defensive role.
In picture #1 the large shell cases are pretty bright and clean for being in a jungle for over 50 years. Compare to the shell cases to the right of them, and also to the cartridges on the feed strip. Kind of neatly stacked, too.
Japs did get a bunch of Lewises during and after War One, as they had no LMG at all at that time.
This is why they got into the business of making 7.7mm ammo: Rimmed for the Lewises, Semi-Rimmed for the MG and Rimless for the rifle, all with identical performance and all on a 56mm case length. Their Rimmed was identical to our .303. I don't have one of those, but the Rimless and the Semi-Rimmed both have no headstamp at all, off-centre primer crimps and generally look like garbage compared to our ammo.
They used Lewises as their standard aircaft flexible MG for years.
Imagine the bloodyawful headaches for the QM!!!!!!
But they made just about everything. The one gun I have played with that was supposed to be a Bren Gun copy wasn't, although it had a superficial resemblance.
This is why they got into the business of making 7.7mm ammo: Rimmed for the Lewises, Semi-Rimmed for the MG and Rimless for the rifle, all with identical performance and all on a 56mm case length. Their Rimmed was identical to our .303. I don't have one of those, but the Rimless and the Semi-Rimmed both have no headstamp at all, off-centre primer crimps and generally look like garbage compared to our ammo.
They used Lewises as their standard aircaft flexible MG for years.
Imagine the bloodyawful headaches for the QM!!!!!!
But they made just about everything. The one gun I have played with that was supposed to be a Bren Gun copy wasn't, although it had a superficial resemblance.
heavenIsAlie
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Abbotsford
well if the australias won wouldnt they be taking all their gear/ammo/guns/everything and the japanese stuff would be left there
The artillery casings are made of some bronze and brass combination metallurgy, containing copper, which makes them somewhat resistant and to poisonous for plant matters to grown on.
The leather boots also appears to have been treated with some chemicals, which made them survive all these years in the jungle. Has to be something stronger than BO
The leather boots also appears to have been treated with some chemicals, which made them survive all these years in the jungle. Has to be something stronger than BO
Looks Japanese to me. It is simply amazing, and eerie, when you stumble upon sites like this untouched and unseen for a good 60 years.
Isn't the Japanese Type 99 a copy of the Bren to some degree ? And I always thought the Japanese used a similar grenade to the British mill bomb ? On that note, didn't the Japanese usually take a good look at what the British had and copy it for their purposes ? I was told that the Japanese 7.7mm bullet is basically a British .303 that is rimless in a sense ?
Isn't the Japanese Type 99 a copy of the Bren to some degree ? And I always thought the Japanese used a similar grenade to the British mill bomb ? On that note, didn't the Japanese usually take a good look at what the British had and copy it for their purposes ? I was told that the Japanese 7.7mm bullet is basically a British .303 that is rimless in a sense ?
You make a point. It just read oddly when I first went through the article...
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- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
Only thing I can say fer sure is those are definetly Mills bombs. Now pulling the pin on a mills bomb and throwing it sure beats banging the jap grenade on your helmet to start the fuze! LOL
I stand corrected. Was visualizing the wrong thing in my head.
A kidney basin is different from a bedpan.
... There's probably a fair bit about the Kokoda Trail on the Internet, and a Movie of the same name made. The Australian troops were rushed into battle with virtually no Training and yet they fought successfully against a Battle hardened Japanese Army, and WON ! Against all expectation's of the Regualr Army, who used a derogatory term for them. ..... In practical terms, no Prisoners were taken, as by then word of the Japaneses atrocities was well known, and therfore anything was deemed better than being Captured and Tortured. This was the first time the Japanese Army was actually turned back, on land. "Trekking" the Kokoda trail has become somewhat of a right of passage for many Australian's, both young and old. ..... David K
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
Just in passing, Recently a REALLY BIG souvenier was removed from New Guniea by a collector. A B-17!!! Being brought to the Pima Air Museum in Tucson. It bellied in, in a swamp so is all there, but obviously damaged.
The owner MAY be able to restore it to flying condition. At least that was the thinking.
The owner MAY be able to restore it to flying condition. At least that was the thinking.
