Do Vet Bring Backs Exist?

Steeleco said:
My aunt has my uncles enfield that he was issued in WW2, she won't part with it yet but one day I'll own it!!!
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This is the kind of vet bring back I really want confirmed. Beltfed's story of his wife's grandfather finding his webbing, complete with millsbombs and revolver is one thing, but how did a guy get to keep his issued Enfield?
My thought was that many bought surplus Enfields post war (much like we would like to own FNC1s, or Diemaco marked ARs) since they were familiar, or even owed their lives to that particular weapon, and through the years "like my issued weapon" became "my issued weapon".

Steeleco: Do you or your aunt have more story on how he got to keep his issued rifle? It would be nice to see the whole story preserved to go along with the rifle.

I can understand where the military/government wouldn't have that big a heartache with bringing enemy souveniers back, but what about battlefield pickups of other allied nations? For instance, the M1A1 carbine I have. If it was a vet battlefield pickup/trade, would the military turn a blind eye to it once there was a cessation of hostilities?

My vet bring back was a slot machine I shipped back from Cypress in 90.
I heard from a weapons tech who was posted to Pet that he was aked to convert a couple of F/A vet bring back AKs from Bosnia into C/As in the mid 90s.

Sure a lot of interesting stories.
 
This is not a legend.With over 30 years collecting militaria I,ve come to the conclusion that there are more German pistols in Canada than in Germany.I,ve run into literally hundreds of these vet bringbacks over the years,icluding MGS,MP44'S,G43S,AND SNIPER RIFLES.Alot of Canadian pistols somehow got back here(probably the same way as the German ones) including Cdn Issue Colts ,9mm,s and bags of 380 revolvers.Alot of CEF pistols and Imperial German Pistols also made their way here in the first war.I,ve seen many Lugers even engraved with the Canadian Soldiers name and rank on the side.There seems to be alot around of late probably due to the sad fact that we are losing so many of our WW2 vets.Anyway...don't let anyone tell you its a myth because I can tell you for a fact that a great deal of my personal collection,both firearms and other militaria are vet purcases. The provenance of these artifacts is priceless in my opinion.

LASTMAG
 
I "know" they do! Don't think I should say much more.

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rifle guy
 
rifle guy said:
I "know" they do! Don't think I should say much more.

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rifle guy
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Ahhhhhhhh the venerable M1 Garand... always brings a tear to the eye.

A friend of my dad brought back a whole duffle bag of guns from the European theatre. MP40s, hanguns, you name it. They were stolen in an B&E in the early 70's. So I was told, by himself. I was just a kid. This fella since retired in Bermuda, about 30 years ago. He has probably passed on by now.
 
CF & Allied bring backs:

The MINT 1911 from 1SSF.

A friend of mine registered his uncles mint No2MkI* Inglis c/w decal & holster for his aunt. He has the gun now.

I've also seen a 1911 which was supposedly "dad's bring back from Korea"...

A MKIII SMLE which was a "bring back" from the CEF Russian campaign in 1919-21.
 
What was the Canadian Army's policy on service weapons?
 
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Here is the story my dad told me. He joined in 1943 retired in 1970, him and two other guys retired at the same ceremony. He told me that if he was the only guy retiring at said ceremony he would have been given an FN as a retirement memento. He believed it, I don't know if was true.

SW
 
I"ve made up quite a few sten and FN plaques for guys retiring, and COs and RSMs being posted on. All the subject deacts came from non-DND sources, with the FNs being of the "canadianized" Ishapore type. So a story like this might have some merit. As to a service rifle being handed over, I have my doubts.
I have heard of a prototype FN being handed over to a CWO (retired) weapons tech as a thank you for assistance he gave on the project.
 
Don't forget that the members of the PCMR had the option to buy their rifles at the end of the war. Here on the coast they are quite common, some even with the original receipts (for $15.00).
I do know of one No.1 Mk3 that made it's way home with a Canadian officer during WW2. From what I understand he was invalided home and somehow managed to bring the rifle back with his effects. His son has the rifle now.
 
Remember that there were a lot of guns out there and very little tracking where they went. Pretty soon the war ends and our vets picks up a couple of rifles here and there on the side of the road ... Or there was a mechanism where military personnel could purchase their issue weapon at the end of the war (presumably because there was now a massive surplus of these things anyway).

To this day I keep hearing stories that if you were to go to certain European countries where such items these days are frowned upon, and let it be known that there's a truck at such and such a location that will be parked overnight to collect this junk, you would find it full in the morning ... Probably BS, but still brings a tear to my eye ...
 
Unless you goto some towns in Holland that Canada liberated during WW2.

A friend of mine went a few years back, and came across many small garage museums dedicated to the Canadians...they are packed floor to ceiling with Bayonets, firearms, and all sorts of Milsurp goodies, that the locals have been digging out of their gardens for decades...unlike some of our politicians, they haven't forgotten.
 
I have a Type 99 Arisaka with perfect crest and chrome lined bbl that was given to me by an old armourer by the name of Walter Rogers (now deceased and a great guy). He picked it up from a ditch, just after a battle where he and several other fellows were out scroungeing dropped weapons for replacement and parts. It still even has the dust cover. I've only fired about a half box of Norma ammo out of it, it is quite accurate. There aren't any nor are there provisions for the fold down antiaircraft site bars on the rear sight. I must admit that I like the peep rear site on the tangeant. I liked it so much that I installed a Lee enfield 300/600 flip sight on a bubba mauser, worked fine. That Arisaka is one of my favorite milsurps as it came from a fine gentleman and close friend not to mention a great conversation piece. bearhunter
 
Do vet bring backs exist? Of course they do. I'm damned if I know how they got them here, but I've personally handled (and fired) several that family members brought back from WW2.

Among them : a Schmeisser (!), a full auto Thompson, a Luger, a P38, and a genuine folding paratrooper M1 carbine (complete with canvas leg pouch) that was picked up from a dead American in the Rhine crossing to replace a worthless Sten.

Good (but sad) story connected to the Thompson. As kids, we had access to these things, at least when our parents weren't home. Once we drew a moose on the wall of an old shed, and proceeded to "moose hunt" with the Thompson. Trouble was, we forgot that the old International WD9 tractor was in the shed...and a few days later, there was a really big "Oh, ####!" when they went to use the tractor. The Thompson ended up getting thrown in the dugout, by a really, really pissed off uncle.....

Do they exist? Damn right they do. And I'm glad they do, at least the ones that still survive.
 
As far as receiving their issued weapon the only service that did this (to my knowledge) was the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers (PCMR). These chaps often kept their winchester model 94's.

PCMR were brought into force in 1942 and dissbanded in 1945
The Canadian Rangers were re-born in 1947

Cheers
Richard
 
When I was in high school, the drama group needed a prop firearm for a play. A girl brought one of her Dad's from home, and it was used in the performance. A MP44!
 
Last year a young guy at the range was shooting a beat-up looking Garand. When I asked him about it, he claimed it was a bring back (Korea) by his grandad. I guess it's possible.
 
A relative of mine by marriage has a well-used M1 Carbine that has been in their family since the war.

THe story goes that their then teenaged grandfather was on the docks here in St. John's shortly after the end of the war, when an American troop ship stopped in on it's way back to the USA. Apparently the lad was one of the guys helping put the gangplank in place and tie her up.

When the soldiers started disembarking, one of the first guys down saw the lad and handed him the carbine saying "I suppose I won't be needing this anymore". It's been in their family ever since.

That's the story. Ture? Well, I like to believe it's true.

Still has the canvas mag pouch with some spare mags. I doubt anyone has fired it since.
 
My Dad ,a Spitfire pilot with the RCAF during WW2 brought back a Lugar & his issued webley 38. A German officer gave him the Lugar, saying; " you might as well have this, they're going to take it from me anyway". The Webley looks like a POS. Machining marks all over. Dad says he never carried it. He said armed pilots were treated differently than unarmed pilots if captured. He also brought back some SS daggars which were stolen in the sixtys. He now has Altzheimers and has hidden the handguns. No one can find them anywhere.
 
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