January 2014 Purchases

Nyles

Nyles

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I know I started it off last month too, but this is too good of an item not to share. I just picked up this very nice SB&N P1908 Cavalry Trooper's Sabre from John C Denner, with an issue date of February 1918. The really interesting part is it's C Broad Arrow marked and stamped FGH for Fort Garry Horse on both the guard and scabbard. The Garrys served as part of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade from 1916, and I did a little digging and found the regimental war diary online, including a couple of references to making mounted charges with swords drawn during the 100 Days Offensive, so this is a definite WW1 combat weapon, hard as that is to believe for so late in the war!






 
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I would say that is a manufacture date, not issue. Quite possible it saw service in France. Someone should be able to tell us which Squadron and perhaps even which Troop of the F.G.H. it is marked to. Maybe "A" Squadron, 4th Troop?

As an aside I have to wonder what they were thinking in describing this as a "sabre" compared to what that term meant in the 18th and 19th centuries. It would be almost useless for a slashing blow and is more like a rapier: purely a thrusting or stabbing weapon. Frankly bizarre as thrusting and stabbing was the role of the lancer, who had the reach to do it, but anyway...

Two "C Broad Arrow" stamps facing each other on the blade, to form the "sale mark" of two Broad Arrows tip to tip. I've never seen that struck in that way before. You can see the blade was too hard for the punch to make much of an impression.
 
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Most Canadian cavalry regiments were relegated to transport duties during the stalemate of the trenches. Once the Allies started breaking out in 1917, the Cavalry became much more effective. Indeed, the FGH was involved in the last cavalry charge of the modern era at Moreuil Wood in 1918. Their victory there contributed greatly to Germany's capitulation.
 
When there is a machine gun in the field, all the cavalry can do is dismount and cook rice. (Japanese officer)

There was one American cavalry charge in WW1. They got halfway across the field only because the German machine gunners could not believe what they were seeing
 
Poles fought as mounted infantry. Horses were for mobility. The Soviets and Wehrmacht continued to use cavalry through the WW2, including Soviet partisan units.

BTW Recce I find your comment offensive.
 
RRCo. said:
I would say that is a manufacture date, not issue. Quite possible it saw service in France. Someone should be able to tell us which Squadron and perhaps even which Troop of the F.G.H. it is marked to. Maybe "A" Squadron, 4th Troop?

As an aside I have to wonder what they were thinking in describing this as a "sabre" compared to what that term meant in the 18th and 19th centuries. It would be almost useless for a slashing blow and is more like a rapier: purely a thrusting or stabbing weapon. Frankly bizarre as thrusting and stabbing was the role of the lancer, who had the reach to do it, but anyway...

Two "C Broad Arrow" stamps facing each other on the blade, to form the "sale mark" of two Broad Arrows tip to tip. I've never seen that struck in that way before. You can see the blade was too hard for the punch to make much of an impression.
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Nyles, you can contact the Fort Garry Horse Museum in Winnipeg. I'm sure they would be willing to help ID it.

Lieutenant Harcus Strachan of the FGH won his VC at the Battle of Cambrai on November 17th, 1917. You can read about it here: http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_cambrai_fgh.htm

The Garries celebrate Cambrai Day every November with a Regimental Ball.
 
I haven't bought any guns since before Christmas, so I was kind of getting the itch.

Went to a friend who is going to take a hiatus from collecting for a while. Got to pick through and make deals on some nice stuff (all dewats :( )that you don't find everyday around here. I took some quick shots downstairs before they enter into the abyss I call a gunroom. So here, without further delay, are some shots of my buys today:
M2HB with tripod and a box of dummy rounds. Also a modern M-72.

M1919 (Canadianised) with tripod. A number of accessories also came with this dewat.

Only one Enfield today.....a wire wrapped no1mk3 with grenade cup. It came with 2 grenades, a no36m with gas check and a no68, which was the real gem with this combo. Also seen in the photo are a couple of the Bren chests that came with the package. You can also see the 3" mortar that I bought.

In this photo are some of the bomb carry tubes, and two inert mortar bombs, along with the can for them all.

An Inglis bren mk2 dewat on a mk2 tripod. Behind it resides a 1940 dated Inglis mk1, serial number M90, which will be the 90th Bren made by Inglis.

Mortar manuals, Browning accessories, and to the right a Bren brass catcher bag. To me, it's the little things that make the difference.

Below are a couple of group shots.



So now I am tapped out for the month. Not expecting to buy anything else for at least another month.
 
albayo said:
Nice collection.
Don't happen to have any extra Bren tripods as I am in need of one?
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I only have two myself...a mk1 and a mk2. Kind of need both, and could likely use a third for permanent installation the back of the Bren gun Carrier.
This was only a portion of his collection, but all I could afford at this time. He still has one more tripod....I'll check with him and see if he is parting with it. It is a Mk1 with the AA legs.
 
In a large trade with another CGN member, I received this original 1941 RS inspected Colt M1911A1. A rather tough Colt to find in Canada.

This gun was shipped to Springfield Arsenal on November 7th 1941, exactly 30 days before the attack on Pearl Harbour. Most documented vet bringback RS inspected Colts from this range were issued to Marines and Navy Corpsman for use on Guadalcanal, but after the shipping date the trail runs cold on this one. I bought this gun to complete a collection of Colt M1911A1's from every year of wartime production.







As with most collectible firearms, this is not the type of gun I would ever consider bringing to the range.

-Steve
 
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