"War Bring Backs"

Mr. Dynamite said:
I was told a story about 2 that were shipped home inside a big teddy bear! So innocent looking.
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Back around 1965-66 I had a vet tell me how he had smuggled his Luger home inside his canteen. He removed the bottom of the canteen and wedged and padded the dismantled pistol in so that it wouldn't rattle. He was quite proud of the fact that he had beat the system with his trick.
 
I have no experience with 2nd war h/g bring backs but do know it was possible from the Korean war. I have a Tanker model Enfield that was issued in the 2nd war and then used in Korea by the same British officer. The story I got with the gun was that it was given to a U.S. Major in gratitude of a lifesaving act and subsequently given to a Canadian medic (a close family friend) for performing a likewise lifesaving act for the Major. I have the documents issued by the Canadian Military, authorizing, at the time, to bring the pistol to Canada along with the subsequent, current registrations.

Anybody have a spring for the top strap locking latch laying around for one of these guns, I'd be very appreciative if you do.
 
Canadian troopies were not allowed to bring anything back. Especially, handguns. Handguns were restricted in 1935. Nor were they ever allowed to keep their issued rifles.
Like Eaglelord17 says, it doesn't mean 'it' was actually in combat. Doesn't mean the guy was a combat vet either. CEF REMF's were notorious for trading for stuff assorted with the real combat guys. Mostly booze for just about anything.
Not that legalities would stop some of 'em. Amazing how many Nazi stamped BHP's there are in Canada.
Import marks are an American thing only. Not required here. There are Brit export marks, the 'BNP' stamps though. Not sure when that actually started.
 
MD said:
Veteran I worked with once told me that prior to disembarking in Halifax after the war they were told if they were caught with contraband handguns and smgs etc., they'd be sent back to Europe for another tour in occupying duty. He said there was "plunk, plunk, splash, splash" into the harbour all night long.
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This is true MD, lots of good stuff for our generation to collect sitting in the approach's to Halifax harbor. The same veteran from the West Nova's said he keep his P08 anyway in spite of fear, but had to forfeit it for his rent on Windsor street in early 1946.
Halifax was not a land battle ground, but just stray into the narrows and that was a different story,... but a lot of warriors and material went through it's narrows both coming and going.

A co-worker was reno'ing an old house 30 years ago and brought me a strange machine gun belt. He'd found in in the walls of the structure. For years I couldn't find out what gun it was mean to fire from considering it was loaded with .303British ammo.
A few years ago I was on an international MG site and I read a NZ'ers comments on not being able to obtain a particular belt for his extensive Hotchkiss portative collection. They(MG collectors) all said they knew these belt's were made in WW1 for tank mounted Hotchkiss guns, but had never laid eyes on one. So I had my answer! I pm'ed him, he was estatic, asking how much and so on, I said freely I have received ,freely I give. Stripped all the nasty incendiary, AP and tracer rounds and sent him the (50?)folding all metal belt. He said based on the belt's load out, there would be a continuous light beam into the air to help lay the gun on attacking aircraft and the gun was probably mounted on an armed merchantman or trawler.
Not a big deal for some, but an interesting little piece of history for myself. How would the belt have come from the ship to the house? Sold, stole, bartered, given away. Who knows.
 
RememberTheSomme said:
This is true MD, lots of good stuff for our generation to collect sitting in the approach's to Halifax harbor. The same veteran from the West Nova's said he keep his P08 anyway in spite of fear, but had to forfeit it for his rent on Windsor street in early 1946.
Halifax was not a land battle ground, but just stray into the narrows and that was a different story,... but a lot of warriors and material went through it's narrows both coming and going.

A co-worker was reno'ing an old house 30 years ago and brought me a strange machine gun belt. He'd found in in the walls of the structure. For years I couldn't find out what gun it was mean to fire from considering it was loaded with .303British ammo.
A few years ago I was on an international MG site and I read a NZ'ers comments on not being able to obtain a particular belt for his extensive Hotchkiss portative collection. They(MG collectors) all said they knew these belt's were made in WW1 for tank mounted Hotchkiss guns, but had never laid eyes on one. So I had my answer! I pm'ed him, he was estatic, asking how much and so on, I said freely I have received ,freely I give. Stripped all the nasty incendiary, AP and tracer rounds and sent him the (50?)folding all metal belt. He said based on the belt's load out, there would be a continuous light beam into the air to help lay the gun on attacking aircraft and the gun was probably mounted on an armed merchantman or trawler.
Not a big deal for some, but an interesting little piece of history for myself. How would the belt have come from the ship to the house? Sold, stole, bartered, given away. Who knows.
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Jurying the War WWII there was fear that the Germans would come to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. quantities of small arms and ammo were distributed to different organizations to hide.IE ( Knights of Columbus) In the event they needed to start a resistance movement.
 
I think a lot of stuff was purchased at the local Five&Dime stores after the fact. I have a sword from the U.S. civil war I inherited from my Grandfather in 1973. Mind you there was no "story" along with it. He had likely never been to the U.S. nor was he over 130 years old when he died, but you can see how stories start. I do however have a Swastika flag my Father personally picked up outside of Ortona during that action.
 
lugercollector said:
This one came directly from the 94 Year old veteran who I was fortunate enough to meet!!!


http://www.lugercollector.com/_498_ww2_luger_documented_vet_bring_back


This one came from the son of another veteran.....

http://www.lugercollector.com/_457_luger_s42_1939_historical_grouping
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Very cool! Love the documentation and registration certs too.

FYI: on the second link you posted, you mention in the description that the pistol comes with a cased Iron Cross. It's actually a War Merit Cross.

Cheers!
 
As has been said,as far as bring backs ,especially pistols are concerned ,it depended who you were...officers were in the clear for damn near anything. Our family doctor in YYZ was in the Medical Corps,Italy and NE Europe and I got to see his Beretta 38A and Lanchester [Mk ?..I was 11/12 at the time].He had lots more which I sadly never got to see. Have lost touch with the family so who knows what happened to his collection...RIP Dr. Brown. On a more positive note...you never know what will turn up even 70 years later. Last year we were given an "oval port" Belgian Army troop trials GP 35 [ 3 digit serial#, manf.1933 for trials 33/34, one of 1000 issued] in excellent condition. Story was it belonged to the father of the chap who handed it in to the RCMP so pretty well had to be a 'bring back'. Love to get more info but he has moved and we don't have a contact. Goes to show that there truly are some good 'members' out there.
 
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