WW2 British, Home Front, Employment Documentation Group, 1941 & 1942.

An interesting pair of employment documents; ‘Regular Unemployment Book. YOUNG MAN’ and a ‘National Health and Pensions Insurance Contribution Card’.

Containing numerous stamps and carriers’ details, would enhance any Home Front display.  read more

Code: 72

WW1 British, Holdall (Wash roll), 1917.

The holdall would have carried a spoon, knife, fork, button stick, shaving brush, hair comb, toothbrush, razor, a bar of soap, and spare boot laces.

This example still carries its razor, shaving brush and button stick, with both holdall and contents having the same service number: 74589. The holdall itself is in used condition with some surface dirt but has no tears, rips, or ho...  read more

Code: 63

WW1 British, original ‘pack-filler’ grouping.

Three private purchase items that could have graced any WW1 ‘Tommie’s’ haversack. The group consists of:

Boxed small tin of Wynter Bros. Foot Paste with advertising flyer, essential for treating blisters and corns caused by the constant wearing of the B5 leather boots.
Tin of Vaseline petroleum jelly for treating dry or chapped skin from exposure in the trenches.
Re...  read more

Code: 64

WW1/2 British SRD (Supply Reserve Depot) Rum Jar.

Soldiers on active service could be issued with 2.5 fluid ounces (1/8 of a pint) of rum at the discretion of their commander or on the recommendation of their medical officer. It was commonly issued during or after the dawn ‘stand-to’.
Marked with the letters SRD which stood for ‘Supply Reserve Depot’; other, more ironic interpretations of the initials have included: ‘Seldon Reaches Dest...  read more

Code: 67

WW1 British / Commonwealth Service Number & Unit Marked Fork and Spoon.

A good clean pair of what appear to be private purchase fork and spoon, service number and unit marked:

PLY (possibly Royal Marines Plymouth Division RMLI)
FS
22183

The fork was manufactured by Hutton’s of Sheffield with the markers mark for the spoon being obscured but appears to have been made in Birmingham.

Worthy of some future rese...  read more

Code: 65

Post-War, 1957, Concealment in the Field

Cracking little manual with lots of WW2 photographs, explains the art of concealment for the individual, units, aids to concealment, of weapons, vehicles, artillery, and communications.
Ideal for re-enactment battle preparation or displays.  read more

Code: 61

WW2 British, Home Guard, ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’, A.G. Street, 1943.

First edition (Feb’ 1943) this is a first edition reprint of June 1943, 136 numbered pages. Published under the Book Production War Economy standard with black and white plates.
It is the classic first real telling of the founding of the Home Guard, latterly the Local Defence Volunteers.

Hardcover condition: ‘good’ (red boards with gilded letters)
Dust Jacket condit...  read more

Code: 60

WW2 British, Shoes, Canvas (PT), Plimsolls, 1941.

ULTRA RARE!!

British army plimsolls, brown fabric upper, brown painted steel eyelets, brown laces, brown rubber toe caps with black textured rubber to the sole.
Manufactured by N.B.R. Co Ltd, 1941 in size 11.

Used for physical training, barrack wear and made famous by Commandos for their stealth qualities, refer to final photo (highlighted in red).
<...  read more

Code: 56

Folio Society WW1 Book Grouping

‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’, Edited and introduced by Lyn Macdonald, 2000, Folio Society, London

Hardback with slip case in excellent condition.

Over 250 pages of First World War Poets, Brooke, Cummings, Graves, et al and profusely illustrated with B&W photographs.

‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, Erich Maria Remarque, 1966 reprint, Folio Society, Lon...  read more

Code: 11

British WW1 MkVI Water Bottle, Somme, 'Battle of Thiepval Ridge' souvenir.

Coming from the effects of G. Moss, Machine Gun Corps, unusual by the addition of stencil applied lettering detailing the user’s participation in the Somme's, Battle of the Thiepval Ridge, worthy of future research.

Recognisable as of WW1 manufacture by its blue enamel and lack of wire loop, not to be confused with the MkVII which has the wire loop attached. One of three popular ...  read more

Code: 2