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Happy New Year all! Recovering from Cervical spine surgery, in my Bunker in Sunol Cal. Wishing you all, the best for the New Year! Happy collecting! (smiling through the pain! lol)

I picked up this can for cheap awhile back, had a split seam in the front and an ugly coat of "baby jobby" green (only way I can describe it. ) So I decided to try my had at Brazing/welding. After a little work I got a satisfactory bond, I smoothed it out with a grinding wheel on my Dremel tool. And repainted can in German Field grey .

Guys, as stated above.

Guys, This short engagement was recorded in the Ulrich Saft book Kriege in der heimat. These photos were taken post war by a young boy that used to play on the wrecked tanks, what a play ground he had! He is now in his 80s and has recently rediscovered these pictures taken before 1949 but after the war. It shows two of the tanks from the battle although he tells me there were 3 British tanks in a row in column of march and they were destroyed on the North South road that goes past the Hotel Kroepke which is still there today. those tanks were on the road circa 3 to 400m South of the hotel just before the slight bend in the road. The Tiger was further South and I will confirm the locations later. The flak was to the North East of the road described above. The old boy (Albert) has offered to walk the locations with me but he is not in the best of health. I will do it as soon as I and he can. Rich

It's gone quiet on The forum again! Where is everyone?? Well, I will be the 1st to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and Holiday season! Cheers all!!

Guys, been a bit busy and a lot drunk. back to work now! Hope to post more this year, got a few leads to chase down but time is always flying by unfortunately. Best Rich

Hi Does anyone know of a collection of the 8th Army News? My Grandfather appeared in an edition once when, as part of Operation Market Garden. Was photographed handing out chocolate to children from his Bren Carrier. I would be really interested in seeking out if there is a collection of photos that were taken at the same time in case there are any others with my Grandfather in them. I have looked on-line but only come across the same one each time. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated. I have attached the photo below for those interested. My Grandfather is the one sitting in the middle at the back with his goggles pulled up. I love this photo. Regards Ben

I love rock and roll! Let's jam! R.

Hi, I have already learnt something. So the "turtle" helmet shape, of which this of that style isn't it? Was issued as early as WWII. I never knew that. Looking at the elastic version of the chinstrap compared to the later webbing type it does make sense. I have never owned one as the ones I usually come across are shells only and dated quite late. Now I know a little more about their history though they are more interesting. Great job on cleaning the paint off. Truly good work. thank you for sharing.

Only just joined and failed to see this string before asking a similarly related question concerning the state of health of the network. Having been collecting for many years now and, only just finding out about your network by accident. I would be absolutely devastated to find that I have been too late. Been reading some of the posts on the forums and this site definitely is required. Forums with like minded people; are for collectors like the AA are for alcoholics. Collecting is purely for the obsessive and no level of detail or breadth of knowledge can ever be too much. Military collecting is incredibly personal and there needs to be a plethora of sources available like yours. I am so excited that I cannot work out where to start with questions for anyone who is a collector of WW1 items. I was at the recent Detling Military Odyssey show and it certainly looked like collectors are still out there. I think that the Covid time drove a lot of collectors underground to internet only purchasing. I have certainly seen more people out and about in terms of meetings, fairs etc. So chin up and keep up the great work. Regards Camelspank aka Ben

Guys, as stated above, from same mate! Rich

Guys, as stated above.

Guys, as stated above.

I Think this is genuine, including decal any ideas of today's value...very good condition...thanks

Watch this space...

I recently picked up an SA dagger blade for quite cheap price. Got a piece together scabbard through trade(SS/SA/NSKK pieces), Have an SA grip and cross guards coming. It is a "Frankenstein's Monster" but will be nice for display and cheaply acquired ! I figure I am saving all these parts from a junk pile, lol Plus its fun to see the finished result.

Some more photos of the WW2 P2 Beaded and ribbed handle British Fairbairn–Sykes Commando knife I picked up in Utah. Did some research. I dont believe this one is a Wilkinson made piece, may be a J. Clarke & Son. About 1941. It is a "Bring back" piece, not an import.

Guys, out of an attic here in Bergen, picking up some furniture for the wife and the lady had a lot of pickling jars and this one just jumped out at me. Just the base but she let me have it... To be fair she did not know what it was until I told her. Rich

I would gladly do it Rich if I was near by!

Hey guys. I don’t collect as much as I used to but I came across this unit marked Saxon buckle yesterday and just had to have it. At 45GBP, the price was right! I have a few Saxon buckles but this is my first unit marked example. I assume 101st grenadiers….but anyone know what the 9 would represent? Cheers all and thanks for any help with the markings. Rob

I agree with @Richard Auld. I wish someone would write a book on reading and Id'ing the regiments .

Possibly 9th Company. Rich

Good skills, do you want to come over here and weld my heat exchanger on the gas heating?

These items are in a plastic bag with a lot of Raid bug killer. When I get time I will use packing tape to remove the moth cocoon's. I think the one wool jaket with the collar will be ok. The rest is only good as perhaps teaching items to observe the construction techniques?

Here he is, he is a little bugger but now a big bugger! That is him from 12 weeks until now, Liz had just done the cleaning when he came in looking like that and jumped on the bed, had to take him into work and that is him as a watch dog with P8A1 Included Daphne at the end looking like a dead chicken.

Guys, we finally have an end to this ballhawks now and all markets will be open again soon. Can't Wait! Rich

Cool family history, UK is the best place to find any history. Can't help, I'm in Germany.... Best Rich

Really nice...

Very nice… love ‘em.

Hi folks, Ok, it's time to get our butts in gear. As we've always said, FB is a nightmare for militaria, I miss the forum, I'm starting to get it back up to speed. I'm also adding features and articles to the main MCN website, with my old Armourer columns and some interesting militaria and military history articles written by some well known names. I'm also building up content on our YouTube channel too. The website is here to stay, and the forums are here to stay. I was offered a price to sell it, but refused, the MCN has been part of me since 1998, in fact it's older (just) than my oldest child. If anyone wants to help, writing articles, doing videos of museum trips etc. then get in touch. It’s an expensive business running a web forum and we’re still behind in raising money for the web hosting and forum licence costs. I've just paid the software licences for the forum again If you’ve benefitted from the MCN, please consider donating… https://www.militariacollectors.network/donations/donate-to-the-mcn-2023/ Regards, Lenny

Newly arrived and starting to put up posts etc. Started off with a donation using the link in the string. I am pretty useless with all things relating to I.T. but I am regarded as being quite creative. If that is any good to you in terms of a skill then use and abuse me. Ben

Thanks! I try not to mess with stuff, but if its already altered I will try to make it right for Preservation sake.

It's amazing how good camera phones are these days... and I say that as a Professional Photographer.

Hey Gang. I have not posted in SO long....too long really. Perhaps someone can help me. I picked up this helmet at auction for $30. It's a Canadian/British MkIV helmet dated from 1953. Possibly a Korean war lid? This is not my area of expertise or knowledge so I appreciate any input. Can anyone here offer me some info on this lid. What do you think about the paint? There are some "runs" in some spots. Were they painted like this or kept "dark" (no paint)? I appreciate any info you can send my way. Liner and especially the chin strap are in great condition given the helmet is 70 years old. Cheers! Rob

That looks good to me. I keep thinking about welding as an option and string to the bow. It would definitely be useful with some of my renovation type projects. I tend to rely on epoxy resin for my repairing of all things metal, but welding would definitely be a step up. Was it hard to master, is it anything like soldiering with an iron? You might get some order via the site now as I should think most of us have items that we bought on a whim in the hope of repairing them at some point in time.

WOW! What an awesome collection. I love the signage. Is this your specialised subject, or one of them?

@Lenny Maybe time to reshare the "Donate" button again?

Cool bottle - and a wicked nice souvenir/hate belt. If only it could talk. I can't offer much advice on restoration...but everything looks as it should. So much character. I have a WW2 souvenir belt. German belt/buckle with various KM trade badges and other goodies like EKII ribbon and shoulder boards too. It's a very unique piece - they all are. Thanks for sharing! Rob

if you are careful and I mean you have to be really careful. There are some really good glues that you can apply these days that are used in museums for repairing and stopping stuff falling apart. The other option is find a local cobbler who usually do a lot of renovating or know master leather-workers. It is such a great item to own. I have a very worse for wear Rum bottle holder that has the owners name and regiment on the front, as well as brass plate with "RUM" stamped into it. It is completely unrepairable due to it having been sat on its side in water for a long time and then dried out causing the leather to dry to a crisp on the lid and one side of the flask. So I have applied the TRG to it and left it alone other than that. It is a very interesting item that is so obviously personal. I have struggled to find the owner so far though. Just an example of when something cannot be reversed so you just want to stop the rot as it were.

I've been building and painting again This time I present you with two aircraft, both 1:48th scale. B17 Flying Fortress and a B25 Mitchell. Both were made by Revell and, as hinted at by their price tag (less than £30 each), were pretty bloody awful to make. The B25 wasn't too bad, but the B17 required lots of modification and the model didn't include parts to build the aircraft with wheels up, hence there was a lot of cursing, application of filler, swearing, re-application of filler, and general mayhem until I was happy with the result. Oh, and the instructions for the B17 were also terrible, and a lot of parts had to be guessed at as to how they fitted together!! After painting they have turned out pretty good Only problem I now have is I have no ceiling space left !!!

Just seeing the responses here, gives me new life and hope. I have been off work and on disability since Feb. and may not ever get back to work again, so my collecting anything new has been slow and and may stop but the spirit never dies and I still have a lot of choice pieces in my collection. Especially my Tropical display.

Well just signed up to this forum, have been a collector since a kid, interested in all aspects of collecting main areas are post 1945 - 1960 Malaya etc. Allan

Cant think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than having a cold one and chatting helmets and collecting. Hope you all are well. Would love to see more collections being post! Cheers! The Afrika Rat

Shown the pics to the German EOD types and none have seen anything of that construction. One even suggested due the material (copper and brass) used in construction that it may be some sort of nautical measuring device? Something towed behind a boat? Dependent on the function of the screw of course? Also if a bomb it would split at the join of the copper and steel? Best Rich

Looks like something called a Cooper Bomb.

Hi, I can ask my German EOD pals if they have anything on it. Can't say how long till I see one of them but should be before the end of the month. Rich

LOCHNAGAR CRATER.....WW1 I just thought I would add a few images of the Lochnagar Crater, and the Memorial Service to one of Our Own British Soldiers, and My Own Memory of Being there on the Day His Memory was Remembered. When I visited there for a memorial Service to Private George Nugent in 1999....who on that day of July 1st 1916 (after the massive mine was detonated /blown) he advanced with many fellow comarades and was killed by enemy fire it was issued that he was Missing in Action. It wasn't until a Frenchman walking his dog around the crater (in about 1996?) that the dog scuffed the ground and had in it's mouth a boot and an ankle bones - the man called the Police who eventually called (I Think?) the War Grave Commision, who dug his body up and by his I.D Tags found it to be George Nugent.....at least his family after many years grieving the loss accepted he was, as not registered - Missing - but now accepted his body was found and is buried nearby in a British Cemetery, in which they could find his grave. It was a very moving service and attended by maybe 50 - 75 people and the local Priest gave his blessing.......Yes it was sad for me and more so for his family, who I presume came later to visit his Resting Place. Here are a few images of the massive crater that I took on that day as thousand of poppies were scattered all around the base of the crater....In Memory of the British who were killed and the many hundreds if not thousands of the enemy (5, 000...???) In Memory of 1306 - Private George Nugent of the 22nd Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers.... and the Millions killed during WW1 the World's Most Catastrophic War.....Until 1939....that is another story one day! Desert Rat My camper is at the top, just to show the scale of the immense depth that this mine blew. Reply to this topic...

Nice pictures, I need a better camera, I have 2 und both are rubbish. Rich