Where my interest started...

[Guest Fred Karno's Army]

Personally my interested started from a young age,maybe being conceived behind the German bunkers at Longes sur mer in Normandy in1974 had a subliminal part to play  okay too much info lol !.

   I Was lucky enough to visit many of the European WW1/2 battlefields during my childhood as my father used to own Overlord Militaria in Bolton,lancs 1982-late nineties.So relic hunting and meeting veterans fuelled my fire,Major Howard and Mde Gondree being fondly remembered as probably my childhood favourite.

  I always collected from as far back as I can remember and have had some cracking bits: Relic glider pilot helmet and oxygen mask found in the woods outside an LZ at Osterbeek,double decal camo SS helmet with zimmerit from a farmer in Chambois,digging up a crashed C47 outside Ste Marie Eglaise and having the town mayor and dignitaries get me slightly drunk on Calvados ( I was 9 years old  )a German para helmet relic from Carentan,a set of medals to a Glider pilot killed at Arnhem,along with a mint 1944 dated glider pilot helmet !.The list goes on lol,and the periods collected,ww1/2,Vietnam,Normandy,British,American,German.

 

But life getting in the way as it does forced me and my collections to go varying ways,and it has only been in the last few years since returning from Iraq and sorting my life and head out (PTSD) that I have been lucky enough to be in a position to start again,with the support of a wonderful understanding wife that has helped immensely.

 My current fetishising being World War One British .

 

So in my personal view this forum is a lifeline for a hobby that has listed my lifetime so far !.As having issues around my PTSD means I tend not to go out,as I don't play well with other people,so fairs and trips are out.For the present time anyway,but that's a work in motion lol ( Praise be to the charity Combat  Stress ).

 

  Well that's me in a nutshell,it's time for my morning mantra.

"I must not buy anymore militaria,I must not buy anymore militaria,I must not buy anymore militaria," 

   

       Ham & Jam 

Edited May 17, 2016 by Fred Karno's Army

[Waffenamt]

Overlord Militaria ten miles from me! I know it well pal.

[Jed]

My interest started with my Grandparents, my paternal Grandad wasn't accepted into the armed forces because of his very poor eyesight, so he drove an ambulance during the Blitz, whilst My Grandma operated a crane in a factory building trucks for the front line.

My maternal Grandad fought in Italy, but all he ever spoke of was rolling around drunk in the Italian vineyards! He did fight at Cassino ( which is where my interest in that particular campaign comes from!) 

My Mum remarried and my StepGrandad had fought in the Navy, getting a DSM for manning the engines as his ship rammed a Uboat! He then told me that they rescued all the German sailers and drank rum with them!

Because my Grandparents had fought during the war, I was forbidden to join the Army, so I found a way around it and joined the TA instead, about this time I was offered a German helmet for £10, I bought it, turns out it is an immaculate WW1 helmet, still have it!

My Grandad gave me a badge he had been given by a member of the Uboat crew, A Uboat badge, which I have since lost  (not happy about that!) and I discovered Sven Hassel and read his books over and over again, picking up pieces of Militaria along the way, I have now concentrated my collection on the Cassino battles and am collecting items from all the Nations that were involved

just wish my Grandparents were still around so they could verify and have a look at the stuff I've bought

[Guest Fred Karno's Army]

On 17 February 2016 at 10:46, Waffenamt said:

Overlord Militaria ten miles from me! I know it well pal.

My old fella extradited me from the family as the bar-steward child in 1999 Pmfsl then sold it I believe in 2003/4 don't really know exactly when,I was busy working on a tan in Iraq then .

Edited June 10, 2016 by Fred Karno's Army

[Guest Fred Karno's Army]

On 16 February 2016 at 12:54, Jed said:

My interest started with my Grandparents, my paternal Grandad wasn't accepted into the armed forces because of his very poor eyesight, so he drove an ambulance during the Blitz, whilst My Grandma operated a crane in a factory building trucks for the front line.

My maternal Grandad fought in Italy, but all he ever spoke of was rolling around drunk in the Italian vineyards! He did fight at Cassino ( which is where my interest in that particular campaign comes from!) 

My Mum remarried and my StepGrandad had fought in the Navy, getting a DSM for manning the engines as his ship rammed a Uboat! He then told me that they rescued all the German sailers and drank rum with them!

Because my Grandparents had fought during the war, I was forbidden to join the Army, so I found a way around it and joined the TA instead, about this time I was offered a German helmet for £10, I bought it, turns out it is an immaculate WW1 helmet, still have it!

My Grandad gave me a badge he had been given by a member of the Uboat crew, A Uboat badge, which I have since lost  (not happy about that!) and I discovered Sven Hassel and read his books over and over again, picking up pieces of Militaria along the way, I have now concentrated my collection on the Cassino battles and am collecting items from all the Nations that were involved

just wish my Grandparents were still around so they could verify and have a look at the stuff I've bought

I would love to see pics of the helmet mate  .