WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

A Good 19th-20th Century French 1886 Pattern Lebel Rifle Sword Bayonet & Frog Hook Scabbard. WW1 French Foreign Legion Issue. No Hook Quillon

With official removed quillon, complete, and in nice condition. Used by the French Foreign Legion into WW1, a very good example of these long and impressive sword bayonets. 65.5cm long overall. {25.75 inches}. Cross section epee blade nickle hilt. The scabbard has a frog hook fitting that fixes to the belt with a strap instead of the past and common frog button
Our current just arrived selection of bayonets ranges from a collection just acquired of really great and rare bayonets, from a collector who wanted the very best he could find over the past 40 years. Rare French examples from the Russian contract during WW1, uncovered in Ukraine in the late 90's, French Foreign Legion bayonets, acquired from a French Foreign Legion reserve armoury depot clear-out in the 70's,

The bayonet was made famous as the bayonet used by the French Foreign Legion used in WWI and WWII, albeit with several modifications. The bayonet was produced with a long cruciform blade on a white alloy hilt. The crossguard originally had a downswept quillon like this one {was removed in 1916} and had a press button rifle locking mechanism.

The French Foreign Legion fought in the trenches during WWI on the Western Front, alongside other European theaters of war like the Balkans. This was a shift from their traditional role as they were deployed to fight in Europe instead of just colonial territories. The Legion's units were made up of both veteran mercenaries and wartime volunteers who joined to fight for France, with the latter often finding themselves in the Legion due to circumstances rather than choice.
Deployment: The Legion was not only on the Western Front but also fought in other theaters, such as in the Balkans in engagements in Greece, Serbia, and Macedonia.
Composition: While the traditional "mercenary" legionnaires were part of the force, a large number of new volunteers also joined specifically to fight in the war for France.
Trench warfare: Legion units, like other French army units, were involved in the brutal trench warfare that characterized the war on the Western Front.
Combined forces: The Legion fought alongside other Allied forces, such as the British army in some theaters.

The Lebel bayonet type with the quillon removed is the M1886/93/16 (Model 1886/93/16).
The original M1886 bayonet featured a prominent hooked quillon, intended for parrying or trapping enemy bayonets. This design was updated in 1893 with a new press button mechanism (M1886/93), and then altered again in 1916 (M1886/93/16) to eliminate the quillon.
The quillon was removed for several practical reasons during World War I:
Ease of manufacture: Removing the quillon simplified and sped up the production process to meet the demands of the war effort.
Field functionality: The hooked quillon was found to be impractical in close combat, as it could get tangled in equipment or other objects.
Material conservation: Around the same time, the original nickel-silver (cupro-nickel-zinc alloy) handles were replaced with brass or steel to conserve nickel for other war uses.
Bayonets produced with the quillon (pre-1915 models) were often officially modified later by having the quillon cut off while in service. Bayonets manufactured after 1916 were made without the quillon from the start.

French Model 1886/93/16 Epee Lebel Bayonet

The model M1886/93/16 Bayonet was standard issue to French Foreign Legion soldiers fighting in the second half of WW1 after 1916 who were issued the Lebel rifle.

The M1886 bayonet is an usual design which has a long thin cruciform Blade with a peculiar locking device just behind the muzzle ring and an all metal grip

The later model was the same but with adjustments, see below, and re designated the M1886/93/16 bayonet

Cast smooth handle
No hooked Qullion
Square cut press stud
Cruciform blade
Black steel tube scabbard with frog hook.
Overall length 67cms
Blade length 51.5cms
Originally the bayonets had a nickel-silver handle and a hooked quillion, just as this example. By 1916, with the need to conserve nickel for the war effort, some of the handles were made of brass. About the same time they were manufactured without the quillion.

The steel quillon and scabbard has old age russetting, the quatrefoil blade and nickel are excellent.

Delivery cost shown as for UK mainland only. Non UK delivery is now considerably upgraded for safety issues  read more

Code: 26110

A Rare To Find Post 1953 New Zealand Police Sergeants / Constables Custodian Helmet. In Superb Condition. The Helmet Type That Was Removed From New Zealand Service in 1995

From a super collection of original and iconic British & Service Custodian Helmets from the 1980's on.

Since the early 1950s, helmets have no longer been worn by police officers in Scotland, but may be seen worn by Metropolitan Police officers when on Royal duties in Scotland. They ceased to be worn in Northern Ireland after the 1920s, except for night patrol work in Belfast and Derry until the early 1960s.


Police Helmet; a New Zealand Police constable's helmet, issued as part of their uniform. This style was used between 1986 and 1995. Identical to another example in the Mataura Museum. The iconic Custodian helmet was withdrawn from New Zealand Police service in 1995. Male Constable's/ Sergeant's 6 Panel blue serge helmet With Queen’s Crown Helmet Plate and Chin Strap. It has an excellent exterior finish with correct 6 panel construction,vented top mount and headband.

Manufactured by Mountcastle ltd  read more

Code: 26106

Original Extremely Rare U.S. Pre-WWII USAAC Airship Pilot Wings Army Air Corps Airship Pilots Badge by N.S. Meyer, New York- Sterling Silver

This is an excellent example of an Airship Pilots Wings from the early 1930’s. The wings were relatively short-lived, being authorized in Oct of 1921 and abolished in 1940. When the Airship Pilot wing badge was first introduced in October 1921, the airship image seen on it was actually patterned after the U.S. Army RN-1. The RN-1 began life in 1919 as the French built Navy Zodiac ZDUZ-1 and was acquired by the Army that same year. It was extensively modified with a new envelope in 1923 built by Airships Inc. with stronger and lighter tail surfaces built by Wittemann-Lewis Aircraft Co.


The envelope for the RN-1 was 910 feet long, 200 feet high and 185 feet high. It cost $1,500,000 to build in 1919.


The wings here were made by N. S. Meyer of New York. N. S. Meyer was founded in New York City around 1906 by Nathan S. Meyer (1870-1935). However, Nathan Meyer was the son of Simon N. Meyer (1843-after 1910), who established his business in Washington, D. C. (possibly) as early as 1868. Nathan Meyer's New York business, under the name, N. S. Meyer, at 79 5th Ave. in 1906 is described as "Army and Navy Equipment" in its initial listing in the Manhattan telephone directory. N. S. Meyer was in business in New York from 1906 to 2000. In 2000 they were taken over by Vanguard, another military goods supplier.


The wings measure just over 3” across and are made of a single struck design. Much of the original finish has been retained and the artwork is still very easily recognisable. The back is “hollow” and the N. S. Meyer "Shield" hallmark is very nicely struck as is STERLING, that can be found on the right on the wings {looking from the back}.


This is an excellent example of a rare Army Air Corps Airship Pilots Badge. It would look superb nicely framed.

The history of American military aviation began during the Civil War, when the Union Army operated observation balloons. Later, a balloon was used by the US Army in Cuba during the Spanish–American War. These were ad hoc and not part of an established branch of the Army. The use of observation balloons continued after the end of World War I. The last use of observation balloons by the Army was during maneuvers conducted in Louisiana during September 1941. Balloons must either be tethered, or go where they are blown by the wind, but towards the end of the nineteenth century powered airships, capable of being directed at the will of the pilot, were developed.


In 1908, the US Army experimented with its first powered aircraft, the SC-1, or Signal Corps number 1. It was a small non-rigid airship with a top speed under 20 mph and an endurance of just over 2 hours. Following tests at Fort Myer, the SC-1 was sent to Fort Omaha, Nebraska, where the Signal Corps School was located. While the SC-1 was being tested at Fort Myer, the Signal Corps had built an airship hangar and a plant to produce hydrogen gas at Fort Omaha. Fort Omaha became, for a while, the first permanent military airfield in the United States. The SC-1 was scrapped in 1912, and the base at Fort Omaha closed in 1913.


The US Army operated French observation balloons during World War I, but did not operate another airship until after the war ended. During World War I the Joint Airship Board assigned the US Navy the role of acquiring and developing rigid airships. This did not dissuade the Army from pursuing its own course. Colonel William Hensley flew as an observer on the return voyage of the British R34 airship from Long Island, New York to the UK in the summer of 1919. Hensley was then sent on a confidential mission to contact the Zeppelin Company to attempt to purchase the remaining undelivered wartime Zeppelin, the L 72. The scheme probably originated with General "Billy" Mitchell. Hensley visited the Zeppelin plant, inspected L 72 and flew on the Bodensee, a small passenger Zeppelin. The Inter-Allied Commission of Control ordered that L 72 should be turned over to France. In November 1919 the US Army contracted with the Zeppelin corporation for construction of the LZ 125, which was to be larger than the R38 class airship which the USN had contracted to purchase from Britain as the ZR-2. This attempt to avoid the conditions set by the Joint Airship Board would have encountered legal problems as the US Senate refused to ratify the Allied Peace Treaty with Germany until October 1921. Complaints by the Secretary of the Navy resulted in the Secretary of War ordering the German contract terminated in December 1919.


Following the end of World War I, the U.S. Army acquired a variety of blimps from US, French and British sources. Plans were made for operating airships from both Fort Bliss and Brooks Field, in Texas and Langley Field, Virginia. The first blimp operated by the Army was the A-4, which was operated primarily from Langley until transferred to the new Balloon and Airship School at Fort Scott, Illinois. The Army operated several Navy C class blimps and D class blimps during the immediate post-World War I era.


Army blimps participated in the "Mitchell" bombing test in 1921. They were used for training, coastal patrol, and experimentation in the early 1920s. The Army purchased three British SST class blimps from the British, which were operated out of Biggs Field, Fort Bliss, and Brooks Field, both in Texas for purposes of border patrol between 1920 and 1923.


During the 1920s the Army developed several "Motorized Observation Balloons". The OB-1 and MB were intended to fly to where needed, and then be tethered as observation balloons.


The US Army acquired the Italian semi-rigid airship Roma in 1921. The Roma was the largest airship ever operated by the Army and was based at Langley Field. With a cruising speed of 50 mph and a range of 7,000 miles, the Roma allowed the Army to consider transcontinental deployments, missions to Panama, the fast transport of cargo and passengers, and long-range sea patrols. The Roma crashed into high-tension wires and was destroyed by fire near Norfolk, Virginia on 21 February 1922. The Roma tragedy led Congress to decree that all future US airships would use non-flammable helium instead of hydrogen as the lifting gas.


During the 1920s and '30s, the US Army Airship Service was responsible for improvements in airship operation construction. These included the use of internal gondola suspension and the only advanced semi-rigid airship manufactured in America, the RS-1, built by Goodyear. The army operated the RS-1 during the late 1920s until the requirement for a new envelope grounded the ship and resulted in it being scrapped in 1930. The Airship Service also supplied airship pilots and logistic support for stratospheric research flights.


The majority of the airships operated by the US Army during the 1920s and '30s were of the "TC" Class, designed for coastal patrol duty, because the US Army had long held the primary responsibility for coastal and harbor defense of the US.The airship was seen as capable of searching for hostile ships and tracking those ships until they could be engaged by coastal defenses or Army bombers. One TC class blimp, the C-41, was often used for various public relation experiments in the 1930s, including landing on the Washington D.C. mall to lay a wreath at the Lincoln Memorial and experimenting with picking up mail from a moving train.


Amongst the most interesting U.S. Army Airship Service experiments was to pursue the ability to operate airplanes from airships. While both the Germans and British had experimented with releasing fighters from rigid airships, it was the US Army that first flew an airplane from the ground and 'hooked' on to a trapeze suspended from an airship. Many tests involving a Sperry Messenger airplane and TC-3, a TC class blimp, were made in the mid-1920s. Eventually, the technology was adopted by the US Navy on the "flying aircraft carriers", USS Akron (ZRS-4) and USS Macon (ZRS-5).


The US Army continued to show interest in the acquisition and operation of rigid airships well into the 1930s. The Army Airship Service developed new designs, and operated a number of blimps, primarily from Scott Field and Langley Field through the early 1930s when competition for funding from the rapidly growing Air Corps started its decline. In 1932, the Army contracted for two blimps significantly more capable than any in service, these were the TC-13 and TC-14. When Army Airship operations were terminated in 1937, a number of Army blimps were transferred to the US Navy, but only two, the TC-13 and 14 were ever operated by the Navy.

Unlike the Navy, the Army had failed during the post-World War I era to establish a definite mission, much less a comprehensive plan for accomplishing that mission, for its airships. By 1935, Congress was considering the elimination of funding for the Army airship program, and Chief of the Air Corps Major General Benjamin Foulois, who himself had been a pilot of the SC-1, was recommending the program be terminated. In mid-1937, the US Army's airship operations officially ended.  read more

Code: 26105

Twenty Six Years Ago, After Over 80 Years Trading in Brighton, We Were Honoured by Being Nominated & Awarded by BACA, In The Best Antique & Collectables Shop In Britain Awards 2001

Presented by MILLER'S Antiques Guide, THE BBC, HOMES & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE, for the British Antique & Collectables Awards. The version of the antique dealers ‘Oscars’ of Britain.

It was a great honour for Mark and David, especially considering at the beginning of the new millennium, in the year 2000, there was over 7,000 established antique and collectors shops in the UK, according to the official Guide to the Antique Shops of Britain, 1999-2000, and we were nominated, and voted into in the top four in Britain.

Since first opening our doors early in the last century, for over 55 years as mine host, Mark, and for 45 years by David, they have personally greeted hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and likely tens of millions in over half a century, to their family owned galleries. To every single one we have tried our utmost to provide our renown five star service of courtesy, respect, assistance, help, and advice.

We still have many more pieces from our super Crimean war collection, to add to our web store. Many are absolute beauties of museum quality, including military artifacts, guards bearskin caps, swords, and militaria all from the Crimean War

Plus, many more original samurai swords, are to be added. Also, an amazing collection of original, antique samurai sword tsuba {sword guards} from the past 500 years, and, as well as all that, so much more!

A resume, below, of our family’s ‘old English merchants and traders’ 500 year old history, that stretches from our ancestors serving Queen Elizabeth 1st as her ‘Sea-Hawk’ captains, that were highly successful {though technically, unofficial} maritime raiders, and scourge of the Spanish fleet of King Philip of Spain, relieving them of his gold, looted from The Americas, then, over 400 years later, to HMS Hawkins, a ‘Hawkins’ class heavy-cruiser, {the ship and her class that were named after Sir John Hawkins, one of Queen Elizabeth’s Sea-Hawk captains} that took part in the Normandy landings in 1944, supporting American troops landing on Utah Beach, and then, to current times, and our shop here in The Lanes.

Our family have been involved as merchants and traders in the South of England {lately in Sussex, and formerly, in the ‘West-Country’ in Devon} since the early part of the 16th century. Our ‘Hawkins’ ancestors, were then based in Plymouth, in the county of Devon, and were sea-farers of world renown, and some of the very earliest traders regularly sailing their merchant ships across the Atlantic to the New World, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st.

Our fleet were taking emigrating English pilgrims and settlers West to America, and returning with new and exotic cargo from the entire Americas, {such as tobacco and potatoes from the Andes}, Eastwards across the Atlantic, to the eager 16th century English markets.

By the 19th century part of our family had re-located Eastwards to Brighton, yet still connected to our maritime roots, into the local Brighton shellfish trade, supplying shellfish to the Prince Regent’s kitchens at the Palace in Brighton, and his accompanying aristocratic court that had built their family ‘town’ mansions across the length of Brighton’s seafront.
From there, part of the Hawkins family ‘migrated’ to more land based pursuits, of merchant traders, primarily as shop-keepers in and around Brighton, and other Hawkins’ though emigrated, and settled to trade in America and Canada.

David Hawkins senior {Mark and David’s father} however, lovingly maintained his desire to remain connected to our ancient family maritime roots. His desire was sated by acquiring a deep-sea-fishing and sailing ship, a 1930’s gaff rigged schooner. Moored at Newhaven port’s Cresta Marine, but it was only used strictly for pleasure, until the late 1970’s. Offering frequent complimentary recreational therapy fishing trips to blind former servicemen from St Dunstans Hospital in the 1960’s.
A photo in the gallery is of portraits of two sea faring ‘Plymouth’ Hawkins, John and Richard, John was cousin to Sir Francis Drake who became one of England’s foremost naval commanders, and, scourge of King Philip of Spain, and father of Richard. Another photo is of heavy cruiser HMS Hawkins named in John’s honour, it was the lead ship of five Hawkins-class heavy-cruisers, named after our esteemed forebears. In 1944 HMS Hawkins returned home from the East Indies fleet to participate in the Normandy landings. Initially assigned to the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, she was detached to the Western Task Force Gunfire Support Bombardment Force U to support American troops landing at Utah Beach.

Scholars think it is likely Francis Drake was illegitimate, and that is probably why he was placed at an early age into the household of William Hawkins of Plymouth. Drake thus began his seagoing training as an apprentice for the Hawkins family, and the rest as they say, is history.

We are open 6 days a week from 10.30 till 4.30. Please note however, we never open our gallery on Sundays or Bank Holidays. A tradition of just a single day of rest every week we have tried our best to maintain for 100 years.

However, our web store, like all the stores online, operates 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Here’s wishing a healthy and happy well-being to us all.
Gloria Antika!

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of trading  read more

Code: 23577

A Superb and Iconic WW2 German Luftwaffe Officer's 'Black Face' Watch By Titus, Geneva, {Switzerland} Incabloc. A Superb Original Artefact of WW2 German Aeronautical Warfare History

A fine survivor of WW2 a very good original Luftwaffe aircrew 'black face' wristwatch, with Luftwaffe blue strap, working order.

Case stamped D = Dienstuhr Luftwaffe - Air forces with serial number.

Titus (Solvil et Titus) was a Swiss watchmaker founded in 1887 by Paul Ditisheim, with production shifting to Geneva in 1930 under owner Paul-Bernard Vogel. During WWII, the brand produced robust, high-quality Swiss mechanical watches, including civilian and military-style pieces, with some models famously used by Luftwaffe aircrew. WWII-era Titus watches, featuring a 'D' prefix (e.g., D801202) on the case back, were issued to German Luftwaffe aircrew.
These watches often featured stainless steel cases, black faces with luminous numbers/hands, and small second dials. Known for high-quality Swiss mechanical movements.
Paul-Bernard Vogel took over in 1930 and steered the brand towards moderately priced, anti-magnetic, and robust watches during the 1930s and 1940s.
Post-War: The brand continued producing Chronobloc and chronograph models (e.g., with Landeron 48 movements) throughout the 1940s and 1950s.
These third Reich issue watches from the 1930s-1940s are highly sought after by collectors for their historical significance and durable design.

TITUS Watches
Paul Ditisheim: the founder
Paul Ditisheim, son of the famous Ditisheim family, was born into the small social circle of industrialist families that led the Swiss watch industry of the time.He studied at the Horological School of in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the historic birthplace of watch-making industry,4 and received his diploma at the age of 13. He was then trained in several of the major watch makers and worked at his family's Vulcain manufacture until 1892 when he founded his own brands: Solvil (whose items were often signed Paul Ditisheim) and Titus (whose items were generally marked separately).
Through its manufacture, Ditisheim was instrumental in developing the new generation of chronometers, improving them grandly through his studies on the impact of atmospheric pressure and magnetic fields. He invented the affix balance. Thanks to his inventions, he was able to make the most precise chronometers ever made. By 1903, his watches were awarded by the Kew and Neuchâtel Observatories contests. In 1912, he won the world's chronometric record of the Royal Kew Observatory. He also worked closely with Physics Nobel prize winner Charles-Edouard Guillaume and has been considered the father of the modern chronometers. According to Professor M. Andrade of the Besançon Astronomical Observatory, Solvil et Titus Ditisheim's devices "constitute the most important progress of modern chronometry"

In 1940, Germany heavily procured Swiss watches for its military, specifically for the Luftwaffe (air force) and army, due to a need for high-quality, reliable, and legible timepieces. Key Swiss brands involved included IWC, Longines, Helvetia, Titus and Tavannes, supplying watches often marked with "DH" (Dienstuhr Heer) for the army or "D" for the Luftwaffe.
Luftwaffe Watches (B-Uhren): The German air force utilized Beobachtungsuhren (Observation Watches) or B-Uhren. While German firms like Laco and Stowa were key, IWC produced specialized, high-grade navigational watches for the Luftwaffe starting around 1940.
Army/General Military Watches: The Dienstuhr Heer (DH) watches were widely procured from Switzerland. Helvetia was a major supplier, with watches featuring black dials, luminous numerals, and shock-protected movements.
Manufacturers supplying the German military included Alpina, Breitling, BWC, Doxa, Eterna, Glycine, Longines, Mimo, Minerva, Omega, Record, Revue, Roamer, Titus and others.
Significance: These watches, featuring 15-jewel movements and rugged cases, were essential for navigation and synchronizing maneuvers, particularly as the war progressed and industrial needs intensified.
Switzerland, while maintaining neutrality, provided a crucial source for these precision instruments throughout the war.

Photos in the gallery {for information only} of a few Luftwaffe aces, knights cross winner fighter pilots, each one can be seen wearing their 'black face' Luftwaffe issue Swiss wrist watch.

In many ways this is a very inexpensive Luftwaffe aeronautical artifact of WW2, as the more technical chrongraph version, when they appear on the market, can now achieve £20,000 to £30,000

Although in working order there is no function warranty implied.  read more

Code: 26103

A Superb & Rare Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service Issue Cockpit Watch. RFC Stamped. Luminous Dial Elongated Winding Stem For Gloved Pilots Winding A Superb Original Artefact & Mechanical Instrument of WW1 Aeronautical Warfare History

Omega RFC Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service Cockpit watch, Mk.V, Luminous, c.1916. Nickel-plated steel case with a self-starting keyless 30-hour movement
Swiss manufacturers of Mark V watches applied their assigned (digraphic) letter code to the dial, { BB for Omega} followed by the item’s serial number {5390}. Company branding was allowed to appear on Mark V watches only to interior surfaces, eg the movement, cuvette, inner case back, etc.

These movements were selected for accuracy despite the vibration to which they were submitted. Black dial with white luminous Arabic numerals and seconds additional dial. Although normally referred to as a watch, these were actually fitted to the aircraft cockpit instrument panel via a special holder and used like a clock. Note the elongated stem allowed easier winding with a gloved hand. The elongated stem was a critical feature, enabling the pilot to wind the watch without removing it from its holder.
The case is in good overall condition and has clear markings with War Department broad arrow and 'A' indicating aviation issue.

Nomenclature applied to the dial (specifying, amongst other things, the contracted supplier of the watch)
luminous and non-luminous versions (although luminous versions were restricted to RNAS issue until late in WWI)
Military issue indicated by markings to the dial and/or to the case

Case in excellent condition, free from dents or other damage. The dial in good overall condition. Luminous hands. Luminous numbers. Glass clean, and free from adverse scratches. Movement clean and fresh-looking. The watch in running condition.

No warranty implied.

Note: RFC pilots 'signed for' cockpit watches prior to a given mission; they were also responsible for safe-keeping, and return.  read more

Code: 26101

An Original, Net Camouflaged, D.Day Pattern MK III 'High Rivet' Helmet. Fabulous D-Day Collection, Medals, & Stripes, of ANCO Corporal of The Ox & Bucks Light Infantry & Later Part of the Airborne Div,

The helmet with its original netting and camouflage is seriously rare and it comes with an accompanying group of his four British medals {unworn} and his corporal stripes.

A D-Day Pattern MKIII high rivet helmet, with original netting and camouflaging, and his corporal's battledress stripes and medals. The helmet may have painted regimental markings, but there is no way the net and camouflage should be removed in order to check. The German part of the collection, the iron cross medals etc. was sold separately.

We do not know if he qualified for more than his four medals, as his family knew not either. His German souvenir medals were put away after the war and never saw the light of day till very recently, which is why they are in superb condition. The helmet was not his first original service issue, he originally had the Brodie pattern helmet. His German medals {which may be from an Arnham based SS Panzer Division crew} will be sold separately, but only his medals, stripes and D-Day MKIII camouflage helmet are sold together here under this stock code.

The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry committed three battalions to the Normandy campaign in 1944, with two landing on the 6th June 1944 - one by air, one by sea.

2nd Battalion (52nd), Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division

Part of 6th Airborne Division, 2nd Battalion were some of the first Allied troops to arrive in Normandy when six gliders carrying D Company and elements of B Company, led by Major John Howard, landed in the early hours of 6 June. Though one of the gliders landed some distance to the east, five would land remarkably close to their objective. They successfully captured and held the River Orne and Caen Canal bridges, securing a vital bridgehead to pave the way for the advance of the allied forces that would land on the beaches. One of these bridges was renamed Pegasus Bridge after the emblem of the British Airborne, the name it is still known by today. The rest of the Battalion would arrive by glider around 9pm on 6 June, landing at the bridgehead as part of Operation Mallard.

1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, No. 6 Beach Group

The 1st Bucks Battalion, a territorial army battalion of the Ox & Bucks, also landed at Sword Beach on D-Day. Part of No. 6 Beach Group, an anti-tank platoon landed with the first tide, while the remainder landed with the second tide of the invasion force. The Group was responsible for organising units landing on Sword and arranging supply dumps in the area. As infantry support for the Beach Group, 1st Bucks were tasked with defending the beachhead from any counterattacks.
The Battle of Arnhem and the subsequent defence of the Oosterbeek Perimeter have passed into legend and the subject of numerous books and films, meaning that the story of the Operation is quite well known by most who have an interest in military history, what is probably less known is the contribution of the Regiment in Operation Market Garden.

Operation “Market Garden”
“Market” was the Airborne element of the operation, with three Allied Airborne Divisions being dropped behind enemy lines in Holland with the task of capturing and holding until relieved by ground forces, all the bridges along a “corridor” from the Belgian/Dutch border along a single road to the river Rhine at Arnhem.
The American 101st Airborne Division were to capture the bridges around Eindhoven, the American 82nd Airborne Division the bridges around Nijmegen and the British 1st Airborne Division along with the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade the bridges at Arnhem on the Rhine.

“Garden” was the land based element with the main thrust along the “corridor” being made by Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks’s British 30th Corps, with the 12th and 8th Corps on each flank. 30th Corps objective was to advance along the corridor linking up with the Airborne Divisions and reaching the Rhine at Arnhem within four days! From there the British 2nd Army could then cross the River Rhine, the last natural barrier, and then turn into the Ruhr and Germany itself and end the war by the end of 1944.

“This is a tale you will tell your grandchildren... …and mightily bored they’ll be”
Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks, commanding British 30th Corps
1st Battalion (43rd) Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Operations by the 53rd (Welsh) Division in 12th Corps, containing the 43rd, aimed to protect the left flank of the land based “Garden” force, 30th Corps, pushing through the airborne corridor from Eindhoven to link up with the Market forces at Arnhem.

On 20 September the enemy withdrew through De Kruisberg, leaving a small force to cover the retreat. The 43rd followed at night to push ahead in single file through the town to protect the flank of 15th (Scottish) Division forming a bridgehead on the Wilhelmina Canal at Best.

The advance by the 43rd in the direction of Oirschot attracted heavy fire. The blown bridge at Oirschot was reached at midday on 21st and the nearside bank of the canal was made secure to protect the western flank of the Scottish Division. The canal was a formidable obstacle but could be crossed by wading infantry.
The village of Dun was captured and where Regimental Headquarters was established until 5 October.

Nijmegen, Holland - October 1944
On 5 October, the 43rd was ordered to move up to Nijmegen bridgehead as reserve battalion. The move was full of small incidents of enemy action and manoeuvre. The Battalion led the attack by 71st Brigade to liberate 's-Hertogenbosch, which was secured by 27th, but the remnants of the enemy did not withdraw completely over the Maas to the north.
The objectives of the 1st British Airborne Division were to capture and hold the bridges over the river Rhine at Arnhem, however in the end only a force slightly over battalion strength managed to reach and hold the northern approaches to the Road Bridge. Only the Second Parachute Battalion (less C company, who were separated in the town), reinforced by part of 1st Parachute Brigade HQ, individual members of 1st and 3rd Parachute Battalions and some attached arms personnel actually reached the Divisional objective – the Bridge.

The Corporal of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Defence Platoon, survived the debacle, escaped capture during the greater Operation Market Garden, to be evacuated. See a photo of some of the various men evacuated after the Arnham debacle in the gallery.{but this photo does not include Ox and Bucks combatant}

**The price shown is for the helmet, his 4 british campaign medals and his corporal stripes, it does not include the German medals, they were for sale, separately, though now sold,
The last owners name will be past on to the next owner.  read more

Code: 25378

A Stunning, Demi-Shabraque Of An Officer Of The British Monarch, Her Late Most Beloved Majesty Queen Elizabeth IInd Mounted Bodyguard of the Household Cavalry The Horse Guards. Post 1953 With 19 Battle Honours Up to 1991

With the regiments Garter Star, the lion surmounted the Queen's Crown {the Imperial State Crown}, with 19 battle honours around and below. All in the finest gold and silver bullion, on a garnet cloth with a wide bullion trim with embossed oak leaves of the mounts fore-quarter shabraque.

A post 1953 shabraque, with battle honours up to 1991.

This shabraque would look amazing bespoke framed

The Household Cavalry is classed as a corps in its own right, and consists of two regiments: The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). They are the senior regular regiments in the British Army, with traditions dating from 1660, and act as the King's personal bodyguard. They are the cavalry element of the guards regiments and, with the five foot guard regiments, constitute the seven guards regiments of the Household Division.

A shabrack or shabraque is a saddlecloth, formerly used by European light cavalry.

The shabraque was an accoutrement of the hussar cavalry, based on the Hungarian horsemen in Austrian service who were widely imitated in European armies in the 18th and 19th centuries. The shabraque was a large cloth which in its original form, covered the Hungarian-style saddle, and was itself surmounted by a sheep or goat skin.

Made of Sheep or Goat skin, The Shabrack was a common Military article during The Napoleonic Wars, used by both The French, their Allies and by The English and theirs. Traditionally, Royal Regiments bore their Monarch's Signet – often embroidered in Silver or Gold Thread.

By the end of the 19th Century and into the 20th, Shabracks (when found), were used solely by Officers of various Elite Cavalry Units (such as those found today on Great Britain). Variations were used by both American and Confederate Officers during The American Civil War. Today, in The American Army, The Shabrack is most commonly used for Funeral Processions known as The ''Fallen Rider''.

The corners of the shabraque were rounded at the front and elongated into long points at the rear. It could be elaborately decorated with a contrasting border and a royal cypher or regimental crest. It was often discarded while on active service and by the start of the 20th century, was confined to ceremonial use; in the British Army, it is used by the Household Cavalry and by General Staff officers.  read more

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