Box of Militaria Gifted To My Son

[MySonsDad]

A friend of ours did a little housekeeping and stumbled on to a box of military stuff that had been given to them for a garage sale, some time ago. Knowing that my son was a collector, she passed the box on to him this past weekend. And here are a few photos of my son’s newest treasures!

Photo #1 - An Italian M-33 with some remaining tan paint from service in Africa and the faint remains of a prior stenciling , on a early coat of paint. I posted this photo in another thread on Monday, looking for folks thoughts on what the stencil might be, close up in that thread.




Photo #2 - Left to Right, A sailors cap from the HMS Ledbury, a British minesweeper that served during the gulf war. The hat is peppered with black dots, which I am told are from the oil in the air during the oil field fires in Kuwait; middle, a WWII USMC officer’s visor hat; and to the right, a post WWII French Foreign Legion Kepi.




Photo #3 - Three WWII ear Soviet Russian Medals (bottom), Soviet Russian WWII Patriotic War Medal Badge 1st class, Type 3 (top left); and a 1990’s vintage Australian Army cap badge (top right).




Photo #4 - A closer photo of the Soviet Patriotic War Medal.




Photo #5 - An East German insulated canteen and a Soviet era cluster bomb training aid used by the US army for ordinance recognition.




Photo #6 - Center is a WWII practice anti-tank mine that was dug up someplace in the California desert about 20 years ago, and restored. Front left is a 37mm anti-tank round found in the same place as the anti-tank mine, and front right is a WWII US Army training grenade.




Not a bad little box of stuff I think!

[Walkwolf]

Great stuff ! I love the blue training grenade. Normally painted black,
these were used into the 1960's I believe. It should be completed
with a ring and pin - very easy to find.


One lucky kid................!

[MySonsDad]

Yes Steve, he is going to in search of the rest of the parts for the grenade once he gets internet access back (boy needs to study more and play games less). As for the color, I'm fairly certain that the light blue is correct for the post WWII MKII practice grenades, probably starting some time in the 1950's I believe. I know the early MKII practive grenades were red or yellow, but that was phased out some time after the the WWII. I'll have to do a little digging to be sure.

My son told me that the anti-tank training mine is a mock of a US WWII M1A1. How he knew that I have no idea, but he knew it as soon as he saw it. He is enjoying his newly aquired treasures.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Very nice gift. I am really pleased for him.

Cheers, Ade.

[meyerse]

Great patriotic war medal looks to be the 1985 veterans issue, not a period issue item. (pick of back or serial number would verify)

[MySonsDad]

Yes Meyerse you are correct. The notes that were with this box of goodies indicated that all the Soviet items were WWII period but we did some reseach on these items and learned that it was not so on a couple of the items, the Patriotic War Medal included. One of the Soviet Medals is also not period issue but from the mid 70's. Still a real nice group of Soviet items added to the kids collection. His mother put them together in a nice shadow box for him to disply.

Russ

[meyerse]

Yes Meyerse you are correct. The notes that were with this box of goodies indicated that all the Soviet items were WWII period but we did some reseach on these items and learned that it was not so on a couple of the items, the Patriotic War Medal included. One of the Soviet Medals is also not period issue but from the mid 70's. Still a real nice group of Soviet items added to the kids collection. His mother put them together in a nice shadow box for him to disply.

Russ

Fantastic! I have a soft spot for these veterans issue medals, plus they are inexpensive enough that a kid could handle and look them over and enjoy them. They are starting to get a following of their own, but I think their researchability is very limited. I would have love to have had such a display as a kid.

[gel65]

The marine corps hat looks very nice great finds

[MySonsDad]

The marine corps hat looks very nice great finds

Thanks Gel, the USMC cover was a real nice piece however we parted with it some time ago to get a few other items the kid wanted.

[AMTG]

The rising sun badge you have is the current model introduced in 1991...the wording in the scroll was changed to "THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY" to reflect a truly Army symbol