What Bits Can You Find On Holiday In France ?

[Martin Bull]

Just back from a fortnights' holiday in Burgundy and was in the right mood to browse around. Here are the fruits of my rummagings....



OK, the KwK42 shell box came from the Vimoutiers Militaria Bourse for 30 Euros, as did the back copies of 'Armes & Militaria' ( E1.5 each from M. Lodieu ).

Now, nothing much actually happened in Burgundy ( it's not like Normandy or the Channel Ports ) so you really have to look among the 'ordinary' antiques to find any WWII bits. My Wife was browsing around a small brocante near where we were staying ; full of glass and china. But in the window I spotted two large bakelite charge canisters for the Le f.H. 16/18, dated 1941/2. Priced at 8 Euros each I got them for 15. The owner explained that they were old film canisters and looked a bit unhappy when I ( rather tactlessly, maybe ) told him they were for 'un obus Allemand'.

Then we went to the huge Sunday flea market at Chagny ( 150 stalls ). Loads of old junk but I quickly found the two brass, 1940-dated 2cm flak cases. 1 Euro each ( well, it'd have been rude not to ! ). Nothing much else except some worthless, rusted-out German gasmask canisters. But one guy was bringing some tatty uniform bits out of an old van and I spotted the blowtorch. It's huge, with German maker plate and warning notice. 30 Euros.

Finally, an antique shop ( run by an English lady ) in Nolay. Loads of nice glass and china - in a shed out back are two WWII French gasmasks ( not my cup of tea ). I'm just leaving when I spot the M42 shell sitting on a seat in the window. It's been used post-war by a farmer as a cattle-feed scoop ; you can see the holes and one side is cracked. the other side is perfect and it's not rusted out at all. The price is OTT at 40 Euros but I like it and it's a nice holiday souvenir so I pay the lady .....

( Oh, and the crumpled rusty bit in front is something - maybe the back of a vehicle lamp ? - which I pulled from under a hedge opposite the Mont Ormel Cafe in the Falaise Gap. It still has some Sandfarbe attached ).

Quite a fun holiday browse.......

[kradman]

Some nice finds ,always good when you can find a few items on a family Hoilday done it a few times myself over years stopping off a junks shops when driving around France

[rra227]

Nice stuff. Rich A. in Pa.

[rob214]

Cool finds!

[Opladen]

The "charge canisters" are for Kartusche Vorlagen.... These were used to reduce the flash of the howitzer when firing. The Bakelite ones you show contained 10 of these flash reducers. I think the contents were Potassium. If you want any pics of the actual sacs I could send you some.

[Martin Bull]

Now that I did not know ! Many thanks....that explains 'Kart Vorl' on the lids.......