WW1 Artillery Luger

**Paratrooper** · 03-19-2011, 12:13 AM

Hello Fellas,
This is one of my special items in my collection. It has a personal connection with me.
My Grandad was a Petty Officer in the Royal Navy during WW2 and took this from a German Petty Officer when he boarded a badly shot up German E-boat.

The Kriegsmarine had a Luger of their own is it possible the WW1 Arty Luger was issued because of it's size??? Any one have an answe? Or did the Jerry Petty Officer "Aquire" It?
I had it deactivated when I inherited it when he died. I don't have the holster but all the numbers match as does the mag with the Wooden Base.

Does anyone know what S XX1 Stands for and what the symbol next to it means?

Regards

Jim

**oradour** · 03-19-2011, 12:35 AM

Jim, superb Artillery Luger ! I just love these weapons, super DMW (Deutsche Waffen & Munitionsfabriken) WW1 piece with its original WW1 wooden toggle magazine. " S XXI " I believe are the "Regimentals" (official period, Imperial Regiment marking) of a Seebatallion, thats how this piece probably got into the hands of a Kreigsmarine Petty Officer, through a Naval armoury.......
Prost ! Steve.

**habicht** · 03-19-2011, 03:36 PM

While not common, during WWII LP08's were in military service, particularly with the Kriegsmarine. I have two, both Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine property marked.

As to the "S XXI" marking with the daisy, I believe that is an East German police property mark.

**cricketchris1944** · 03-19-2011, 03:48 PM

Yes a beautiful luger.

**oradour** · 03-19-2011, 04:57 PM

by habicht

As to the "S XXI" marking with the daisy, I believe that is an East German police property mark.

habiicht if your information on the markings is correct, then the story given by Paratrooper doesnt ring true ? as he states its been in his familiy since sometime in the war ? so for it to have DDR markings, surely it would off, at some time, to have been psychically in the DDR (East Germany 1946-1990) ! I thought it more likely to be an Imperial regimental, however it is now open to further discussion......
Prost ! Steve.

**habicht** · 03-19-2011, 07:34 PM

Steve, there is no such marking configuration "S XXI" either Heer or Kaiserlichesmarine authorized or documented. There are any number of DDR pistols so marked. The daisy is a dead give away as to it being East German. Sometimes old veterans have been known to apply a true story about a war time acquisition to a piece acquired much later. I don't mean to disparage the veteran's story I'm just laying out what my experiance has taught me. Here are photos of two, one with daisy the other without.

**oradour** · 03-19-2011, 08:41 PM

habicht....you live and learn ! thanks for that info...I guess paratrooper is going to be a tad disappointed with these findings, I know nothing regarding the former DDR.
Prost ! Steve.

**habicht** · 03-19-2011, 10:21 PM

Steve, on the matter of Sea Battalions...I believe there were only a very few such units and they were all stationed in Tsingtao. Perhaps only three such battalions, they would have all been issued P04 pistols. As all the colonies, with the exception of DOA, fell to the allies by the end of 1915 none would have post 1914 dated arms or equipment.

**Paratrooper** · 03-19-2011, 11:29 PM

Hello Fellas,
To say I am gutted is an understatement. I have had it since he died in 1991 and that was the story he used to tell. What I am now confused about is how he got hold of an East German Pistol when I know he was never in East Germany???
I am not in a position to now question him about it...unless someone out there has a Ouja board I could borrow?

This has now hit me like a brick and made me look at him from a different angle and what the pistol now means to me. I have kept it along with some of my Fathers momento's from Korea and mine from the Falklands. Does this now have a place in my family personal War souvenirs?

Thanks for the info boys much appreciated.

Regards

Jim

**lithgow** · 03-19-2011, 11:50 PM

Hello-I suppose the question is what do the markings signify and were they applied by the East German regime or simply sourced by them from ex Nazi stocks-I can't imagine them being used by the GDR with the vast stockpiles of Soviet and Nazi weapons of much more modern and more reliable design available-any one ever seen an East German MG 08/15 on the Berlin Wall?

PS The condition of the pistol also tends to say it wouldn't have been sent to store post war-Paratrooper-you knew your Grand Dad, he doesn't sound like he would be an unreliable source.