Next Door Neighbor MEGA Find!

[GIZMO8Z]

Recently, I've been stopping by yard sales to try my luck in finding WW2 militaria. This past Saturday, my next door neighbor was conducting a yard sale so I decided to try my luck.

I have lived next to him for literally all 25years of my existance. I'd drive past his house and wave each day on my way to school or work. He seemed like a very nice guy, just quiet... kept to himself mostly.

Anyway... I stopped by his yardsale and introduced myself. I told him that I'm a collector, and told him about how I use artifacts from WW2 in my hands-on high school history lessons. When I asked if he had anything from WW2, a HUGE smile appeared on his face and he led me inside his basement.

I must admit, I was a little aprehensive... I didn't know whether or not to be scared or excited. Numerous horror movies start out exactly like this... Was the nice, quiet guy next door going to lead me inside and lock me up forever in his torture chamber?

Luckily, I wasn't murdered. I was greeted with a nicely furnished basement with wall to wall WW2 militaria (He also had two very cute and friendly Corgi dogs!). He had a Moisin-Nagant rifle just laying on the couch. He had what seemed like hundreds of scale models of WW2 armor, ships, planes, battlefield diaramas, etc. He had helmets upon helmets. He had various medals and dogtags and insignias that his family members wore while serving in WW2 AND he had numerous souvenirs that his family members brought back. In the short time I was there, I saw SS collar tabs with traces of tunic collar fabric still on them. I saw EKs. I saw German helmets. I saw rifles. I saw propaganda leaflets that the Germans dropped on his relative's foxhole while fighting near the Anzio beachhead. I saw german pow safe passage leaflets that the Americans dropped on german foxholes that promised them kind treatment if they surrendered... the list goes on and on!

It just goes to show you that you never know what you'll find. Your next door neighbor may have a treasure trove of WW2 militaria!

[Sir Payne]

That is very interesting, did he have anything for sale? I have an older Gentlemen that lives on my street, he is in his late 80's, and I believe he is also a WW2 veteran. He is an extremely nice guy, he grows his own garden and sells the produce. If he ever has a yard sell then I will definitely be the first one to arrive!

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Better post some pictures!

[GIZMO8Z]

I asked him if he wanted to part with any of the stuff, but he said he was too fond of it to let it go. He said his relatives would roll in their graves if he gave it away...

With that being said, he only has a daughter, and he said there is no way she'd ever be interested in his collection. I have a feeling that as he ages, he might second guess his original thoughts and maybe let some of the stuff go... so maybe I'll get lucky.

In the very least, I made a friend who I can enjoy this hobby with!

He wants me to visit again and show/tell my collection. I'll ask if I can photograph some of what he has. I was so tempted to snap some pictures this past Saturday... but I didn't want to be rude. I certainly wouldn't be happy about a stranger going crazy taking pictures in my basement!

I promise to keep you updated!

[banksy]

Wow ! Lol so all these years he was a secret collector ! I'll have to ask my neighbours wether they've a stash of guns lol

[GasMasksUK]

I'll have to ask my neighbours wether they've a stash of guns lol

Wouldnt suprise me if some of my neighbours do

Can't wait to see photos of what this guy has though, his basement sounds like a real man cave

Thanks

Danny

[Franz1944]

Interesting story. I have a Neighbor who is a WW2 veteran who went from D-Day to the end of the Third Reich. He has brought back a few things, but nothing to the scale you decscribe. Nice find!

[GIZMO8Z]

Interesting story. I have a Neighbor who is a WW2 veteran who went from D-Day to the end of the Third Reich. He has brought back a few things, but nothing to the scale you decscribe. Nice find!

I'll do my best to post pics of at least some of what he has!

I really liked the propaganda leaflets he had... one of them had a wounded soilder returning home to meet his girlfriend. The cartoon showed the girl shunning the wounded soldier and going with a big, fat blatantly Jewish businessman instead. Crazy stuff!

It was awesome to see them... and they're probably rare too! I'd imagine that 99.99% of them were lost/ destroyed/ used as toilet paper.

[herrzark]

great story.cant wait for posible future fotos of his collection

[GIZMO8Z]

great story.cant wait for posible future fotos of his collection

I'll try to stop by tomorrow. I told him i'd be stopping at the gun shop... maybe I'll pick him up a few rounds of ammo for his new mosin nagant.