Pics : Vimoutiers Militaria Bourse & a KwK42 box....

[Martin Bull]

Some careful last-minute holiday travel rescheduling just happened to place me in Vimoutiers for the recent Militaria market ( itself tied-in with the Panther Ausf A visit to Mont Ormel just down the road ).

Having picked up a relic KwK 42 casing at W&P I'm in a bit of a 'Panther' phase at the moment and rather hoped to find something.......

Anyhow, I just love these early-morning Continental fairs ; and this one was literally 3 minutes' walk from the hotel.



A Steyr was parked nearby ( I don't think it was for sale )



The usual early queue of hardy collectors -



And in we go. Onlyy 35 stalls, some nice bits'n'pieces, but nothing I really 'need'.



I look down the hall and there's a long box on the floor, right by the entrance. I'd walked straight in and missed it. The seller has only a few things (FF33s, gasmask canisters, etc ) but I close the box lid and see 'KwK42'. It's knocked about and full of woodworm and cobwebs, but I MUST HAVE IT ! 'Combien?' 'Trente'...and I don't even haggle.

Normandy author Didier Lodieu is signing books nearby and smiles - telling me that it's genuinely from a Falaise Gap barn and was found only recently. I couldn't go without buying one of M. Lodieu's books, which he kindly inscribes for me...



I only just manage to fit the box into the car. Later, after I clean out all the rubbish ( and treat the wood, injecting every hole ) the all-important stencils and labels are present and correct. I am well chuffed !

[cricketchris1944]

Cool box.
chris

[Martin Bull]

Cool box.
chris

I noticed that you have a similar one ( but in nicer condition ). M. Lodieu ( who is an authority on Panzers in Normandy ) confirmed that this is a scarce item to find.......

[harryamb2]

the prices looked resonable as well.

[cricketchris1944]

Thank you I do have two of them from Bayeux Normandy.
I remember meeting MR Lodieu years ago in Bayeux I think it was.
chris

[cricketchris1944]