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My incredible Uncle served as bombardier in B-17's, 8th AAF, stationed in Thurleigh, UK. One of his souvenirs is this P.08 Luger, manufactured by Mauser in 1940. I now am the proud owner of this & his "bring back" papers.
This same Luger was featured in the Oct, 2013 issue of American Rifleman & my Uncle was still alive then.
Very nice looking piece. Did you find out how he obtained it? I wonder if it was simple like a trade for whiskey or a poker game. Lots came home like that. Maybe the story was in American Rifleman?
My P'08 has July 10 43 Avola Sicily scratched on the inside of one grip.
I acquired it from an estate, and I think I know where he got it, but that chap is gone too, so there won't be any more to the story than the inscription.
We have lost so many of that brave generation now, another decade and the last of our WW2 heros will have gone West.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boonie Stomper
Lovely looking Luger and a wonderful collection that honours your Uncle.
mrclark303 very well spoken. It's quite an honor to know & spend time with any military vet...and talk with them. I have often wished that some of my relics in my collection could talk & tell me where they've been. I was able to do that several times with my Uncle. He told me where he'd been and answered my many questions. Now he's gone, and soon the last surviving WW2 vet will be gone also.
I spent hours "interviewing" him and writing down all the information that I could. My Uncle told me a lot about my Dad also (he was US Navy, WW2) since he died way too soon & I was never able to interview my own Dad. I had my Uncle write a letter of provenance about the Luger, so Jim, I do know the story. After WW2 ended in Europe, early May, 1945, my Uncle had a 3 day leave in London. One evening a Canadian soldier "...probably French Canadian, judging from his accent, in his brown, wool battle dress, wearing a beret..." asked my Uncle if he wished to buy a pistol. "He said that he had captured it while fighting in Italy." My Uncle was very interested & got it for about $80.
Later he was transferred to Senegal, West Africa. While there, he came upon 3 French sailors beating a Senegalese man quite severely & since it was a rather uneven contest, Uncle pulled the Luger and persuaded the sailors to go elsewhere. Later back in the USA, thieves broke in to his parent's house, and stole several items, including the Luger. Police later caught the thieves in Santa Monica, went to their house & recovered the Luger.
So, yes Jim, I am fortunate to have the background on that Luger, or some of it. I know nothing of the Canadian soldier or how he got it. Any readers who have aging relatives, I urge you to sit down and record their memories...or they will be gone forever.
I've been there, so I know where it ended up...glad you recovered it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boonie Stomper
Wow, carry the torch. It seems you honor him properly