Liberated Dress Dagger.

[IanS]

I thought I should add something to this section in view of Peter's comment.

It's a dagger brought home from Germany by my dad. There is some plating damage to the blade, probably due to poor storage. Just thought the pictures might be of interest.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Nice army dagger...too bad about the blade but still better than many I've seen. At least it's got heritage status to you, not just a flea market pickup. Nice... Did he tell you where he found it? Poker game or surrender? Lying in a desk drawer...?

[IanS]

Hi Jim,

I didn't get the story of how he got it, I doubt that it would have been from a poker game. It's more likely he found it in a desk drawer as you suggest, or lying around somewhere. It would be nice to think he physically took it off the enemy along with lots of other weapons. He and his corporal did take the surrender of an officer and six other ranks from a heavy gun emplacement during the battle of the Scheldt. Would the officer be wearing a dress dagger at the time?

On one occasion during his advance through Germany, he held a German officer at gunpoint in his house and may have "got" the dagger then. Have added a photo in view of the date, I know it should be in another area on this forum, but it seems sort of relevant.

Ian

[browningautorifle]

Would the officer be wearing a dress dagger at the time?

I doubt it...

[Aragorn243]

The bank note is from the last year of the intense inflationary period for German currency, 1923. At the time, the US dollar was worth 1 million marks so the bank note in question was worth 2 cents. They were replaced in November of the same year so this bill would not have been in use at the time of WWII. Probably just a reminder of former times to it's owner.

[IanS]

Hi Steve,

interesting point, I hadn't given any thought to the note not being legal tender in '45. My main interest was that he sent it home to my mother with the message on it. There is also a 1 Rentenmark note dated 1937.

Ian.