Third Party Press

I bought the story, and the gun!

BostonMark

Well-known member
However the "story" has been kept alive with paper documents!

The condition of the gun is not that good but the information is GREAT!

I am immersed in a research project for my powerpoint presentation at the P.38 forum event in Louisville next year. ..... Research takes time!

My thanks to the scouting from some collector friends who have helped me buy "capture" documents from ebay without the captured items to look at but all original documents. There is nothing better than having these documents "in hand" to do an analysis up close.

My research has gone as far as filing a Freedom of Information request to get all of the circulars that are mentioned in the capture documents. Then to look at the paragraphs mentioned in the capture documents to see how the rules changed for "bring backs". The intel has been amazing!

The National Archives has responded to my FOI request and I paid the copying fee a few weeks ago so all the documents will be here in 6-8 weeks.

This gun history is unusual since it also has the seldom seen mailing certificate in duplicate. All captured bring backs and mailed items had papers in duplicate, one for the customs official and one to retain by the GI, the customs official didn’t always ask for the paper!

I'm doing more research on how the early documents were produced before the "official" capture document was off set printed and available in bulk with provisions of section VI, cir 155, WD, 28 May 1945 printed on them, more on this in Louisville.

Here is the gun with the papers and some research the previous owner did on the vet. I can't take the credit for what he did but his method is something we should consider for research on papers we may own.
You never know what can be discovered!

He found the vets obit and also a patent he received ... pretty cool stuff in my opinion!

Mark

P.S. I really like keeping the legacy of these brave vets alive for future generations!
 

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Here is one of the War Department Circular's issued in '44 for captured weapon bring-back's that I had in pdf format if you did not have it or helps with your process.
 

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Interesting. The form swears it was acquired before VE Day. I guess that is to separate trophy hunting from "looting" and "black market" purchases.
 
Thanks guys!

I have that circular from the National Archives. Notice the other statement was typed on the off set form .. pretty common for some of these documents.

When all the circulars arrive I'll be better able to make more comments on the language used in the documents we have seen.

Mark
 
Thanks guys!

I have that circular from the National Archives. Notice the other statement was typed on the off set form .. pretty common for some of these documents.

When all the circulars arrive I'll be better able to make more comments on the language used in the documents we have seen.

Mark

Mark,

There is a lot of info on the areas you are researching on this link. (Scroll down to the War Trophy icon and it opens up).

http://www.nfaoa.org/resources.html


Regards,

JHV
 
Mark, I hope you do not care if I add in to this post. You know that I enjoy capture certificates, customs papers, weapon tags and the history behind them. I have seen other papers with "acquired before VE day" or something similar. My first capture certificate that I purchased has "I was in the ETO before VE day written on it". Perhaps you are right Nirvana that there must be some type of control on the item. I have also seen lines to the effect of I certify that this weapon is not concealable. Any thoughts on the VE day remarks?

(stock photos to keep track of everything, please forgive the quality)

Edit: Thanks JHV 41 for an awesome couple hours of reading!
 

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I don't have circular 155 or circular 80 which was dated 11 June 1945 just yet so I reserve comment until I have more research done.
 
Thanks for posting this Mark. We have been pretty involved in the research on "bringback" papers, mailing regulations, etc. One of the issues we have confronted, which handgun collectors do not is the "duffle cut". The regulations I've seen did not allow handguns to be mailed. Many rifles were. Some of use recall, back in the KCN days, seeing a period regulation published about shipping length which would have made the duffle cut necessary.

In any event, my byf 42 rig has the "capture papers", which conspicuously note that the Luger was "captured" and that "I certify that above weapon was in soldiers possession prior to VE Day".

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?1346-P.08-byf-42-vet-bringback-rig
 
I've always wondered why my grandfather had two copies of capture papers for his k98 and pistol he brought back.
 

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