Daniel Murphy

Close up of the front armour plate for the water jacket and the booster. The booster was used to increase the cyclic rate of the gun, especially when dirty.

Close up of the ZF 12 2.5 power optical sight. slightly different from the one Chris has.

Top view of the gun (No, the dog has not done anything wrong).

Opened up. Inside it is in excellent condition.

Maker marks on the top cover (serial # covered).

Right side.

Left receiver side.

Possibly, its position was overrun and forgotten in the rush. It's crew either dead or prisoners, the gun was forgotten. At some point it was found and pulled from a sure death by oxidation and sent to the US as captured war materials. Then given away to a VFW post where it sat and gave mute testimony to the bravery of these now old men. Eventually it was just stuck in the storeroom gathering dust when purchased in the 60's by a collector and Korean War veteran. It sat unloved in his personal museum until it came to live with me in 1991. When I got it, it was painted black all over and when I tried to remove the paint, I found red body filler hiding the pitting. After a lot of elbow grease, I uncovered the pitting and a lot of original blue! It is no longer unwanted or unloved. Now "Lola" has a new lease on life and shows her scars proudly. True it is only firing blanks most of the time and teaching about the Great War, but she does it magnificently. Instead of a death machine, she now plays with children at living history events and hopes they will remember and preserve the history of past owners. Dan

On the back near the top left, there is a stamp "363" to indicate what steel lot it was made from.

Here is a back view set up for carrying. The slot is open and used for a handle and the leg which can swivel side to side is held securely by the mysterious hook to keep it from getting in the way or getting caught on things. Dan

On the right side, as you look at it, there is a bullet strike from a non armor piercing bullet. It must have been at fairly close range since it dented the plate and left three radiating cracks. One of the cracks goes all the way to the edge and one other is very close, leaving a wedge of steel just hanging on. Dan

Chris, Nice display. Here is my shield, repainted poorly for the events (rust does not blend in with grass and earth very well ). It was recovered from Delville Wood on the Somme in 1991 and is heavily pitted as is yours. After 75 years in the ground it still works. Dan

Claudio, That is a magnificent grouping for a long serving NCO. The Veterans pin and membership booklet must be rare ones, I have never seen one before. The Anniversary celebration seems very well planned and they must have been a very proud unit. Dan

Chris, One thing for sure, that is no general purpose hunters knife. It was made for one reason, letting blood, not opening letters. It is a nice quality piece and the style is Germanic. If you got it from Germany, there is at least a better than average chance it was made there. I have a German trench made dagger that I will photo and post tomorrow. It is made from steel and shell brass. The blade is at least 1/8 inch thick and is very sharp and stiff. I have a photo somewhere of a German machinegunner wearing a near identical one in his boot. Maybe a trench knife thread is in order, if you think you are up to it. Dan

Claudio, Please show the other items. Sorry, but I just found this thread. Oh, by the way, it wouldn't be "F?silier-Regiment K?nigin Viktoria von Schweden (1. Pommersches) Nr.34" of Stettin would it? The regiment with none other than Prinz Heinrich as Colonel in Chief. Dan

Chris, Glad you were able to get it. I just love a sled that has been banged about, those dents from the shrapnel balls and shell splinters add great character. Does the serial # match between gun and sled? Mine does not and it is not unusual, but I think they originally should have. Nice patronenkasten 08 and 15, the early ones are hard to find. I have a VERY early brass mounted one in the same style, made by Vickers Son's & Maxim for the MG01s. It is the only one I have seen like it. Nice ZF 12 in the early "kidney" case, too. I suggest some pads like used for furniture legs to protect the floor. It is odd, that 08/15 looks at home there. Reminds me of the MG 08/18, which was an aircooled MG 08/15 that could be tripod mounted. Experimental only though. Please post some more pics when you get the 08. If you ever come to the states and make it to the Maryland area, we can take mine out and fire it live. I have 1200rds in belts just waiting for the next trip to the range. And then there is the MP 18 I..... Dan

Steve, I do not have one of these, but would like to. The one I used as an avatar was used with permission of the owner and it was on a stickpin. On many little items like this it is next to impossible to determine who made it. However the detail displayed on this small item and if gold, would mean it was a product of one of the finest jewelers in Germany. Sorry I cannot help any further. Dan

Chris, I thought I had seen every possible way to display an Iron Cross.... Guess not. Great display, I just hope none of the rust transfers to the EKs. I too have a "thing" about Verdun, a relic from anywhere else just doesn't have the same meaning to me. How do you clean the shell splinters, etc.? Most of mine are just rusty blobs. Dan

This is a French Third Empire grenadiers buckle. The above marking is a unit mark "3rd Regiment of Grenadiers, buckle # 2435 issued in 1861" I would say this was definitely used in the Franco-Prussian War and possibly as late as WW1 since they were still using this style of buckle. It appears to have been dug. Do you know where? If you clean it, use a toothbrush or such to remove the green, do not attempt to remove the dark patina, this is part of the history of the piece. Dan

Micha, Beautiful cross, I love the blued ones. Can you post a close up of the silver mark? I have never heard of a "930" marked piece. I have however seen "950" and this mark looks like it may be 950 to me. Dan

Issued Ek1s were cased in a number of variations of case. In general they were as listed above square black, rounded corner burgundy and some dark red ones. The main requirement was that they fit in the issue paper box. There were a number of case making companies and the makers of the EK1 would purchase the cases from them. To complicate things the same maker did not always use the same case. Some used two or more varieties over the course of the war. So you may see 2 KO's in the case and box, but one case will be burgundy and the other black. And both may be perfectly original. Per your question, only an issue EK1 would come in the paper box, the only use for the paper box was to protect the case and EK1 until awarded and in the hands of the new owner. This was not neccesary when buying directly from a jeweler. Dan

Beautiful crosses. I can see why you bought them, I would too. I do have to give the edge to Joes for beauty and simplicity though. Good find. Dan

Dave, Yes. They are subdued boards. Technically it should have tombak buttons instead of the 1915 pattern and pre war style boards, but I believe it was made very late in the war (based on the coarseness of the feldgrau)and perhaps these were not made that late. The winged prop devices are different, but the prongs do not pierce the entire board, so I believe them original to the uniform. The "fechterabzeichen" has a light blue center line flanked by two narrow yellow lines which are then bordered by the gold bullion. Definitely an odd uhlanka full of inconsitencies and questions, but that is one thing that attracted me to it. Dan

Another reason would be the appearance of the LDO laws in 1941 which forbade manufacture and sale of all but the standard 44mm TR framed EKs. The makers had to conform if they wanted to stay in business selling EKs. After this time all EKs made used the same 44mm frame to streamline production, even the 1914 EK1s. That is why they are seen on occasion with the LDO frame. Dan

Apparently the family ripped the label out before selling it. I can't think any dealer or collector would have done it. Dan Dave, While I know these are not as nice condition as yours, I like them. Unfortunately I do not have the room to display them or the mannequins to make them better in the photos. This is it for the uniforms with litzen, but I may pull out my pre WW1 SWA colonial uniform and start a thread on them.