Any thoughts on what this is?

[Danny70]

Hi All...

I saw this yesterday in an antique shop on sale for peanuts, so being the curious type I picked it up. From a rough translation I assume it was a marksmanship presentation/award, but from where? I'm guessing it is Swiss-German engraving simply because the marking on the back states that it was made in Bern. (Zaugg u. Cie, Zinnwaren, Bern). The company logo/stamp has a winged female figure in an oval with the letters AR.

Any ideas??

Regards - Danny

[Danny70]

Reverse: (sorry about the blurry pictures)

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Danny70,

a plain but interesting piece, your translation is spot on:

PISTOL SHOOTONG.

ACTIVE SERVICE 1940 / 41.

? RGT 2,

2 RANK COMBINATION.

I believe it possibly was issued to a member of the Swiss Army for a shooting competition

if a iii reich piece it would carry a lot more detail and symbols.

Kevin in Deva

[Guest Rick Research]

"L." Rgt... whatever the L stood for.

[Great Dane]

Leibregiment?

/Mike

[Steen Ammentorp]

Leichtes Regiment

See: http://www.schweiz1940.ch/

Kind regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

[Danny70]

Leichtes Regiment

See: http://www.schweiz1940.ch/

Kind regards

Steen Ammentorp

Thanks everyone for the input,

and especially to Steen Ammentorp for the link provided... I found the information about the Swiss army very interesting. In reference to the Swiss reserve system, I remember being on a holiday in Switzerland about 15 years ago and being amazed by the amount of young (armed) guys in uniform, they were everywhere! I recall the girl I was staying with, her brother was also doing his service and his rifle (an FN, I think) was casually left in his bedroom. For a naive young Irish guy who had only seen 'real' guns in the FCA or when the Gardai (Irish Police) Task Force or Irish army were on the streets after some IRA trouble, this was a real eye-opener for me!

...Sorry for wandering off-topic!

Thanks again everyone, Cheers!

Regards - Danny

Edited May 21, 2007 by Danny70

[Kev in Deva]

Thanks everyone for the input,

and especially to Steen Ammentorp for the link provided... I found the information about the Swiss army very interesting. In reference to the Swiss reserve system, I remember being on a holiday in Switzerland about 15 years ago and being amazed by the amount of young (armed) guys in uniform, they were everywhere! I recall the girl I was staying with, her brother was also doing his service and his rifle (an FN, I think) was casually left in his bedroom. For a naive young Irish guy who had only seen 'real' guns in the FCA or when the Gardai (Irish Police) Task Force or Irish army were on the streets after some IRA trouble, this was a real eye-opener for me!

...Sorry for wandering off-topic!

Thanks again everyone, Cheers!

Regards - Danny

Hallo Danny,

Glad to see you got some info on your plate, with regards, the Swiss military, they use the SIG-SAUR weapons systems, local swiss manufacture, all swiss soldiers & reservests bring their weapons home so as to be armed and available in case of a call out. Surprisingly there is very little gun crime in Switzerland and suprisingly very litte in the way of gun offences commited.

You probably saw the Irish Army with weapons when they were escorting the Bank Cash transports (known as "Cash In Transit" Patrols) to Banks around Mayo they used to be in Castlebar twice a week doing this, as well as in other towns & citys.

Kevin in Deva (with fond memories of hanging out the back of a landrover on the C.I.T. Patrols)