This column will complete the three-part series on war memorabilia.
World War II began in Sept. 1939, and ended in Aug. 1945, a long
fracas that involved almost all the nations of the world. Various
estimates of the dead run to 55 million. There are many more
items to collect due to technological improvements in equipment, and
the size and length of the conflict.
Instead of fabric from planes people would cut out bullet-riddled
aluminum sections of downed aircraft, gun sights, propellers, radios,
control wheels or sticks, throat mikes, pilots’ wear and equipment,
instruments, almost anything that was easily removed or already
removed.
Young boys in England, especially Londoners, would poke through
debris and search for shrapnel. This came from exploded bombs and the
fallout from anti-aircraft shells. A friend who survived the blitz
related a story that goes as follows “I brought me dad, who was home
from the RAF (Royal Air Force) into my room to show off my shrapnel
collection. Me Dad had a fit when he discovered I had collected an
unexploded firebomb. They had to call the fire brigade and the bomb
demolition experts to remove it. This bit of a tiff and a sore bum
convinced me to switch my interest into other theatres of collecting.”
Original photos (especially color and/or action) are highly prized
and this would be for any aspect of the war. Flags, both
political and military, uniforms, insignia detailing regiments,
divisions, corps or armies.
Highly sought after are any items from Special Forces such as
Commandos, Rangers, Navy combat underwater demolition groups (they were
the precursor of the Navy Seals), OSS Office of Strategic Services (now
the CIA), The US Navy’s CB’s (naval construction battalion) and British
Special Air Executive which was responsible for placing agents in
occupied countries.
The German Army issued a guerilla warfare badge. Today, this badge
can be worth upwards of $300, depending on condition. So many German
sailors died in the submarine service that anything connected with this
branch of the service is very collectable.
Germany, Italy and Japan issued dress daggers. The most valuable are
those with extra embellishment on the hilts, blades, pommel or
scabbards or can be traced through documents to some high political or
military figure.
Many of the items mentioned in the other articles were re-issued or
updated for this conflict. This war didn’t produce trench art (usually
made from shell and or cartridge casings) but prisoners of war on both
sides made many items. The ingenuity and the dexterity shown by these
men who had time on their hands were unbelievable. They would transform
materials – tin cans, food bones, pottery shards, bits of cloth
or paper, construction debris – just about anything that was discarded
or could be safely appropriated was fair game. The items produced were
just as wonderful as human genius can devise. Picture frames, flags,
embroidery, cups, flowerpots, models of buildings or their homes were
just some of the memorabilia.
The Korean War (police action) in 1950 wasn’t a popular war,
probably since we didn’t win (it was also the dumping ground for World
War II surplus), and therefore it and the Viet Nam war were the
stepchildren of War Memorabilia collecting.
Let us hope and pray that there will be no more wars from which to collect memorabilia.
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