Today for Gus’ Gear I have additions to the German section of the collection aside from the two artillery helmets previously presented.
Last year, I acquired a German made Argentine lance. The German counterpart remains out of my budget, and the Argentine lance serves to show the range of medieval to modern weapons used during the Great War. A friend had a Württemberg lance pennant for sale, and it mounts on the Argentine lance in the same manner as it would on a German example. The Pennant calls the public’s attention to the lance in my collection room, as it has been often overlooked in the past.
The same person had a German Kaiserliche Marine overcoat offered. The sample bears a post war issue date and for that reason was affordable. It is very similar to the M1915 army issue Mantel, but is double breasted with buttons that have the Imperial crown rather than the Royal crown of Wilhelm II. The lining is also typical of Marine garments, of black cloth rather than gray. One of the buttons on the front is missing and will require luck to fine a matching example.
Not acquired at the show, but from Advance Guard Militaria’s annual pre-SOS catalogue is a full tin of German louse powder. While handling it, one has to hope the active ingredient is diatomaceous earth rather than cyanide.
Also not acquired at the big show in Kentucky, but at a local show in Utah is an example of the German Hebel Model 1894 flare pistol. It fires a 26.5mm flare cartridge which is the most common caliber for European flare pistols. I do have an example of this flare pistol already, but as it has Belgian proofs, it is displayed with the Belgian artifacts. The lever visible beneath the trigger guard is the release to open the action. The barrel pivots forward and down in the same manner as a top break shotgun, allowing the cartridge to be chambered and then the barrel is returned to the closed position and it locks automatically. The hammer is then cocked by hand and it is ready to fire.
Earlier this year, a person who requested that I change his status from that of friend to acquaintance, gave me this flare pistol, it is German proofed with a short barrel. It also fires a 26.5mm flare cartridge. I had always passed on adding an example of the short barrel flare gun as I assumed that they were shortened post war. This one bears a second date of 1920 as per the Treaty of Versailles that indicates it was produced during the war as well as being unit marked to a field artillery regiment and I have learned that the short barrel version was produced and used in the war.
