Items: 0 Price: £0    
view cart

Home Front Items

 1  2  Next Page 1 of 2

British Home Guard / L.D.V. Rare, Dummy/Training Rifle (SMLE) by William Durose, Tunstall, Staffordshire. Sn - 22009
This is a rare, British Home Guard / LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) SMLE training rifle used for drill training members of the Home Guard in the early stages of WW2 when Briain was threatened by a Nazi invasion due to the acute shortage of weapons. The rifle has no moving parts and was made by William Durose, a famous art blacksmith and prestige wrought iron gate maker at his works in Tunstall in Staffordshire. The gun is weighted to a standard SMLE rifle and consists of a solid iron barrel with a small hole at the muzzle that has primitive sights, a rifle bolt with safety catch, an iron magazine and trigger guard complete with a stylised trigger. The gun has a cast iron butt plate for added weight. The simple one piece wooden stock is stamped with his stamp W DUROSE TUNSTALL STOKE.ON.TRENT . The right hand side of the butt is stamped with the number 181 which appears to be a production number and underneath is stamped W.LINT which could be the name it was issued to in the Home Guard. The woodwork carries the normal knocks and bumps with service use and the metalwork retains most of its original black painted finish. The price for this piece of British Home Guard memorabilia includes U.K. The price includes U.K. delivery and no licence is needed to own this dummy training rifle. Sn 22009
£675.00

SOLD SOLD (25/10) British Home Guard / L.D.V. Rare, Dummy/Training Rifle (SMLE) by William Durose, Tunstall, Staffordshire. Sn - 22008
This is a rare, British Home Guard / LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) SMLE training rifle used for drill training members of the Home Guard in the early stages of WW2 when Briain was threatened by a Nazi invasion due to the acute shortage of weapons. The rifle has no moving parts and was made by William Durose, a famous art blacksmith and prestige wrought iron gate maker at his works in Tunstall in Staffordshire. The gun is weighted to a standard SMLE rifle and consists of a solid iron barrel with a small hole at the muzzle that has primitive sights, a rifle bolt with safety catch, an iron magazine and trigger guard complete with a stylised trigger. The gun has a cast iron butt plate for added weight. The simple one piece wooden stock is stamped with his stamp W DUROSE TUNSTALL STOKE.ON.TRENT . The right hand side of the butt is stamped with the number 123 which appears to be a production number. The woodwork carries the normal knocks and bumps with service use and the metalwork retains most of its original black painted finish. The price for this piece of British Home Guard memorabilia includes U.K. The price includes U.K. delivery and no licence is needed to own this dummy training rifle. Sn 22008
£0.00

A Framed Collection Of Original Colourful Victorian Boer War Home Front / Recruitment / Propaganda Celluloid Wrapped Tin Pin Badges & Pendants. MISC 1014 - MISC 1014
The Boer Wars 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902) was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and Orange Free State) over the Empire's influence in Southern Africa. This impressive collection comprises 21 tin badges and pennants produced to support the Home front effort, heighten propaganda and encourage recruitment. The badges and pendants feature National flags of England & Great Britain and portraits of Royalty and, Government & Military Leaders such as Prince Edward / King Edward VII, Lord Kitchener, Lord Roberts, Baden Powell, General Buller. All are clean. To avoid risk of damage we have not attempted to remove the badges and pendants from the frame. At some point in their life the badges have been professionally mounted in a glazed frame (the glass has a crack on one edge). The glazed wood frame measures 15 ½” by 12 ½” by 1 ¾”. The rear is mounted with cord for wall hanging and has the frame makers details (illustrated). This is a nice display. The price includes UK Delivery. MISC 1014 (under blue table near storeroom door office)
£245.00

1939 Dated WWII Babies Gas Mask. Sn 20326 - Sn 20326
This example is 1939 dated and in overall good condition. The baby would sit inside the main body of the mask looking up through the glass, with the flap on the bottom looping between the babies legs like a nappy. Children's gas masks were often made in bright colours to make them less frightening. This baby's mask would have totally enclosed the baby and air would have been pumped into the mask with the built in hand pump. In good condition with pump, webbing straps, metal frame, canvas hood and Perspex screen intact. The rubberised Perspex flange has dried with age but is still in place. The brass coloured tin plate to the rear reads’ This appliance is Government property any person who has it in his possession is responsible in law for using care to keep it in good condition. It is to be returned to the local authority in whose area the possessor may be at any time. Either on request or when no longer required’. The price for this collectors piece includes UK delivery. Sn 20326
£245.00

British WW2 Air Raid Wardens, Marshals Steel Tommy Helmet. - HE 836
This is a British WW2 Air Raid Wardens steel tommy helmet. The helmet retains most of its original black painted finish both to the outside and inside of the helmet. The helmet has a white M painted to the front indicating a marshal. The inside rim of the helmet is stamped A66 over RMB. The helmet is complete with its original liner and original spring tensioned webbing chin strap. The price includes U.K. delivery. HE 836
£175.00

WW2 Era British Home Front ARP Eddisbury Division Cheshire Corps Of Air Raid Warden’s Divisional Chief Wardens Office Hand Painted Hardboard Sign. Sn 18125:12 - 18125:12
Air Raid Precautions (ARP) was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up in 1937 dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air raids. It included the Raid Wardens' Service that was to report on bombing incidents. Every local council was responsible for organising ARP wardens, messengers, ambulance drivers, rescue parties, and liaison with police and fire brigades. This is an excellent original Eddisbury Cheshire Corps Of Air Raid Warden’s Divisional Chief Wardens Office sign. Made of compressed wood hardboard the sign measures 25” x 19” and is clean with no damage. The 4 corners of the sign are holed for door or wall mounting. The sign is hand painted in bold black lettering ‘ARP Cheshire Corps Of Air Raid Wardens Eddisbury Division Divisional Chief Warden’s Office’ . A nice home front collector’s item. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 18125:12
£245.00

SCARCE, INERT, DUMMY, INSTRUCTIONAL, WW2 British Home Front Home Guard & ARP (Air Raid Protection) German WW2 Air Dropped 1Kg Incendiary Bomb. HO 669 - HO 669
This is a scarce, full size, WW2 British made inert, dummy German 1Kg Incendiary bomb used to train British Home Guard & ARP personnel re-Identification of Nazi German air dropped ordnance. The live German versions of these bombs were air dropped in containers by German bombers in WW2, and used to devastating effect in the German Blitzes during the early part of WW2 against British cities. The steel body has three tail fins of pressed steel with a steel reinforcing ring at the tail. The fin assembly retains much of its original green painted finish identical to the German made version. The dummy bomb measures 13 ½” overall length. There are no markings on the casing which weighs 985 grams. The price includes UK delivery. HO 669
£375.00

WW2 Era British Home Front ARP Eddisbury Division Cheshire Corps Of Air Raid Warden’s Divisional Chief Wardens Office Hand Painted Hardboard Sign. Sn 15703:12 - 15703:12
Air Raid Precautions (ARP) was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up in 1937 dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air raids. It included the Raid Wardens' Service that was to report on bombing incidents. Every local council was responsible for organising ARP wardens, messengers, ambulance drivers, rescue parties, and liaison with police and fire brigades. This is an excellent original Eddisbury Cheshire Corps Of Air Raid Warden’s Divisional Chief Wardens Office sign. Made of compressed wood hardboard the sign measures 25” x 19” and is clean with no damage. The top & bottom edges of the sign are holed for door or wall mounting. The sign is hand painted in bold black lettering ‘ARP Cheshire Corps Of Air Raid Wardens Eddisbury Division Divisional Chief Warden’s Office’ . A nice home front collector’s item. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 15703:12
£275.00

Original, Early WW2 1939 Dated British ‘Fiddian’ Air Raid Patrol (ARP) Gas & Air Raid Alarm Hand Bell With Original Striker. Sn 15119:1 - 15119:3
This is an original, WW2 RAF Alarm Hand Bell With original Striker made by Fiddian (Samuel Fiddian an English bell maker sold his business to James Barwell in 1940). According to Air Raid Precaution Handbook No.8, The Duties of Air Raid Wardens: "The cancellation of the local gas warning will be by hand bells, rung through the streets of the [warden's] sector. Hand bells may also be used to repeat the Raiders Passed signal but only if gas is not about. Hand bells will in fact be an "All Clear" signal, which is different from the Raiders Passed signal, since the latter will be sounded on receipt of the message from the national center, whether or not there is gas in the locality." The cast brass bell with wood handle is undamaged, 10 ¾” tall and the bell mouth 5" in diameter. It is complete with its original chain with ball striker and works perfectly with a loud deep resonance. The bell rim is mark ‘A.R.P’ and the brass ferrule which supports its original undamaged wood handle is marked by the manufacturer ‘Fiddian’. The top of the bell is also dated ‘39’ (1939) below initials ‘J.B’. The price for this excellent nicely marked WW2 home front piece includes UK delivery. Sn 15119:1
£125.00

Original Large Framed Group Photograph Of The Personnel & Vehicles Of Hendon (London) Rescue Service B Depot Taken June 1942 With Original Signatures Of Group Members . HO 668 - HO 668
In 1938 as a result of London’s Architects Department Emergency War Time Measures, Council District Surveyors were made responsible for all rescue and demolition work on damaged and unsafe buildings. The Architect's Department manned the control centres and depots of the Rescue Service & assumed responsibility for the provision of air raid shelters for the Council's staff. They also organised, and ran the War Debris Service to deal with the work of clearing debris resulting from war damage. Training for the Rescue Service was provided at training schools organised and staffed by the department. When the heavy raids started in September 1940 the Rescue Service went into full operation. It was clear that the specialist knowledge of its members enabled them to foresee the behaviour of damaged buildings and to estimate the risks of rescue. By May 1941 the Service had rescued 10,000 live casualties, at the cost of the lives of 34 rescue officers. After 1941 the Service (later renamed The Heavy Rescue Service) was brought into line with other civil defence services. Mobile parties of men with cranes and heavy plant were posted at civil defence centres. When flying bomb attacks began the Rescue Service rescued 7,175 people alive and recovered 2,329 bodies. 64 personnel were injured and 3 killed. This is an original large framed photograph of the men and machines of the ‘Hendon Rescue Service ‘B’ Depot’ taken in June 1942 ( Hendon is a London suburb in the Borough of Barnet. Famous for the nearby Hendon Aerodrome known as the cradle of British Aviation, the Hendon area was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe during WW2). The black & white photograph shows members of the Depot in uniform, formed in a group in front of their liveried vehicles carrying rescue ladders and equipment. A noticeboard in front of the group carries the wording ‘Hendon Rescue Service B Depot June 1942’. The border of the photograph has original signatures of members of the group. The photograph in its wooden glazed frame measures 27”x22”x ½” . The rear of the frame is mounted with wire for wall hanging and has a later compiled printed ‘A4’ size partial list of names of many of the group. This interesting framed picture highlights the scale of Home Front Rescue Service required to deal with the effects of sustained German bombing and a reminder of the heroism of their personnel. Price includes UK delivery. HO 668
£295.00
 1  2  Next Page 1 of 2