Mixed militaria at Canterbury

The online, two-day sale of Fine Art & Antiques at Canterbury Auctions in April featured a large number of militaria items. Interestingly, if you registered with www.thegalleries. live first you could have avoided the excessive online charges from the-saleroom.com. Anyway, first up, a fantastic World War I, deactivated .303 calibre Lewis Light Machine Gun dated 1914, by BSA, Serial No. A1767, with current European Specification Certificate of Deactivation, 51in overall, mounted on anti-aircraft tripod, complete with three spare magazines, two canvas magazine carriers, bipod, D-handle and tool kit. It sold for £8,680 (includes Buyer’s Premium of 24% but not online charges). Also on the weapons front, there was a good deactivated 9mm Airborne Sten Gun, Serial No. 235714, black painted action, wooden fore grip, wood stock and grip, three spare magazines in canvas magazine carrier, two loading tools, 30in overall. It sold for £1,016.80.

Then there was a good condition, deactivated .303 calibre Enfield No. 5 Jungle Carbine, Serial No. E4692, hard wood stock and fore end, 40in overall. That one went for £620.

Moving on to some more varied items now, with a collection of World War II webbing and associated material. This included a rifle bag, the interior with ink stamp ‘J&AH 1942’; shaving kit in linen holder, First Field Dressing by T.J. Smith & Nephew, Ltd., Hull, July/December 1942; and other items. The entire lot went for just £111.60. Then there was a King's Royal Rifle Corps full dress tunic, post-1901, with bandsman's rank badge of crossed marksmen insignia to cuff. That sold for £111.60 as well.

Medals next, with a group of three showing how much interest there still is in WWI items. This consisted of three George V World War I medals to Bombadier Ernest Bowser, Royal Artillery, comprising Military Medal, 1914-18 War Medal, and Victory Medal. These went for £310. The estimate on the next lot was clearly far too low at £150-£250. This was a group of six George VI and Elizabeth II, World War II and Korean War medals, to Lieutenant TA Rickell, Royal Navy, comprising of the 19391945 Star; the Burma Star with one bar, ‘Pacific’; Defence Medal; 1939-1945 War Medal; Korea Medal, United Nations Korea Medal with single bar, ‘Korea’; and miniatures. Plus, a group of five George VI, World War II medals (anonymous), comprising 19391945 Star; Atlantic Star; Burma Star; Defence Medal and 1939-1945 War Medal, and three other World War II medals comprising two Italy Stars and an Atlantic Star. The latter was contained in box of issue.

The lot also came with a copy of entry from the Memorial Role of Honour for Lt. Cdr. Tony Allen Rickell, died 5 July 1955. This haul sold for £1,860!

A nice item next, it was a George VI World War II Distinguished Flying Cross, dated 1944, to Flight Lieutenant Peter Sherriff, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, in Royal Mint leather cloth covered case of issue and a USA Air Force silver Wings Badge by Amico, 3in overall. The lot came with a copy of the entry in The London Gazette, 15 August 1944, while serving with 100th Squadron. It sold for £1,550.

Now for some WWI trench art. Here was a brass 6in shell case and mixed brassware including a World War I trench art table gong, the base formed from an 8.5in shell with pierced strap work supporting 3in shell (used as a dinner gong) engraved with the arms of the Royal Engineers, 12.5in high overall, and with brass hammer for same. Then there was a World War I trench art brass tobacco box formed from a shell case, embossed and chased with a profile of a soldier and his sweetheart, with presentation inscription, 4.5in high. And finally, a 8.5in shell formed into a jardiniere with two ring handles to sides and engraved with the crest of the Royal Engineers, 9.5in diameter by 6.5in high. This pile of brass went for £124.

Let’s finish with one of the most iconic hand weapons ever, a 9mm Luger semiautomatic, Serial No. 134, with current European Specification Certificate of Deactivation, 4.5in blued steel barrel with blued steel action stamped ‘1918 DWM’, wood chequered grips, 9in overall. It sold for £1,016.80. ■