The Armourer January 2023

The cover feature this month concerns Operation Northwind, which has become almost a forgotten battle. While the Battle of the Bulge was raging in the Ardennes, by 28 December the German offensive was running out of steam. Hitler cobbled together what was left of his forces and ordered them to attack the US 7th Army, which was now spread very thinly thanks to the US 3rd Army heading northwards to relieve forces fighting in the Bulge. There were two objectives, firstly to destroy as many American forces as possible, secondly, to take Strasbourg. It was hoped the offensive would help support those units fighting further north as well. Read our feature to see how it all played out. I’d also like to express my thanks to Andreas Coenen who provided…

EXHIBITIONS Hurricanes at Duxford IWM Duxford is looking ahead to two new openings this winter with a celebration of World War II’s most hard-working fighter aircraft, the Hurricane. Opening to visitors in December the Conservation in Action hangar will welcome the public back through its doors after eight months of closure. Meet members of IWM’s Conservation Team as they set to work on new restoration projects and get up close to seven airworthy Hurricanes, brought together under one roof for the first time. After the success of last year’s Spitfire: Evolution of an Icon, this December will see the Hawker Hurricane take centre stage with the opening of Hurricane: Unsung Hero in the Conservation Hall in AirSpace on 27 December 2022. With only 14 airworthy Hurricanes remaining in the world, this…

Medals at Noonans The Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria auction at Noonans kicks off on 7 December, so let’s have a look at what’s been consigned. Let’s start with this rare group of five awarded to Chief Petty Officer Mechanic 2nd Class, H Little, Royal Naval Air Service. He was one of Commander CR Samson’s ‘Dunkirk Circus’ or the ‘Motorised Bandits’ as they were also known, who was later commissioned in to the Royal Air Force, and served as a Wing Commander in the Technical Branch during WWII. The medals include the 1914 Star; British War and Victory Medals; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted for wear, with brass RNAS Armoured Car Division cap badge; two buttons and a cloth RNAS insignia. Estimate is £500-£700. Here’s an interesting lot. It…

The museum is situated next to an almost complete and high section of Hadrian’s Wall, in beautiful sweeping countryside, at the site of Magna Roman Fort. It’s worthy of a two hour visit and with a day’s worth of exploration nearby it makes for an informative prelude to the archaeological sites further along the Wall. Although the main focus here is life on the British military frontier, the influence of global campaigns puts the Roman presence in Britain in a wider perspective. There is a Saver ticket available which includes the nearby Vindolanda Fort and Museum, boasting recent archaeological finds, as its Trust manages this museum too. The Roman Army Museum opened in April 1981 but has been completely modernised since then. There are three galleries and a 20 minute…

Ratisbon’s in America The German auction house recently finished its second USA auction, with all lots open for overseas shipping and unsold lots now available with a BP of just 5%. So let’s take a look at what tickled the buying public’s fancy. First up were some award document for winners of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with the highest price going to Oberleutnant d. Res Gerhard Türke. Together with his unit, Infantry Regiment 29m he was deployed on the Eastern Front as part of the 6. Armee. near Stalingrad. He participated in the battles with 3. Infanterie-Division (Motorisiert) and was named Chief of 3. Kompanie. Shortly before 6. Armee capitulated, he was promoted to Hauptmann der Reserve and flown out of the encirclement around Stalingrad. In Biarritz,…

Fine militaria at C&T Lots of medals at the Fine Militaria auction at C&T. Let’s get things started with an unusual pair of Victorian campaign medals for the 60th Rifles for service in the Third Kaffir War and in the 2nd China War. There’s the South Africa medal 1834-53 impressed naming, ‘THOS. DEVERILL, 2ND BTN 60TH RIFLES’, contact marks and wear to both ends of the naming, suspension post loose. Then the Second China War Medal 1856-60, impressed naming ‘THOS. DEVERILL, 2ND BN 60TH RIFLES’, contact marks and wear to naming. Came with two clasps for ‘PEKIN 1860’ and ‘TAKU FORTS 1860’. Winning bid was £660 (plus BP of 26.4% in the room or 32.34% online). Crimean War medals are highly sought after and here we have one awarded to…