Luftwaffe dagger with a bit of history

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, this is another special item from my collection. Although it is a common 2nd pattern Luftwaffe dagger made by Horster, what makes it special to me is the story behind it and knowing the Officer who took it.

When I was growing up, our next door but one neighbour was a former career Army Officer. He was a Scotsman and his name was Major Jock Campbell. The Army was his life. He lied about his age to join up in WW1, then fought in WW2 and carried on in service until he retired. He was part of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and finished his career at Chilwell Ordnance depot in Nottingham. From what I have read since he was highly regarded by all who served under him and this I can believe.

This dagger used to hang in the hallway of his house. He once told me this story of how he took the dagger in North Africa in 1943. He said he saw a dead German Officer hanging out of a burning tank. He told me he jumped up and took the dagger, but the man also wore what he described as a "fancy silver belt" but he did not take this as he though the mans trousers would have fallen down and this would have left him undignified in death. He thought the man was part of the "Hermann Goring" Division.

He later took part in D Day. He described how his unit lost many young soldiers to booby traps in Normandy.

I always thought a lot of Jock and his wife. After he passed away his wife (knowing my interest) very kindly gave me the dagger. She also gave me his Officers service dress tunic, Sam Brown leather belt and leather swagger stick plus a large brass drinks tray he picked up in Egypt on a posting after the war.

The dagger has been polished many times as you can see from the wear to the crossguard eagle. Jock was an old school British Officer and like things clean and bulled up!

Cheers, Ade.

[Alan M]

Nice dagger Ade , i love them with a bit of wear and tear !! The grip colour looks great , with real depth to the tone and great patina to the grip wire . Lovely story too , that`s what you call an army career !! I wonder what the german officer Jock took it from was doing with a luft dagger when he was in a tank ? who knows , a lot of unexplainable things happened at that time , which is another part of the fascination of our great hobby

cheers Al

[Nick VR]

Hi Adrian


Very interesting read, thanks for sharing. I love stories behind items like these. The dagger is made by my favorite maker as well...


Greetz

Nick VR

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Phil, indeed it is a small world. I was in the Officers Mess at Chilwell a few years ago. We did a display for some of the Officers who were going on a battlefield tour. Ben went to the same event. I staggered out at about 2am

Hi Al, the "Hermann Goring" Div was a Luftwaffe ground unit equipped with armoured vehicles. They are an interesting unit. They started out as a Police unit transfered to the Luftwaffe and raised to a "Fallschirm-Panzer Korps".

Hi Nick, I have another Luftwaffe dagger by this same maker.

Cheers, Ade.

[Gary J]

A friend of mine has a Luft. 2nd pattern .. also with a story.

The British airman who "liberated it" had been held in a POW camp in Germany.
The airman suffered with piles, and knowing this, a German officer in the camp made it a point to kick the airman up the backside as a "joke" on a regular basis.

Anyhow, .. liberation came, .. and the airman was sent out to a local farm to collect eggs for a fresh meal.

In one of the farms barns, .. he was surprised to find the said German officer hiding !
The Officer immediately jumped out at him with intent and tried his usual trick of kicking the airman.
The airman in a rage let go of his pent up frustration ...
They struggled, and the German who still had his parade dagger tried to pull it on the airman .. but the airman got the better, grabbed the dagger, and dispatched the bully forthwith.

... This same dagger now resides in mine friends collection in pride of place !

Gary J.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Great story Gary!

A friend of mine has one taken from a crashed German aircraft shot down over England. He is older than me and has had it since he was a kid and it was given to him by the soldier who took it from the plane, a Bf109. Why the pilot was carrying it into action is anybody's guess?

Cheers, Ade.

[Alan M]

Hi Al, the "Hermann Goring" Div was a Luftwaffe ground unit equipped with armoured vehicles. They are an interesting unit. They started out as a Police unit transfered to the Luftwaffe and raised to a "Fallschirm-Panzer Korps".

Cheers, Ade.[/QUOTE]

Great info again Ade , that explains it , i`m listening and learning thanks . So the Herman Goring Div. were like our paras / commandos ?

cheers Al

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Al, more like the Luftwaffe's version of the Waffen SS. It was a crack unit and volunteers were supposed to be ardent Nazis. Goring regarded them has his own and they were given preferential treatment in regards to supplies etc.

Cheers, Ade.

[Nick VR]

Hi Adrian

Hi Nick, I have another Luftwaffe dagger by this same maker.

Don't tell me such things, you never want to sell anything anyway...

Shame I wasn't born 40 years earlier, I would of bought it all. Though pictures would ease the pain a bit...


Greetz

Nick VR

[Alan M]

Hi Ade , that makes your dagger even more special , no wonder you cherish it !

cheers Al