08 shoulder holster ??
 

Hi, I'm new to the forum and hoping someone could shed some light on a question I've had for a while.

I have always wondered if a story about how my Luger was acquired was correct. I received it from the widow of a Chaplin who was with Patton's 3rd Army. This I have verified.

The Luger is original and fits the story, but I wonder if the Chaplin replaced the holster at a later date. If it is WW2, the story would be 99% correct.

Any opinions on whether this holster dates to WW2.

I'll share the story, if I feel it might be correct.

Thanks

http://s248.photobucket.com/user/jac...w/08%20holster

This one is different than the usual ones that we see. The markings on the hardware are also seen on Nazi daggers, so I suspect that the hooks were originally dagger hangers.
Now let's see how those knowledgable in this area respond. I suspect that they will conclude that this is a non-issue item.
I, however, issue or non-issue, see it as part of your Luger and it should be treated as such.
Welcome aboard!
dju

I was just looking at the holster and noticed it's left-handed. It must have been custom made. Who knows...maybe the experts on this forum can give a clue.

Let me see if I have this right...It's a Luger shoulder holster worn by Patton's left-handed chaplain...Is that it??? :confused: Presumably he blessed the troops with his right hand, so that makes sense... :thumbup:

Let's hear the story... :D

Sheepherder:

I never posted this question to do any more than get some answers on the holster. Yes, there is a story behind it, but I'm not trying to sell something. I was only looking to verify the holster was WW2 vintage.

The "08" was in this holster when it was given to me. The event he got it was related by his wife to me. I, like you, take any story with a grain of salt. Therefore, my question on the holster. I don't want to think I have something that I assumed was WW2 and find out it was a post war souvenir. He brought this weapon home from Europe and it reportedly stayed in his old footlocker until he died.

I was merely trying to ascertain the holster matched the time frame the 08 was liberated.

Shake Rag

BTW, he wasn't Patton's Chaplain.

Jack, There are almost no period pics of combat troops using shoulder holsters. Tankers or Luftwaffe. Shoulder holsters were not any kind of regular issue. There were cataloged shoulder holsters for undercover Bankers, postal workers and such. They WERE a standard offered item but only for the small auto .32's. None were cataloged for the Luger that I am aware of.

IMO shoulder holsters like this one were likely immediate post war made for a carton of smokes. The German hardware was available to most small German leather shops. Many shoulder holsters were made along the line of the US type..modeled after the 1911A1 .45 shoulder holster popular with the US Army. Of course you see all kinds..Regardless..it's a treasure. Welcome to the Forum.

There is a gentleman on this forum who collects war stories, especially of bring-backs. I believe he has published three books about them.

The stories are always interesting. Patton had a fondness for sidearms, and it's reasonable to believe his close associates did also. Whether captured or made by post-war locals, your holster should prove interesting. :)

OK, Sheepherder here goes:

The Chaplin and his driver are in southern Germany in the last weeks of April 1945. Nobody is shooting at each other, both sides know the war is over. A truck, with troops, is pulled over to the side and they stop. A group of Germans were coming out of the woods to surrender. No shots fired.

The Chaplin related this story to his wife: "it was nothing to worry about, since it was happening all the time". He got out of the jeep to watch the situation. As the group came near, one of the Germans saw the "Cross" on his uniform and started to cry. The German was a senior NCO. He took the pistol out of the holster, dropped the magazine and threw it down into the ditch. He then cleared the weapon and handed it to the Chaplin.

He, while crying, related he thought he would never live to see the end of the war. He had seen and endured too much. The Chaplin related he completely broke down. The NCO stated he went to the eastern front in the summer of 1940. He was there until a few months before. He never believed he would ever have a full life.

The soldiers had them strip down and the NCO handed the holster to the Chaplin. He put the pistol and holster in the Jeep and continued on.

That's the story of the holster and the S/42, 1938, #213 that was in it.

Shake Rag

Great story! :thumbup:

My next door neighbor, who died about 5 years ago, was in the Wehrmacht in WW II. He was captured by the Russians and spent 10 years in a forced-labor camp before being released. He emigrated to the states immediately afterward. 'Eric' would mow the field between us with his brand-new [in 1995] Cadet Cub riding mower. He'd laugh his butt off when my Doberman & Weimaraner would lean on the fence to bark at him... :cheers:

SR. I've never found a genuine WaAed (military accepted contract) WW2 shoulder holster. IMHO, all WW2 shoulder holsters were private purchased either from a catalog or custom made for the buyer. TH

Very nice holster! That one would be great to use as a pattern to make copies.
If that German soldier really saw the whole war he certainly would have wanted to "optimize" his gear.

I wonder if any member has one of those catalogs to show us and pictures

Yes, while he's holding them at gunpoint with his strong hand!