Re: What a waste! WW1 Lugers, Broomhandles lost forever!
 

I saw that pic years ago. I believe the pile of weapons had been set afire (note there is no wood on any of the weapons) and they were then going to be scrapped in some way. Seems to be a high incident of Brooms in the photo. I didn't think there was that high a percentage of Broomhandles in use, at least judging from the regular WW1 photos you see of German troops. Note the fancy footwear on the man in the pile.

Re: What a waste! WW1 Lugers, Broomhandles lost forever!
 

Situation was similar to the priceless statues recently destroyed in Afghanistan. One man's treasure is another man's abomination!

Re: What a waste! WW1 Lugers, Broomhandles lost forever!
 

I remember seeing this and/or other equally disturbing photos. It was a terrible waste, and it is also unfortunately a fond dream for a lot of misguided people.

Re: What a waste! WW1 Lugers, Broomhandles lost forever!
 

John,


That sort of looks like V. Lenin, doesn't it, sans beard of course? Can you imagine all the parts you could get from that pile? Knowing the Russians, the pile may well still be there!


Milt

ARGGH! ECCH! UUCCHH! PUKE! (EOM)
 

Re: ARGGH! ECCH! UUCCHH! PUKE!
 

The story goes that the Tannoy system always broadcast the same warning against smuggling back captured weapons at the same time on the ferries that brought the British Army home after WWII. Years later, the ferries still scraped over the Lugers that had been thrown over the side and metal detectors can still track where they are. Patrick

Re: ARGGH! ECCH! UUCCHH! PUKE!
 

I saw a photo in a 1960s gun magazine that showed a pile of guns that had been demilled by the New York City Police Department by chopping them in half. Recognizable in the pile were the frames of two P.38s and a Luger.

Re: What a waste! WW1 Lugers, Broomhandles lost forever!
 

If the United Nations has its way this is how all surplus Military weapons will be disposed of. I belive England, France, Germany and several other countries have signed up to destroy all surplus weapons and not sell them on the International Market.

Re: What a waste! WW1 Lugers, Broomhandles lost forever!
 

On the bright side, if you own militaria the value goes up as the supply goes down. Germany, France and Italy outlawing the swastika have turned into anything resembling it into a valuable commodity..governments never learn. The quickest way to make something desirable is to outlaw it.

Re: What a waste! WW1 Lugers, Broomhandles lost forever!
 

Talked to an associate whose son is serving in Kosovo-they are dynamiting large piles of surrendered mausers and torching smaller piles.

Mike P

Same thing happened here...
 

Same thing happened here in Norway after WWII. But the people set to demolish them made sure they hit with the hammers in different places. Then they came back in the evening and assembled functional Lugers with parts from different guns. Clever, eh? This way a lot of mis-matched Lugers found their way into private hands after the war here in Norway... MOST of the Lugers were destroyed however. The army used mainly P38�´s after WWII


Just a short but sad story....


Ã??yvind