Thread: 1918 Erfurt
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Unread 12-04-2006, 04:19 PM   #7
Balder
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The SOE was formed in the UK in July 1940, after an initiative taken by Winston Spencer Churchill. It was basically a fusion of three unpublicized organizations; section D of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6), the EH/CS branch of the Foreign Office and the GS(R) research group of the War Office.

The prime task of the organization was to stage and supply warfare against the enemy in countries occupied by him - one of them being Norway. Of course they needed guns to get these operations underway. The Brits found themselves in desperate need of handguns when war broke out in September 1939, this need was further enhanced by the Dunquerque disaster/miracle in the summer of 1940 where they lost maybe as much as 75% of their guns. As a result, the SOE operatives sent into enemy-occupied countries were equipped with whatever guns at hand - including German ones which in many cases had been captured during WW1. The term "SOE-guns" I came up with myself some years ago when I was doing post-graduate studies. I am currently working on a ph.d. in history, dealing with some specific SOE operations in Norway.

I now have two SOE-Lugers, the other one is a 1911 DWM brought into Norway by an SOE operative on the west coast. This Erfurt came to Norway in the same manner, brought here by a highly decorated naval officer known as "Shetlands-Larsen".

My late father was in charge of an SOE/Linge Company operation in 1943-45. In the operational papers that I found at the Public Records Office in London during one of my research trips, I also found the list of their equipment. This operation of four members carried no less than eight pistols: two .45 Colts, two Lugers and four .32 caliber German pistols as personal sidearms. Since my father was in charge he was allowed to pick his own, he chose a Walther PPK (which is now in my possession). The other three members of the operation were issued M1914/M1934 Mausers. The whereabouts of the two Lugers they brought is not known today, unfortunately.

Regards,

Balder

PS Edit: I forgot to ask about the slot on the chamber. Somebody told me that it had something to do with artillery Lugers. Is this correct?

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