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My Latest Thompson Accessory


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I had been looking for a nice V42 dagger for some time.

I collect British fighting Knives, and the history, design + designers and conflicts have a spill over into US WW2 knife design and commando missions.
This one was issued, used, abused and has been re-tipped and worn, but when you consider the provenance of the ownership, the wear and tear is extraordinarily cool.
The First Special Service Force were a special unit, of Canadian and US commandoes, originally conceived to disrupt German forces in Norway.
They are the originator of present day US and Canadian Special Forces, indeed the crossed arrows of the Indian pathfinders are still used by the Green Berets, as is the Spearhead arm patch, even the V42 dagger itself is the dagger behind the Special Forces crest today.
There is even a song (or two) about the V42.
The FSSF and the V42 share a very special place in the history of unconventional warfare.
This dagger came with the Force Man's discharge papers (shown), some photographs (shown), and his Spearhead shoulder patch.
The other props are from my collection.
The Kiska patch is appropriate as he was in the Aleutian action.
The 474th patch is also appropriate as he continued to serve after the FSSF officially disbanded. The 474th (Vikings) was where some US service men transferred.
The small folder, is an Ulster "US" marked issue ski knife. The 10th Mountain Division were issued these, and the FSSF shared almost all of their cold weather gear. The Ulster folder has a Phillips head driver - quite rare in WW2, but used to tighten and loosen the ski-shoe.
This dagger won't mean much to 90% of the esteemed collectors here, but it's quite a special one. So I thought I'd share it.
There are a couple on Gunbroker right now, without Provenance, so quite cheap ;)
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The 21 grooves in the thumb print were made by the same machine that carved the leather handle.
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Kiska Action patch on left. FSSF spearhead and 474th Viking ship.
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The little Ulster 10th Mountain Division knife.
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Many period images show the FSSF carrying 3X Thompson mags in 2X canvas - a practical if not very protective way to get access to them quickly.
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Rear reinforcement plate.
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The Forceman's discharge papers, didn't necessarily affect the price of the knife, as with all antiques, you buy the knife not the story, but they are traceable and verifiable.
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The owner wearing his spearhead armpatch - like Brad Pitt in Inglorious Basterds.
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On an original M1 - the simplified version of the M1928 - but not as simplified as the M1A1 -
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The lovely little brother to the V42. The Ulster Ski folder.
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Some appropriate props and the FSSF dagger.
A WW2 German map of the Spanish French border.
WW2 German infantry binoculars.
RIA .45acp, French military papers. Grenades and hi-x are inert.
M1 helmet.
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That is cool as all get out. Love original accessories to go with the guns. There is a Facebook group for SOE that also gets a lot of OSS, etc. stuff posted on it. Are you Jesse V ? Edited by Waffen Und Bier
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It was a stab in the dark. Good to see you. I recently picked up a C&R British mfg STEn MkII. Next project is a North African desert themed motorcycle. The FB group is Behind the Lines - SOE and the Clandestine War. Edited by Waffen Und Bier
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It was a stab in the dark. Good to see you. I recently picked up a C&R British mfg STEn MkII. Next project is an North African desert themed motorcycle. The FB groups is Behind the Lines - SOE and the Clandestine War.

 

Sounds very cool!

 

The Bike sounds like a fantastic project too.

 

The Bren has been a long favorite of mine, I qualified on a Bren as a teenage Cadet, about 1000 years ago, decided it was the right time to re-visit my youth.

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It was a stab in the dark. Good to see you. I recently picked up a C&R British mfg STEn MkII. Next project is an North African desert themed motorcycle. The FB groups is Behind the Lines - SOE and the Clandestine War.

 

Sounds very cool!

 

The Bike sounds like a fantastic project too.

 

The Bren has been a long favorite of mine, I qualified on a Bren as a teenage Cadet, about 1000 years ago, decided it was the right time to re-visit my youth.

Beautiful knife, would love to have one of those. So Pitfinder, you reside in the UK, correct and the Thompson has been deactivated?

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It was a stab in the dark. Good to see you. I recently picked up a C&R British mfg STEn MkII. Next project is an North African desert themed motorcycle. The FB groups is Behind the Lines - SOE and the Clandestine War.

 

Sounds very cool!

 

The Bike sounds like a fantastic project too.

 

The Bren has been a long favorite of mine, I qualified on a Bren as a teenage Cadet, about 1000 years ago, decided it was the right time to re-visit my youth.

Beautiful knife, would love to have one of those. So Pitfinder, you reside in the UK, correct and the Thompson has been deactivated?

Myself, the V42 knife and the M1 are alive and healthy, and reside in the US, Mike,

 

The Thompson has had a colorful life and is legally owned. However, I choose not to discuss it further on a public forum as it's ownership would mean discussing my work, but I welcome private conversation.

Edited by pitfighter
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Nice to see a real one. Thanks for sharing. I've been looking at the current Case reproduction, which I've always thought is a very cool knife (albeit somewhat expensive):

 

https://caseknives.com/products/v-42-military-knife

 

Robert

And Bob, even those nice Case reproductions are getting difficult to find, they were produced in 2015 so there are not many left around at retailers. It's a great reproduction as made by the same manufacturer and at $500 probably worth it, as the originals are worth ten times that and sometimes more.

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Aye - collecting the rarer WW2 fighting knives can be deceptively pricey.

But, these are rare and historical items, with unique characters associated with the design.

If you're into this stuff the dollar amounts are negligible.

Here are some I have photographed from my collection.

In case anyone else is interested in this stuff, lol.

 

Left to right:

An OSS Smatchet - the US version.

A US Marine Raider.

And a John Ek, Hamden No. 1 commando knife.

rsUDZrtl.jpg

6tJmubfl.jpg

The webbing/bottle in the above pic is French, many surplus M3's were adopted by French troops, this one has been scrubbed of it's factory markings. Of course it could also just have been sold at a camping shop in the US, but it looks good on the French webbing.

 

The Ek.

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Then there are the Fairbairn Sykes:

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A named one -

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Some incredible 2nd Patterns

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With Fairbairn's book.

pwAhCNwl.jpg

 

An old 3rd pattern

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I am not a huge fan of German knives, but they are quite well made:

mTmFnxXl.jpg

Edited by pitfighter
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Nice to see a real one. Thanks for sharing. I've been looking at the current Case reproduction, which I've always thought is a very cool knife (albeit somewhat expensive):

 

https://caseknives.com/products/v-42-military-knife

 

Robert

And Bob, even those nice Case reproductions are getting difficult to find, they were produced in 2015 so there are not many left around at retailers. It's a great reproduction as made by the same manufacturer and at $500 probably worth it, as the originals are worth ten times that and sometimes more.

 

I guess I better get one assuming I still can. Thanks, I didn't know they were in limited supply although doesn't surprise me given the high quality and price point.

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Aye - collecting the rarer WW2 fighting knives can be deceptively pricey.

But, these are rare and historical items, with unique characters associated with the design.

If you're into this stuff the dollar amounts are negligible.

Here are some I have photographed from my collection.

In case anyone else is interested in this stuff, lol.

 

Left to right:

An OSS Smatchet - the US version.

A US Marine Raider.

And a John Ek, Hamden No. 1 commando knife.

rsUDZrtl.jpg

6tJmubfl.jpg

The webbing/bottle in the above pic is French, many surplus M3's were adopted by French troops, this one has been scrubbed of it's factory markings. Of course it could also just have been sold at a camping shop in the US, but it looks good on the French webbing.

 

The Ek.

iNw1syIl.jpg

 

Then there are the Fairbairn Sykes:

Dh7BRtIl.jpg

iLrqyHal.jpg

A named one -

CEAqsrql.jpg

Some incredible 2nd Patterns

Z9d9jjwl.jpg

With Fairbairn's book.

pwAhCNwl.jpg

 

An old 3rd pattern

BTZd9YUl.jpg

 

I am not a huge fan of German knives, but they are quite well made:

mTmFnxXl.jpg

Are you kidding me.....after seeing all that stuff I'm in a relous jage. There are two problems with amassing a collection like that, one is being able to find all that stuff, the second is being able to afford all that stuff! How many years did it take you to accumulate such a collection, you obviously had some spare time and money on your hands?

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Thank you!

 

The V42s original owner - https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/tihansky-pete.52940/

 

I am not sure Id pay $500 for a reproduction V42 - I had the Paul Chen one and it was actually a very good facsimile.

 

These knives all fit in two lock cases and the guns in two safes. It looks neat laid out though doesnt it? :) -

*many knives here I scored for a few hundred bucks, but things have changed and its tougher to find deals these days, but theyre out there.

Edited by pitfighter
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Only named SOE/OSS/CIA item I have. He lived next town over from me and was stationed in Saigon in 1970. My neighbor who was with the OSS during WWII gave me a Survival on Land and Sea manual, but he didn't write his name in it. Still, I know it.

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Only named SOE/OSS/CIA item I have. He lived next town over from me and was stationed in Saigon in 1970. My neighbor who was with the OSS during WWII gave me a Survival on Land and Sea manual, but he didn't write his name in it. Still, I know it.

 

I have just finished reading a book by a Peter Kemp, 'No Colours or Crest', who during WW2 was part of the original cadre of the first British commando unit, carrying out attacks in Norway and France. He then served with the British Special Operations Executive, SOE, mainly in the Balkans, but also in Poland in 1944. In Poland he was arrested by the Soviet NKVD and imprisoned by them for a period of time, the cold war had already begun? It is a very interesting book initially published in 1955, with lots of facts about WW2 which are missed in more recently published histories.
He also makes plenty of references to 'Tommy guns' being used during his service. Well worth a read and I am now looking forward to reading his third book, 'Alms for Oblivion'.
This book continues with tales of his SOE service, which upon his release from the NKVD jail and short time blocked in Moscow, sees him deployed to the South Pacific in 1945. The review says that “Although initially tasked with mopping up the Japanese remnants, after the surrender, Kemp finds himself struggling to bring order to the chaos as anti-colonial sentiment surges, first in French Indochina and then the Dutch East Indies”. Kemp eventually finds himself leading Japanese troops, with some Europeans, against local insurgents, another twist in the tale of WW2 that you don’t often hear or read about.
Edited by rpbcps
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My father was in China at the end of WW2 helping to repatriate Japanese POWs and provide security against Chinese Communists insurgents. One of the stories told from that theatre is there was an attack expected from the Chicoms in an area with not enough American Marines. An idea was floated to arm Japanese POW's and put them up on the line along side the Marines. Not thrilled with the prospect of sharing foxholes with the recent enemy whose countrymen had killed a lot of Marines, an alternative plan was proposed to place the Japanese POWs with Nationalist Chinese troops instead. I didn't hear how it all ended.
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