Description
3/4/26 - This is a nice example of a rare Mauser Luger issued to the Kriegsmarine in 1939. It is all matching with the proper "Eagle 655" military acceptance proofs and an "N 3911" navy property marking on the back strap. It comes as a rig with a scarce navy "Eagle M" marked, 1939-dated holster, an "Eagle 63" Luger tool, and an un-numbered magazine. The gun has retained roughly 80-85% of its original finish with general high edge wear, muzzle wear, thinning on the grip straps, and some spots of discoloration along the barrel. There are two tapped circular notches on the barrel toward the muzzle - they do not go all the way through to the bore. Both grips are marked "42", so they may be armorers replacements. The bore shows pitting throughout.
This particular gun comes with a bit of provenance from the previous owner. Besides what he told us, we have nothing connecting this gun to the provenance. So cannot confirm or deny the story. The gun comes with a photo of a Canadian WW2 veteran and a Wilhelmshaven German Navy base plaque. This is from the previous owner:
"The Canadian soldier was a member of the Regiment La Chaudiere, a French Canadian Regiment that ended the war in the Wilhelmshaven area. The plaque and Luger was taken from the U-boat base there. The inscription translates to "Seized from U-boat base in Wilhelmshaven 1945 by Marcel Comeau" (the Veteran in the photo). The gentleman I got it from obtained it from his widow."
Following the unconditional surrender of Germany in May 1945, Le Régiment de la Chaudière was part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division involved in the occupation of Germany. The regiment participated in the post-war occupation duties, which included:
- Disarmament and Security: The unit was tasked with the disarmament of German troops, maintaining control, and securing naval facilities.
- Location: The unit operated in the area of Wilhelmshaven, Germany, specifically in the Northern Ems-Jade Canal region, as part of the Canadian Army Occupation Force (CAOF).
- Operational Role: These duties, which lasted from roughly July 1945 to spring 1946 (with the 3rd Battalion), involved controlling the movement of returning soldiers, guarding, searching for hidden weapons, and preventing the escape of prisoners of war.
- End of Operations: The 1st Battalion returned to Canada in late 1945, while the 3rd Battalion concluded its occupation duties in the spring of 1946.
The regiment, having fought from D-Day (Juno Beach) through the Netherlands, played a critical role in the immediate post-war stabilization of the region.
