Reed Green HBT tunic

This was my  other tunics, both fabric came from Bud O'Toole, also the first time saw the reed green HBT, I was so ignorant to this material, such deep green ?? But he said its the correct color. I put up 'Wiking' cuff title as a memory to my Grandmom, as she was  halve Denish. 

The Plane Tree 1944 drill tunic will be discuss later.
I don't recalled the Waffen SS visor hat, should be a repro, also the M43 was a repro. 

About Me... The Complete Version

The Blog had limited only 1200 words on the 'About Me' column, instead of shorten my draft, better to open  a new post.

I am a baby boomer, born in a wrong place of other side of the globe; my Grandfather decided to moved his base East. When I was very young my uncle always brought me to watch war movies, I was amazed of the smart appearance of WWII German soldier, ever the American always won I was always eager to own a German helmet, when I was in primary five I saved my pocket money to purchased German Uniform books but totally unable to read and write English. These books are still with me and in good shape.

Not until a decade later I got a plastic German helmet from Japan, I wore it outdoor during typhoon season felt that I was safe by the protection of the helmet.

Not until I found my first job and got paid, and happened Universal Toys (now UML) imported dozens of repainted German helmets from Unique Import, I bought a M35 helmet from them with original liner and chinstrap, even found a pinch of brown hair inside the liner. Later I bought a M42 from the same source.  I was stupid enough to hit one of the helmets by a hammer and no dents found, then I notice the supreme German technology decades ago, nothing better.

Those days I was depended on the mail ordering list posting from UK by a dealer Barry Smith, which had no photos only descriptions or sometime drawings.  Or order for Unique Import by their monthly colorful catalogs and WWII Ltd small black and white pocket size booklets from USA. Many original items still available in good prices as well as West Germany items pretended as original, but when these listing arrived, most of the goodies were already gone. The repainted original German helmet was $19.90 each and have difference discount when buying three, six to a dozen.

Huge trouble to make payment to the other end of the globe, only two way I tried;  to pay by postal orders purchased from post office or by demand draft from the bank with a handling fee and need to wait for hours in the bank, when posted the payment by registered mail, needed to inform the dealer by fax, tried once to made a long distance call at Cable & Wireless to place a reserve on an item.

Other source to search for the goodies was the small classified advertisement on the Guns & Ammo magazine, always found some individual dealers of the period items, one of them was named Bud O’Toole, he was hand printing repro Heer and Waffen SS camo fabric, which started a friendship for decades, and he came to my home during his Asia trip, we wrote inch thick letters, discussing uniforms and camo details, however later years I was busied on my Army training, business, divorce and chasing women, and too lazy to write to him, but when I tried to contact him all letters bounced back, and he was not using internet at all.

Later form one of the forum feedbacks to me that Bud was very old and unable to recognize people. Oh that’s hurt; I was not used to lost friend and not notice that we are getting older and older everyday. 

During my finical hardship caused by a woman, I had to sold my entire collection, but still busying on my business, soldiering and shooting, not notice that the hobby had already imprinted into my soul. Every time when I looking back to my old collections, it is really really hurt.

When the internet era came and the east Europe opened up, the period items keep coming out from individual and dealers, its so easy to settle a transaction within minutes.

But the price are shooting up to sky high, a reprint helmet is $300 not $19.9 any more. On January 2008 I started to purchase a repaint M35 helmet and selected my size from a dealer stacked up with whole size range of original shells and repro liners, how nice to have a helmet good fit my head, my recollection had official started in rapid speed.


This was my favor TV show in my childhood--Combat, as American infantry squad always won the German. Looking back now was just a cartoon, but their squad tactic are identical when I was in the Army. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8HtP6DYnJs&feature=related

This was my other favor TV show of the same period--The Rat Patrol where the German was ill equipped  ans lost every time!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZcbifYqpGc

I was happened  to growing up at the birth place of the vantage G.I. Joe, and all my childhood friends all playing G.I.Joe, this toy made me joined the Army when grown up and  I had recollect them at 90s, now I own almost completed 10964 to 1969 vintage Joes.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zgCeCCfpHg

Bud L. O'Toole

Bud in a show on May 1981 in his Splinter outfit

                            Photo: Bud O'Toole

Bud L. O'Toole

This is the one of the two photos I have of my friend Bud, in another pic he wore a big cowboy hat made a dark shade on his face.

How we knew each other? Back to the 80s the other source to search for the goodies was the small classified advertisement on the Guns & Ammo magazine, always found some individual dealers of the period items, one of them was named Bud O’Toole, he was hand printing repro Heer and Waffen SS camo fabric, after few trades  we started a friendship for decades, and he came to my home during his Asia trip, (he was carrying a suitcase of V8 juice as his main diet, he survived by V8 and bread during his trip as he didn't trust Asian food, lost 16 lbs when back home.) as he was wondering how on earth a kid in the east was so keen on German stuffs, we wrote inch thick letters, discussing uniforms and camo details, however later years I was busied on my Army training, business, divorce and chasing women, and too lazy to write to him, but when I tried to contact him all letters bounced back, and he was not using internet at all.

Later form one of the forum feedback to me that Bud was very old and unable to recognize people. Oh that’s hurt; I was not used to lost friend in this way and not notice that we are getting older and older everyday. 

Here is my request for Bud's new on Axis History Forum:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=102332

Then I got a feedback for the forum member:

Re: Bud L O'Toole

Sent: 04 Jul 2007 04:49 
From: Conley 

Simon - Hope all is well - sorry to say - Bud O'Toole at last report was in BAD condition and did not know people he was in his 80s .This was at time of post. I was looking for information on Camo fabric - from him - Thank You, Conley

Another discussion on SS camo, the writer warn buyer beware of Bud's camo in 70s, may selling as original.

http://www.atthefront.com/german/uniforms/farb.htm

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271989


The Wehrmacht Award forum of Bud's camo, and said he was killed in a car park after the show, but not matching the message I received. Photos of his hat and helmet cover in case of not log in.
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385288

Photos from Wehrmacht Award forum

People don't like him and call him a new Nazi, as he was sending Hitler birthday cards to people.

This is the Hitler card he sent me, I lost it together with other stuffs.

I just missed him a lot, want to show him my collection today.

But he should be passed away now. 
Life is short. 
He had a good life in his beloved hobby and hope him rest in piece.

Any news from his is always welcome and appreciated.

Below is the last photo he sent me in his golden years at 1987 still fit and strong.

                                                           Photo: Bud O'Toole

                                                           Photo: Bud O'Toole

                                                    

Splinter A Smock

Splinter A light drill smock w/ reversible white side

My smock by Bud O'Toole's fabric, this is not a Splinter/White double side fabric, the white side was a separate whiter drill, the smock was heavy and hot. (sold)

My Splinter and Tan Water items, both wool items was Original.

                                          Photo: Bud O'Toole

Another smock from the same fabric, he sent me this pic before its was sold, and wrote at the back of the  Polaroid.

Unlike today this is the only way to send photos and message back then--hard copy, by mail.

Photo: Bud O'Toole

Another pic he sent me to kept, just printed a splinter A fabric in 1983.

The is also sent by Bud, a book of camouflage uniforms of Waffen SS,  He taught me how  a smock should made.

My Helmets

This was the M42, may be  from DML shop or second hand,just forgot, which should came from Unique Import Inc, of course not in US$19.90 but something around HK$300, quiet a lot of money then, also can't recalled respray or not. Liner size should be 58, just fit for me, forgot where the decals came from, should be from YML. (sold)

This was my first helmet; the M35 repaint helmet from DML Waterloo road old shop,I still remember first time I saw four to five stack up of German helmets, around fifty or sixty of them, should be came from Unique Imports Inc in huge discount price, no marking of the version and sizes, I knew nothing about the size, just pick up one of it which looks good to me, and the selling was good, all sold out fast, which was the one and only German helmets for sale in such a column,  my helmet liner size was later  found 54, which made me headache, a pitch of brown hair was found between the shell anf the liner. I strapped the thick paint, resprayed Humbrol Enamel Field Gray and decals from YMC of Japan. (sold)

Long before the the memory cards invented, all photos was taken from film camera, I had not took any photos of individual helmets, the only image left are all here. 

This was the Transitional M17 helmet with M31 liner, don't know the size but comfortable, should be size 58, came from Berry Smith, expensive but forgot the price, its came with decals, but looks quiet new and intact?? (sold)

Back then I knew nothing of the difference of M35 and M40, not to mention  the M36 variations, the parade helmets......

My Original Tunics

M 36 tunic  Obergefreiter Grßdeutschland

This M36 tunic was came from a dealer named Berry Smith at Sherry UK, he published monthly update listing in photo copy only with typed descriptions not photos, sent by air mail to me, most hot items was already gone when I received. He sold me few West Germany tunics as original period tunics,  this kid in the east can't tell the difference he though, but I knew its not right according to my books, due to huge postage, I always kept them, eventually he sold me this lovely text book example tunic, it was just too good to be true, my size, no moth holes, only a large tear hole at the left collar, may be someone tear off  the collar tab, no insignia whatsoever, only a breast eagle was remain there. when the replacement collar tabs sew on just well covered the hole only detected from under the collar. 

All other insignia was uncertain original or not as the price was not much difference then, but the GD cuff title was bought locally, and the GD monogram was sew on by myself.  

This was my first encounter of the liner system, made me searching for the detail of the removable neck band and belt hooks supporting straps, but all in vain.

I missed this tunic very much.

(sold)

Waffenrock Obergefreiter Pionier

This Waffenrock was came from Unique Imports Inc, from USA, back to the 70s there was many dealers in US and UK had plenty of  original German items in stock, and always offered discounts on over stock items, this tunic was in very good price but no choice on the waffenfarbe, I got the Pionier rock in schwarz (black), actually I want a white, pink or red waffenfarbe, but lucky it was my size again. The Gefreiter Chevron and the marksmanship lanyard was my added on but uncertain original or not. The wounded badge was a repro from Japan called YMC ‘Young Man Collection’.

Tobacco was found inside the rear hidden pocket of the liner.

(sold)

Unique Imports Inc

Unique Imports Inc, was one of the few American dealer published large colorful catalogue with photos, which was the bible during my youth, they offered discounts for their over stock items:

Like; One German helmet for $19.90, two helmets for $35, three helmets for $50, but no size choice.

Just those good old days. Usually I selected surface mail to save postage, eight ten weeks was the usual time on waiting 

Photos from War Relics Forum

Look at the price of these helmets, just unbelievable 

MY LAST COLLECTION 1970 to 1990

I am trying to recording my last collection while I am still remember most of the details, also its raining some bells from time to time and I make some adjustment of all posted.

This is the few photos left of my last collection, from my first M35 helmet to  the final item. At that time I was happened to found a show case from my bank-cropped shop fitted into my bedroom. The replica fire arms was the early zinc alloy guns from Japan and now became antique of itself. 

I knew  nothing of the original or fake of the items, the only reference was my books and magazines, the best magazine of the time was in Japanese which I was unable to get their meaning but their photos was good,  the only original items in this photo is the M1931 field flask (water bottle), M1938 Feldmütze and the M43 Einheitsfeldmütze which was given from my friend Kenneth, he obtained it when he was in West Germany around 1970 from the owner's son, the hat owner was a female Luftschutz member, I am deeply regret to sold it in bulk with the other stuff, never to be replace in any price. And I haven't told Kenneth until now.

The original items in this section are the bayonets and frogs, saber, M1931 zeltbahn, M1935 report case, M1934 repair case for MG, pistols holsters and the buckles only. the grey hood and the landmine was along stories. Other items was neither British surplus nor replicas,