US/Sweden WW1 Question

[ronnieraygun]

Okay, this is oddball and I think we all know the answer already, but...

My dad and I were discussing his uncle, who served in the rainbow division (US) during the first world war. He had a rough go of it and used to sleep with a rifle and wake up in the middle of the night bayoneting the wall. Today, one might refer to this as PTSD.

He also "self-medicated" for lack of a better term and drank heavily. The problem is that some stories are just stories, while others are true. He is obviously deceased at this point in time, but here is what we were trying to figure out:

He did have an exotic weapon that was pretty much an elephant gun. It was supposedly a Mauser 11mm! Were these very common in WW1 (i'm guessing not) and how was it that he was able to take it back to the US with ease?

The second story he told was the one we think was a whopper - after ww1, he claimed he was sent by the US to hunt for draft dodgers who had returned to Sweden to hide out during ww1 (uncle *** was born in Sweden) I'm pretty sure this is BS, but would anyone know if this was a possibility or just drunk talk?

Thanks...

[BlitzCod]

http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/arms/rifles/armssbar.htm#040

Some info about 11mm Mauser. Made in late 1800's so it could be that there has been these in ww1?

[LineDoggie]

The Sweden tie sounds like BS.

The Mauser could have been picked up from some reserve Landwehr unit behind the front or during the Occupation. I know the 165th occupied the Remagen Area of the Rhine in 1918

[Connaught Ranger]

I think lone soldier or posses of U.S. military scouring Sweden post WW1 would have come to light and been posted in a Swedish newspaper, not to mention the fact that the U.S. soldiers would have no authority to violate Swedish territory or law, and if it did happen the resulting trial / court martial of the deserter would have been recorded in a U.S. paper.

With regards weapons, there was basically no control implemented on bring backs post WW1
even maxim machine guns came home on ships with returning troops as souvenirs.

[ronnieraygun]

Cheers guys, thanks.

We were pretty sure the deserter-hunter bit was drunk talk. The Mauser, on the other hand, is reality. No one knows what happened to it, but apparently it packed quite a punch and a number of telephone poles paid the price p-)

[James]

There was also some great big Mauser anti tank gun. A K98 on steroids...

I read somewhere that half of the 1911s issued to troops who served in France were never turned in. HALF!!!

[Backwoodshunter]

What front did he serve on in ww1? I know in the African theatre alot of professional hunters were recruited, alot among the famous Frederick Selous' unit. Those types would be more than ****e to be in possession their own hunting rifles, maybe he won it or bought it off some guy.

[James]

No American units served in Africa. A few guys served in Italy and RUssia, but the vast majority served in France.

[Connaught Ranger]

For pictures of the 11mm Mauser see:-

http://www.angelfire.com/vt/milsurp/m71ig.html

Big game rifles were used on both sides of the front lines in the early days as Sniper weapons:-

In 1914 Germany was the only major combatant country with access to a good supply of telescopically sighted rifles and men to use them. In Germany, unlike Britain, hunting was a popular social pastime* and the vast forests provided a very wide range of game. . . . . . .

* (Kyfferhauserbund = Clubs for the promotion of the Art Musketry).

On the outbreak of war the German military were therefore able to quickly requisition several hundred suitable sporting rifles as well as issuing upwards of 15,000 Mauser Gewehr 98 service rifles with factory fitted scopes.

With regards as to where your great Uncle picked up the weapon I would say anywhere from a battlefield pick-up to a poker game while in service, there was no restriction with regards bringing such weapons home to the U.S.A.

Connaught Ranger:)

[Backwoodshunter]

No American units served in Africa. A few guys served in Italy and RUssia, but the vast majority served in France.

I meant he could have come into contact with a british unit who served in the African theatre.

[Connaught Ranger]

I meant he could have come into contact with a british unit who served in the African theatre.

As the gun was made in Germany, it stands to reason he picked it up from somewhere in France & Flanders or even as an occupation soldier in Germany post WW1, they were not so rare, (prices for working models in good condition today are about 1,200 U.S. dollars.

Connaught Ranger.

[James]

This is what I was thinking of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13.2_mm_Rifle_Anti-Tank_(Mauser)

[Backwoodshunter]

As the gun was made in Germany, it stands to reason he picked it up from somewhere in France & Flanders or even as an occupation soldier in Germany post WW1, they were not so rare, (prices for working models in good condition today are about 1,200 U.S. dollars.

Connaught Ranger.

Alot of german rifles were favored by British hunters at the time, thats the only reason I mention it, Richard Meinertzerhagen, **** if i spelled his name right used one for most of his professional career.

[nemowork]

I think its Meinertzhagen you've got an extra ER in there?

[Backwoodshunter]

Ha yea just looked it up, I knew it was something like that

[Connaught Ranger]

This is what I was thinking of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13.2_mm_Rifle_Anti-Tank_(Mauser)
Hallo James:)

the link leads to an incomplete Wiki page:-(

[Connaught Ranger]

Alot of german rifles were favored by British hunters at the time, thats the only reason I mention it, Richard Meinertzerhagen, **** if i spelled his name right used one for most of his professional career.

Off Topic!

Was **** a sniper or did he have any military service in WW1 or WW2?
Got some answers from here with regards above:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Meinertzhagen

Seems **** had a very troubled life people dying around him in mysterious circumstance.

Anyway back to the subject in hand.

German hunting rifles were made mainly for a civil market, (stands to reason big game hunters wanted what was best at the time.) the German military started off in WW1 by getting civil hunting rifles for their snipers (see one of my posts above).

Connaught Ranger.:)

[Backwoodshunter]

He served in a few bush wars prior then in ww1, he served in the African theatre in the 25th fusiliers or otherwise known as the 25th frontiersman, I believe he held rank. In ww2 he served in the OSS though where particular and what he did exactly escapes me at the moment. But he never mentioned serving in any sniper roles, just that he was a big game hunter and that skill set applied very well to dealing with the germans.

The one thing I was thinking was too bad ,the rifle I'm guessing, is no longer in the family possession. That would be a real nice story and heirloom.

[brokenclog]

Just a quick question: The other day I saw a Mauser 1871 "Spandau" for sale. Is this a special version, or is that somehow the nickname of the rifle?

[Son of Damian]

This is what I was thinking of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13.2_mm_Rifle_Anti-Tank_(Mauser)


Hallo James:)

the link leads to an incomplete Wiki page:-(

I think this is what you are looking for

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/german_13mm_atrifle.htm

[LineDoggie]

Just a quick question: The other day I saw a Mauser 1871 "Spandau" for sale. Is this a special version, or is that somehow the nickname of the rifle?
Spandau was the Imperial Arsenal in Berlin.

[loganinkosovo]

Okay, this is oddball and I think we all know the answer already, but...

My dad and I were discussing his uncle, who served in the rainbow division (US) during the first world war. He had a rough go of it and used to sleep with a rifle and wake up in the middle of the night bayoneting the wall. Today, one might refer to this as PTSD.

He also "self-medicated" for lack of a better term and drank heavily. The problem is that some stories are just stories, while others are true. He is obviously deceased at this point in time, but here is what we were trying to figure out:

He did have an exotic weapon that was pretty much an elephant gun. It was supposedly a Mauser 11mm! Were these very common in WW1 (i'm guessing not) and how was it that he was able to take it back to the US with ease?

The second story he told was the one we think was a whopper - after ww1, he claimed he was sent by the US to hunt for draft dodgers who had returned to Sweden to hide out during ww1 (uncle *** was born in Sweden) I'm pretty sure this is BS, but would anyone know if this was a possibility or just drunk talk?

Thanks...


Never mind....missed the deceased part..... :)