Arnhem attributed Fighting Knife

[ritchie4]

WOW, what an amazing story, best I have read on the forum so far! This is what makes it such a great hobby.

Ritchie.

[deejay]

Ade and Clive, I am not sure if anyone wrote this here before but anyway; thanks to your interest and knowledge on the subject, the internet and of coarse your good hearts, you have done something to be very proud of. Acts like this are rare these days (unfortunately). Sympathy !

This story reminded me of Col J. Frost's famous hunting horn which once "dissappeard". In the end, somehow it also found it's way back to where it belongs.

[LeeG]

This is simply fantastic -- my hat is off to you, Clive!
-Lee

[WalterB]

My hat is off to Ade for spearheading all of this.

[juoneen]

Thats what im talkin about.......Thats what I like.... true honesty ..integrity, and compassion by the honest people in the hobby, especially in doing good for the vet. I hope he now recovers the other knife thats missing.
Why the woman couldnt have given it back is beyond me. Maybe she was real poor , and found it an opportunity to make a few bucks, but she should have done the right thing, and who had the other copper plated one? was it the same guy , her dead husband? Lets hope it surfaces, and also is returned.
A good lesson to Loan nothing to anyone for any reason. Allow photos ...YES, but not lending anything , unless maybe you accept a cash deposit 4 times the retail value of the item to insure by contract the item will be returned...but death will nullify any contract. Best to never loan anything, even to museums. photos only. Ill bet the vet wont ever fall for that request ever again. great story, and lesson for all. Good luck will come to all who had a part in this knives return to its rightful owner. Kudos to adrian.

[Gary Cain]

Clive,

You Sir are a gentleman of the first order. My hat is off to you!


With my warmest regards

Gary

[Antoni Zawadzki]

A most wonderful close to this story!

I had a similar experience several years ago after a purchase of a WW2 veteran’s grouping made at a local swap meet. The items contained a uniform, badges, documents and photo albums. It was the set of three photo albums that I was uneasy about – two devoted to his service in the 1st Polish Armoured Division, and one of his family in Poland before WW2. Such things don’t normally leave a family all too easily. I eventually tracked down the owner, who happening to be living nearby. My hunch was correct, Captain W.J. Stankiewicz confirmed that the items had been stolen from him years before. I insisted on returning everything to him, but he was equally insistent that I remain the custodian of his uniform and badges. Although he gratefully accepted his photo albums. We became great friends in the process. Sadly, “W.J” passed away in 2006. After his passing his widow asked that I keep his photo albums to go along with his other items. All in all, easily the high water mark of my collecting ‘career’ as I was blessed to have known this remarkable man.

Again Clive, well done! You are a gentleman and credit to the hobby. Brings to mind the old Confucius saying:

"He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own."

Cheers,
Tony