Interesting early BW FJ picture

[Collectinsteve]

It's on eBay now and I don't want to repost it here for copyright reasons:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Bundeswehr-19...item4ad359e7de

The soldiers are holding British Enfield rifles. I've never seen this before. Does anybody know anything about use of Enfield rifles by early BW?

Steve

[Asbjoern]

Aproximately 18.000 Endfield were handed over by the Allies in 1956 and its most possible that they all went to the Luftwaffe to be used in basic training. While the Heer changed to mordern guns like G1 and G3 as soon as these were available you still see LW soldiers during their basic training using those thundersticks in the mid sixties! You`ll find some nice pcitures in my second book ...

Jens

[Klaus1989]

Not think, that they are FJ? Appear to be Lw Sicherungstruppen, which have more sense, as they equipped with Enfields. Also have normal M1 helmets, uniforms and Knobelbecher, which is more for ground troops as for early FJ.

Regards
Klaus

[Asbjoern]

Klaus, moste often the connecting of pictures on Ebay with FJ is only a promotion trick ... the same with connecting dated BW stuff with Wehrmacht or "Elite" ....

Jens

[Collectinsteve]

Interesting info about the Enfields. Even more interesting is there is a second book in the making

In this case there is some evidence to suggest these are FJ personnel as it does appear that these helmets have the leather chin straps that extend to the back of the helmet. Which would put this picture in the early 1960s. Other evidence in the photo suggests early 1960s, such as the parka, jackboots, and olive drab gloves. Also, the uniforms look well worn from many years of reissuing. These are standard infantry uniforms which is not surprising to see on 1960s FJ, but would be less common for 1950s FJ. I don't see wings on the M43 cap so I'm doubtful this is a LW unit.

Of course this could just be a non-FJ unit because the only evidence is the helmet, which I could be mistaken about. I don't believe the seller's description at all

Steve