Korean War Chinese Weapons

[kanemono]

Here is a group of Chinese weapons that may have been used during the Korean War. The only item that I know was actually used during the Korean war is the M1A1 Thompson Submachine Gun that was captured by U.S. Marines during the retreat from the Yalu in 1950. All of the other pieces date from 1900 to 1950. All could have been used in WWII and Korea.
Dick

[Tobysauer]

Hi Dick, Very nice collection you have there I particularly like the Chiang Kai Shek rifle I have one in my collection, it is one of my favorite rifles. Regards Tobysauer.

[kanemono]

Thanks, the rifle is indeed Chiang Kai Shek, however, the calligraphy on the stock says roughly "Power comes from the Muzzle of a Gun" which is a Mao saying, which makes the rifle WWII and Korean War. Here is the plaque on the Thompson stock.
Dick

[hc8mm]

Great collection.

I doubt the officers dagger would have been used by the communists after WWII. I think the parade saber too. I know the dagger is KMT used. Maybe small chance it would have been used by officers in Taiwan instead, but I haven't seen any pictures of post 1949 officers carrying one. Plum flowers is a symbol of the ROC government.

Carrying one on the mainland would have probably send you to be re-educated or a bullet to the head.

[Papa Nambu]

I like the broomhandle rigs. People always seem to associate broomhandle mausers with WWI Germany, but the Chinese really used them more than anyone else.

[603dasc]

Absolutely incredible collection of a hard to find era! I'm totally envious.

Have you done any research on Lt. Dill?

[kanemono]

Thank you for your comments. The Chinese used the Broomhandle Mauser more than any other country. Millions of Mauser C-96's and copies from Spain were imported into China. At one point the foreign powers forbade the importing of rifles so the Mauser pistol with it's high velocity round and shoulder stock holster made a great substitute. The Chinese loved them along with the Thompson. The saber dates from about 1900 and the Chinese carried a lot of swords at the beginning of the Korean War. The dagger predates the Nationalist party and has no Nationalist flags or sun symbols so it might have been used. I threw it in the picture for some variety. The folding dagger has Nationalist flags stamped on the blade and the piece was taken from a crashed Japanese Plane by a Marine. I thought it was a practical knife for a Chinese soldier to carry.
Dick

[603dasc]

Is the bugle authenticated? And do you have any closeups of the Thompson receiver?

[kanemono]

The bugle was brought home by a Korean War Veteran. There are Chinese characters painted inside the bell that say "celebration".
The Thompson belonged to Lt. Col James H. Dill. Lt. Col. Dill was written up for and awarded the Bronze Star Medal by Colonel Lewis “Chesty” Puller First Marine Regiment for his actions on September 25, 1950 during the recapture of Seoul. This “captured” Thompson was presented to First Lt. Dill by officers of the 3rd Battalion, First Marines before he left Korea in 1951. Lt. Col. Dill placed a note behind the trap door in the stock of the Thompson. In the note Lt. Col Dill stated that the Thompson was captured and used by Marines during their escape from the Yalu. When I bought the Thompson the center of the receiver was missing. I was told Lt. Col. Dill had destroyed the receiver to make it legal because the gun was illegal and no longer able to be registered. I bought an 80% receiver from Philadelphia Ordnance, with all original markings and numbered with the serial number taken from the remains of the original receiver. I patinated the metal to match the original pieces of the receiver, grip frame and barrel which had turned brown and showed a great deal of wear. Lt. Col. Dill’s medals were sold on EBAY. I was very lucky to be able to put these pieces back together and fortunate that Lt. Col. Dill cared so much about history to place a note inside the butt stock of his Thompson to explain to people in the future what part this gun played in the history of the Korean War. This was written up in more detail on machinegunboards.com
Dick

[603dasc]

Thank you for your response, and also for preserving and enhancing the history of that Thompson. One of my collecting sidelines is Vietnam bugles, and that's why I like the one you have. Nice collection.

[603dasc]

Is there any provenance on the broomhandles, esp the rig?

[kanemono]

Mauser Broomhandle's were imported from China in the millions during the 1980's
These were some of the pistols imported at that time. I bought he Bolo rig from Val Forgett. His company Navy Arms bought a small number of Bolo's with their bolo sized Chinese made shoulder stock holsters from the Shanghai Police Department. The piece shown is one of those guns.
Dick

[aj4012000]

I like the Rifle it has the interesting message!


Best regards

Joe

[vacollector]

What is the dating on the Mosin Nagot?

[chen]

Very interesting grouping indeed especially that rifle due to the yellow wordings.
Those yellow wordings on the stock indeed have a heavy political "smell" of Mao era. More precise translation means " Political Power comes out from the Muzzle of Gun".
Nice grouping!