[dpast32]

Hello All, Just wanted to relate an interesting story regarding a beautiful little 6.35 Czech DUO rig I acquired locally a few years ago. (1944 proofed & dated) This particular rig had sat in a local gun dealers display case for at least two years before I happened to run across it. It was in really nice condition, with @99% finish remaining, and was complete with it's German style military flap holster & spare magazine. ( The holster is of leather laminate, similar to paper but a bit more durable.) When I saw the rig I knew exactly what it was, and at $150, I just couldn't pass it up. As I inspected it at the gunshop, I noticed some stenciled writing under the holster's flap. The holster contained what turned out to be an American officer's name, rank & service #. After a little bit of research, I learned that the US officer who stenciled his name under the holster's flap was alive & well, living quite close by in the next town over. I called him up one night, and after a period of introduction, he proceeded to tell me all about his war service and how he happened to acquire the little DUO. He was an Army Captain, a battalion surgeon to a combat engineer unit. ( 258th Combat Eng. Bn.) While in Holland during the December of 1944, a severely wounded German paratrooper was brought into his battalion aid station. Upon cutting off the man's jumpsuit so he could be treated, the holstered DUO fell out and landed on the surgeon's foot. He picked it up, placed it in his pocket and began to treat the wounded para. He stated that he really did his best, but the guy was just too shot up to save. He ended up keeping the little pistol, carrying it in the top pocket of his Ike jacket throughout the remainder of the war. Once his grandchildren started getting older and more mobile, he decided to sell the gun so it wouldn't be a danger to the kids. I've verified all the details of his story, and they all check out perfectly. It's nice to have a piece in my collection that I can actually trace to it's original owner. Best regards, Dom Pastore Jr.

 

[Lloyd in Vegas]

Domenic,

That is great story and thank for sharing it with us. That kind of information is what makes collecting these pistols so much fun. Those are wonderful litle pistols--well crafted and made. Can you post any pictures of the pistol and holster for our viewing enjoyment?? Did you get any further details on the german paratrooper--name, unit number etc?? THANKS!

 

[Edward Tinker]

Great story! Very nice, thanks for sharing,

Ed

 

[Darwin]

You should get that story in writing, write it yourself if you must, and have the guy sign it, giving his rank, unit, etc.

 

[dpast32]

As an addendum to the story, the pistol's serial number is # 107274 / 1944 dated on slide, and it's holster is the exact same example as on page 266 / figure 249 of Whittington's Volume III. ("German Pistols & Holsters, 1934-1945" )After my lengthly conversation with the gentleman, I decided to mail him a sort of "collector's questionaire". I was hoping that he wouldn't mind jotting down a few facts regarding the DUO and how he came to acquire it. Yes, I took as many notes as possible both during and right after our initial conversation, but I was afraid that I might have missed something. By having him put something on paper, he just may have recalled a few additional facts. Well, I mailed it out and after waiting for a few months,I decided to telephone him again. His wife answered and informed me that he had recently suffered a severe heart attack and would be in recovery for the next months. While giving him some to to recover before bothering him again, I was greatly saddened to read his obituary a month or so after speaking with his wife. His passing ended any chance of my learning more about the little pistol, but at least I did get to find out the circumstances of it's "capture". I picked up another pistol with a history, a nice FN M-1922 in 7.65mm, complete with two "capture" forms. I'll relate the story a little later in the appropriate forum. Best regards, Dom Pastore Jr. (P.S. I'll post some pictures of the DUO rig as soon as can get hold of my Daughter's digital camera.)

 

[Pancho]

What a terrific story. It is always sad when a WW2 vet dies, but you were very fortunate to have spent some rare time with him. I enclose a photo of my 1945 with the ersatz holster. Question: Is your holster the same as mine?

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[Lloyd in Vegas]

Pancho,

I have a lead on a very excellent condition 1944 DUO with a holster that looks like yours. If I may ask you, what is that holster made out of? The one I am looking at the seller told me it is made out of some kind of vinyl or something like it. What do you think? THANKS!

 

[phosphateb]

Pancho that holster is a lot like the one i own. i fortunately was able to pick up the one mentioned in wittingtons book by a Sgt during ww2.

 

[Pancho]

Sorry for not getting back sooner.
My holster is made of vinyl. It is a bit stiff and thinner than leather, but likely that the vinyl has dried out after so many years.

 

[phosphateb]

Guys I may be insane here but if you were a German soldier and you had a few extra bucks what kind of pistol would you carry? I am not so sure I would have a duo as a backup...probably a cz27? or a sauer?

 

[Edward Tinker]

Except in war, if you are given or come across a gun as a "back-up", I imagine you would take anything you could get?

ed

 

[aaron]

I have been reading this thread with great interest, as I am a great admirer of the Duo pistol, but have never owned a wartime example. However, yesterday I was offered a mint example dated 1942 in a beautiful little holster with spare mag. I am not certain the spare mag is original, as the one in the pistol is flat on the bottom, while the spare has two side lips bent over the bottom. Otherwise the two mags were identical. I did not buy it because the price was quite high, $475, and the spare magazine put me off. Is the rig worth that much?

 

[Pancho]

Pd. $245 for mine, March 2001, on the web.
$475 is high.
Might pay it if E/N marked.

 

[Dgiz]

The DUO is a neat little pocket pistol and well made. I also think that 475 is a little high. I have seen the pistols for between 200 and 300 dollars.
Here is a 44 dated one from my collection with holster and armband.
Dean



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[Waffensammler]

First of all I want to beg your pardon if my english is not as good as it should be, but as I read this interesting story I would place an interesting document for the collectors of this handgun. From 8.11.1943 it was forbidden, to carry pistols in 6,35 mm as you might see in the copy of an exemption of the Oberkommando des Heeres.

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But it seems, that there must be few exeption of this interdiction. Maybe cause especially at the end of war there were much more handguns needed as germany was able to produce. Anyway the private guns had to bee gathered in the private Wehrpass of the soldier. To be concluded I will show an example what it look like. Here for an DUO Pistol.


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[Darwin]

Those are very interesting documents. Thanks for sharing.

 

[phosphateb]

Enjoy these pics! REcently on an auction site. Holster is incorrect but the 44 dated piece is nice!

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[aaron]

Waffensammler brings up an interesting point about 6.35 pistols being unauthorized for carry late in the war. Another question comes to mind about the Duo taken from a wounded paratrooper which started this thread. Was there such a thing as a German paratrooper in December 1944? All air operations which could have involved paratroopers were over long before that time. Any wounded prisoner taken at the end of 1944 had to be an ordinary grunt IMHO.

 

[Orv Reichert]

They were still identified as paratroopers but used as infantry.

Orv

Orvel L. Reichert
P O Box 67
Vader WA 98593-0067
360-245-3492
360-245-3702 Fax
360-520-6520 Cel
[email protected]

quote........ A sincere diplomat is like dry water or wooden iron.--- Joseph Stalin

 

[Dgiz]

Orv is correct. There were Paratroop units still around up to the end in 1945. One of the last German airborne operations took place at the Battle of the Buldge. I believe a small number of German Paratroopers were dropped behind American lines. After Crete where 5000 Paratroopers were killed, Hitler suspended all large paratrooper drops. After that , the paratroops fought as Infantry with big battles in Russia and in Italy (Mount Cassino). There were also SS Paratroop units and if I remember correctly, the German paratroopers rescued Mussolini form Gran Sasso?
Dean