Bananamafia militaria

24/02/2025

03/03/2023

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10/11/2022

02/09/2022

We are set up at the fabulous this weekend. Please come say hi....

28/08/2022

WW2 BD Trousers, manufactured 9n india.
All BD trousers are getting harder to find, especially Indian Maufactured ones.

some moth nips as pictured, and missing a couple of buttons.

these still display very well.

they are a size (9) and with a (o) acceptance code for 1942 

inner leg 27inches

length 42inches

waist 30 inches

Website link in bio

20/07/2022

1936 British army Officers Mess - Regimental Christmas card Samples album

This album was a 'sample' album of cards for Xmas 1936. It was produced by Gale & Polden and marked for the officers‘ Mess. 

Inside the album remains to this day as it was produced in 1936. There are still the original order forms & notices on the album: The actual cards are laid out two on each page. Amongst the many regiments featured on the cards are: 

5th, or Northumberland Grenadier Regiment 

17th (The Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot . 

West Surrey Regiment 

Middlesex Regiment Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

The Worcestershire Regiment (1st Battalion) 

Edward Barracks, Sialkot

74th Highlanders 

East Lancashire Regiment 

Sherwood Foresters 

Gordon Highlanders 

Cornwall Regiment 

The Essex Regiment 

Prince of Wales's Regiment (Egypt honours) 

Prince of Wales's Regiment (China honours) 

The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) 

All the cards have their different coloured ribbons (regimental colours) attached. 

Many cards have a wonderful inside image/insert. The last card (The Royal Scots) even has a small calendar for the New Year (1937) inside.  

Album measures 13" inches x 8.5" inches.

Inside the Front cover is a description from Gale & Polden.

GALE & POLDEN LTD.

in submitting this Sample Book of high-class Xmas 

Cards, would particularly mention that customers are not restricted to this necessarily limited selection of designs. 

These samples are dummy cards -specially prepared-and merely intended to show designs and suggest ideas to our customers. 

 Every order is manufactured specially; therefore customers’ wishes can be carried out as to any alteration in design, crest, wording, colour of card, or ribbon. 

SPECIAL NOTICE 

THESE Xmas Cards can only be obtained direct from us. We have No AGENTS for this or any other class of printing. Please therefore send your orders DIRECT to :
GALE & POLDEN LTD. 

Website and shop link in bio.

16/07/2022

rare "A" series Swift Training Rifle. Designed to allow instructors to demonstrate holding and aiming of a rifle. It is not a firearm. This particular example is in good working order and can be cocked and dry fired. When doing this the two blades spring forward as they should.
The design is based on the P14 rifle.
During WWII they were purchased by the Royal Air Force and saw use with the Home Guard.  A very interesting piece of wartime history.
The training of recruits in the basics of rifle handling and marksmanship has always been taken very seriously by the British military and a number of training aids produced to help men acquire the skills they need.
As well as sub-calibre rifles and training ranges, in the Second World War the Swift Training rifle was available to teach the required sight picture and the correct hold of the rifle as well as the correct operation of the action, the finesse of trigger pull, and the importance of prevention of cant of the rifle. The system was not popular with the Army, but the Royal Air Force used it quite extensively and two variations of the rifle were produced that were analogous to the different service rifles available at the time. 
Unlike a real rifle however, this training rifle would then fire long pins out of the front that hit a paper target and showed there the user was aiming, allowing the instructor to correct the aim accordingly:
One feature of the Swift was the sprung butt plate. This prevented the rifle from firing unless it was depressed hard into the shoulder and this helped teach pupils about the importance of pulling the rifle into their shoulder when firing:
These A series swift rifles are alot harder to find than the B series.


Website link in bio

06/05/2022

"A" series Swift Training Rifle. Designed to allow instructors to demonstrate holding and aiming of a rifle. It is not a firearm. This particular example is in good working order and can be cocked and dry fired. When doing this the two blades spring forward as they should.

The design is based on the P14 rifle.

During WWII they were purchased by the Royal Air Force and saw use with the Home Guard. A very interesting piece of wartime history.

The training of recruits in the basics of rifle handling and marksmanship has always been taken very seriously by the British military and a number of training aids produced to help men acquire the skills they need.

As well as sub-calibre rifles and training ranges, in the Second World War the Swift Training rifle was available to teach the required sight picture and the correct hold of the rifle as well as the correct operation of the action, the finesse of trigger pull, and the importance of prevention of cant of the rifle. The system was not popular with the Army, but the Royal Air Force used it quite extensively and two variations of the rifle were produced that were analogous to the different service rifles available at the time.

Unlike a real rifle however, this training rifle would then fire long pins out of the front that hit a paper target and showed there the user was aiming, allowing the instructor to correct the aim accordingly:

One feature of the Swift was the sprung butt plate. This prevented the rifle from firing unless it was depressed hard into the shoulder and this helped teach pupils about the importance of pulling the rifle into their shoulder when firing:

These A series swift rifles are alot harder to find than the B series.

https://www.bananamafiamilitaria.co.uk/ourshop/prod_7782130-A-series-swift-training-rifle-and-original-target-WW2-Home-Guard-RAF.html

27/04/2022

The M-31 (Or KP-31) Suomi (Finland) Submachine gun was one of the weapons designed by Aimo Lahti.

Adopted by the Finnish army in 1931, was manufactured until 1944. Received widespread use in the Winter War, where its success would influence Soviet designs (the russian PPSH-41 mag is a direct copy of this).

Remained in use until the 1990's.

This Mag is in great condition, with Finnish markings.

21/04/2022

Don't forget we have a large selection of original WW1 and WW2 era flags, banners and even original VE day bunting in store.

https://www.bananamafiamilitaria.co.uk/ourshop/cat_1744647-Flags-Pennants-Banners.html

21/04/2022

Nice RARE pair of 1942 Indian Produced Battledress Trousers in store now. In untouched original condition

All BD trousers are getting harder to find, especially Indian Maufactured ones

they are a size (9) and with a (o) acceptance code for 1942