Product Details
STEYR-DAIMLER-PUCH A.G.
A .270 CAL. BOLT-MAGAZINE SPORTING RIFLE, serial no. 57615,
22in. nitro barrel with open sights and folding leaf sight, ramp-mounted bead fore-sight, the receiver mounted with a Nickel Supra 4x36 L81 E/S telescopic sight, blued finish, detachable magazine, set triggers, pistolgrip stock with dark wood finial and pistolgrip-cap, cheekpiece, monte carlo comb, sling swivels, 13 5/8in. pull including buttplate
Provenance: Nick Archdale, the vendor, was born in 1924 in Southern Rhodesia and grew up on a remote farm in the north of the country. Educated mainly in England he left school to join the army, was commissioned in the King's Royal Rifle Corp and transferred to the newly formed Parachute Regiment. He became a platoon commander in the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion of the 6th Airborne Division.
He recalls, "Our job on D-Day was to capture and hold the bridge over the Caen canal, later known as Pegasus Bridge. This was described by our Colonel, Geoffrey Pine-Coffin D.S.O., M.C., as the 'plum job' of the whole operation; a doubtful honour. We took off late at night on 5th June and the drop was pretty chaotic because of heavy anti-aircraft fire, but I was lucky and landed on the river bank not far from the bridges. As dawn broke endless close-quarter fighting began in the village of Benouville and continued until the leading battalion of the 3rd Division fought their way to us at about midnight on 6th June. Sadly casualties had been heavy and only 240 men remained out of the 600 who had landed 24 hours earlier, but we had done our job in spite of the cost."
Estimate £300-500
S1