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Escape to Athena was a very strange film, when I was in Rhodes in the 90's I was being driven along a road in a taxi coming from the other side of the island, when I saw all the white lattice featured in parts of the film. I asked the taxi driver to stop and went to look around and it was the exact place the movie was filmed. It looked the exact same as in the film, although I recently saw pictures of the same place and it was very dilapidated looking. It was a totally unexpected find and I could easily have driven right past it. I walked along the same path as Rodger Moore and David Niven, thinking back to how it must have been when they filmed it in 1979. The Guns Navarone was also filmed on Rhodes. I also saw a WW2 Kubelwagen parked outside a pub! and a German Bunker which still had a rifle rack in it, I spent a few days trying to work out if it was possible to get the rifle rack back on the plane, but decided against it. Rhodes is a lovely place and still has the Italian fascist architecture, Mussolini even had his holiday home there which I also visited. I took photos must try to find them again and post them here. The white lattice covered path where Rodger Moore, David Niven and Sonny Bono walked along.

Thank you John, I appreciate your kind remarks.

I watched Escape to Athena recently, WW2 movie, Roger Moore, Telly Savalas among others. Cast was decent but the story and acting were disappointing. I had never heard of this movie before and I now know why.

As promised on a previous thread, I’ll post some different manufacturing examples of belt buckles. It won’t be exhaustive and will be more interesting to those that aren’t familiar with belt buckles- to others, I might be teaching you to suck eggs ! Anyway, here goes…….. First up is a Gustav Brehmer, painted steel combat buckle on a blue webbing tab. One piece construction with maker mark, and date correctly marked under the hinge post.

Not Landwehr! There were no Landwehr buckles

John, you have an amazing collection, really have enjoyed you sharing your items with us.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&sca_esv=5fee7d56a3546583&sca_upv=1&q=buch+koppelschlösser&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjezKXX2sSEAxUNVPEDHS1aAGQQ0pQJegQIDBAB&biw=1138&bih=489&dpr=1.2 Books on belts and buckles https://fjm44.com/articles/aluminium-buckle-heer-dransfeld-co-1937/ a further buckle similar to the first one, an original

Thanks to all, fritz really nailed it ( fritz I got it free as a gift) , so here is the story from 6 Nov. 2020. Buckle, knife -as fritz shows, and a Carcano with bring back papers. from old now gone forum. Wayback machine may take a minute to load. https://web.archive.org/web/20220104164414/http://www.surplusrifleforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4378 thanks to all. We could use a general buckle ID post... great idea. Thanks to all now I know its original. Any special buckle primary reference books?

As I come across other types of construction as I search through, i will post them- feel free to add examples of your own!

A series of walking out, and parade buckles from Red Cross, Scouts, Fire Defence etc. Most pre Third Reich (Reichsheer) but again a good way of learning about the construction of buckles - it didn’t really change much during the transition period.

One piece nickel HJ buckle, nicely marked but had a tough life!

Small ‘Turnerbund’ buckle- interesting furniture on the reverse - but totally period and original.

Two piece brass buckle with nickeled field and roundel. NSKK buckle in this instance. Based on an SA buckle but all silver in colour. This example has the ‘sun wheel’ swaz.

One piece cast aluminium buckle This is an NPEA buckle- only one manufacturer existed but there are two variants, distinguished by the location of the RZM logo. Again, these are faked extensively.

Sticking with lightweight theme. A one piece FAD buckle, marked correctly as Assman. The FAD pre-dated the RAD.

A lightweight Aluminium two piece buckle (of similar construction to the heer belt from the other thread that prompted me to post these). This is a State of Braunschweig Police, Feuerwehr or Landwehr buckle. Marked as wartime on the tab. Some of these were thought to be post war but a good number of these exist with dated tabs disproving this.

Two piece construction buckle with a brass body/ field and a silvered rounded- this time an early DJ/HJ buckle. Smaller in size than a standard buckle.

Two piece construction brass buckle with brass rounded - this time an NSBO buckle

Another DJ buckle but this time it is a two piece construction, with the rune soldered on to a factory painted black field - vary hard to find

Another Wuster DJ - same construction but the ‘skinny rune’ version.

A one piece stamped DJ buckle. This buckle is brass and the field is nicked. It is unmarked but it is made by Wurster.

One of the rarest buckles to find (that is original) An Organisation Todt one piece steel belt buckle with a silver wash. One this example, nearly all the wash is missing from the front of the buckle but it is present on the back. Marked Org Todt under the hinge post- a rare beast, there are lots of copies around.

One piece stamped brass SA buckle

Sticking with the combat buckle theme, a very salty Wehrmacht buckle, again, painted steel, one piece construction. This may not look the best but it has pride of place in my collection as it was given to me (on a leather) by a veteran who wore it for two and a half years on the Russian Front - no doubting this one!

Gildwiller1918, 72usmc, Fritz, phantom, KennyAndrew, Eddieq, and leon21: Hello. Thank each and everyone of you for all the recent likes, greatly appreciated. Best regards, John R.

Gildwiller1918: Awesome militaria, in excellent condition. Thank for sharing with the Forum. John R.

Pictured is a signed limit edition print by Tom Freeman entitled 'Attack at Dawn.' The print depicts the U-132, commanded by Kptlt. Ernst Vogelsang, attacking and sinking one of the five ships from the crew's war patrol of 10 June -16 August 1942. Purchased this print years ago, I finally had it framed and delivered today. This fantastic print will hang in my home's guest room. I apologize for the reflection of the bubble rap.

Pictured is a signed limit edition print by Gil Cohen entitled 'The Enemy Above.' The print depicts a U-boat crew at battle stations bracing against depth charges. This wonderful print hangs in my home's guest room.

Pictured from my collection is a twelve stamp set 'Heroes of the Wehrmacht' 1943. The stamps are in mint condition, full gum on back. I had the stamp set professionally framed/archived.

Pictured from my collection is a thirteen stamp set 'Heroes of the Wehrmacht' 1944. The stamps are in mint condition, full gum on back. I had the stamp set professionally framed/archived.

Pictured from my collection are two Navigation Textbooks (Part I and Part II) for the Kriegsmarine and Merchant Navy. These books were published at the request of the High Command of the Kriegsmarine and the Reich Ministry of Transport, 1942. Navigation Textbook, Part I . Navigation Textbook, Part II.

Voted for 'Downfall'. I absolutely love that movie.It's not perfect and it's not entirely accurate but i love the sense of impending doom that is created. I should also give an honourable mention to 'The Eagle has Landed'.Michael Caine is superb as Oberst Kurt Steiner leading his men to try and kidnap Churchill.The perfect,almost idealised,German officer.