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Shrapnel Damaged 1911 from Battle of The Bulge

December 22, 2015

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shrapnel damaged 1911 image1 — WWII Colt 1911 Damaged in Battle of Bulge.

Some very interesting photographs have been circulating around the internet today. They purport to show a US Government issued Colt M1911 that was recovered from the, “Battle of the Bulge” area during WWII. Looking at the damage, two things immediately come to mind. The first being just how powerful large artillery really is. You can actually see the individual places where shrapnel collided with the pistol-steel and just decimated the weapon. The second thing that comes to mind…the wearer was probably mortally wounded if not DRT.

Death comes in many forms on the modern battlefield.

As for who published the photos, you can find his Facebook page here. As best as I can figure, he’s some kind of high-end collector. Feel free to reach out to him and find out more about the pistol. I certainly would like to know where it resides today? Here is what he says about the pistol on his Facebook page:

SHRAPNEL DAMAGED 1911 BATTLE OF THE BULGE.

IMPACT POINT ON BARREL HOOD. PERHAPS THE WEAPON WENT FLYING?

SHRAPNEL PENETRATES THE SLIDE AND BARREL MAKING WEAPON UN-USEABLE

REAR SIGHT OBLITERATED. TREMENDOUS FORCE.

NOTICE HOW DEEP THE GOUGE IS IN THAT HARDENED STEEL.

DAMAGE TO BARREL AND BUSHING. THIS COULD PRE-DATE THIS ARTILLERY ATTACK? I suspect so.

Today I was able to hold and photograph something that absolutely stopped me in my tracks.
One person I shared this with said “you had hell in your hands”
He was right.
I hope the hero who died with this at his side went quickly.
This is so representative of what the heroes of WWII went through…. . Not only in the Pacific theatre, but the German front also.
This was Bastogne in 1944.
It’s in a friends private collection and it took some doing to be able to photograph it.
I was shaking when I handed it back.
“I took these photos today.. A gentleman I know was kind enough to allow me that privilege.
Often times we get so caught up in the gun we forget the sacrifices.
This one really brings it home.
It is believed that the this damage is from artillery fire.
This weapon was very likely holstered at the time, and the soldier was facing the explosion.
I can’t begin to tell you how powerful of a sentiment this raised in my heart to hold this”
I shared this in a few historical groups I belong to, so some of you have already seen this, but it’s just too powerful of an artifact not to share with the rest of you.
Today I held hell in my hands.