..... Did you procure that beauty with the help of your secret home made time machine, or what?! That looks like it is in better condition then the new Colt WWI reissues I've been lusting after! .....
Something like that!
Seriously .... it came from an old gentleman who, as a newly commissioned Canadian Army Lieutenant in 1943, had heard the tales of how anemic the standard British/Commonwealth .380 service ammunition was and decided to get something with more stopping power, by availing himself of the option commissioned officers had of privately purchasing their own sidearm. He bought this piece from a family friend who, as a Canadian Army Service Corps Major during WWI, had purchased it directly from the Canadian Government - one of 5,000 Commercial Models acquired by the Government in 1914. The WWI Major only served for about a year or so in Europe before being released for ill health (he was well up in his 50's at that time) so this pistol saw little if any service use by him, and then it had simply sat among his possessions until 1943. The WWII Lieutenant never saw action, and the pistol then sat unused among
his belongings until ten years ago, when I got it from him.
As for condition .... Garand will attest that the 98% or so original high-polish fire blue finish (which is how all of the Canadian-purchase pistols were finished, apparently) is indeed absolutely gorgeous. (The above photo was taken outdoors on a "cloudy bright" late autumn day .... and what might appear to be streaking/mottling on the slide finish is, in fact, the reflection of bare tree branches overhead!)
The original leather holster owned by the WWI Major is still with the pistol, and is marked under the flap as follows:
MAJ. W.A. MITCHELL
O/C No 5 COY
2nd DIV TRAIN
C.E.F.
I have acquired a copy of the entire Canadian Expeditionary Force service record of Major William Arthur Mitchell, and he is mentioned at several points in the official War Diary of the Army Service Corps Divisional Train of the 2nd Canadian Division ..... including on this page, where his assumption of command of No. 5 Company is noted:
(Click on thumbnail to access full-size image ....)
Needless to say, I am proud to be the current custodian of this pistol.
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