7th Nov, 2017 12:00
Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art ('Fearless')
87
[M] A PAIR OF 7 X 50 ZEISS FIXED FOCUS U-BOAT...
A PAIR OF 7 X 50 ZEISS FIXED FOCUS U-BOAT BINOCULARS CAPTURED AND USED BY FIGHTER ACE WING CMDR 'BILL' BREUN, FLEET AIR ARM, CIRCA 1940
stamped with maker's code 'blc' and numbered '219451' on right back plate, thick rubber insulators and eye-pieces, finished in green with added rope work grips and leather strap -- 8in. (20.3cm.) high
Provenance: Cmdr J. M. 'Bill' Bruen and thence to his son, Cmdr N.A. Bruen M.B.E. D.S.C. W.K.h.M. R.N./R.N.O., who used them during his thirty year career in the Royal Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman; specifically during operations in the Falklands War; the first Gulf War; the Gulf of Suez mine-clearance operations (1984); and subsequently in the Omani tall-ship Shabab Oman.
Cmdr J. M. Bruen D.S.O. D.S.C. M.I.D. R.N. (1910 - 1966) commanded 803 Squadron during WW2 when they were engaged in operations in the Mediterranean protecting convoys for Malta. During this time he took part in the Battle of Matapan and, in order to distract attention from the attacking Swordfish torpedo bombers, flew 'strafing runs' at and past the Italian Battleship Vittorio Venito - despite the fact that the magazines were empty in his Seafire airplane. For this action he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and was presented with these U-boat binoculars by his squadron comrades in 1941.
stamped with maker's code 'blc' and numbered '219451' on right back plate, thick rubber insulators and eye-pieces, finished in green with added rope work grips and leather strap -- 8in. (20.3cm.) high
Provenance: Cmdr J. M. 'Bill' Bruen and thence to his son, Cmdr N.A. Bruen M.B.E. D.S.C. W.K.h.M. R.N./R.N.O., who used them during his thirty year career in the Royal Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman; specifically during operations in the Falklands War; the first Gulf War; the Gulf of Suez mine-clearance operations (1984); and subsequently in the Omani tall-ship Shabab Oman.
Cmdr J. M. Bruen D.S.O. D.S.C. M.I.D. R.N. (1910 - 1966) commanded 803 Squadron during WW2 when they were engaged in operations in the Mediterranean protecting convoys for Malta. During this time he took part in the Battle of Matapan and, in order to distract attention from the attacking Swordfish torpedo bombers, flew 'strafing runs' at and past the Italian Battleship Vittorio Venito - despite the fact that the magazines were empty in his Seafire airplane. For this action he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and was presented with these U-boat binoculars by his squadron comrades in 1941.
Sold for £1,116
Estimated at £700 - £900
(inc. buyer's premium of 24%)
A PAIR OF 7 X 50 ZEISS FIXED FOCUS U-BOAT BINOCULARS CAPTURED AND USED BY FIGHTER ACE WING CMDR 'BILL' BREUN, FLEET AIR ARM, CIRCA 1940
stamped with maker's code 'blc' and numbered '219451' on right back plate, thick rubber insulators and eye-pieces, finished in green with added rope work grips and leather strap -- 8in. (20.3cm.) high
Provenance: Cmdr J. M. 'Bill' Bruen and thence to his son, Cmdr N.A. Bruen M.B.E. D.S.C. W.K.h.M. R.N./R.N.O., who used them during his thirty year career in the Royal Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman; specifically during operations in the Falklands War; the first Gulf War; the Gulf of Suez mine-clearance operations (1984); and subsequently in the Omani tall-ship Shabab Oman.
Cmdr J. M. Bruen D.S.O. D.S.C. M.I.D. R.N. (1910 - 1966) commanded 803 Squadron during WW2 when they were engaged in operations in the Mediterranean protecting convoys for Malta. During this time he took part in the Battle of Matapan and, in order to distract attention from the attacking Swordfish torpedo bombers, flew 'strafing runs' at and past the Italian Battleship Vittorio Venito - despite the fact that the magazines were empty in his Seafire airplane. For this action he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and was presented with these U-boat binoculars by his squadron comrades in 1941.
stamped with maker's code 'blc' and numbered '219451' on right back plate, thick rubber insulators and eye-pieces, finished in green with added rope work grips and leather strap -- 8in. (20.3cm.) high
Provenance: Cmdr J. M. 'Bill' Bruen and thence to his son, Cmdr N.A. Bruen M.B.E. D.S.C. W.K.h.M. R.N./R.N.O., who used them during his thirty year career in the Royal Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman; specifically during operations in the Falklands War; the first Gulf War; the Gulf of Suez mine-clearance operations (1984); and subsequently in the Omani tall-ship Shabab Oman.
Cmdr J. M. Bruen D.S.O. D.S.C. M.I.D. R.N. (1910 - 1966) commanded 803 Squadron during WW2 when they were engaged in operations in the Mediterranean protecting convoys for Malta. During this time he took part in the Battle of Matapan and, in order to distract attention from the attacking Swordfish torpedo bombers, flew 'strafing runs' at and past the Italian Battleship Vittorio Venito - despite the fact that the magazines were empty in his Seafire airplane. For this action he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and was presented with these U-boat binoculars by his squadron comrades in 1941.
Auction: Maritime and Scientific Models, Instruments & Art ('Fearless'), 7th Nov, 2017
