1928 Dutch KOL

This is a pre-WWII Parabellum manufactured by DWM for a contract to the Dutch for the East Indies Army. It was designated the M11 by the Dutch and only 3,820 were delivered in August/September 1928 within the range of 10182 to 14001 (inclusive). They had the 102mm barrel, standard 1906 squeeze-grip safety, were 9mm and lacked the lug for a butt-stock. (867)

This thumb safety was marked "RUST", the magazine is the early style DWM with the wooden base and coil spring. Most examples of this Luger have suffered extreme surface damage due to the climate in which they were deployed. This one is in extraordinarily good condition for its age and service.

Sometimes the Luger will talk to us and tell us its story. In this case it carries all its history right there for us to see. Telling us it began in Berlin in 1928, went to Holland, went to the Dutch East Indies and then served on the island of Java in the South Pacific in a Dutch Air Force Unit, one of 180.

See Kenyon "Lugers at Random" Page 208 These Lugers deployed to the East Indies suffered mostly from the climate as Holland was neutral in WWI. The guns were scheduled for factory refinish every six or seven years. The original blue is the bright rust blue of the DWM factory, while the factory refinish was a rather dull blue or "semi-matte" in appearance.

These Lugers were among the very last that were produced by Berlin-Karlsruher Industrie-Werke A.G., the successor of DWM (Deutsche Waffen und Muntionsfabriken) when they resumed production in 1927. The Dutch East Indies Army was one of the first and last customers for the Lugers. Delivered in Aug/Sept of 1928 only 3,820 were produced. Only the Dutch Navy in a limited quantity were delivered by DWM in 1930. The balance of that contract was made by Mauser.



This all matching Luger has the distinction of possessing the original grips as delivered by DWM and serial numbered to the gun. The inside of the (below) is exceptionally clean and has the serial number on the rear axel pin, a characteristic usually attributed to the 1932 order of the Heeres-Verordnungsblatt.

Germany invaded Holland on May 10th, 1940 and despite the heroics of their air force (they lost 62 of 125 planes on the first day) the battle was over by May 14th while small skirmishes continued for until the 16th. Blitzkrieg was born. This Luger comes with a very rare Dutch modified magazine. The Dutch modified their magazines with a spring release of the wooden bottom so that they could clean the magazines on the inside as well as the outside.	Dutch Invasion German Newsreels
There are three distinct "Dutch" magazines, with wood bases; the original ones shipped from DWM, the spring release ones (as shown here) and one further modification where a re-enforcing pin was added to the front of the base. There were also some marked with an "E" that were training magazine for dummy rounds.

Note the extractor marked on both sides, a Dutch Military specification and the KOL proof markings, clean and crisp. See *The Dutch Luger*, by Martens & de Vries Page 139


This picture captures the specifics of the 1928 Model manufactured by DWM. The Crown N proof, the shortened post 1915 sear, the upward 'Rust" safety and the Geladen extractor marked on both sides.

From the affixed side plate, unit research reveals that:

M.L. stands for Militaire Luchtvaartdienst (Military Air Service); this was the Dutch Army Air Force which was limited to reconnaissance flights. This unit was established March 30, 1939 at Kalidjati, (Kdj) an air force base on the isle of Java. The 147 represents the number of the gun in that unit.

On this air strip the following aircraft were stationed: Reconnaissance Vka3 Squadron, 12 x ‘Koolhoven’ FK-51 (reconnaissance airplane, two seater, one Lewis machinegun); Reconnaissance Vka4 Squadron, 12 x Lockheed L.212; Reconnaissance Vka5 Squadron, 12 x ‘Koolhoven ’FK-51 as above (the plane was made by the Dutch Fokker factory). It is also known that 24 Hawker Hurricane Mk 11b came in December 1941 to this airfield, destined for the British RAF.

When the Japanese attacked the Indonesian Isles on December 7, 1941, all airplanes were lost – either during the air battles or because they were destroyed by the Dutch on the ground. For three squadrons of pilots & ground personnel some 180 pistols would be needed. This is #147.

(Unit Information graciously provided by Joop van de Kant)

It is entirely subjective to give any Luger a rating of excellent or fine, just as it is to declare it xx% blued or strawed. Few Lugers are out of the box new and these are premium priced. Bluing percentages is like Beauty, in the eye of the beholder. We strive to provide pictures so you can judge for yourself if the gun meets your criteria.

This is an excellent example of the 1928 Model Dutch East Indies Air Force Parabellum that is in excellent condition, far beyond most East Indies Lugers that survived the jungle and the Japanese.