PISTOL, AUTOMATIC

Description: .1 HOLSTER. 4.4 CM HT. X 12.7 CM WTH. X 18.4 CM LTH. LEATHER. BUTTON DOWN FLAP. SEPARATE CARRYING SLOT FOR MAGAZINE. .2 AUTOMATIC PISTOL. 10.2 CM HT. X 16.5 CM (TOTAL) X 10.2 CM LTH. (BARREL) STEEL BAKELITE. 2 PIECES. SERIAL #985423.CAL. 7.65 MM MODEL PP (1929) MANUFACTURER: "WALTHER" ON BARREL AND EACH PISTOL GRIP. THUMB LATCH SAFETY. DOUBLE ACTION MAGAZINE FED. 9 SHOT MAGAZINE". WALTHER IN SCROLL SHAPE WAFFENFABRIK WALTHER, ZELLA MEHLIS(THUR). WALTER'S PATENT CAL 7.65 M/M" ON BARREL. STAMP MARK ON BREECH BLOCK AND RECEIVER.

History: COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE & WIDELY USED IN WW II. ON 15 OCTOBER 2007, LAWRENCE BEZEAU, THE ELDEST SON OF LOUIS BEZEAU, RESPONDED TO A QUERY BY GALT STAFF REGARDING THE BELT (P19738771000) AND HANDGUN’S UNDOCUMENTED ORIGINS. LAWRENCE STATED THAT, “THE BELT AND PISTOL HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LETHBRIDGE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP.” HIS FATHER BROUGHT THEM WITH HIM WHEN HE MOVED FROM SUMMERSIDE, PEI TO LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA IN 1950 TO WORK AT THE LETHBRIDGE EXPERIMENTAL FARM. LOUIS BEZEAU ENLISTED WITH THE CANADIAN ARMY DURING WORLD WAR II, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE 17 FIELD REGIMENT OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILLERY WHICH, WAS PART OF THE FIFTH CANADIAN ARMOURED DIVISION. HE WENT OVERSEAS EARLY IN 1944 AND TOOK PART IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN. IN EARLY 1945 HE WENT WITH HIS UNIT TO FRANCE AND SERVED IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, AND THE NETHERLANDS. HE RETURNED IN LATE 1945 TO SUMMERSIDE. LOUIS BEZEAU COLLECTED THE ITEMS HE DONATED TO THE MUSEUM WHILE SERVING IN EUROPE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE PERMANENT FILE.