Hello,
I got a request from a TV production. What handcuffs did the US GIs use in occupied Germany in 1948. I could imagine Peerless, American Munitions and/or Crocket & Kelly?
Best regards,
Guenter
My father was an Army quartermaster in England during WWII from 1942-1946. I recall as a kid we were watching a television show which had a scene of MP's breaking up a fight and hauling the GI's away. Dad made some kind of comment about how "they got it wrong," and proceeded to tell us the "right way."
One of his responsibilities was checking MP equipment in and out. That's when I found out handcuffs had serial numbers, just like firearms, which struck me as odd at the time. Each MP was issued 4 pairs of handcuffs. I don't know the make, but they were blued, since the MP's had to oil them (and the pistol issued to them) when checking them back in so they wouldn't rust, which also struck me as odd since I thought handcuffs were always nickel plated based upon what I saw the local cops carrying.
The rationale for 4 sets was that on a busy night, an MP would perhaps have to break up 2 fights, 2 GI's to each fight. The miscreants were handcuffed with their hands at the back. After the first one was cuffed, the MP passed on arm of the second around the first one's arm at the elbow, and then cuffed the second guy. Having the two guys linked together in this fashion made it easier to haul them away and prevented them from continuing to slug away at one another or the MP. Presumably, if you had to collar more than two guys, the others would be similarly linked together as a human chain gang.
Each MP was also issued an armband (with MP on it), a Colt .45 automatic with one clip of ammunition, a billy club (nightstick), two handcuff keys and a standard issue green web belt with a pistol holter and a first aid utility pouch to keep the cuffs in. As a quartermaster, Dad had to make bank deposits, and Army regulations required he carry a sidearm when so doing. He brought his belt home with him (without the pistol or any cuffs), and I recall often playing with it as a kid, and particularly the way the holster and utility pouch fastened to the eyelets on the belt with metal hangers.
I have no idea whether this practice of issuing 4 sets of blued cuffs was universal throughout the Army, or whether it extended to other branches of the service.
Hope this helps.
