Gordon Williamson

Here is another. Looks like CD on its own without the 800, and the core details are very very close if not identical to a CD 800 piece I have. Any thoughts ?

Here you go. Core details are totally different to another very clearly marked WILM I have.

Any idea what this one might be. At first glance I had taken it to be a WILM, but its not that.

The Rettenmeier firm used a range of these additional marks, squares, circles, crosses, the tilde (~) - sometimes erroneously described as an "S", I've even had one with a tiny swastika. They are generally accepted as being a QA mark maybe even identifying specific assemblers/finishers/ quality inspectors within the firm, rather than a maker mark as such.

I'd be a little bit cautious about assuming that the presence of the square on an Imperial EK indicates a makers mark from Rettenmeier. Possible of course, but I don't think its cut and dried yet.

There are a lot of very good copies of the Imperial U-Boat Badge out there. I'd have to admit to being somewhat sceptical of this one. Could be OK, but the top hook wasn't a normal feature of these and the "back to front" pin doesn't fill me with confidence either.

Not too easy from these shots but my guess would be an L/56 from the shape of the eagles chest.

If no one can get it, I'll show the bigger picture its cropped from, but that will make it too easy.

FInally managed to acquire the Breast Star at a reasonable price, but unfortunately not cased. Love the quality and workmanship of these.

There are still some tasty little bargains to be had on EBay. !

Nice little set just received. All the "57" grades, but very early examples with the original style pins.

At least one (presumably one of the factory test shots) was manufactured and illustrated ( ie a photo, not a drawing) when details of the Luftwaffenverordnungsblatt was published in the press at the time.

Very major difference is that all the fakes have the wrong eagle. It should be the larger eagle from the Luftwaffe Flak Badge, not the smaller eagle from the Ground Combat Badge, that was used.

Hi Gordon,

You couldn't post close up obverse and reverse of your black WB packet could you please ?

Here you go

Paul,

Yes all of these were direct from the HG vets (Herr Kail and Herr Dinger) with full narrative descriptions. You can't beat that sort of provenance.

A more peaceful scene, security at one of the concerts for the Divisional Band. Interesting to note that the band were absorbed into the Feldgendarmerie Kompanie

One of his comrades, Corporal Ludwig Dinger, a despatch rider with the HG Feldgendarmerie. Interestingly, although on the original print you can clearly see the Luft eagle on the gorget and the Luft insignia on the M43 cap, Dinger maintains the cap, and his M43 style tunic, were field grey not Luftwaffe blue-grey.

Again, the Luftwaffe pattern gorget is worn.

And on horseback, on the Eastern Front, where horses could go where vehicles couldnt

Here he is on Sicily in tropical gear with Hermann Meyer cap.

The guy the photos came from was a Feldgendarmerie NCO. You can just see him sitting in the back of this Kubelwagen, with gorget being worn (the Luftwaffe pattern was worn within the HG div, Para units seeming to wear the Army pattern)

And the miscreants appear for sentencing

Court papers are drawn up

Statements are taken from the complainants

An interesting little group of photos I was given by a former member of the Feldgendarmerie of the Hermann G?ring Division who served on attachment to a Field Court Martial.

It may come as a surprise to some but the Germans DID investigate complaints from Soviet civilians against members of the German armed forces.

The Court Martial arrives. The board on the front of the truck reads "Feldgericht der Lw"

Feldgendarmerie Major

Another NCO tunic. GFP cyphers were permitted for those on attachment to the Geheime Feld Polizei