Gordon Williamson

For me just as interesting, if not more so, than the Dog handler entry is the entry for the KVK1. Photographic evidence of MPs with more than the KVK2 and/or EK2 are very rare indeed.

From August to October 1943 he attends a dog handlers course with the Hundestaffel.

Up to June 44 with Heeresgruppe Nord. No entries after that but he did survice the war and the small group of which this is part inclluded his postwar driving licence.

Quite extensive front line service.

Earns the East Front Medal and KVK2 in 1942

And then appears to have spent the whole of the rest of the war in the same unit, Feldgendarmerie Trupp a (mot) 183, the Military Police unit of 83 Infanterie Division.

After a brief spell with I.R.33, he goes on a course to become an MP

Interesting little book to Oberfeldwebel Ernst Stanitz.

Hi Norm,

Its a flat bottomed "C" and a plain smooth headed pin.

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Ugliest of all the U-Boat Badge designs but you can't fault Schwerin's manufacturing quality. The fire gilding is excellent.

Obverse details on the RS&S are usually nice and crisp.

Apart from fading of the finish, a real gem.

.

One of the nicest I've seen

Still with all the fire gilding intact and all the original blueing on the pin.

Sad to say, not mine, just one of a few boxed pieces I had the chance to examine and photograph today.

Think you'll like this one. When it comes to Junckers, they don't come much better.

Hi Jan Arne,

Yes, definitely F&BL. They used several different pin set ups but the obverse is unmistakable.

Good catch Jan Arne ! Not such an easy maker to find for the U-Boat Badge.

I'd agree, it seems to be a book for recording points leading to the award of the badge. Interesting that the front cover shows the book is specific to this Regiment. In other words the name of the unit is not just stamped onto a "generic" book which could be used by any unit.

So, it is possible that this unit decided to have such books printed and issued to individual soldiers and other units just kept central records for eveytone. This would explain why it could be so rare and no one has seen one before.

You would expect similar books for Heer and Kriegsmarine Flak units and they would be more common.

Very rare piece. Congratulations Jan Arne !

Has anyone ever heard of a crew made knights cross. I told it is when a commander was awarded a cross and was still at sea the crew would make a 2nd class iron cross convert and im told could hand craft oak leaves etc. Maybe im been told lies. anyone think its likely.

It certainly happened. The problem is finding one with some sort of provenance.

The shot here shows one which was made for one of the top U-Boat Aces and a holder of the U-Boat Badge with Diamonds. It came from the family. Without knowing its history it would just be a converted EK2 of little value. Provenance makes all the difference for crew made pieces. They are generally as crude as this.

Just arrived. Only major missing pieces from Canada now (I think) are the 1st MP Det Collar Dog and Shoulder Title and the GMP title.

Could well be good. These five wing-segment types in hollow stamped form have certainly been faked, though the copies I've seen had pin fittings more akin to these on 57er awards and were fairly flimsy - a bit like the postwar hollow Imperial U-Boats made by S&L. The correct style pins as on the two shown here are certainly a promising feature.

Nevertheless, the only types I'd personally feel comfortable owning are the Schickle and Hymmen/Deumer types.

The book is intended as a companion for Torpedo Los (effectively Volume 2) which already covers the U-Boat badges and Clasps. This is also made clear in Bender's advertising flier. Covering material already covered would have made the book much larger and more expensive.

You have evidence that LM is a different manufacturer and not Lind & Meyrer ?

I agree with Chris. This is an early war photo, not 1944. All the uniforms are early, early field caps, most with the Waffenfarbe soutache which was ordered removed in 1942. Not an M43 field cap or M43 tunic in sight. The ribbon being worn isn't the East Front medal, its the "Flower Wars" Sudeten Medal.