Tony

My concern would be colours running, making me leaving it as is but hopefully someone can help you out so you at least have a choice. I've only ever cleaned glue from old British ribbons by leaving them soaking in soapy water, they didn't run or get clean but it did remove the glue. Tony

I wasn’t sure whether to post here or in the firearms & ordnance section so please move if necessary. I’ve been after a repro Citron Foug wooden plug for a while and haven’t had any luck finding one. Then last week someone pointed out a nice original example to me. Although I’m very happy with the tatty condition of the original, after starting to remove the rust from a Citron body I decided to make my own plug complete with striker, spring etc. As I couldn’t quickly find wood with the correct diameter (didn’t want to wait at least 2 weeks for delivery) I decided to use beech with a radius of 2.5mm less than the original which is very noticeable when fitted but as a first attempt it’s all good. The body spent 2 days in a bucket with an electrolyte solution and was then hosed down. The striker was a M6 bolt, filed into shape and the shaft down to 5mm, the plate nailed to the top of the plug was cut out of an old zinc plated barrel that’s been in the garden for years and the fuze and det are a simple brass tube painted black. The whole thing has been painted with linseed oil as I’ve heard it protects the metal too. Just need a safety cap now. Tony

Finished at 178 euros, makes me think of the comment you made about my camping cutlery

More paperwork regarding the brothers has surfaced. Their father, Gustav snr. wrote to his last surviving son’s unit asking for him to be removed from all frontline duties. His wish was obviously granted. Below is the confirmation that Willie Letmathe who was in a Minenwerfer unit, was to be pulled back from the front and given an office job. His Soldbuch shows he was in Verdun in 1916 and 1917 where he fought on Dead Man and Hill 304 as well as a stint on the Somme. The soldbuch for Jaeger G. Letmathe also surfaced however, apart from showing he volunteered in 1914 there’s very little info in it. Photos of Gustav (last photo), reported wounded and missing 12/6/18 and Hans KIA 12/6/18 show them both wearing the iron cross ribbon but unfortunately their crosses aren’t with the paperwork, nor are the certificates. The last photo is confirmation from Volksbund in 1933 of where in France Hans is buried. As there’s no mention of Gustav I’ll assume he was still missing and the Gustav Letmathe buried in Mons en Laonnios is a different man.

Another photo of Karl has turned up, on the reverse is written Karl Stender, born 20/5/99 and killed 31/8/18 on Inselberg near Soisson, France. In the photo it looks like he might be wearing the MGSS badge on his arm.

Thanks Andy! Where's Beilage 19? I can't find it anywhere, is it the map you posted above? By the way regarding work, a rich lady friend might be the way to go

Good on ya Andy. Work?

There was an iron cross too but the family wanted to keep it however, with no paperwork I can't be sure if it belonged to Hans Letmathe, Karl Stender or perhaps someone else.

Thanks Andy. I don't have Vol. 14, seems to be a hard one to find or I've not been looking hard enough. Actually I don't think I have Vol. 13 either. Can you believe I was in the general area at the beginning of July, oh well, that's just another reason to see if I can get there again. Tony

Thanks Chip. I honestly didn’t think it’d be his unit number, not on his arm and had no idea it was air force. After having a quick squiz online I see they were a messenger pigeon unit that first appeared in May 1915 and only existed until January 1917. A shame someone has glued a photo to the back, hiding any information that might be there. Tony

Hello, I’ve just bought a whole heap of photos and feldpost, amongst them was the cigarette case and letter pictured below. Hans and his brother Gustav are both listed on the same page of the July 1918 casualty list, Hans KIA and Gustav as badly wounded and missing. They can also be found on denkmalprojekt.org where they are shown as belonging to the same unit, Hans KIA and Gustav missing on the exact same day, same battle. The 7th Westfl. Jaeger battalion was taking part in an offensive on the river Matz in the Aisne salient, attacking French and US troops. I don't have any details about the battle but it's something I will be looking into. Jaeger Hans Letmathe was killed 12/6/18 and is buried in Vignemont, France. His brother, Gefr. Gustav Letmathe is buried in Mons en Laonnois, being killed on 9/6/17 according to volksbund and 12/6/18 according to denkmalprojekt.org. I've been able to get hold of some photos of the war memorial where both Hans Letmathe and his brother Gustav are remembered. A pity only the front of the memorial seems to be well kept, the back where the brother's names can be found looks very weathered. The note pictured below was found inside the cigarette case, it reads: 17/6/18 Mr Gustav Letmathe, Heepen The following effects belonging to your fallen son Hans, are forwarded by the Company: 1 cigarette case Nothing else was on his person.

I really like old postcards but wish people had written some kind of details on the back.

Could it be towards the end of the war, two high ranking officers being flown to liberated Belgium instead of hanging around in Berlin waiting for the inevitable? Or perhaps to talk terms of surrender? Interesting indeed. It's difficult to tell from the photo if the Belgians are all wearing WWI helmets, if so, would there have been enough available for wear in 1945? Tony

Two letters from home that were returned, they’re numbered letter 24 and letter 25 as well list of effects sent home. Bernard, there's no date on the photos shown above but a different photo sent to Karl's sister is dated Berlin, Dec. 1917. It’s amazing anything got through at the period towards the end of the war, it must have been chaotic. Letters sent to the family mention that some of Karl's belongings will be sent by registered post and in October two men say they’ll visit the family after the war, knowing as you say, it must soon be over. I have a few things from another member of the family (different surname) killed just a few weeks before Germany’s black day which I’ll post in a separate thread. Tony

Hello, Here's a photo picked up today, as can be seen the soldier has a white or light coloured patch attached to his left sleeve. Does anyone have an idea what the 66 insignia means? Thanks Tony

I was recently given some old letters and postcards relating to two fallen German soldiers, one of them was Karl Stender, a machine gunner in 4. Garde Regt. zu Fuss, II Bn. II MGK. He killed during the fighting at Ferme Malhotel 30/8/18 or 31/8/18. The info below is taken from a letter written by Vizefeldwebel Franz Grothe and posted to the father of Karl Stender on 8/10/18. The 4. Garde Regt. received orders to move forward on 20/8/18, during the next two days the unit got ready for the fighting which was to take place at Inselberg and Paradiesberg (possibly better known as Ferme Malhotel) and waited in readiness. They moved into the 2nd line on the 23rd and 24/8 and early on the 25th took up position in the front line ready to attack. After a short artillery barrage the attack commenced, the machine gunners had two platoons, each with two machine guns. As soon as they went over the top both platoons received losses, in spite of this they moved forward towards the enemy, eventually taking the front line trench. Immediately they pushed further forward towards the enemy's 2nd line and came under a frenzy of MG fire. The Garde Regt. MG platoons dug themselves in and started firing at the enemy position, in the same moment a mix of French and US infantry began their counterattack. The counter attack floundered and broke up. French and US losses were immense, the German MG platoons had one NCO dead, two NCO's and nine men wounded. By dawn the order came for both MG platoons to join as one and move to the right, filling a gap in the line. This gap was on Paradiesberg, opposite Ferme Malhotel. That day the enemy attacked several times without success and in the evening the machine gunners were moved to the rear for some much needed rest. Early on 30/8/18 orders were received to move forward again, they came under attack several times on the way to their position in the front, losing one NCO and several men. Once in the line, position was taken up a little further to the right on Inselberg. The French and US were preparing to take Inselberg and prior to an impending attack, brought a formidable amount of artillery fire onto the hill (another letter sent to Karl's father mentions a 22 hour artillery barrage). The MG platoon dug themselves in behind a slope and waited. There was a pause in the artillery fire however, no attack followed. During this lull Karl Stender took the opportunity to have a cigarette and a chat to some mates when all of a sudden they were surprised by fresh artillery fire. The first shell landed amongst the trees throwing splinters in every direction, one man was dead, Karl and three other men were wounded. Karl had the worst wounds, one to the head and a bad wound to the right side of his stomach, he was bandaged and a doctor in a nearby trench for sent for. By the time the doctor arrived he could only confirm Karl had died. The men in Karl's platoon had his body moved to a rear area where the field kitchen was expected, from there his body was taken further to the rear to a cemetery behind Cessieres (about 10km east of Laon). He was buried in a coffin, in a single grave. Karl's war was over and his unit moved on to the Argonne and although replacement men were received, by the end of September they had no more that 200 men answering the roll call. Those who survived the war started the march back to Berlin a week or so after the Armistice. I'm not sure where Karl is buried now, the Volksbund shows a Vizefeldwebel Karl Stender was killed 20/8/18 and now rests in the British and German war cemetery in Muille-Villette. denkmalprojekt.org doesn't show any trace of a Vizefeldwebel Stender in 4. Garde Regt. however, in 1922 German dead were moved from the surrounding areas to a central cemetery at Muille-Villette which is about 50km from Cessieres. On the other hand another letter reveals that Uffz. Richard Reimers was the 'other man' killed by the artillery shell, he was originally buried next to Karl in Cessieres and now rests in Mons-Laonnois.

First one shows one with a number and one without in May 1916 - Inf. regiment 106 2nd photo - Res. Inf. Regt. 122, 12 Komp. in Feb. 1916 3rd photo - just has a stamp on the reverse for Landst. Inf. Bn. 15, 3. Komp.

A number 3 on their helmet covers and on the gun. 3rd Coy., 7th Westf. Jaeger Bn. Tony

Chip, Andy, thanks a lot, I'll go with the Fernsprech badge. Thanks for adding the banner Eric, I've been away from Imperial for quite a while (Commonwealth is taking over) but it's good to do some catching up. Tony

Thanks a lot for the explanation Chip. I've just been searching through the photos looking for similar faces but no luck. I did find a photo postcard with men wearing what looks like winged propellers on their straps so not all artillery as I previously thought. I'll have to scan it. Tony

I picked up a handful of photos yesterday to FAR 10 and amongst them was a photo showing a sleeve badge with the letter F worn on the left arm. There's nothing written on the reverse giving a clue as to the unit but I suppose it's possible it's artillery. Tony

A number no where near as high as the one above, I picked them up yesterday. Tony

2 Stars isn't enough Jerry, you need more It's great to have such an early entry and I didn't know the first arrival date before now, thanks! Tony

What a coincidence, I was at the Canadian cemetery in Beny sur Mer the other day and just over a week ago visited some Kiwi graves at Achiet le Grand. Tony

Timo, Download the files for Request for Service Personnel Details, general enquirer's form and Request for Service Personnel Details: British Army part 2 here https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records Fill out the details and send it all off not forgetting proof of death e.g. death cert. copy and the 30 GBP fee. A bit expensive if you're just curious as the death certificate has to be paid for too. Tony