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    ph0ebus

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    Everything posted by ph0ebus

    1. Hi all, I picked up this bayonet a few days ago in a shop in Massachusetts. It was tagged as a WWI American Bayonet, but it looks like a K98 bayonet to me. It has matching numbers and leather frog. Cost me $60 USD. What do you think?
    2. Hi all, I have been given two photos of my great grandfather who was British born but lived much of his life in New Jersey, USA. In each he is wearing some sort of medal and I am hoping someone has some sort of notion as to whether they are Masonic or not? Photo one, early in his life: A grainy closeup: Pic 2 (sorry it is so tiny!): Closeup of the medal: Any ideas as to what these are would be greatly appreciated. I have no idea what became of the medals themselves, sadly. Thanks, -Daniel
    3. Hi all, In helping my mom sort through my father's toolbench, I came across the following item: In doing a little basic research on them online I found the following: POLAROID NO.1021 ALL PURPOSE GOGGLE KIT, WWII ISSUE: This set of goggles is complete with all the different color lenses and the original soft roll type case. These were used from flight crews to the Tank Corps for drivers. Except, my dad was in Field Artillery. Were these common amongst all US Army troops? I am not sure why he had them. The kit, by the way, is in fine shape and is complete, with all lenses intact, which I gather is not that common. Any advice on how to keep them in good shape? If you need a photo of the goggles and lenses themselves, just let me know. Thanks, -Daniel
    4. Hi Chris, all... Sorry for the lag in replying....life got in the way. Here is some information on the life of Hans and his military career...a good place to start I hope: http://www.irishbrigade.eu/other-men/germans/boehm/boehm.html If you need more info or need details, please let me know and I will ask my pal and see if he has the answers you seek. Thanks again, Daniel
    5. Hi all, I am assisting someone who is researching the Great War German spy Hans Boehm; he writes: Hans Boehm was a German spy who had a very interesting career. I came across him in researching Casement's Irish Brigade. Boehm was involved with the running of the Irish Brigade, but (probably) only so that the Germans could get an introduction to American Irish prepared to help Germany The FBI have hundreds of pages on him. They intercepted a letter from his (American) wife living in Germany to her mother in Oregon, in which she says that on 1 Nov 1915 "Today he received the Iron Cross. We are so happy. Now all three brothers have this highly prized decoration" His full name is Hans Walther Luigi Boehm: Born 25 January 1873 at Altkirch in Alsace. Can anyone tell me if it is possible to check this award of Iron Cross, and if so to see what grade? We have located a photo of him wearing the award, which we are confident is the Prussian EKI: If anyone can confirm this is the EKI and where we might look to find out details of when and how he received this award, any ideas, suggestions, etc. would be most welcome. What sort of documentation/paper trail would accompany an award like this? I also want to confirm he would have been awarded the EKII before being awarded the EKI. If you have further questions please do not hesitate to ask. Thanks! -Daniel
    6. Hi all, Sorry for the delay in posting these....got caught up in home renovations that took longer than expected. here's my grandfather with EKII ribbon in his buttonhole (circa May 1917): And here is his brother Simon with his EKII ribbon on a ribbon bar (undated, but presumably late war): Of course, Simon is wearing the tunic sans buttonholes, which would make the wearing of the bar more sensible, but as I am new to all this, and was not sure if there was some other significance above and beyond the practicality of it. Thanks again, Daniel
    7. Hi Hugh, all... Thanks for the clarification. I am away from my computer at present but will post photos as soon as I have access. Thanks, Daniel
    8. Hi all, Please have a look at this fellow's hat: Is his hat supposed to look like that? I have never seen one quite like it before. Is he Prussian? In theory he should be with Reserve Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 5, serving with my great uncle Gefr. Simon. Stern. Here's 'hat man' in context: My great uncle is 2nd from the right. On the back of the photo is "Mein bruder am Winterberg". Any thoughts about the odd hat, and whether folks think this is RFAR 5 or not, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, -Daniel
    9. Hi all, Apologies if this is a basic question, and I was unable to locate a previous thread on this question using the search feature. My question relates to two family pictures I have, one of my grandfather (Emanuel) and another of his brother (Simon). Both were awarded the EKII, but while my grandfather wears his EKII ribbon through his buttonhole, his brother wears it on a ribbon bar on his left breast. My grandfather was with Feldartillerie Regiment Nr. 43, and his brother was with Reserve Feldartillerie Regiment Nr 5, though I am not 100% certain Simon was still with RFAR5 at the time the photo was taken. Why would two presumably Prussian FAR regiments wear the EKII ribbon two different ways? Thanks, -Daniel
    10. Too bad there is not some forensic test/method of anaylsis one could do to draw out the original names from the metal..... ....is there? -Daniel
    11. Excellent! Seems like we are on the right path. I had a few family postcards like this and figured, hey, if he is writing to family, maybe his name is Rühl. of course, had I been able to read German I might have formed a better theory than that! -Daniel
    12. Hi Andy, I am assuming you already checked around under the name Rühl? I wish I were better at reading and translating the old script, and could make out his signature at the end, if that is in fact what that is. Looking for KIAs on weltkriegsopfer.de with that last name I see 18 possible candidates. -Daniel
    13. Hi Chris, Thanks for the recommendation. Very clear and gets right to the heart of the matter. Thanks! -Daniel
    14. Hi Chip, It is funny you mention that because I just bought that very book! I am only about 30 pages in and already I am getting quite an education. Thanks again, -Daniel
    15. Hi Phil, From my own experience, there are three ways you can determine how your man earned his EKII, each quite daunting and likely to end in heartache (or at least heartburn!): (1) get a copy of this man's Soldbuch. In there, in theory, there should be a notation of when & where he was wounded/went to the feldlazarette, etc. with some basic details. (2) locate a copy of the relevant Unit History and, if it is one of the better ones with a roll of dead and wounded in it, look up you man therein (3) wait until Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales (LAGeSo) reopens to research inquiries (don't hold your breath). Your man's medical records, at least in part, should be in their archives. Happy hunting! -Daniel
    16. Hi Stephan, Thanks for this. If I may be so bold as to ask a dumb question (which is easy, as this is all pretty new to me): What does Landwehr I and II mean, exactly? I see nothing on my grandfather's wehrpass, so he was never transferred from one to the other? Just trying to wrap my head around a very, very complicated subject. Thanks, -Daniel
    17. Hi all, I have perhaps a general Militärpaß question relating to a project I am working on. I am creating a website to help people new to reading a Militärpaß to understand what content and information can be on what page, using my grandfather's Militärpaß as an example. I have translations for all but two pages: Can someone in a general way tell me what these two pages are talking about? My website, such as it is, can be viewed here: Militärpaß Thanks, -Daniel
    18. Hi Uwe, Thanks so much for this; I am now trying to track down what became of Major v. Herrmann...and I look forward to hearing from Chris re: the above. Thanks, -Daniel
    19. Hi all, One quick follow-up question...was the wording of this document following a standardized format, or was there variation in the wording between documents or between units? Just trying to get a clear understanding of what I have... Thanks, -Daniel
    20. Hi Naxos, That makes sense. I have been wavering on the fence about getting a replacement cross, and may end up getting one at some point. I would also love to know more about the man who signed this document, and what became of him. Would he be in the Rangeliste? If so I would have to head on over to the library to check it. -Daniel
    21. Hi Naxos, Thanks so much for the transcription and translation! So, what would the 'official' document look like? I am pretty sure I don't have that but you never know...there are a few papers of his that are in German that I do not know what they say...yet. -Daniel PS: his actual EKII disappeared at some point, so all I have is this document and a few pictures of him wearing the ribbon on his uniform...that's it.
    22. Hi all, Below is the award document I have for when my grandfather, Emanuel Stern, from when he received his EKII. The ink is very light, as you can see, and I was hoping someone had some suggestions regarding ways to darken the text so it can be properly read? Of course, if you can translate what it says in its present form I would be immensely grateful. He was wounded twice (once on the Eastern Front near Maniewicze, Russia and once at Verdun), so I am not sure if he got this for the first or second time, or perhaps both. Lastly, are documents like this rare? If you have any questions for me please do not hesitate to ask. Thanks, -Daniel
    23. Hi Glenn, Some good news: I checked and I see a copy of 'Deutschlands Heere bis 1918' available at the New York Public Library, which I will be requesting from them forthwith. The copy of the FAR 47 History is pretty rare, from what I am able to gather, and I was very fortunate to find someone selling a clean, original copy not too long ago. I am in the proces of digitizing it so I can struggle through it on my laptop while commuting. I am hopeful to find a copy of the other book you mention as well. My sincerest thanks! -Daniel
    24. Hi all, New to the forum, and at present I am researching FAR 47, FAR 57 and FAR 43, all regiments which my grandfather belonged to over the course of the Great War. I have the Unit Histories for FAR 47 and FAR 43, but not for 57...I was wondering how difficult it might be to find that History. I was a bit disappointed to see that while the UH for FAR 43 has a Roll of Honor in it of the dead and wounded by battery, the FAR 47 UH has no such roll, though it does list all who got the EKI, amongst other things. I was also hoping to connect with others researching these units, either because they have an interest in these units and/or have ancestors that served in them...I know at least on GMIC member here does (Hi Andy!). I would be happy to chat with anyone who has an interes in these regiments or who has questions about them...I am a bit new to this and will do my best. I would also be happy to connect with anyone researching soldiers from Fulda, germany, which was my grandfather's home town. Take care, -Daniel
    25. Indeed, Ancestry just uploaded an enormous amount of materials relating to Bavarian troops in the Great War. Records relating to one of my distant relatives (Ludwig Regensteiner) that were not up even a week ago are there now. I am at the New York Public Library on occasion and if someone needs a lookup for these Bavarian records, please let me know...happy to help. I can only promise I will get to the requests when I can. -Daniel
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