Naxos

I believe this is a Zeiss Th Nivellierinstrument. An Land Surveyor instrument. The data plate on your optics show; Bal. Th. for Theodolit Tank optics, especially for mid-war Panthers, would have a manufacturer code instead of the name on the plate. here you can see a Carl Zeiss TH1: Regards, Hardy

What a brave Sanit?ter - thank you for sharing. BTW: There are five Medic NCO's that were awarded the Knights Cross see here: http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/medic/medicsrk.htm Here is an infantry medic shoulder strap; Sanit?tsunteroffizier upgraded to Sanit?tsfeldwebel from Grenadier-Regiment 236. Regards, Hardy

Thank you guys Hardy

The scull appears to be of silver - and is quite small. Is it a Panzer collar tab scull or a Kavallerie shoulder board scull? for comparison Regards, Hardy

The man is: Otto von Oelhafen Regards, Hardy

Gentlemen, I need your input I was going to change the boards on this tunic like you all suggested, but when I had a closer look at the boards I noticed the following: 1.) The numerals are not all the way through the boards, they were put on before the red and black piping was attached what leads me to believe that the numerals are original to the boards. 2.) The Laschen holding the boards on the tunic are of the same blue wool as the tunic. 3.) The black velvet of the boards is the same as the black velvet on the collar and cuffs. 4.) No rank pips seemed to be removed. 5.) There is no indication the tunic had different boards on (in fact if you have a close look you can see a slight fading on the shoulder outlining the shoulder board Lasche. I think I should leave this tunic in the present state, since all indications, however improbable, suggest that the boards and the rank are original to this tunic. There are a lot of portraits taken after 1918 depicting officers and NCO's in the pre war blue tunic. Rick, Chip and Charles what are your suggestions? Please, I need some help - if the boards would have shown any indication being messed with or from a different tunic it would have been changed already, but... Regards, Hardy

Yes Rick; I'm working on a little essay to go with pictures (most come from a photo album that belonged to a Leutnant of the IR 170) of French tanks that were destroyed on April 16 1917 near Berry au Bac. The French attacked the German lines using the new "Artillerie Speciale". It was the first French mass use of tanks in warfare. I will post it all here when I have it ready. Thanks again for your help Hardy

Thank you

This is what I can make out: Zerschossener franz?sischer Tank auf der Da....linie bei Guignicourt, Offensive (or is it Ostern..?) 1917 Regards, Hardy

He served as a clerk in a Railway Repair Shop Office placed in D?naburg Latvia.

can you post a bigger scan - I have a hard time reading it. He apparently was posted to a Eisenbahn (Train) unit. Hardy

Very interesting Paul; Paul Otto Waurich a civil servant from Freiberg served in WWI in the Saxon Infanterie Regiment 104 and subsequently was a Sonderf?hrer (Z) with the rank of a NCO in the Wehrmacht. Regards, Hardy

This Unteroffizier must have been over forty when he was promoted. Hardy

Paul; the recruits of 5. Kompanie, Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 31 in September 1941 Hardy

Imagine the big holes it would leave in your tunic. Hardy

Chris, he is wearing the Wachstuchm?tze (oil cloth cap) have a look at the images here: http://www.altearmee.de/hilfe/landsturm/index2.htm http://www.altearmee.de/hilfe/landsturm/landsturm104.jpg Hardy

It does look like a Landwehr cross. I say he is a Landsturmmann Hardy

Never seen one like this before: http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...A:IT&ih=016 Hardy

Not a pre war tunic. Litzmannstadt 1942. Factory applied insignia is correct. Hardy

Paul; very nice find! The stamp says: WIRTSCHAFTSAMT LITZMANNSTADT (a known LBA supplier) translates to something like: Office for Economic Affairs in Litzmannstadt (Lodz, Poland) Regards, Hardy

I misunderstood Hardy

Here is an army officer canidate in the ranf of Oberfeldwebel with silver cord on the visor. Hardy

I think it is 2. Kompanie Fliegerersatzabteilung Nr. 1 Hardy

check out this site: http://www.angelfire.com/tn3/luftwaffefeld/uniforms.html