Biro

Luftwaffe..

Reichsheer und marine...

Here 'tis Rick - I've blown these up to max without totally loosing ALL the definition - these unfortunately were drawn practically to scale - as you will spot... Deumers' Long Service Eagles.

And here's the one Rick is so VERY fond of!!!!

I had the same thought Brian...very similar 'bashful head-hiding' bit... worth a closer look? Marshall

Agreed - they came up with quite a close rendition of the actual Deumer range of spangen - the 'embellishment' of the pre-filed heads aside.. Marshall Dietrichs spanges...

As you have pointed out, the curvature of the date bar in these first pattern mini's is notoriously difficult to capture on 'film' ... but the reverse of this lapel pin version clearly shows the curvature. Dietrich I think has one of these as well, but you don't see the first form lapel version that often. Marshall

And for comparison... the EK+Spange combo next to a first pattern lapel pin EK2 spange and a ribbon bar mounted Schickel style EK2 spange which are a more seemly 11mm.

There certainly are Bob! This clocks in at a whopping 6mm !!

Very interesting Gordon.. I have a Deumer catalogue from 1939 (which no doubt you have seen) clearly depicting EK1 and EK2 in Schinkelform. Unfortunately, they are renditions not photos, and therefore provide no real clue as to whether Deumer actually made schinkelform EK's or simply at that early stage in the war, had no 'normal' style EK template with which to base their renditions on. As yours appear to be photographs, is there any clue in the obverse as to a possible schickel connection with any of the actual schinkelform style pieces you have or have seen? I am presuming not, as I'm sure you would have told us! Marshall

Thanks Chris - here goes..... Zaynetdin Nizamutdinovich Akhmetzyanov was born 21st September 1897 to a peasant family in the village of Yangiskain of what is now Gafuriyskiy District, Bashkirskaya. A member of the CPSU since 1944, he received elementary school education, worked on a collective farm and joined the Red Army in August 1942. He was sent to the front lines in February 1943 serving as a combat engineer in 134th Guards Independent Engineer Battalion, 11th Guards Tank Corps, 1st Guard Tank Army, 1st Ukrainian Front. On the 23 of July 1944, during the construction of a bridge across the San River near the village of Vysotsko, Corporal Akhmetzyanov bravely crossed the river and reached its west bank which was occupied by the enemy. Here he conducted reconnaissance searching for timber and the following day, whilst under heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire and intense air bombardment, installed ? together with other combat engineers of his squad ? four supports for the bridge within two hours. On the 30th of July 1944, he was made helmsman of a crudely constructed barge made from two boats lashed together and decked with scraps of board and planks and was among the first to start carrying artillery, ammunition and troops across the Vistula. During the three days that followed, Akhmetzyanov worked continuously without sleep to ferry twelve 76mm artillery guns, seventy boxes of ammunition and an entire company of machine gunners across the river ? again whilst under constant enemy fire. At one point in the crossings, the bow of the make-shift craft was holed by enemy artillery fire but Akhmetzyanov was able to patch the hole with his own shirt, saving the lives of the landing party aboard and the artillery gun he was carrying. For these acts of selfless bravery, Guards Corporal Zaynetdin Akhmetzyanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and received his Gold Star (#4573) together with the award of the Order of Lenin (#20638) on the 23rd September 1944. Corporal Akhmetzyanov survived the war and returned to work on the family farm in his native village of Yangiskain, where the local school now have a museum in his honour. He died in his hometown on the 30th January 1990 aged 93. regards Marshall

Star

Never been one to resist an invitation...!!!

Rick To be honest, I can barely make out which side is the obverse from the pictures you've posted!! Your dimensions don't seem quite large enough for a true 'wideframe' - wideframe EK2's are usually the territory of maker '24' - and frequently crop up with a small acorn on the side of the small ring as shown below. If yours has the W&L type hump however (which I can't make out in your pictures) then it is of course not a 24. regards Marshall

Absolutely ABSOLUTELY stunning Ralph!! My god that is a quality piece. Enjoy it. Marshall

Nice example Chris!! Our Russian friends certainly had 'distribution issues' to overcome - your star is numbered nearly 4000 digits higher than mine and yet your recipient predates my awardee by a full YEAR! Extremely common - but I've never seen SUCH a discrepancy. Do you have any of the other awards? Marshall

Way to go Rick! Kinda makes you want to dial 'em up and - in the remote scenario that they still work - see what kind of conversation ensues....?

That certainly is a nice label on a very neat and tidy combo Don! Dresden!! - Not an address you would have relished anytime around Feb 1945 Marshall

What the hell are you talking about Darrell - it's NEVER over!! That is a beauty #13 - (lucky for some as they say...) Marshall

This beautiful example of Pascals is how yours should look - with a screw nut holding the plate to the back. Marshall

Rich The top centre and 2nd class on the right are the 'Junckers' that Gordon is referring too - in this case and as is normal, unmarked - but I'm in complete agreement with Gordon about them being Juncker due to some L/12 m/marked standard (non-scalloped) pattern pieces that exist sharing identical characteristics (with the exception of the scalloped bar). The 2nd class on the left is the little brother to the one you are looking at. How I would love to complete the set with a nice screwback 1st class version of this type! Marshall

Thanks Rick - and understood.... an impossible task given the parameters and grey areas. That all the components are 100% m/marked and original is enough for me, and (as I suspected all along) this will now be referred to as my PLM 'set' rather than 'grouping'... The spange is a personal connundrum.... do I remove it (it's fitted between the ribbon rather than through it..) or leave it as a remotely possible anomally ..? 'Red flags' do not sit well with your average collection 'centrepiece' .... Thanks for your help on this occaision - and previous ones...!! Marshall

Hi Bob I can offer the following and hope it helps... First off, this is in my opinion a cheap facsimile of the Godet logo as it appeared in there 1914 EK cases, and I can see no reason for them to have 'downgraded'.. I know of 4 of these EK cases - 1 is mine, 2 are owned by friends of mine and the fourth is on page 140 of Bowens book. ALL have the same double line logo and significantly different lettering. Here is the logo in the one you are looking at (left) next to mine (right). [attachmentid=8279] And here is further evidence of a case I would have a lot more faith in... exhibited by Gordon W some time ago ...'in a different place'... and significantly different in both maker logo and catch construction. [attachmentid=8280] In my opinion, the Star itself is good, the case is a modern reproduction, and it is indeed THE same set sold by Der Rittmeister a few months ago. Not for me I'm afraid... Regards Marshall oops - didn't see the 'prallel thread' - now you have it twice!

Hi Gents Im very new to the whole research thing, but I am still hopefull of obtaining at least a short list of potential candidates for this PLM grouping - I totally understand that without the 'key' award, it is difficult. As Rick has already kindly pointed out to me, I really will need to find a picture of this being worn, but in order to attempt this, I need to narrow the field slightly... To date, I know that it was awarded to a typical Prussian Captain who progressed through to Maj/Lt Col. The case was made by a jeweller in Cologne (spelt Coeln not K?ln) and that therefore, he may well have been a Rhinelander. If we are to take the EK2 spange at face value (despite its 'unconventional' appearance) he also served and was decorated in WW2. That's it. I cannot explain why the RAO is not mounted, nor the odd looking EK2 spange attatchment..... but I'm hoping for some clues. Feel free to PM me if this is something you are able to help me research, but would require 'remuneration' for, given the labour intensive research required. kind regards Marshall Image removed.....

Bob... et al The EK's marked GODET-BERLIN with hooks can still be found - the fitted out Godet marked case is a whole different story. Best of luck in your hunt - and thanks for all your comments. Marshall