Brian R

He looks like the Last Surviving Napoleonic Veteran.

That appears to be a lionhead hilt on his sword, so it's his old "honor weapon" from army artillery or cavalry days, I think.

Photo must be from before the Polizei long service awards of 1938 were bestowed, and from his service in 1897 but only an XV, he must have left as a senior NCO BEFORE the First War and ? was already in the Police then-- possibly mobilized as a Feldgendarme in 1914. If he'd had continuous military service he would be wearing a Prussian XXV Years Service Cross.

FORTY years to claw his way up to some sort of Oberleutnant equivalent....

Excellent, Rick. Thank you!!

both pages...

Here's his Draft Registration Card. He was born in Iowa but registered in California. He was a bartender before the war and tried to claim an exemption based on his being the sole supporter of his mother.

This bar looks good (although the cotton is weird). I doubt that it was a Combatant EK redressed with a NonCom ribbon. This combo, but with Black/White ribbon, would be a pretty unlikely bar. Is the EK tied down?

Thanks Claudio. I originally though LS, but then I got carried away. I should have known... :blush:

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Baden Policeman portrait - he proudly displays his medal bar...

Baden War Service Cross

Honor Cross for Non Combatants

Merit Cross of the Order of the Z?hringen Lion ???

Kaiser Centennial Medal

Baden Bronze Jubilee Medal, 1902

Hungarian Commemorative Medal

Is the third place medal a Merit Cross? He has it prominently displayed in front of his other medals.

Here's one to a senior Doctor from February, 1944.

A very interesting group. I bet he was pretty psyched to get transferred back to Feldgendarmerie Abt 757 in Norway.

Hi,

see here....

http://www.kaiserscross.com/41815/118901.html

and Here...

http://www.kaiserscross.com/41815/127101.html

Thanks Chris - I have read these articles in the past - they are excellent. However, I was curious if there was any info about IR117 in the Regimental history in early November. http://www.1914-18.info has the 25 ID around Le Quesnoy at that time. (it is interesting that this town was liberated by New Zealand troops exactly four years after the date of this doc).

Here is a great doc to Offizierstellvertreter in Infanterie-Leibregiment Gro?herzogin (3. Gro?herzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 117 dated November 4, 1914. My best guess is that it was awarded for actions during the first battle of Ypres. Perhaps the unit had suffered considerably since the First battle of the Marne and the Race to the Sea.

Chris - I saw that you have a single EK2 doc to this unit as well (from August). Do you have the regimental history? Is there anything you can share about this man's experiences in October/November?

What was the final answer?

Kim - Thanks so much for the info. Any idea as to what this helmet (Hungarian Model 50) is worth?

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Years ago I picked up this helmet described as a Russian Ssh40 Steel Helmet from World War II. It is in excellent condition, complete with liner and chin strap. I know its tough to be certain but can anyone give an opinion as to whether it is from the Second World War or from sometime during the Cold War? I have included 4 images below. The last one shows two markings, a stamped 2 on the inside of the shell and another stamp on the underside of the chin strap. Also, you can see that the padding is cloth with grass or straw packed in. It doesn't have the usual black leather pads.

I actually posted this question on another forum a long time ago. I'm considering selling it but wanted to get some more opinions before potentially parting with it. Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Can anyone tell me the parent unit of Feldartl-Regts. Nr 505, especially during the last days of the war?

Well at least the seller got the name right.

Verifying his name will only make the price go up. Now it's going to go up to $80,000!!

Nice looking Godet bar with Saxe-Meiningen Honor Medal in Bronze.

Bars with tags are great, but I wouldn't dismiss a nice, historically significant, bar just because it lacks a maker's label.

The cross looks good but I can't believe the bar is anything more than a fantasy piece or a one-time item for the original owner.

Heres an example of a "We" EK1.

Glade to know there are others with the same mark. After reading some of the threads amazed that some have gone into the business of making copies of 1914 thought only that was reserved for the 1813 & 1870 issues. I'm not so sure if the case is for the cross. The inscription reads more or less " In remembrance of Germanys great time" which is a bit odd. I don't think war is a great time... Is this normal for cases to read or only with this maker. I do not collect the Iron Cross, received as an extra piece so whatever info is greatly appreciated. Thanks Yankee

That exact style of case is rather common along with similar style cases with the same inscription. Here's an example of a similar case with the same inscription...

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