Claudius

I believe Bernd D suspects some "funny business" went on to create it. And I would lean that direction as well, until this combination can be traced to someone.

You'll forgive me then for the cigar question. I thought he was a proud papa (I hope HRH has a sense of humor, or I'll find a horse head in my bed.)

...And kudos to your bar repair. Worn and tattered looking I still like it for the LS awards alone. I'm sure there is a 15 out there to make the other bar whole. Can we see the back as well?

WOW. Those are some great patches! The gun commander patches are very nice examples. It's nice to see them in color. Thank you for sending them! I don't need single photos of them. They look great just the way they are. But, if you have an opportunity, could I see the back side as well? Thank you again.

"Ooops, forget that, wrong story!!!" I should say so...LOTR didn't have any medals/awards that I could see. But the sword David is wearing might fall under this catagory Are those cigars in his form-fitting pockets under the Tamara and on his right breast pocket????

Does anyone have these books? Which one would be a good source for Kaiserliche Marine patch insignia? F?hrer durch Heer und Flotte 1914 by B Friedag, Unsere Marineuniform by J. Zienert published by Verlag Helmut Gerhard Schulz, Atlas des Deutschen Reichsheeres und der Kaiserlichen Marine by Carl Henckel published by Milit?r-Kunst-Verlag "Mars"

Regarding the Gun commander shoulder patch: Does anyone know if the thread color would be RED or YELLOW? I have conflicting information. Specifically, that red is for torpedo and yellow for artillery. Could someone who has a good uniform and insignia book tell me if the color of the thread would be red or yellow.

Thanks Rick. I didn't know if TR might have reliable sources for research purposes. I thought Furstenburg might have been promoted to an officer and therefore be more traceable. I have heard of the infamous german archives and especially bundesarchiv. I have a friend who can remember when they were more accommodating, but that valve shut down about 20-25 years ago. The excuse they used at first was that it's an issue of "privacy". Are they worried about armature nazi-hunters pounding on the family's doors??? (I suppose their are nuts out there ) I can't imagine what the staff does every day to up the appearance of looking busy? ...restful indeed.

BTW: Pardon my ignorance, what is "Glenns' 1870 EK2 list"? Is this a book? Can it be purchased? I would like to look up Johann Karl Blume of the 77th Hanoverian Regiment in the F-P war. Thanks

"old items (near-forgotten) float to the surface" WOW! If you nearly forgot about this one, I would like to rummage around your collection some time Nice bar. And to HeikoGrusdat's point...by 1914 this guy was old.

Actually, he was a gun commander and munitions handler for a Naval coastal artillery battery stationed at Tsingtau, China at the start of WWI. He was captured along with the rest of the garrison and sent to the Japanese POW camp in Fukuyama. Repatriated in 1919/20 and shown here in the service of the Third Reich. What unit or in what capacity is what I am trying to find out. Is there anyone with access to records that can find out what he did in WWII? thank you in advance...

Why yes he is....in fact I also have that. It's well worn and doesn't look as nice as yours. But that's it, I don't have any other insignia, his medal bar or the KVK that is through his button hole.

I have the ribbon bar. Nice little thing...he actually broke it putting it on so much. Right between the Hindy and the first TR long service.

next in blue.... Does anybody recognize this unit now? Are there any service records that might cover him?

I have some photos if that will help. first, in white...

Does anyone know what this might be? On his left side next to his ribs.... Like a one ribbon bar.

Here are those patches...

Here is Furstenburg during his Imperial service. I really like the shoulder patches. The top one for (naval) Artillery and the bottom one is for munitions handler. The two strips (the second just barely peaking) are for a gun commander.

Hello; Can anybody tell me what Willi (Willy) F?rstenburg service was in in WWII? And what was his rank? Thank you. FYI: In WWI, he was a Feldwebel in an overseas Coastal Artillery unit as a munitions handler.

nice OZL throat award! on the Grand Duke?

Hello RaZpuTIN; Yes indeed. Tsingtau is one of my areas of interest to me. I will be glad to post the photos of the group...but usually I like to have the "story" as complete as possible. Hence why I ask questions on this forum to fill in certain blank spots. While this is group belonging to Willy Furstenburg, I am tring to find out who is Dr. Paukstat. Is he the mysterious "toni" from the telegram. Or is "toni" Willy's son It might be a bit naive of me to think there would be few enough "Dr. An(toni)us Paukstat"s in Germany to narrow it down to one guy.

close up of the paper stamp on the side of the telegram. They must have had to pay dearly for each telegraph word back in 1914. The address of the recipient was included in the total word count (9). It appears to me that they are responding to a message that Feldwebel Furstenburg sent shortly after the surrender of Tsingtau. I have information that states that Mrs. Johnna Furstenburg and Dr. Paukstat were in Tientstin. The Japanese did allow non-combatants to leave before the siege, so perhaps the Feldwebel had his wife/mother/sister(?) sent there with her doctor/husband(?) Again..."hanna" must be short for "Johanna", but "toni" is unknown to me. Unless that is the first name of Dr. Paukstat. Any help would be appreciated...

the back has nothing on it. (FYI: that darker pink area in the center is just the reflection of the camera and my hands)

Here is the photo of the telegram from Tientsin, China to Fukuoka, Japan and the POW camp located there.

WOW. Nice little batch of army and navy. Do you have any of the boxes they came in? Reverse too please.