Chris Boonzaier

Hi, I am guessing there were no issue compasses in WW1? This seems to be the one most people call a "WW1 German compass"... they dont have any marks or makers as far as I know. Obviously the artillery had bigger and better, but would this be the correct one for a regular infantry officer/NCO ? I assume they are private purchase and that it was a producer who churned them out in huge numbers.

Very nice! Do you know who the recipient was?

Hi, they are just private purchase covers, nothing official would look that nice ;-)

Here are a couple more....

Hi, but the EK2 must have been awarded quite some time before, if you take into account the EK2, EK1 and GMVK progression. P.S. I always say the EK2 is in the buttonhole on the day of the award, but many of the photos show the guys have put it in the buttonhole for a photo, sometimes a long time after the award day.

dang... I must keep looking!

Hi, I guess when you are this highly decorated you can maybe do whatever the hell you want, but is this technically correct? Is a Single mount GMVK possible or did he just hook hook it into his usual EK2 mount? I thought the GMVK was worn on the buttonhole? Best Chris

Nice find!

Duh! I dont know how I missed that... thanks Uwe!

Nice. I think most of the stains are of on the edges, you can have this framed and have something covering them. Many things can go wrong with attempts to restore documents. Its not worth it, especially as the coffee would have seeped into the paper...

Hi Andreas, thanks!

Hi, can anyone read the word in the first pic just under the date 16.6.16 and above the red line? here is the pic again.....

Hi, sorry, my bad, I mixed books... the Golden MVK is to Heinrich Kohlmeier of Sturmbataillon Rohr. I just added it in here as we aere all on the thread anyway. the ??? is a pain, I think it may be "gdn" or "preu" ?

Those are nice!

Hi, I would guess they had to buy it, but you think they did in fact change them?

Compared to the British and French the Germans (in WW1 at least) were actually more Humane/Lenient than the allies. I read an account where a veteran soldier refused to return to Höhe 304 in Verdun, stating he prefered to be executed. he was not punished.

Muchos Grazies Amigos! In the 2nd one under Strafen they have something new for the 27.1.18 and 21.3 18... Did they then cancel it all ? While we are here... check out the Orden Entry... What can the XXX in front of the Militäer-Verd. be? It is the Prussian Gold Military Verdienst Cross, but is it a kurzel for Prussian or Golden? Thanks Chris

Thanks Dave! Here are a couple more....

Here is an interesting Militärpass, If anyone could help with the German text for the punishments? 3 Months prison for a month AWOL which seems to have been delayed, then seems to have been pardoned? All the best Chris

Hi, was there a swap? i.e. when the medal was introduced, did officers trade the brooch for a medal? The medal bar in Question is from the 1930s with Ehrenkreuz, and I cannot remember seeing bars with brooches that late ?

Hi, Thanks! If an officer got the II Class Prussian landwehr Dienstauszeichnung in 1910, the 2nd one you have shown is what he would have had on his bar right?

Thanks Andy!! Here is another problem child...

However, all that said.... the itty bitty spade was just a bonus, what I really like is the axe with its carrier :-)))

Here are some young infantrymen transfered to the 3rd Jägers in November 1916.....

I wonder if the comforts of peacetime were overtaken by the realities of war? I can really imagine these being a kind of prewar status symbol. Nice small entrenching tool while the other schmucks had a full sized one to carry around... then in 1914 they are REALLY digging in... and the MG guys are cursing the little bitty shovels..... I have not tried to dig with it, buy I have dug with a regular sized entrenchting tool... not nice, but it works... the mg spade, one handed.... forgetaboutit....