Chris Boonzaier

I imagine how some of our coppers here on the forum would salivate at the thought of having one of those on the end of the riot stick.... the quite before the storm, then a choke and cough of 2-stroke motors from the police lines as the suffraggettes, tree huggers, womans rights, animal rights, gay rights, human rights or leftist protesters shift uneasily from one foot to another, The slow forward tramp of boots.... the protesters shuffling backwards... ready to break ranks and run.... then as the police lines get closer, backing them into a cul-de-sac, they try and turn and run... but there is no way to escape.... Robin shouts "Attaaaack!"... Mervyn shouts "scum!"... and the thin blue line surges forward.........BUUUUUUUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!! ;-)

I think maybe better for crown control than combat?

This is the tip of the root for the Foreign Legion..... I cant remember the red or the green was to commemorate the Swiss, but somehow the Legion colors were based on the first swiss troops serving the french

Indeed... he is going to donate the sock with a single shoe to a one legged homeless man :-))

Hard call... Probably French, but not legion?

Well... i was just reading about sailors torpedoed in the pacific, drowning, or slow death by thirst... or grouping together while sharks ate one sailor after another.... in the artic it was over and done with in 20 minutes. I would prefer not to have to choose, but if I had to choose between a great white and quickly freezing, I think the arctic was maybe a better way to go. I think this was largely political?

Hi, what would a really one without a chinstrap bring? It is hard to find photos of them being worn in the war :-(

You mean like..... for free? :-(

Hi, It is more or less the 1st part of a few pieces. Nimmergut says something along the lines of "The award practises did not keep pace with the changing face of warfare"... which is B.S..... it is more like, he made no effort to calculate the changing face of warfare into the award practises. And what he says has been parroted from book to book without any critical thinking "The iron cross 2nd class was handed out in baskets to keep moral up......" is an insulting and baseless statement... so this piece is the first set of thoughts against that.... too much of what has been written on this subject simply ignores the fact that the awards took place in wartime... and make claims of "cheapening" while ignoring what a military award is all about. My intention is to enlarge on this subject with a 2nd part with more facts and figures.

Now, Peg Bundys underwear.... There i may go 60 000:::::

Indeed... well spent tax dollars ;-)

Hi, does the name Samuel Friedeberg u. Söhne mean anything to anyone? On SDA there is a Kreuz für Kriegshilfe for sale apparently from this maker.... it is stamped "F"...

I only had one of these about a decade ago... and thenm only for a few days... so i am no expert... but I like this one.

Hi, the pictured one is not mine. I have a similar one from a barn in the Argonne, it is 105cm from tip to the ring... so about 41 inches... that would reach from the front of the barrel, to the back of the MG, and still have 4-5cm to spare...

thats pretty cool... somewhere out there a photo is floating around of one being worn......

Hi Andy, is the Wi. with a Wilm cross? Thanks Chris

It seems that the Atlantic star required 180 days at sea... so many arctic guys did not qualify... Arctic star has no time limit. Now the guys who did not qualify for the atlantic Star due to only 175 days at Sea are going to get their lobby going as well ;-) However, many Arctic veterans failed to qualify for that because of a six-month minimum service limit unique to the Atlantic Star. All other stars had only a one-day qualifying period. At the end of the Cold War, the convoy veterans began their campaign for formal recognition. Tony Blair’s government went back on a promise to create a medal and former defence secretary John Reid came up with a compromise of creating the Arctic Emblem, which many saw as little better than a badge. The Ministry of Defence also went back on a promise to allow veterans to pin it on to the Atlantic Star. Trudie Grenfell, the daughter of Cdr Grenfell, said: “My father is absolutely delighted with the medal. He is very pleased that this recognition is coming at long last, just sad that many of his friends have not lived to see it.” All those men who served for any length of time north of the Arctic Circle are eligible for the Arctic Star. http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/arctic-star-medal-for-russian-convoys-veterans-1-2810130

Hmmm.... does that mean they would have to wear either the Arctic or Atlantic star? After all, a recipient of the Air crew Europe Star could not wear that and an atlantic star... or that and a France and Germany star? If they can wear an Atlantic AND Arctic, then IMHO politics won out over military ? Best Chris

DUH !!!!!!!! For the first time I realised that the oval is supposed to be a belt of bullets!!! I must have been blind all these years....

I traded my only one away about 10 years ago.... but soon I will make the jump and buy one ;-)

What about a 90 000 USD sock ?!?! http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/57691-a-90-000-dollar-sock/

What can one say...... http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/25/sport/bloody-sock-auction/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

One of my only ones, but with a cool history.....

Some very nice goodies indeed!!! Kai wrinckler had navy ones a number of years ago... where they just like this one? Best Chris

Hi, I buy the WW1 scenario... I can understand the infantry being pssed at pilots who spent the night in a bed, but as you say... the pilots may last just 3 weeks... and I bet even the infantry respected then for that.... Fact is... the pilots shared the danger.... hell, even the heavy artillery shared the danger... I think thats what bonds soldiers... sharing a danger.... It may on occasion even bond soldiers on different sides of nomans land in a way if they gain each others respect.... But it is not a brotherhood a drone pilot can buy into.... maybe that is a deeper seated reason why many soldiers block at the thought of this award.... If PTSD is a condition ignored by many soldiers because of a "Macho" thing.... it is a difficult sell to mention to guys who may deny they have it themselves that Droners suffer it as well