Chris Boonzaier

The one at the top is a WW2 South African one... funnily enough one of the oldst pieces in my collection.... when I was about 7 or 8 I was at one of those army exibitions that you sometimes had at shopping Malls in South Africa... one of the Army Medics gave me this and for some strange reason, I still have it. Bottom one is Brit

The "South African Garrison Institute" existed from 1900 - 1915, it was initially established by Lord Roberts as a unified canteen system during the Boer war. I assume in 1915 it changed to the NAAFI (which I am told stood for "No Ambition and F-all Interest")

Of course, does not have to be jäger... but is there some hidden clue in the buttons what this guy could be? ThanksChris

This is a pretty cool pic.... Notice it is a "Come as you are" affair.... no forcing anyone to dress uniformly... of course, different units etc... but you want to wear a greatcoat? Go for it...

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The last lot of Documents... I (We!) all owe Speetytop a huge debt of gratitude for helping on this!!

Yup... nothing beats a good screw... nothing worse than a bad one... :-(

Lets see more photos!!! :-)

welcome!

A very interesting patch!!!! I am no expert, but I have never seen any other than the ones seperate from the stripes. They are indeed the gunners badge

Hi, welcome!! We have a couple of threads on these on the forum and I am very happy we have landed someone new with an interest in them. I would imagine this one is simply a case of an old vet using what he could get? Best Chris

thanks chip... will do :-)

I had one of these not so long ago, seems to have gotten lost along the way.... The one you show is in terrible condition, you can get really nice ones pretty cheap.

Hi, check out the difference... http://www.kaiserscross.com/41902/335701.html The one on ebay is either a wearers copy, or a collectors copy. Best Chris

Really fantastic, the label just fantastic icing on the cake....

The wound... The wound: "24.8.17 v. Verdun durch Schrappnellschuß am linken Unterarm schwer verwundet". Someone added just above that entry: "nördl. Höhe 304, ?????. Malancourt". See following passage "On the night of the 21nd-22rd the Germans abandoned the Height 304. On the 24th the French swarmed over the hill and pushed down into the Forges valley. German artillery and a counter attack by the 30. Infanterie Division knocked the French back causing heavy losses amongst the Poilu. The German divisions established themselves to the North of the river in the old positions they had held in early 1916. The slopes in front of them leading down into the valley gave them good observation possibilities and fields of fire. The French contented themselves with the southern bank of the Forgesbach. On the West bank of the Maas the fighting now died down. " Here... http://www.kaiserscross.com/136501/235801.html Basically the last day of the fighting on hill 304... I have visited that about 10 times in the last 10 years....

Hi, usually the EK was awarded to guys who were wounded badly enough to be invalided out of the service as opposed to a "regular" wound. When you find a wound EK in a group you can usually see in the Militärpass that they are no longer be returning to the front . Dave dug out the following... He wasn't the luckiest of guys (though luckier than many). A Hafner in Bamberg, he enlisted 25.11.14. He went into the field with 4./ILR on 24.3.15 and was wounded by Peronne on 20.5.15 (rifle grenade to the upper left leg and lower right leg). He was out of commission for a while (hospital and Ers./ILR) and returned to the field with 5./ILR on 21.11.16. He was back in the I. Ersatz battalion on 10.4.17 (it doesn't say why but maybe NCO training as he was promoted to Uffz. on 24.1.17) and then went to 9./30.IR on 19.7.17, where he lasted a little over a month. After the August 1917 wound, he was in the hospital until 8.5.18, when he went back to the Ers./ILR. I don't see a Stammrolle with entries any later than that, so I don't know what became of him thereafter.

That is overly-freaking fantastic. You really must contact him and say "look!"

Hi, I think the English "French Foreign Legion" is the root of the FFL here, Best Chris

Our relief (9./ I.R. 159) is here, but we have no orders to leave so we spend the 8th to 14th June in the Regiments Schlucht. Return Oberleutnant von Pelzer von Mühlheim. II. Batl before us had 65 casualties. A Small Cemetery started. III: Batl. has 200 casualties. 15.III.16 Thought of my dear wife At last at 10 past midnight order for 4th Comp to follow rest of Battalion (Movement by whole Batl instead of Company). Big detour and many delays. Via crossing on height 344. Under Fire, further delays. Losses in 2. Komp. Everyone moves as fast as possible to get out of fire zone, exhausting (Sweaty) work. Arrival Champ Neuville at 4:00 am more artillery fire. Battalion Führer Lt. Schröder leaves us at Kottett (?)-Mühle. (Men from ?) 2. and 3. Komp get Billets. Our Führer/rear area people did not appear, had to find our way alone. At 04:15 we find the place, mostly burned down. Quarters in the cellars, II. Züg (Section) in bomb proof bunker. After a while at least the officers had beds. At 05:00 am we are able to lay down. Aaah what a difference, yesterday in a trench, today a French bed. In Bed, 10:00am Coffee, at 11:00am a Korporal from my section gives me Reibekuchen to eat. There was no point getting up as we were not allowed out by day due to Ariel observation, and the bed was an attractive place to be. As security 1 Unteroffizier and 8 men along the canal. In the frontline the III. /16 under Major Buchholz. Not much to tell about yesterday, a French balloon broke from its moorings and the observer had to jump with a parachute, a risky business, I do not know if he survived. As the balloon disappeared a men joked that he was looking in his wallet to pay the trip. In the afternoon haircut and shave. A shell lands near the entrance and stones flew around me. Luckily no injuries. Have my hair cut and shave, then lay down to enjoy the bed again. 16.III.16 Get up at 10:00am, good wash with warn water. Get the Bunker squared away and harmonius. Lt Zilles plays such good music that we pass the hat around. My dear wife writes she has been depressed for 2 days as she has had no news from me. Someone seems to have said that I had been killed. Marga (daughter?) is very cute and this makes her even more depressed. It reminds me of our wonderful time together and makes me think of the golden future for us three. Hopefully I will return safely !! Today I look around the village. The Farming tools laying around remind me of home. In the ruins there are potatoes, hay and grain. Looking along the road, one gets an eerie feeling. Dreary and deserted. We could not go out due to the Enemy airplanes (artillery observers). We are like prisoners in our bunker, made worse by the pleasant weather. Tactically we are under the command of Major Buchholz. Today we have to fetch wooden beams from the quarry at Brabant for the III. Batl. We have dinner and leave at 10.45 PM. We go along the canal. The moonlight would be wonderful if it were not for the French shells. Lots of trees lay across the canal as both sides had trees planted along them. It made me think of doing my rounds in Mühlheim, accompanied by my wife. At one minute past midnight Lt. Ruhstadt is congratulated for his birthday. What a pity there was not a brewery instead of a woodpile. At 04:20 am we return. We could sleep peacefully. The Jäger bataillon 5 lost 1 Hauptmann and 30 men to one shell on the march to Chivry. 17.111.16 Today Champ Neuville is under fire, a French munitions dump in the area explodes. Visit from Lt. Schöne, J. Pionier. Play songs on the Harmonium, write some letters home. The men search the village for items, They find all kinds of items, often leaving them so that the others can find something as well. Oberleutnant Grothe (?) 18.III.16 Fathers Birthday After Coffee we get mail. 1 Package with cake 1 Letter from wife and Heinrich Cake baked for Aunt Lina’s birthday, I enjoy it for fathers birthday. An Uffz. From my section picks the first flowers of the year. Got red wine, toasted the birthday boy. Played more music on the requisitioned Harmonium. All happened by coincidence on my fathers birthday. Also a toast to Aunt Lina as I had been happy to quench my thirst during the heavy fighting on her birthday (?) Of course, I also enjoyed a cigar to celebrate the day. Visit by Oberarzt Dr. Aus dem Brusch, Assitenzarzt Dr. Büsche and Leutnant Schöne (Pionier J). It was relatively quiet today. Dr. Aus dem Brusch informs that the III. Batl has had 200 losses in the Regimentsschlucht. Our company lost just one man, we had arrived last, but had the safest area. Emil Buchholz (A batman) made porkroast. It lacked spices, but still tasted very good. Unfortunately made with salted meat, so rather salty. Although I like soup, I did appreciate the change. The potatoes were very good as well. Luckily there was enough coffee as it made one thirsty. From 10:30 pm to 03:00 we dig new positions. Wonderful moonlight, makes me think of my dear wife. At 03:00 I go to bed with a warm glow, thinking of my wife. Good night my dear! The picture in Post 85: Steine ohne Mörtel Stempel Eisenblech Eingang Von d. Franz. gebaute Baracke in Champneuville. v. 14.III.16 ab Offz.Kasino der 4/16 Nicht ins Casino spucken..!

Sorry, it says on the left LOWER breast side, or the Blue white ribbon can be worn IN THE BUTTONHOLE (Like the EK2). There are not many medals with ribbons that are worn on the lower part of the uniform. Best Chris

Hi, i am looking for details on the above regiments for the day of the 22nd August 1914, with maps if possible. Does anyone happen to have them? Thanks cHRIS

There we go, Bekleidungs Amt !

The tunic and trousers of the Gentleman mentioned in this thread... http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/51193-french-titles/ He was killed on the first day of his units war. 22 of August 1914 the series of clashes called "the battles of the frontiers" took part... he was killed leading his company into action against the German 21st Reserve Division.