Chris Boonzaier

Unfortunately the end is in site... maybe 2-3 more parts...

P.S. maybe underpriced because the buying public is not mature enough or appretiative enough.

These are fantastic medals. If I was to start collecting from Zero, these 3rd classes (researched) would stand a chance of becomming my field of collecting. Waaaaaaay undervalued and priced. best Chris

Here is a photo i took in kinshasa....

But i bet you did not (yet) fight them with an elephant goad in hand!

There was an interesting article in Time or newsweek some time ago... a Guy who had worked his way up (Engineer9 to top management in the US Automotive industry... he was complaining that the US used "Numbers crunchers " to optimise production in WW"... and after the war these men, along with the following classloads of MBAs invaded the workforce, taking over jobs that people who understood something of their industry (Engineers etc.) and used their MBA skills to optimise certain things but at the same time destroying the firms products (Quality, customer happyness etc), The article went on to say, the fact that China is opening 50 MBA schools will in the long run be of huge benifit to US industry ;-)

O.d.R. could be a very interessting collecting field all on its own... Best Chris

Hi, My one was also a bit of a mix... QSA named to captain in ASC, served in the TG, and was lited as serving with the Australians... I think it had a Mafeking, Transvaal ans SA1901 bar (If I remember correctly) Nice find!!!!!!

These Werfer are really neat little things.... Man... am i covered in paint and rust!!! :whistle:

Sigh..... the things I do for love... I am aching all over, probably going to loose a thumbnail.... army and back killing me... and still she is not ready for the lamplight... More work this afternoon...

Fantastic stuff Spasm, hat off to you for service in such a legendary unit!!

Hi, its not my collecting field, but the way the images are applied do not seem period at all. The link to the 2nd auction you posted also notes that it is made for collectors. (Hence the prices) best Chris

Spend your money at the pastry shop on that street.... plenty of better places to get militaria... in fact... you could use the plate for pastry.. Hope you did not spend too much? :unsure:

IMHO... best used as a target for air gun shooting... Not by any chance a shop on Rothenburg?

yup.... less than 24 hours to go.....

Ooooof..... that is nice....

The French artillery, in the form of the so called „Kurze Gustav“ (Short Gustav) followed our movements. The shells arrived so fast that one had no time to take cover, with other artillery there was about 7 seconds between the shot and the arrival of the shell. The shells did not cause major damage but exploded causing many splinters. To may great delight I received 3 letters from my wife. 25.02, one without date and 1.03 6.03.16 Rather quiet today. Comminications trenches dug as well as new flanking trenches. Preperation for relief in the evening (6th Company). The relief was to take place after nightfall. At 4:00 the companies of the II Batl arrive. It was hard to carry out a good relief in the dark. The II. Zug (Section) was the last to be relieved. There was a need to hurry as they had to cross the heights before daybreak as the French artillery was very active. Wrote a letter to my wife.

Hi, I am certainly no expert on these, but it seems with this design, the letter refers to a place... DSC for Dundee, IWSC for Isle of Wight PSC for Peterborough... So my money is on a place name beginning with M. Maybe any and all places beginning with M could order it from the maker? I guess the IW does not fit for any other cities, but single letters must have fit a few places... Best Chris

I limit mself to things that are still within rifle range of the enemy :whistle:

Did not finish it today.... but here is the 1st part. A little hard in places to follow what he means... Seem OK Uwe? 3.3.16 Relatively quiet and managed to sleep a few hours. In the early morning the trenches are still narrow and cold. Leutnant Hitzegrad 2./R.16 is wounded in the foot and carried to the aid post on a stretcher. Had our trenches/positions cleaned up. Wrote a letter to Heinrich. Was named battalion Trench officer, responsible for upkeep and improvement as well as ideas for drainage. Heavy Artillery in the afternoon, thank god no losses. As darkness fell the lines of communication come under fire, the ration and ammunition columns suffer heavy losses and cannot get through. There was nothing warm to eat today. 2 Letters from dear wife received, from 23. and 27.02. My dear is well again. This makes me happy. My dear wife says she will do what she can to please her motherinlaw. Leutnant Zillaer returns to the Company from his officers course. Leutnant Büsche was lightly wounded on the return march and did not even see the battlefield. 4.03.16 Last night heavy artillery fire. At 06:00 am we had soup as my servant had been stuck at the kitchen during the night. Unfortunately the Company got nothing. The company prolonged the battalion trench, tonight as much of it as possible will be manned. A screen was set up to hide our rear area from the Frenchmen. Had shooting bays dug in the trench walls, the men standing in them would be better protected from the artillery and passage through the trench would be easier. A French patrol had managed to slip between our Schützenschleier (Forward posts) and the trench. When challenged a Frenchman answered in broken German. An Unteroffizier called out to them in French, they should surrender or we fire. They did not respond and disappeared in the night. 5.03.16 At 06:30 the Pioniers arrive to dig hand grenade bays. During the night Lt hardt was killed and Lt Specht wounded. At 10:00 it looked as if the enemy wanted to launch a counter attack but a patrol of ours broke into the French trench in front of us, captured 40 men and pushed the others back. The patrol then pushed further and captured 100 men and 20 officers, then waited here in the trench until the artillery died down, then move on. That is the offensive spirit of the French! An enemy patrol under an Aspirant approaches our position. Our patrol throws a grenade and kills the leader. The other 16 men abandon their weapons and run away. Artillery fire all day long. Today we put out barbed wire in front of the forward positions as we are expecting a counter attack early tomorrow morning. Leutnant Wolf of Pionier Battalion 7 puts out the barbed wire, Ishowed him around. The French field artillery

Very nice... maybe you can find which German unit they were facing on that day?

Yesiree.... the wife is going to go ape....

Moved this in here with link as i think it may be your best chance. Best Chris

Interesting group indeed. In the army, rank is a plus... you cannot get away with being a "Weirdo" as a private ;-)

Watch this space......