Chris Boonzaier

Some really, really good stuff up today.... http://www.kaiserscross.com/152301.html

Hi Uwe, magic, thanks.. Its astounding that 3 other reference books did not nail this unit!!

And a poster sized EK1 doc...

Their EK2

Somme

Just to add to that.... the regiment was THE unit for documents.... Its document for men who fought on the Aisne...

I think it is Dallwitz.... look at the U in Haupt and Grünberg...

a question... I am not to sure, but does this relate to when it was implemented into the British forces, or when was the peaked cap introduced into military circles... which would pose the question, who die the British copy it from... Thanks Chris

My wife wrote informing me that she thought about me a lot over Christmas and that the distance between us would soon do serious damage to her (mental?) health. I answered her with a long, calming letter. I played a few nice songs on the mouth organ, well, maybe not that nice as I am still learning. We were able to pass a nice evening, it shows that you can be happy in even the smallest, poorest abode. 2nd January, Sunday 07:30 am to 16:30 pm Work in the trenches. Inspected the positions. Slept better, although still dressed for action. Off to work without washing again today. The rain spared us in the morning. Was on the 2nd shift for lunch, bean soup, mutton, peas and compote. We get our ration and pay 1.70 marks extra a day to supplement the menue. We had time off this afternoon. Spent the time writing to my dear family as I had little time over the new year. Unfortunately no mail today. Went to sleep with the nice thought of mail from my dear wife. In the night we hear the ceaseless droning of the artillery. It is far away, but the ground transmits the rumbling of the shells. 3rd January Lay in until 08:30am as I did not have duty. Wrote some letters after breakfast then went into the trench at 12:30. The 155 (Infanterie Regiment) had not offered to share the kitchen of the Officers Mess so at 16:30 we ate in our bunker. Our servants had prepared things as well as possible, ricesoup from the other ranks kitchen then chops with boiled potato, oranges, then coffee with biscuits. It was very nice. We used a bedsheet as a tablecloth. Mail call in the evening, a letter with 2 photos from my dear wife. I thought about her and wrote her a letter. A note to my brother in law Heinrich. All the time I glanced at the Photos of my wife and daughter.

Hmmmm.... not the best end to a career of climbing mountains....

Any luck researcheing the man?

What a fantastic collection!!! I was in and around Bangui for 4 months in the early 90s... at the time managed to get some badges for the State Presidents guard.... but found no medlas... now I know where they all are !

A question... Apparently the Brits had to hand in their tunics when demobbed... the canadians got to keep them (Making Canadian ones more comman)... What is with the Aussies... and Kiwis... did they get to keep theirs when they got home?

Does anyone have a set of malayan Emergency SAS wings they can post? Would like to see the zigzags on the top. Thanks Chris

I think it is a dispatcher (correct term?)

I dont think he was involved in Patrols etc. etc... I bet he was one of those guys who really knew the inner workings of scheduling, timetables and organisation of the railways... a simple Streifendiesnst guy would have been replacable. best Chris

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Thanks Uwe!!

This look OK? The part in Brackets was a bit of a challenge? We four officers drew lots to see which 2 would go eat first. Lt Zilles and I won and were soon back in our bunker. Our servants had found something better that morning and it was at least heated. At Noon there was a celebration meal. You should have seen our parade boots. The thick mud from last year was still in evidence. As a meal we had Bouillon Soup, which was very good. Then Goulash, Potato and spinach. The latter was so thin ... we had our suspicions… Then we had rice with strawberries. The rice was rather hard and had us chewing long after the meal. There was no beer, beer could be tapped only after 13:30. This bothered me less than it did the others. (Wir hatten ja des Nachmittags Gelegenheit, uns zu begießen; regnete es doch bei der Arbeit andauernd.--- Erst kurz vor Schluß 430 hörte das Nassauern auf. That afternoon we got wet, it rained all the time during the work. The men worked until 16:00) At 17:00 the men got their meal. Semolina/Wheat with meat. No potato. In the veneing I did not go to the officers mess to eat, I preferred to stay in the warm Bunker, making myself at home in my hole in the ground. I wrote a postcard, my first sign of life this year. Then a surprise, two long letters from my dear wife. My sister in law Helene also thanked me for my card.

Hi, there is a thread in the Lounge... http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/48935-gold-and-silver-prices/ But I think there is room for a thread related specifically to the British medals as they seem to be those who sufferd most in the last "sivler rush" Best Chris

I dunno, there are enough fanatical SAS collectors... it would probably be better documented than a badge to the ASC or NAAFI... Best Chris

It could be that medal prices are so much higher now than they were then (last time silver was so high), and that unless a seller really has no contact with a medal collectors market, there is no reason to sell them for silver value. Of course, if you have no internet, and the buyer has no way of selling it at medal collectors prices, then the price of a BWM to a collector in London is not the measure you can use. I think maybe in Rural, dare I say 3rd World, countries, they may be able to move/use silver easier... Best Chris

Was he with rhodesian SAS in Malaya?

Hey Will... Dont your fingernails get in the way of digging out landmines??