Chris Boonzaier

Does this say "I was made to trick tourists!" Or does it say "This belongs to XXX, fighter pilot extraordinary!" Have had this for ages and have always been meaning to ask.....

Here.... i found it!!!! Live and worth watching....

Hi I know, I know.... I am not knocking "Vets" as a group... hell, me be one, but from a different era... but having met 5 German Knights cross winners, only one of them who really was, having been introduced a few times to "this is Bob, he was in the Legion as well..." just to discover he meant to join but forgot, or he was but cant talk about it because it was all secret what gets me is when it is thrown into a thread or real life conversation to establish someones credibility.... Someone says "I was in XXX" and immediately people are doing virtual high fives and trading rounds of virtual butt kissing... and if the guy then says "Lead Schwerin U-Boot badges are real"... there is a chance folks may just believe it... Anyway, what I am saying is... there are just as many scumbag vets as there are real people. Nowhere in life does the fact that someone wore a uniform make them a better/more moral person. Its like old people... folks see someone who is 80 and think butter would not melt in their mouths.... who knows if the old guy has 40 years of dead waiflike hitchhikers buried in his back garden.... Age and Uniform... neither are a barometer of someone being a fine upstanding person... Like this famous sketch... http://www.epicure.demon.co.uk/travelagent.html ....... Old Woman: Yes, answer that, young man, you're so clever! Old Man: Ah! Ah! Ah! Travel Agent: Because Edinburgh is the only place that has an Edinburgh Festival! Old Man: Isn't there one in London? Travel Agent: (voice quivering) No there isn't. Old Man: Look! Look! Look! Old Woman: Look! Old Man: I fought in the first world war... Old Woman: Yes he did. Old Man: Yes... Old Woman: And he was wounded... Old Man: Yes. Old Woman: Had his brain blown out... Old Man: Brain blown out... Travel Agent: (exasperated, beginning to shriek) That is as may be! Neverthe... (composes himself). Nevertheless, Edinburgh is the only place that has got an Edinburgh Festival ....... Old Man: She was wounded in the Second World War! A V2 hit her on the 'ead. Old Woman: Right on the 'ead... Old Man: Right on the 'ead - look! Travel Agent: I don't believe this! Old Man: You tell this to the younger generation they'd run you over in their sports cars, thanks we get... ....... Travel Agent: Look you stupid old fool.. Old Man: Oh! Travel Agent: (emphasising each word with a thump on the desk) I - can't - shift - Edinburgh! Old Woman: Stupid old fool? Old Man: There's gratitude... Old Woman: He died in the war for people like you... Old Man: I did, yes, I did. Old Woman: He and Arthur Stoatbridge... Old Man: Arthur... Travel Agent: Arthur Stoatbridge?! Old Woman: HE was a gentleman. Old Man: Arthur was. And a murderer... Old Woman: He wouldn't have stood for any of your nonsense. Old Man: No. Old Woman: He would have bitten your throat out. Old Man: He would have done. Arthur was a gentleman. Old Woman: He was, yes :rolleyes:

I have needed one of these for some time..... Any ideas?

I agree. I sometimes find it ironical that we as collectors dont see that. For example, I would not really bother to keep my great-great grandfathers walking trophies... but would his war medals. Someone else may say "he was really proud of the trophies... he never spoke about the war..." and toss the medals. We value them more than the average citizen... especially one who cannot see anything interesting in wars and suffering. Best Chris

In some countries sex with barnyard animals is legal.... But you still wont convince me its right... :shame:

Were folks repatriated allowed to fight again or were they repatriated under the condition that they sat the war out? Best Chris

Hi, I think it is called "a boule" or "ball mount", If you are lucky you can pick up the odd one at shows, otherwise you can buy new ones from some french companies, they lack the patina of course... best Chris

That is a nice looking bar indeed! Usually I dont like bars after they have been spoiled with the Ehrenkreuz... but this one is rally nice.

I added a mail to it as well...

Merci guys, perfect. All the best Chris

Nice group, do you have a check list to cross off the arty units you have? Best Chris

ummmmm ... carefully asked... doesn't everyone??

Hi, I think to find them in good condition anywhere is scarce. This has almost all of its original finish, and the liner is in really, really good shape, ditto for strap. The discoloration is actually the remains of dirt. Now, its about 95 years old, so we can suppose... but it is either original dirt, or its kids were playing dirt.... either way, it is ooold dirt. What I like about this is there is no real aging to it... if a guy had worn it in the war and packed it in his bag on the 12th of November 1918... it would have looked just like it did now...

Nope, I exclusivley listen to "supertrooper" when in ABBA moods..... :shame:

Because the Internet is controlled by Honkies, they wont give a site run by an african a break!

Hi, just in case you don't have him, there was a Korpsstabsveterinär Kutzner in Danzig, by the Stellvertretenden XVII AK in August of 1915. best Chris

Thanks Glenn, Clears a few things up for me. Best Chris

I have not seen the movie, but it was the inspiration... :-)

Hi, I think it is like that with many medals.... no matter how they sparkle, now matter how famous the wearer, no matter how great the citation....only the guy with it on his chest REALLY knows what he did to deserve it. I think that the guys with the EK2 that REALLY did something to win it, must have been rather irritated that guys like this got it. In the case of this guy he got it on a black ribbon because he was outside of Germany, in the occupied zone. Best Chris

I do that occasionally, but not tonight... :shame:

hmmmmmm.... ever hear of those Japanese soldiers, lost somewhere on an island, not knowing the war was over until the 70s...... I will never drive by a forest or bunker in France again without wondering.......

you are right... occasionally is a bit exaggerated... lets go with once in a blue moon.... :-)

Wow... I thought this would really provoke some discussion... seems like even I am wrong on occasion.... :whistle:

Hi, the 227 was in the 107 ID in December 1917... then drops off the map... does anyone know if it was disbanded? Thanks Chris