Chris Boonzaier

Lewis gun?..... Oh, thaaaaaaat thing.... Found it on the flea market on the last Verdun trip...... If you come over for the GMIC battlefield trip in June you can play with it.... :D

And just to show how anal I am.... I specially cleared away the 7.92 brass to do the lewis shot, it is 303 brass laying there.... no short cuts for my babies!!

Just incase anyone thinks I am biased.....

I can tell ya, after 2 hours of "shooting"... the living room is a mess!!!!

My babies have been neutered... but so has my dog.... he is still great to play with... so are they.....

Interesting pics... terrible writing.... is the guy in the last pic, 2nd from the right, falling over? Maybe he wrote it?...

Hi, German Ebay. I assume he sent it home... pity none of the shoulder boards are readable....

These German officers, housed in an old fort... still, its better than a dugout... Unfortunately the sender did not write the names of the men other than his own...

Hi Glenn, Thank ye very much! Best Chris

Hi, I have the EK2 (White Ribbon) to Staatsminister a.D. von Möller. He seems to have had a bit of trouble during the war, maybe retired for that reason. Am not sure just what he was. mentioned on google twice to do with medical issues. best Chris

Without wanting to become a "collector dealer" in any way shape image or form.... I have added a new "for sale" section ... http://www.kaiserscross.com/251001/home.html

Hi, How many "Staatsminister" were there at one time? Thanks Chris

Hi Vet, Thanks for the answer, I remember the thread with your father well. I find Joffre to be a fascinating man, must have been a very frustrating man to work for for those who wanted quick change and decisions. Best Chris

Where did the Prinz stand on the NS issue during the 30s? Nest Chris

I am just waiting for the gunners to weigh in here-........ :whistle:

The 8th Bavarian Reserve Division really took a beating at Maurepas on the Somme in July 1916... this is where he was killed. Probably by Allied artillery. Nachname: Sörgel Vorname: Johann Dienstgrad: Reservist Geburtsdatum: 25.11.1886 Geburtsort: Velden Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 22.07.1916 Todes-/Vermisstenort: b. Maurepas [Nähere Informationen zu diesem Friedhof erhalten Sie hier.] Johann Sörgel ruht auf der Kriegsgräberstätte in Rancourt (Frankreich) . Endgrablage: Kameradengrab He is buried in a mass grave in Rancourt.

The Big picture...

group photo from prewar infantry days....

flash killed this photo...

... is one that started out in the infantry. unfortunately this man also fulfills the more obvious end to that sentence... I once again ended up being the Mother Theresa of dying memories by paying through my nose and rescuing these from their rotten soggy frames.... Took a good half hour to figure out that there are erroros on the Ehren-Chronik, he was 8th RESERVE bavarian Feldartillerie Regiment (Chronik says regular) and he was killed on the 22nd of JULY (Chronik says June)...

Hi, Good question... I have no idea... I am a bit of a dud outside of the EKs...

Hi Glenn, Super! Thanks, that allows me to narrow it done very much indeed!

When I got this I had to take a second to digest it.... Then I still could not believe it so I went to take a look at a Gew88 to see if the dimensions are really correct... I was almost inclined to google "oversize GEW88" just incase... In retrospect the British also had Bantam divisions I think....

THEN we see why the clever officers in this unit shave their heads.... to suck up to the bosses! Back wow.... Meyns (who still refuses to shave his head)... Dr. Klimm (now with an EK1... )(probably because he keeps his head shaved...), Lt Albrecht... still playing Kojak, but already had the EK1 so no change)... Bottom left Erbprinz v. Hohenzollern (now kommandeur) hiding his head under a hat, and looking as if he comes from a place where they have duelling banjos and interbreeding is order of the day.... then right... Prinz Jpachim Albrecht von Preussen REALLY looking the part and figurehead for the baldy battalion....

Was happy to pic up the following two cards... on the back in pencil... Our battalion staff (Left to right) Major von Braudt, Leutnant Meyns, Lt d Res Albrecht, Stabsarzt d. Res Dr. Klimm