Chris Boonzaier

Give him a bottle of grey goose and he will take a stab at the name of any woman that comes close to him! I assume he is a wedding guest, has a woman on his right arm. Best Chris

Hi, tahts our man! Schneeberg is small. I have bee trying to find something like this for years!!!!

sory, meant cornelius as first name.

Hi, I have soooo much bavarian stuff I must join. As a quickie, do they have anything on Lt Cornel Dumbacher (Born 3. April 1887 in Schneeberg) ? He is a relative of my wife. Thanks Chris

aaaarrggh... what does it cost t join???

Hi, what bavarian records do they have there? The complete files? Thanks Chris

Hi, indeed it is... I will scan it later. It is a superb superb superb superb topographical photo taken ariel view from the top if the Kegelbahn at Verdun, showing all the details of battlefield from the farm Chambrettes, up to Douaumont, the ravines and forest including Thiaumont farm. Best Chris

Hi, this is a pretty cool looking dude... looks a bit like a young Rommel...

You sure? I would have guessed they were pioniers? The Ammo pouches and spades with carbine makes me think Pionier. Also, they all have relatively early jackets, so maybe at a time when not REAL front line units had steel helmets?

This is from a very nice Verdun postcard... the sender traced his route on a map... From what i can see... he must have been a bavarian... 25th May - 13th Jun Kämpfe um die Wabengräben im Thiaumont-Wald und um die Thiaumont-Ferme 1. Bayer. Inf. Div. And parts of 2. Bayer. Inf. Div.

mooochos grazies mi amigos!

googlimg shows a topic on the axis forum with this quote from the armourer.. "Peter Laister has written the Mariners Memorabilia in two volumes.... In these book many Hamburg America Line items in both china and silver plate. One such piece of china clearly shows around the edge of the dish at bottom, the HAPAG crest and the top of the dish a gold HAL monogram." where the truth is... i dont know....

Either that... or these are LSSAH plates... http://militaria.polarhaven.net/GermanDishes/Hamburg-America%20Line%20LAH%20Bowl.JPG I guess the mug is only good for shaving after all... ;-) As I shave with the straight razor, I will take it off you... ;-)

Hi, nice German piece. I would say about EUR200. Best Chris

I imagine the rings were delivered blank and a jeweller could add whatever was ordered. You need to see my wifes wedding band compared to mine to see how wear and tear can differ ;-) best Chris

this was the group... http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40357

I am a bit confused... in the back of the WW1 2nd div history the citations of the men of the division are listed. A standard listing would be Cassidy, lawrence (Pvt., H) - SSC, Chateau Thierry I assume this would be an overachiever.... one at Chateau Thierry, one in the Meuse Argonne campaign Gickas, Nicholas (Pvt., Hq.) - SSC, Blanc Mont; SSC, Meuse-Argonne And my guy actually got 2 citations for Chateau Thierry? Folsom, William J (Corp., B) - 2 SSC, Chateau Thierry Unfortunately I only recieved one, would the 2nd one also be on file or could it be an error? Thanks Chris

That is a sensational citation... a fantastic group for the collection.

That ring is a babe! one silly question though... I always thought gold did not get a patina? I learn every day. Nice piece!!!!!

I have been working on a new test for pieces like this... Put the choice to the gods... Get a glass of water, carefully place this piece on the surface of the water.... If it sinks.... it is BAD. If it floats, then divine intervention has saved it... (and for me divine intervention is the only thing that COULD save that piece ;-) Best Chris

Hi Chris, the Jacket i have from you is also on the list sometime in the near future... it was a terribly difficult search as the info given by the family (1st DIV etc) was just plain wrong, but I think I have found out the right info... :-)))

"well son, I know it looks like I guarded the toilet door... but that actually (probably) leads into a HQ of some sort".....

A German officer writes of 304... At 06.25 our artillery opened up. The first task was to immobilise the French artillery and this was done by a gas barrage. Suddenly the objectives changed and all known command and observation posts were fired upon, them another change as the trenches to be assaulted were targeted by a heavy barrage. There are no words thart could to describe the fury of the bombardment. The earth itself shook and shivered as if terrified. Time after time the candles went out until we made no more effort to light them and sat there in the darkness. Two hours the barrage was to rain down on the French front line, then it was to move backwards as the stormtroops rushed forwards

The regimental history of the I.R. 155 (2) describes the heights as follows "......The bloody, notorious Höhe 304, endless desolation filled with grief and damnation. Neither trees nor rocks, neither grass nor clods of earth could survive here. Shellhole overlapped shellhole, no more trace of field or meadow. Shells and mines have wiped away everything, leaving nothing but a desert, empty, inhabited only by death. The green cloak of life has been ripped from the earth, brown and naked she lies there, ripped and turned over. Blackened by explosions, yellowed by powder, the earth is covered with splinters, human remains and military equipment. The smell of decay hangs heavily over the field of battle. Here, in this pestilant corner,in their scanty, half destroyed trenches and mud filled bunkers live the companies, engaged in an endless and bitter fight with the enemy- death and destruction wherever one looked."

.. a simple Arty photo :-))))