Chris Boonzaier

I have been able to find out a bit about Friedrich Weygand before the war and know from the start until at least December 1915 Weygand was in the I./3. Fuss. Art. Regt as a Hauptmann...... Can anyone add to him ? Thanks Chris

OK, above is not the same signature, but here is the details on the first reichwehr units... Taken from here http://www.hausarbeiten.de/faecher/hausarbeit/gew/372.html It seems that the first priority in Feb 1919 was minesweeper units to clear all the junk out of the water. Das Erm?chtigungsgesetz des ersten Reichspr?sidenten Friedrich Ebert vom 27. Februar 1919 stellte schon eine erste Umsetzung des bis dahin nur als Entwurf existierenden Versailler Vertrages dar : Artikel 173 forderte sinngem??, da? die deutsche Armee in Zukunft nur noch aus Freiwilligen aufzustellen sei, die Stationskommandos Nord- und Ostsee sollten also aus folgenden Freiwilligenformation aufgestellt werden : * je einen Sicherungsverband mit Schiffstammdivisionen und Befehlshaber ( Befehlshaber der Sicherung der Nord- bzw. Ostsee ), * je einen Minenr?umverband mit Marinestammabteilung, * je eine Seefliegerabteilung, * je eine Marinebrigade mit Ersatzabteilung. Bei der Marinestation der Nordsee wurden ?bernommen : * Minensuch- und ?r?umflotille der Nordsee, * Die Eiserne Flottille (Torpedo-Boote) * Die freiwillige Seefliegerabteilung Wilhelmshaven, * Die Marinebrigade Erhardt, * Die Besatzungen der Kreuzer K?nigsberg und Graudenz . Bei der Marinestation der Ostsee : * Die Minensuch- und ?r?umflottillen der Ostsee * Die Flottille Bothmer mit Torpedo-Booten, * Die freiwillige Seefliegerabteilung Kiel, * die Marinebrigade von Loewenfeld, * die Besatzungen des Kreuzers Regensburg . Die Durchf?hrung dieser Aufstellung sollte von der Admiralit?t als oberste Kommando- und Verwaltungsbeh?rde der vorl?ufigen Reichsmarine vorgenommen werden. Die Arbeit des Chefs der Admiralit?t, von 1919 bis 1920 Konteradmiral Adolf v. Trotha, stand von nun an unter der Pr?misse des Versailler Vertrages, wobei die Personalfragen eine besondere Rolle spielten. Hervorzuheben sind hierbei : * die Entlassung von Offizieren, Unteroffizieren und Mannschaften, * die Auswahl der vom Vertragswerk geforderten 15.000 Mann f?r die zuk?nftige Reichsmarine, * Regelung der Offizier-, Unteroffizier-, und Mannschaftslaufbahnen, * Die Regelung der Befehlsf?hrung und des Vorgesetztenverh?ltnisses, * Die Vorschriften f?r die Erziehung und Ausbildung, * Anordnungen ?ber F?rsorge- Urlaubs- und Beschwerdeangelegenheiten, * Die Abl?sung der Soldatenr?te und ihren Ersatz durch gew?hlte Vertrauensm?nner aus der Truppe, * R?ckf?hrung der Kriegsgefangenen und der in Scapa Flow internierten Restbesatzungen der versenkten Flotte.

Stop the presses !!!!! Paragraph 2 in this.... Fritz Breithaupt trat 1911 als Kadett in die Kaiserliche Marine ein. Im M?rz 1916 wurde er zum Leutnant zur See bef?rdert. Nachdem er zun?chst Dienst auf gr??eren Kriegsschiffen getan hatte, meldete er sich freiwillig zur Torpedowaffe. Nacheinander war er Wachoffizier auf den Torpedobooten "S-167", "S-168" und "A-27". Im Dezember 1916 wurde er zur Minensuchwaffe versetzt, wo er Kommandant diverser Minensuchboote wurde. Am 26. April 1917 zum Oberleutnant zur See bef?rdert, war er bei Kriegsende Gruppenf?hrer der 6. Minensuch-Halbflottille. Im Juni 1920 schied er aus dem aktiven Dienst aus. Bei Kriegsbeginn als Kapit?nleutnant der Reserve reaktiviert, wurde er Chef der 14. Minensuchflottille. Nach dem Westfeldzug zum Korvettenkapit?n der Reserve bef?rdert, f?hrte er f?r kurze Zeit die 34. MS-Flottille und anschlie?end die 12. MS-Flottille. Mit dieser f?hrte er im Kanal viele schwierige Geleit-Fahrten durch, wof?r ihm am 3. August 1941 das Ritterkreuz verliehen wurde. Nach der Aufl?sung der 12. MS-Flottille erhielt er im Oktober 1942 das Kommando ?ber die 24. MS-Flottille. Mit seinen Schiffen gelang es ihm, drei Angriffe auf die Kanalinseln abzuweisen. Hierf?r wurde ihm am 10. Februar 1944 das Eichenlaub verliehen. Am 1. September 1944 zum Fregattenkapit?n der Reserve bef?rdert, kam er am 25. Dezember 1944 bei einem Flugzeugabsturz ums Leben. Ritterkreuz (3. August 1941) Eichenlaub (10. Februar 1944)

Hi, Heller was a Min.Ob.Bootsmannsmaaten, awarded EK2 on the 7th October 1915, the Hamburg Hansa cross November 1917 and then d.Res. in October 1919 when he got the EK1. I am guessing that in 1919 a mine expert was of far more use than a U-boot or destroyer man as there must have been a looooot of work in that dangerous game. The question is... how would this fit into the post war awards?

Nice, nice, nice !! Neally nice in fact

I assume this guy was one of the guys taken over into the Reichsmarine, mine sweepers were obviously needed men in that time. What interests me is that it was awarded on the 27th September 1919, signed on the 5 October 1919. There must be something significant about the awards on the 27th September 1919 as the date is actually PRINTED ON the document, so there must have been a mass award within the naval troops in Wilhelmshaven. The unit itself is not printed, so it is a Generic doc for Nordsee Units. Is there anyone who can give any thoughts to this? Thanks Chris

This is a silly question, but does he have any documentation? If his first active war act was to join the Brits... where did he have the time to win the EK2 AND EK1? The one Abwehr group I saw had an EK2 after long hard work. Some guys were at the front for 5 years before they got an EK1. best chris

I think he was talking about gentleman's breasts?

But dont guys get awards for passing basic training and a whole host of stuff that i assume is "Expected" as well? As an outsider, there seems to be soooooo many US ribbons that really leave me wondering why on earth anyone would get an award for such a thing, and then there is a good conduct medal, which most armies around the world have in some shape or form (not the French, but if we had, I woulda had it ;-), and that get axed... I guess someone priorities are screwed up.

Sheeet. Tried to get it but by the tme I bidded some ... fine gentleman got it ahead of me :-((

Karl L?ttgen was Lt. d. Res. in 1918. In 1940 (1st of July) he was promoted to Major. I THINK he was promoted to Hauptmann d. Res. in 1937. I also think he died in the war, not sure if he was KIA. A long, long, long shot..... does anyone know anythig about him?

I have this in here simply because it can be anything, does not have to be a medal, or helmet, or documents ...... or even expensive for that matter. There are some things we have that are insanely rare.... but sometimes pretty cheap because noone really cares about them. Here is one such item... A Patent to the FMK. These were civilians who were given an officers rank and formed a small boat flotille. Each of these "Officers" had to supply his own boat and mechanic and were at the disposition of the military. This is from a group split on Ebay, I was outbid on a lot, wanted to keep it togethere... anyway, just got this and his EK2 doc. This is one of about 130 patents to officers accepted in the small boat fleet. They did security patrols on Rivers and lakes, along the coast and were spread accross all fronts. Not an item that would reallyexcite the masses... but rare.

Maybe because in the boer war, giving parole simply meant "Gimme time to get a new rifle"

Welcome Tom! Agreed, I have a group to a German who was wounded on the Somme, he was traded back for a British wounded soldier then invalided out. In that case however he was of no further use. Best Chris

The guy in the middle, back row, looks like Rick L's long lost brother.

but still good to have... http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/Verlustlisten/vl_wk1_index.htm

Hi, a rare medal indeed, how about some award docs for it? Anyone have any?

Any help, even good scans from books appretiated. thanks Chris

There was also the Kaiserliches Automobilekorps where volunteer drivers served, brought their own cars and I think were given officer rank. David Gregory could maybe help there... I think these were taken over into the army at some stage. Best Chris

Thanks, another bit of the puzzle solved... All the best Chris

Nothing worse to track down than these Fussartillerie-Batterie 396, Kanonier Robert Witt was awarded the Iron Cross on the 17 October 1916, the batterie was part of the XV. Reservekorps. It was awarded for fighting from 1914-15 on the Western and eastern front where he was wounded and in the Vogesen in 1916. More info there is not. In the book on the Feldartillery I have found Nada, anyone have any ideas

Thanks, did the prince have any active service in the war? I cannot find him in any of the bavariangeneral histories .....

I assume for this position he must have been a regular officer?

A question to this..... "In 1914 Personal Adjutant of Prince Alfons of Bavaria, with uniform of Chevauleger Regiment 7 Rittmeister 19.5.16" Do you think he was Adjutant to the Prinz... or to "Chevauleger Regiment 7 "Prinz Alfons"" The Prince was alive and kicking until 1933, but I find no mention of active WW1 service (I am sure someone has better books than me on this level) It is however highly possible that the regt provided the Prinz with an officer as an assistnt as the regt was named after him.

Its great to see Bender is going A4 ! and you are the busy bee! you will have the "Most prolific author" title soom ....