Chris Boonzaier

Rick, you be to fast for an old man !

Hi, Sounds like a very above average Trio. He moved from the Shropshire light infantry to the Royal Flying Corps, if you are very, very lucky, he may have been a pilot !!!!!!

By touching the screen and using my mental mind waves... I get the buzzing thought "Virgins" this smells like Virgins, young women...... am I close ?? Am I close???? Keys to a chastity belt ????? (Yeah, yeah... I know, I cheated....)

You lucky man you ! I have a numbered, unissued set kicking around somewhere.

Hi, whats the wing number? Best Chris

We probably DON'T want to know Will post a string more next week as I get the write ups finished. best Chris

Hi, He was on the Westerwald at the outbreak of the war, then the destroyer Bernd von Arnim at Narvik, then at the 3rd U-Boot Flottile in La Rochelle, then the 2 U-L.D. He was actually wounded on the way to Narvik when they were fighting the british GLOWORM. I have all his awards, documents etc. Sometime in the future i will do a write up. Best Chris P.S. If you are really, really nice to me I will post the report he did about V.D. in the 3rd U-Boot flottille !

The best way to see a narvik Shield... The wifes grandfathers.... now MINE !!

The top two are superb!! Any chance of seeing the naming on the back of them? Thanks Chris

The field they charged over, this was the forrest the 3rd Dragoons under Vincent charged...

These were Vincents medals The 6th Cavalry Brigade mounted detachment, which consisted of fifty men apiece from the 3rd Dragoon Guards, l0th Royal Hussars, and Royals, and was commanded by Major Watkin Williams of the l0th, was ordered at about 2 p.m. on the 24th March to make a mounted attack on some enemy infantry and machine-guns, who were in action in front of two copses on the rising ground just west of Villeselve. The detachment, which was formed into three regimental troops, of which that of the 3rd Dragoon Guards was led by Lieutenant A. B. P. L. Vincent, moved off immediately along the road to Villeselve with the 3rd Dragoon Guards troop leading. Orders were given to the troop leaders on the march, after which the squadron rode on at a steady trot, turning left off the main road and taking a sunken track leading north into Collezy. It then came under heavy machine-gun fire from the direction of Golancourt, but took cover behind a number of large farm buildings. Here it was between elements of British infantry who were in action east of the farm, and elements of French infantry lining the sunken track in rear. Wasting no time, as the orders had already been given, the squadron passed through the British infantry and began to gallop towards the two copses with troops in line; the 3rd Dragoon Guards against the right-hand copse and the l0th Hussars against the left-hand copse, with the Royals 150 yards behind. They started knee-to-knee, across about 600 yards of ground, of which the last two hundred were ploughed. They came under heavy machine-gun fire immediately and this, as well as the fast pace, caused them to open out, so that when the charge was sounded they were fairly well extended. The moral effect on the enemy was very surprising. The moment the men cheered, and the swords came down to the "sword in line", they either put their hands up or else bolted into the copses. This did not save them, for once cavalry had been launched to the charge it was always far too late for the enemy either to run or to make placatory gestures. They were ridden down and 100 sabred, while the 3rd Dragoon Guards troop, on reaching the right-hand copse, dismounted and chased them through the trees, bringing twelve back alive. In this attack, besides the 100 sabred, 107 Germans were captured as well as 4 machine-guns. The infantry, which had followed up closely, having completely recovered their spirits, captured many more; for the Germans continued to surrender freely, although before the attack they had held the initiative. Casualties to the squadron amounted to seventy-five all ranks. This was half its strength, but out of the total only one officer and a few men were killed, and the wounds of the majority were slight, so that in most cases they were able to continue at duty. Had the infantry attempted to cross the 600 yards of ground they would have been decimated to no purpose. It was enfiladed by at least five machine-guns- only one of which escaped capture- while some 500 riflemen were covering it from in front, with mortars and artillery at call. The exploit was in fact only practicable to cavalry at the gallop. Although only a very small affair on this vast battle front, the charge at Villeselve had most important immediate results. It enabled the exhausted and disheartened infantry to advance and retake an area of great tactical importance, and it secured the left flank of the 14th Division, thus preventing a major breakthrough at a most awkward and shaky part of the line.

These may have been for one of the last charges on the European continant.

The nice one is of course the top one.

They are much finer than the later/WW1 ones...

This one with a real gold centre I picked up in Cairo last year...

I am very partial to the domed backed ones...

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I got these ages ago over Ebay, I assume they are posed. The men just have too much time on their hands .....

August 1916

Etappen Inspektion 11. Armee August 1915