Chris Boonzaier

190ir

Ages ago there was a thread about this document, unfortunately I cannot find it.... can anyone give any info about his hereitage? The old thread had some good details....

Hi, another one..... january 1917

Hi, I think I am correct in saying that an artillery officer posted to the infantry for a limited 1 year late in the war would have continued to wear his normal Artillery Uniform? As it is a temporary posting it would not be reasonable to assume an officer buys new uniforms, on top of that it would be a luxury that few could afford with war shortages. A second question, an artillery officer who did a month long course with a ballon unit to learn how to be an observer, then posted to an infantry unit just before the start of the German 1918 offensives, I think it safe to say he was posted as a forward observer accompanying the advancing infantry? Thanks Chris

Hi, as long as they are correctly neutralised it is no problem

Most of the armory I found in Canada ;-) But... my new goodies are cloth and paper .....

Jup.... will be something from the best regiment in the war.... well... the best ARTILLERY unit.... :-)

That is pretty cool... was that not the unit that removed the spikes at the start of Verdun, all the spikes were collected by the units then lost.... when the kaiser came to visit they had to carve potato spikes and put them under the helmet covers.

Hi, Seebataillon are a pain in the Butt. I have a number of EK docs to them, but hard to find any info, although there is a regimental history for one of them. Maybe someday someone does a good history of the units, but I am not betting on it. The sad fact of the matter is, a unit can fight gloriously and bravely in a sector, but if that sector is not one of the "biggies" noone will ever notice. IR115 and 116 were at Verdun... so they were in a "biggie" :-)

... Then check back here early next week... Tuesday or Wednesday... :-)

Magic Dave, thanks!

All the internet sites have the RIR81 as part of the 21RD with the following battle entries for the end of 1916 15.07.16 - 09.09.16Schlacht bei Verdun 01.08.16Erstürmung der Souville-Nase und von Stellungen im Bergwald 02.08.16 - 04.08.16Kämpfe auf der Souville-Nase und im Bergwald 05.08.16Erstürmung von Stellungen im Chapitre-Wald 06.08.16 - 02.09.16Kämpfe im Chapitre-Wald-Souville-Schlucht-Bergwald 09.09.16 - 21.12.16Stellungskämpfe vor Verdun 15.12.16 - 16.12.16Kämpfe bei Louvemont und Bezonvaux 21.12.16 - 23.12.16Stellungskämpfe in Lothringen 23.12.16 - 06.02.17Reserve der O.H.L. hinter Armee-Abtlg. Falkenhausen However the RIR81 was on the Somme for November-December 1916... so it must have been detached for some time..... does anyone have an idea about this? Thanks Chris It must have changed divisions but I am away from my books...

Hi, here is one... the Reserve Infanterie regiment 81 from Frankfiurt

Indeed.... what we have here... At the beginning of 1916 there was an order that recipients of the iron Cross should recieve preliminary award documents and that those units whichhad not being issuing them should do so.... usually blanks were sent to the unit who then filled them out and distributed them. As there were no orders as to how this was to be done you have units which signed and stamped, signed but did not stamp, stamp but did not sign, or as in this case neither signed not stamped. Chip is correct, the day of the award the regiment was still called Gasregiment Peterson, but by the time the award was made it was Pionier Regiment 35. And I think we can date it to the gas attack on the 22nd of April, maybe the worst attack of the war as the opposing allied troops were not expecting it and had no protection.... So not a nice incident, but a historically interesting document.

I missed this thread... very interesting photo!

June 2016 I hope to get a couple of updates this month, lets start off with skirmishes on the Border as East African troops fight the Italians in Kenya 1940. As the 100th anniversary of the Somme approaches, "Patrolling on the Somme" with thanks to Jack Sheldon

"So again my friends: What is a good unit? To me the best unit would be a unit with the most engagements and the least casualties OR the unit with the most awards in the war. But who is able to count?" That is a very good question.... There is the Subjective way of seeing it.... I think the 2nd Bavarian Jägers are better than the 1st Bavarian Jägers because I live 8km away from where the 2nd Jägers were based. The pessemistic way ... There was no way for a unit to control its losses or succeses... if they were sent to a sector the best they could do was to fight like hell... no amount of skill, training or bravery could cancel out a surprise enemy bombardment or a hidden enemy MG Bunker. The only way for a unit to be great is doggedly attack and defend.... often glory and capturing the nemy fort was simply a question of luck and chance. The Objective way .... have confidence that the German High command had a good overview on the values of its divisions, and used the right tool for the right job... i.e. if a Division was shunted from one sector to the other to take part in attack after attack.... it was because this division was good at it, not because the Kaiser did not like the commander.... :-)

"What about Inf.Rgt.146? They did see everything, but the western front." Thats a bit like saying "Its the best Rugby team in the world, but they did not play an international match" :-) But yes, an interesting unit, I have a nice EK1 group to an officer who was awarded the EK1 in the middle east.

Lets see the next one then... maybe it is an OK unit......

me to.... Never seen anything like it.

Hi, any idea of who this guy is?

Dang! At least you burned it, that way there is not some wino who fished it out the dumpster doing a "stolen Valor" thing !!!!

DonD wants one, he just does not know it yet!

I have never ever seem one of those!!

I think Max Bayer got one along the same lines. He discussed militarising the Turkish boy scouts, but his trip to Turkey to oversee it all was cancelled, he still got a star. Yeah... sounds right.... drop me a line about which dumpster.... I want to avoid some street bum wearing it and being shot at by the Belgians!