Chris Boonzaier

Here are a couple of interesting ones from Malmedy....

I would like to add a part two to this.... The rarest award that was awarded to Field Grade officers.... I doubt any of us will ever own a Grand star.... But what about things worn by Company commanders, or at a push regimental commanders...

That has to be your find of the year ??

I wish it were good, but I think probably not.... http://www.ebay.de/itm/PICKELHAUBE-SPIKE-HELMET-SPIKEHELMET-CASQUE-MILITARIA-GERMAN-Tschako-Bavarian-/151479254059?pt=Militaria&hash=item2344ddfc2b

Hi, I am guessing from the single mount that he got his star and wore it as a single medal... then probably never bothered to mount or wear anything he would have recieved later, (Bar, War Medal, Victory Medal).... and that is the reason the star is still mounted singly?

Acoording to ehrenzeicher-orden.de the 1918 medal was exceptionally rare.... Erhalten haben dieses Erinnerungszeichen nur die diensttuenden General- und Flügeladjutanten sowie zu der Feier kommandierte Offiziere und Personen des Hofstaates. Es kamen nur äußerst wenige Erinnerungszeichen zur Verleihung.

The Bavarian Jäger have terrible colors ;-) Grün und Blau schmückt die Sau

Yes, which is ironic as the Beer Steins are actually receding as a collecting field. Most of the Stein collectors seem to be older collectors, circling the drain, and the newer collectors are more into badges, field gear and Uniforms... I am no expert but have been told that sought after units hod their price, as do very byooootiful Krugs... but many bog standard ones have slipped in price....

Here you go..... http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/64317-bavarian-2nd-jaeger-battalion-bier-krug/

Much easier than 20 years ago.... somehow it is one of the first Militaria fields that began to lose its base.... The old guys who used to collect them died away and for many of the more boring ones really came down in price.... The Jäger one did not come down in price, bu have not really increased in over a decade and a half....

Indeed it was :-)

Each Krug has a right home.... Both are where they should be ;-)

Bottom...

The Lid

The Guys in his Company

Finer details....

I only need one Bier Krug for the collection... and this is it.... :-)

102 Years after Jäger Ruck bought his Stein, I am drinking a bottle of Aschaffenburger Schlappeseppel to his honour..... After this, the Stein goes behind Glass......

You win some, you lose some... we all do :-(.... but it even out... :-)

At dealers in Germany they seem to be just over EUR300, I am not sure if they actually get that money. I guess they are pretty damn scarce, but that does not always make a premium price...

Niiiiice Pass... love anything with Aschaffenburg in it!!! :-) How about kick starting a Jäger Shoulder Board thread? I will add a few when I get home,

Some of the records are really, really thin, especially for rank and file who served for long periods and did not get high awards... The 1914 wound will make some interesting research...

Hi, I am not a big Stein Fan either... but have always wanted "just one".... and this is the one that best serves the purpose (2nd Bavarian Jäger, MGK, at least one wound so I can research the battle, qualified for the Edelweiss....) (Only small down side is he seems to have missed Verdun).... The guys records are a bit "all over the place" and somewhat contradictory with the times, but this is a rough first draft.... Gefreiter der Reserve Barthold Edmund Ruck was born on the 22nd of December 1890 in Rappertsjhausen , His father died when he was a boy and at the outbreak of the war he was a farmer and lived with his widowed mother. He started his national service on the 22nd of October 1910 until the 22nd of September 1912 in the 2nd Company of the 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalion in Aschaffenburg. Mobilised on the 2nd of August 1914 in his old company he was transferred to the 2nd Company of the 2nd Bavarian Reserve Jäger battalion which he joined in the field 4 days later. He was wounded on the 25th of August 1914 at the St Libaire Farm at Serre (Bullet wound) and sent to a field hospital. He transferred to the Erstaz Company of the 2nd Jäger Battalion on the 11th of September 1914 and returned to field, rejoining his company on the 28th of October 1914. From the 8th of December 1915 until the 4th of January he was in Hospital with stomach problems. On the 30th of March 1916 he was sent to hospital in Charleville with wrist problems. On the 28th of June 1916 he was posted to the Feldrekruten Depot of the 1st Jäger Regiment. On the 30th of April 1917 he rejoined the 2nd Comp, Res. Jäg. Batl. 2. On the 15th of September 1917 he was transferred to the Machine Gun company. On the 16th of February 1918 he went to hospital again, rejoining the MGK on the 7th of May 1918. He was demobilized on the 23rd Of November 1918, his discharge papers showing he had just been transferred to the bayer. Ersatz-Gebirgs-Masch. Gewehr-Kompanie-bayer. Armee-Korps in Immenstadt. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class. In the field 2.8.14 – 25.8.14 31.10.14 – 8.12.15 4.1.16 – 31.3.16 18.6.17 – 19.7.17 6.8. 17 – 16 feb 1918 Page 176 volume 2 MGK.

Everyone needs an occasional "oh Sht!!!!" moment to give life meaning.... :-)

Some googling shows there were foreign observers underway at Waterloo...