Chris Boonzaier

28.2.16 Unfortunately we could not spend the whole night in the warm tent. At 02:15am the order came to pack the tents, we would march out at 6:00am. At 03:00 new orders came, depart at 04:00 over Beaumont to Vacherauville. Because of the mud and the wagons it was difficult to advance. During a short rest Hauptmann Groth of IR informs us four of the forts are in our hands. Two of the bridges in Verdun have been blown up. The news was good medicine for the morale. The way forward was littered with the dead, especially at a bend in the road where carriages -French ambulances-, then an Artillerie battery had been caught in the fire. Just before Vacherauville we turned left, through a ravine, then in groups, quickly up the slope to the front line positions. The 3rd section and other three companies were not able to advance through the heavy artillery fire. We were relieving the 81. I.R. which had to remain until nightfall, it was impossible to leave the positions by day. During the day we dug new positions in the forest. My section was the furthest forward. We were under constant artillery fire and had 6 wounded in the battalion. In the evening the Captain gave me the order to take an officers patrol and find the enemy lines in the direction of Bras. The patrol lasted from 06:00pm to 09:00pm and we came back safe and sound. Even after our return there was no sign of coffee from the field kitchen. We had had nothing all day. We had marched off this morning without coffee. At about 11:00pm, thank God, coffee arrived. One of the men had fetched it from the field kitchen. Today one of our comrades, the Battalion Dr. Unterarzt Bührmann was wounded in the leg. 29.2.16 Had a night like never before. As I had left my coat behind when I had gone out on patrol, and my batman had not come forward with me, I had to spend the night in the trench with just a blanket. I had to squat the whole night, could not go out as we were under constant artillery fire. So, along with the uncomfortable position and the freezing cold, we had to accept the fact that each of the incoming shells could have our name on it. The mud was flung in our trench and faces, the trench itself was not deep as it had been hastily dug. How long this night was for us it is easy to imagine. Thank God for the dawn and keeping us alive during the night. Unfortunately we suffered losses today, a number of Brave soldiers wounded and to our great dismay our Battalion Commander was critically wounded, loosing both legs and having shell splinters in his throat and head. Unfortunately there was no Doctor or stretcher bearers available. A man with First Aid knowledge announced that it was no use bandaging the wounds. Hauptmann Raffloer was fully conscious and requested that he simply be carried to the rear. He was carried through the ravine and over the dangerous height in a Shelterhalf. We are totally cut off, by day we can not move at all, and by night just at the risk of our lives. A few hours later the Hauptmann was dead. A dapper and brave soldier. His batman had taken a direct hit and was of course killed outright.

Well, the one side looks like a rock, as if awarded to palastinians for throwing stones... But I see a positive trend on the other side.... Notice the early QE2 medals... the ratio of crown to head went from 1:4 to 1:3 to 1:2 to 2:1 and almost 3:1... until she looked like a shrunken head with a Soup Tureen on it... Now suddenly we arer back at a sensible 1:2 ratio... Maybe someone with a British Medal collection can do a thread showing the ratio over the years?

Fantastic! And you bought a proper flash as well ! ;-)

And another strange one.... check out the left sleeves of the men flanking the Clergyman???

On the last pic... family name "Nelles" or "Veller" (A Veller is on the casualty list, "Ernst Veller" but I really have a problemwith his writing.

Basically he sent his family cards all the time saying he was doig OK... wise to do when you are at Verdun... Notice on the 3rd Pic, Willy Gilson added his best wishes... he was killed exactly a month later at Fort Souville Gefr.GILSON Wilhelm 2.St.Komp. 11.07.1916 Fort Souville

2

3 postcards from June 1916....

I suspect Colonial, maybe Boxer Rebellion? Or I may be tooooootally wrong. Notice the one cockade. The Photo was taken in San Francisco. I also thought theater, but the Spiess way of carrying the book makes me doubt that...

It is difficult to say for sure... It seems the first one is a Stahlhelm commemorative certificae. The Saartreuestaffel was an effort to show solidarity with the Saarland... Many Thousands of Athletes from German Sport associations took part and carried messages of support to A.H. in Koblenz. This was a document to someone who took part in it. Would be an interesting research project to see how that was carried out. best Chris

Those are nice, I have a 19th Century Indian steel one similar to the one pictured that I use on occasion... I love them. :-)

Going through some documents today, i see i have a group to Lt. d. Res Otto Schwalm of the I.R. 81. It is an EK2, EK1, Spange EK2 and WW2 Luft Flak. There is also a note of a 1932 letter from Kaiser Wilhelm, which I had overlooked. Reading it I see it was to the Regt commander congratulating him on the Regt History which had just come out. In the last couple of lines he mentions he is sending two signed Photos to be given to the 2 officers who wrote the 400 something page Regt history.... one of them is otto Schwalm! Does anyone have a copy of this book ?? Thanks Chris

I still shave with a cutthroat. Sometimes I cheat with a safety razor, but when I have some time I like to get out the cutthroats. It was one of those things I was determined to learn. Best Chris

Agreed, and I have some fantastic Schmuck Docs... But I think 1-2 years ago noone would have dreamed of these ever reaching a price like this... Maybe... slowly... EK docs are coming of age... I hoped that would only happen once I had them all ;-)

I dont know, the design is great, but there are better. The unit is not great and it was not for any of the major/Captivating battles. The sole factor is the nice design. Up until now, I would have guestimated the Price at about EUR200-250. However, there is a slight upward trend in EK doc prices. Apparently there are a new lot of collectors of these, unfortunately I have not been able to contact them.

Interesting and nice medal. I wonder if it was generic for Volunteer artillery units? The unit seems to be ungraved, if it was made especially for them I would have thought all that would have been in part of the die?

Those 1940-41 SA Armoured Corps badges must be fantastically rare!

Indeed... and that brings up a good point... I wonder what the germans thought of the Gurkha? There is a really masty WW1 Memoir by a German of (I think) the 73. Füsilier regiment. He and his comrades were so ticked off meeting a group of surrendering colonial troops "who had nothing to do on a European battlefield", that they killed them with axes. It was in 1914 I think. I have to look for it.

And in really nice shape...

As am ex mortar man, I really wanted one of these. Thanks to DD I now have one...

Fantastic to own those and know who wore them. A collecting highlight IMHO.

Looks like the Boer General De Wet.

An interesting one on Ebay....

Here is a bad pic...