Chris Boonzaier

So... as someone who gets lost with any initials other than "E.K."... What do I have ? :-)

Not my area... but does that say "Fuhrer" instead of "Führer" ?

Nothing spectacular, but I am amazed by the quality of the device....

Thanks fot the info... Boy... what a bummer... you march off to war, everyone around you has a nice spiked helmet.... and you have something on your head that would look more in place at last months royal wedding on the head of princess bazooba of Linchtenstein....

Thanks Dave :-) That is indeed just what the doctor ordered. Best Chris

A simple EK2 to him.... Here is something I am wondering.... If the commander of a Bavarian Division could award the EK2.... and the MVK3rd Class.... How did he diecide which one to award? Was there some kind of fixed rule?

Here is another one on a smaller scale... Josef Schelshorn, cant read from where (bottom line)

From a bad picture I thought it may be a Bergmütze, but now I see it is not... He was in the 17th bav Res Inf Regiment and was killed in November 1914... But what does he have on his head ?? Something with a rain cover??

Mathias Hampp, Born 25 Dec 1889, died 12 July 1916 at Verdun... I am guessing this guy was 3rd Jäger Regiment from the uniform? est Chris

I have always wondered.... nowdays PTSD is all over the media... so many guys seem to have it.... But you seldom if ever hear of it for WW1... there must have been many cases, how did they keep them quiet? The more I think about it the more I think they accepted it and covered for the guys with "erkrankt" Best Chris

Anyone? :-)

Hi, I checked on the pics I saved. I dont think these guys are Arty.. from the age they just seem to be some granatwerfer Ml 16 guys from a landwehr Inf Unit. Unfortunately the pics were not good enough to read the unit designation on the stamp. Best Chris

I think there is much that can be hidden behind the "Erkrankt", There are quite a few example I have of guys who are sick for longer periods after a long time at the front. One of the things that makes me wonder... the guy in the link above and TomWs were highly trained specialists... Both were fit enough to work in factories... Surely they would have been prime material for work at their respective Base depots, training units.. either as admin, stores or whatever... By sending them to a factory they are seperated from their peers... I remember wounded guys in my comapany were soon back in the company... but on two occasions we had guys who broke under stress, and we never saw them again, they were posted elsewhere... It makes me think that in some cases guys who had "battle fatigue" or nerves were sent away for a time... Best Chris

Thanks Uwe! 23.02.1916 3rd assault day A cold night behind me Alternating between 15 Minutes sitting, 15 minutes walking. Lt Landzettel and I warmed each others backs. 09:30 heavy artillery fire during coffee break. A number of wounded. Through forest – barbed wire – Height – Artillery fire. Assault on Brabant Many prisoners approach through barrage on Lamouilly and behind. As we dig in to protect from artillery fire we are ordered to stand down. Leave for Jägerquelle. Share a bed with Lt Landzettel for an hour. 24.2 Leave for Reville. Arrive very tired 25.2. Rest 26.2. The planned inspection by the Divisions Commander is cancelled 11:00 march over Damvillers-Moirey-Flabas- Caures Wald 500m behind French frontline, arrive about 05:30 set up tents. The Headquarters of His majesty the Crownprince arrive in Automobile through Damvillers. There was much traffic, too much for the road. I counted 12 Aeroplanes, Flabas surrounded by artillery. Soon after Flabas we pass the long positions taken by the 155 (I.R.) On the edge of the Caures Wald the first French positions. Here it was possible to see the wonders of war. Our artillery had caused craters 10m wide and 6m deep. The dead lay all around, including a young Leutnant with his whole group. Here the 87 (I.R.) had been the brave ones. A picture of sorrow that I will never forget. In the French 2nd line a machine gun had operated until the last moment. This murderous weapon had made the advance of our 87 (I.R.) very difficult. It was freezing in the tents tonight, I did not sleep a single minute. 27.2.16 This morning we survey the destruction caused by the assault. The French cemetery is nothing in comparison to German Military cemeteries. “Feuerflammen” (Flamethrowers) were used to smoke out here as well Fetched the battalions Rum, Tea. In the afternoon received stoves and coal. It is obvious that the high command thinks of everything. For the officers a high tent with stoves was set up. This evening it was warm and comfortable. After dark we ate then rested. Leutnant Möllmann hat set up the officers tent. 7.3.16 Arrive in Caures Wald, Lt Landzettel gives me coffee, for which I am greatful. Then a meal. Tents are set up. 10:30 shaved by the company barber (55) (years old?) Then time for the big washup, first time in 14 days. Clean clothing, feel like a different person. 02:00 A Meal, In the evening Glühwein to celebrate the E.K.s

Class A Work! Wish I could do stuff like that!

Malangali 1916: The Union Central African Imperial Service Contingent and the 1st Kings African Rifles fight the Imperial German Navy... now, if that does not catch your eye... something is wrong with you! It is a great new (and detailed as always ) article for Harry's Africa. The Alpenkorps gets its own page, still under construction, but a selection of death cards on the tool bar on the left, Bavarian Jäger, 3rd Jäger Regt, Leib Regt. There is loads more to come on the Alpencorps, just need to get it done ;-) A bit more added to one of my favourite pages, A bavarian Silver Bravery medal award for Verdun

The above page is out of sequence in the diary...

the 3rd Diary...

The Battle continues...

I dont find this dude on any of the Jäger casualty lists... does anyone have an idea?

Hi, Still does not work as a link. I know there was a Verein magazine and newspaper that came out during the interwar period, although the Ehrenbuch has the citations, i was hopng to find out what jobs/careers some of them awardees had after the war. Best Chis

Hi Jens, I have the Ehrenbuch downloaded, but the 1922 list I cannot seem to get to work? Thanks Chris

Battle fatigue … how was it dealt with in the German army? Sometimes you find Militärpasses where the men are for undisclosed reasons sent to work in a factory. This is often the case with men who have had a lot of front experience, sometimes highly decorated, then suddenly they are unskilled labor at a factory… One would think they would have been of more use at the front, or training other men… Could it be that there was a system whereby men suffering “battle fatigue” were discreetly moved away from active duty… A prime example is here… http://www.kaiserscross.com/40029/269601.html after what must have been a veeery intense frontline career, he suddenly goes to hospital (no wound), then goes to work in a factory… he was a EK1 awarded NCO in the premier unit of the army… no more frontline.. but would he not have been better used in a training role? But instead… off to a factory… I have 2-3 passes where things like this happened, and I really cannot explain it, other than that the Army found it better to move them out of sight… Any thoughts?

Hi, Are you sure it is an Infanteriebegleitbatterie? The guys are from a Granatenwerfer 16 group and could have been regular infantrymen part of a regular infantry section? (I must admit, I did not see the stamp on the back of the card though). I cant remember what cuffs they had on their tunics. Ouch.. I did not think it would go that high!

Indeed... that is an achievement all on its own... Once again you would think that the medal would have given him a leg up. He seems to have spet the last half of 1917 and all of 1918 back in bavaria at the Ersatz Battalion... I am at a loss for what job they had for a buck private there... you would think a little bit of Rank would have been handy...