Chris Boonzaier

Hi, from when would you guys date this? Thanks Chris

Very interesting!

Hi, its my understanding that that is a highly unofficial practice. I am not sure if they were worn on the uniform like that. Best Chris

May just be a matter of taste... but I found her to be cutest of the lot?

Indeed... as the company had preprints, i bet this division just made the award by ticking off the names on the list sent up from the regiment... the regiment then sent out a list of names of those approved... and the company clerk filled out the docs and the company commander signed them.

Now that last one should please a certain subculture... leather hats and nuns.... what more can you want on a friday night!

You kidding!!!! My underbidder must have known that... I did not! Also on the back is a newspaper clipping announcing his death. Well.... I am a happy boy!

Hi, quite a few Men of the 2nd Division were awarded individual CdG when they were fighting next to the french at Chateau Thierry. These men could wear the cross itself. There is just one WW1 Ribbon style, the cross they would usually have had will have 1918 on the back. The fourragere does not mean the men could wear the cross (unless they had had an individual award) Best Chris

I must admit the piece looks really, really nice. Especially the bubbling...

I think he means the "bloke" on the right donkey... ;-)

I wonder what he has on the right side of the tunic? It looks like a breast badge...

Hi, an observer... so not to desk bound...

Some ladies make donkeys look soooo much prettier...... :-)

Hi, I am always a bit weary of thinking that although it is the general opinion. "look how many EKs awarded in WW1 compared to 1870" for example... but on the other hand, look how much action there was and how many men were killed in WW1 compared to 1870. For WW2/WW1.. large sections of the front in WW2 were on hold for most of the war, Like the Western front ans Scandinavia... whereas in WW1 most fronts were always moving in one form or another. Adding to the comparison, in WW2 the KVK was used to reward folks and this did not exist in WW1. In WW2 a silver wound badge received an automatic EK2, in WW1 guys who were invalided received it as well, although if this was an official order I have not been able to find out. I once did a stat comparing how many awards were made in the different months of the war. Unfortunately I have lost it... I was surprised to see that the amounts did not change throughout the war, they were however effected by what kind of action was going on at the time. 1914 lots were awarded, early 1915 very, very few. 1916 saw the Somme and Verdun and lots of awards etc. etc.... I imagine in ate 1918 guys who had served solidly for longer periods were treated favorably when it came to deciding who gets an award, and if in 1915 only 4 men in a section had it, but in 1918 28 men in a section had it... it must be remembered that it is natural that as the war goes on, more and more men get the chance to earn one... An interesting topic!

Hi, there was indeed an earlier model, looked waaaaay more elegant than this.... but the guys using them kept getting captured... so they changed models..... ;-)

This is Otto Freiher Grote ex 128 Danzig Inf regt as he looked in the late 1930s. Has the Hauseorden of Hohenzollern in his buttonhole... dont know if he was a prominent mover in the political scene at the time of the photo, he does not seem to be wearing a party badge....

On the back...

Paid a fortune for this postcard... but he has some nice combat awards... Interesting to see 3 ribbons in the buttonhole...

now the search for a volunteer.. I am thinking of adding an infantry weapons section to the kaiserscross site. I have a bunch of notes about the werfer 16 written by Ralf Whitehead is is OK with me using them in any form for the site. Is there anyone who has time to do a 2-3 page write up on these? You dont need to be an expert, there is enough in the notes. I can use it with a bunch of werfer pics and it will of course be credited. Best Chris

Chak out the trousers of the guy on the right.. shows nothing was thrown away...

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Here are some pics of the boys who make some noise....

Although I laugh at the early war get up, they did later serve in cold wet and dangerous areas of the front... and I have more or less reached Landsturm age myself :-(

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How did the village people miss having one of these costumes in their lineup? Some flinty looks from the older generation....