Chris Boonzaier

A nice little pop gun....

These are nice little things indeed :-) Veeeery heavy....

Chip almost had it. In Early/mid 1918 the Kaiser announced that all certificates issued should be considered to be the final award document. Reading between the lines, initially there was to be a final "Official" one... but by 1918 they decided to scrap that plan and go with what the guys had.

Most of my 14 docs for the Hessens have the actual day of the act of bravery. Soon after they seem to have dropped the actual date of a single act and just had the date of the award. Another example... http://www.kaiserscross.com/41815/41824.html Best Chris

Hi, see here.... http://www.kaiserscross.com/41815/118901.html and Here... http://www.kaiserscross.com/41815/127101.html

Strange uniform indeed!

Indeed... in his diary he mentions capturing a Frenchman and taking his pistol and bayonet. I think French infantry did not have pistols, it was either an officer... or someone who did not have a rifle but had a pistol and probably NOT a bayonet as he had no rifle... As this was with the group, I am taking a loooong jump of the imagination and assuming it is the "Bayonet" he took off the French soldier. Best Chris

Hi, How mauch of a price difference would you put between an M16 and a M18 helmet? Thanks Chris

Hi, If I remember correctly, In the front you folded the one side of the shirt so a crease formed between the button of the epaulet to the middle of the pocket. Held it down and got someone to hit it with an Iron. From there you measured 3.5 cm and did the same on either side. Then the other side. On the arm you did it the width of the epaulet... difficulty is to get these ones straight so they dont go off at an angle... have to put the shirt on and someone to put some pins in to show the natural "drop" of the lines. On the bck it is easiest, the three verticle ones are done by folding the shirt in half, doing the cresa, then 5.3cm to either side. Lateral crease is easy after that. You then have to go back and see all is OK and that you have not folded of creased it otherwise, but once those are in you are OK. Best Chris

What a superb and concentrated collection!!!!! What year is the vickers? Thanks Chris

Hi, when shirts are brand new and unissued it is a reeeeal pain. After that the traces of the creases remain in, even after washing, and you can just re-iron them in. We learned (In Castel) that the 3 above the front pocketes had to be 3.5cm apart and the 3 vertical and 2 lateral on the back 5.3cm. the teo on each arm also 5.3. An old NCO later showed us the 5.3 were the length of a matchbox, the 3.5 the breadth. Once you have them in a shirt it is easy to redo them.... new shirts were a great pain!

I had a German/English MP Ausweis for a Feldgendarme just at the end of hostilities,had both German and Brit stamps. Also had a Luftwaffe helmet with a period big "MP" painted in white on the front. Best Chris

Its the standard French tag. Will see what I can do. Best Chris

Are you 100% sure they all belong together? I could ask on a Legion forum, but need to know it was really the tag that belongs to the set. Best Chris

Hi, last ribbon is not French, hopefully one of our members will be able to figure it out. &th light armoured is a Major part of the Rapid Action force. There are a few Legion regiments in it. A nice little group!

Thats the best Spandau they could find? Half of it is missing!! Have they removed the parts for security? Best Chris

Thanks, that gives me a rough idea. Best Chris

At last... another one....

Did a short update and added 2 new pics... Joe, can you send me your webpage url. it is not in your profile. I will credit the pic then. Thanks Chris http://www.kaiserscross.com/170622/170643.html

Hi, will take a look. There are certain things there and many not. I will work together a shot BIO. of him. The Fieldgrey jacket... I am thinking he souveniered it and sent it home, it looks to have not been worn other than the collar replacement. Best Chris

Can I use the picture? I can credit it to your site. Thanks Chris

Glad for everyone who enjoys it :-)

Not a nice part of the world to get wounded in :-( Ethiopia, Somalia... the medical treatment would not be the best. I would imagine for many wearing that medal the suffering begins AFTER the wound.

First part of August Webers diary is up... http://www.kaiserscross.com/170622/170643.html Much thanks to Tom Young...

Thanks to Tom Young for helping on this...... Here is the first part of our mans war diary.... Western front 1914 up until his first wound... http://www.kaiserscross.com/170622/170643.html