Chris Boonzaier

He doubles as Renner in his dreams... and as this guy in his memories ?

3 hours ago, Dave Danner said:

Canine Training/Service Center of the Ministry of the Interior administration in Ulyanovsk Oblast.

 

Head: Police Lt.Col. Vitalii Valerievich Mikhailiuk

Hi,

muchos Gracias. Is the Ministry of the interior like the new NKVD?

Hi,

can anyone help with the text? What kind of uniform is this?

Thanks

Chris

Obviously a Navy bar, but the Extreme Orient bar is pretty rare to the navy, I am guessing the tailor at the base did not have the proper version and used one from a colonial medal? 

Not to knock the medal, but they are on Ebay running between GBP150-200 .... apparently there will be 450 000 of them..... is that a realistic price or a ballooning because they are new?

Ecstatic to find a small biography of the colonel, just bits and pieces of info, but added to the bits and pieces I already had I am able to get a good overview of all his postings..... 

Born on the 16th of March 1927 at Saint Laurent sur Sevre.
He finished his schooling at the Ecole Prytanee National Militaire.
Admitted to St Cyr from October 1947 until October 1949 he left as a sous-lieutenant and continued his training at the ecole d’aplication d’infanterie.
In May 1950 he was posted to the 1 RE in Sidi Bel Abbes where, in December 1950, he joined section training recruits for their postings to Indochina. On the 26 June 1951 he debarked in Indochina and was posted to the I/5e REI. In October 1951 he was promoted to Lieutenant.
On the 12 June 1953 he was wounded by shrapnel from a booby trap in North Vietnam in the Coi-Tri region. In July he was repatriated due to his wounds. After his recovery he was posted to Tunisia joining the 2e CSPL at Laghouat on the 22 June 1954.
In November 1956 he was posted to the CIC of the 1 RE GILE. He was promoted to Captain in April 1958 and took command of the company in June 1958 until September 1959.
On the 1 October 1958 he was posted to the 1 CSPL at Fort Flatters in South Algeria, taking command on the 15th of October. In January 1961 the Compagnie was renamed 1 ESPL, he remained in command until the 6th of March 1961 when he was posted to the General Staff of the Laghouat sector.
On the 1 October 1961 he returned to France joining the Section Technique de l’armee before being posted to the EMSST (Enseignement Militaire Supérieur Scientifique et Technique) in Paris. On the 1st of July 1965 he was promoted to Chef de Bataillon followed by a posting to the section technique de l’armée at Bourges.
In September 1967 he joined the 81st Promotion of the école supérieure de guerre (Staff college) followed by a posting to the 8° groupe de chasseurs mécanisés in Germany in August 1969. In August 1971 he joined the EMAT (Etat Major de l'Armee de Terre – Army General Staff) in Paris. He was promoted to Lt Col on the 1st October 1971.
He arrived in Corte on the 1st od August 1974 and took command of the 2 RE on the 12th of the month. On the 1st October 1975 he was promoted to Colonel. He handed over command of the regiment to colonel Mougin on the 12th August 1976.
Posted to Lille he joined the General Staff of the 2e Region Militaire at until September 1977 when he was posted to the direction technique des armements terrestres à Saint-Cloud (Technical directorate of ground force weapons). From 1977 until 1981 he served as the “Conseiller Militaire aupres du Directeur du GIAT” (Groupement Industriel des Armaments Terrestres). In November 1981 he was posted to the 3e Corps d’armee in an administrative role.
At his request he retired on the 1st of April 1984, promoted to général de brigade the day of his retirement.
Awards:
Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur – 6 November 1953
Officier de la Legion d’honneur – 13 August 1971
Commandeur de la Legion d’honneur – 14 October 1981
Croix de Guerre TOE – 4 Citations
Croix de la Valeur Militaire – 3 Citations
Medaille Coloniale – “Extreme Orient”
Medaille Commemorative de la guerre d’Indochine
Medaille Commemorative Afrique du Nord – “Tunisie” + “Algerie”
Gallantry Cross of Vietnam
Wound Medal – (He only wore the red star on the Indochina Ribbon)

Hi,

It looks to be one of the early DRAGO restrikes, before they started dating them with "R" and the year... "R78" for example

Lets not forget, most of the photos we have are not unique.... I paid top price for the Leib regt Photo.... and a week later the seller had another, went for quite a bit cheaper, then some time later another!!! I mailed and asked what the story was... he said he had the whole group for the guy (not for sale and no photos) and there were a batch of the same photo in the group. 

So when we pay top dollar for a photo... be prepared to see it for sale some time later ? ... of course, if it has the same rips or folds... the fish stinks!!

Wow... I never thought this post would take on such dimensions! A really interesting discussion indeed.... way more complcated than I thought.

I am assuming then it was possibly made in italy for Export to China or Japan? From the quality and the production I would have guessed a Factory in Europe if early 1910-20.

Having said that... the addition of a horseshoe is confusing....

Hi, has anyone heard of the German Artist named Rosenberg? Apparently an Afrikakorps artist? Thanks, Chris

Hi,

thanks, with the italy in the text it may be that the metal part was made in italy for export?

Sorry, here it is....

The horseshoe also seems out of place....

Hi,

does anyone know which language this is?

It is on a picture frame with a horseshoe entwined with 2 dragons...

Thanks

Chris

uuugly.... I think they must have hired the same designer who made the modern Australian awards!!

You are just trying to spoil my day!!!! ?I woulda killed for that group.

No chance there is a pick of Lt Zirkler in there is there?

That is SUPERB!

H, these should be in the French Section but I am looking for the right names for the units in English... and as most modern terms have an American origin...

URH and SAED

Unite de recherche Humain... literally "Human research unit"

Recherce used as reconnaisance in France like the old CRAP units.

Would "Humint (Human intel gathering) and Reconnaisance unit" be correct?

URH was formed by 2 REI as an element of Task Force Dragon in Afghanistan 2009-2010.. while there it was renamed "Detachment de Liason et d'intervention"

The URH were the forerunners of the SAED "Section Aide à l'Engagement Débarqué" "ground engagment aid section" which is more direct action than the original URH with its recon and Humint roll. For a Mech Infantry regiment it is basically an elite section, basically the regiments commando section, with a role of recon and intervention... One tanslation which is not to bad is "Infantry Regiment Dismounted Combat support platoon"

Apparently the Tankers are testing a groupement d’aide à l’engagement blindé to provide legs on the ground commandoes in tank brigades... and there is an amphibious version as well... .

Does anyone have an idea what the correct english terms for the URH and SAED would be?

Thanks

Chris

I am going to go out on a limb here and say... if you shot at this guy... you sure as hell better hit him... as I think he could probably be rather unpleasant if he catches you after you miss?

... wa able to get most of this as the son was selling it on ebay... missed a few bites, some bits no longer exist... but I got most of what I wanted....

11 hours ago, Rookie said:

Hi

There were a few WW1 unnamed medals stolen from the stores in SA, a few years ago.

They do come now and then on the market, here in SA.

1914 -1915 Stars , BWMs and BVic medals.

 

Chris

Hi,

They were by far not all stolen, around 2000 or so you could apply for reissue... i.e. you could go there and say "I would like a trio reissued for peter jones, henry smill and thomas whatsup" ... pay the money (official reciept) and walk out with 3 trios of unnamed medals.

Of course, some may have been stolen, but it was possible to get unnamed trios in 10 minutes for a small price just by filling in the forms. You just needed the name and service number, did not even have to be a relative.

Best

Chris

I picked upa a 2 REP beret from an ex Legion Colonel. The Beret has a name in it... so I set out to try and find out about the wearer.... Although not his beret at the time, it turns out he was a Sharp Shooter at Kolwezi... An ex legionnaire helped me find some pics with him, on the right in both photos.... I am a happy boy... ?

Thanks!

Chris

Hi, the blue flash with red and white border and the in air on land crest.

Hi,

the legionnaire in Question was in an OMLT with the 4th ANA brigade... Here pictured with a cap given to him by a member of the 7th SFG. one of his souvenirs was a "Special forces Beret!" ... but it is actually an 82nd red Beret....

Thanks guys!