filfoster

The Dannebrog would make sense as his wife was a Danish princess.

t was common for German officers to wear lesser awards on the bar for German orders, just not the same grade, as for example, the Iron Cross 2nd class was not to be worn on the medal bar and also as a button hole ribbon.

Hindenburg was very proud of his Red Eagle Order 4th class with swords, won during his service in the Franco-Prussian War, and worn on his medal bar but he held the very highest grade of that order. Ludenforff also wore the Red Eagle 3rd class with crown on his medal bar but held the Grand Cross with swords and Oakleaves and is often shown at least in post-war photos, wearing the breast star with his medal bar.

I think that may be right.

I would expect several German states awards ...

Great Dane, Thank you! the angle of the medals in this photo will make further identifications difficult. perhaps we can find a better photo

Better angle. not much resolution, sadly

Edward VII was not known as a soldier, practicing the marital arts in lieu of the martial arts. He did, however, don some spiffy rigs for his official duties. At the bottom photo, I make this an 8-place medal bar.

1. Order of the Bath

2. Star of India

3.St. George and St. Michael

4. Order of the Indian Empire

5. Victorian Order

6. ?

7. Reserve Officer or Territorial decoration

8. Turkish Order of the Medjidi or some such.

The top picture, an older photo shows even more 'flair' but I can't make them out. Perhaps a Greek Order of the Redeemer and something at the end from one of the German  states?

"lift" = "lot".   Auto correct is not.

On 22/05/2021 at 02:26, Alex K said:

Hi all I realise this is an old thread, but found this which may answer a few questions if they hav'nt already been answered!! No igs 1854 on there

 

Try wearing that on your chest?

Thanks...that's a lift a stuff.  He obviously didn't wear all he was entitled to (unlike Sir John French). Looks like we got the ones in his portrait, though.

Did the Russians know the Germans were occupying their capital?

OK, some clues. His paternal Grandmother was Charlotte of Prussia, Kaiser Wilhelm I's sister. His mother was a German princess, as was his wife, and ALL six siblings married German royals. Yeah, that's a lot of Germans there. Ach! Still, why not wear a St. George?

Da!

This came up as an incidental matter in a related thread but it deserves its own thread, because it's weird!

Why would Tsar Alexander II, Tsar (OK, Czar if you insist) of all the Russias, wear a Prussian order as his highest decoration? He could have worn a St. George of the highest degree or even a St. Vladimir or Stanislaus or St. John.  Why this one, and even appears to have the Black Eagle sash?  I know he was related to Germanic princely houses by marriage and ancestry but really, this seems bad form, no?

I know it was common to wear the orders and decorations of foreign countries when wearing the honorary military uniforms of those countries on state visits, etc. but he's wearing the 'unattached' or generic Russian general's mundir, not a Prussian rig.

Any guesses, folks?

Better photo:

The bottom one I think is a cross for some Caucuses campaign.

OK, Any ideas what the third and fourth places breast stars/badges are?

And....Why did the Tsar of all the Russias wear the Prussian Pour le Merite neck order and the Black Eagle sash in preference to Imperial Russian orders?

Paul, Lukasz, thank you very much! 

but, what's on the ribbon bar after the St. George cross?

Thank you!!

...and a St George star beneath the St. Andrew.

The PLM seems odd to wear in a formal portrait photo, in lieu of a Russian order. I know Russia and Imperial Germany were buds at this time, (the 'Dreikaiserbund', which included Austria-Hungary), but even so...

OK, I can make out what looks like a Prussian PLM (!) at the neck and a St George at the beginning of the medal bar., and the ubiquitous St. Andrew the First Called breast star.  What else?

Thanks to all on this one!  I have replicated his medal bar on a previous thread. I never would have gotten many of the breast stars. Good work!

OK, I can make out the major neck orders (Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, PLM and the Annunciation Order) and some of the breast stars: Black Eagle and the Annunciation Order and what looks like Order of the Prussian Crown at lower left. What else?

Danke!

On 24/05/2020 at 06:11, GdC26 said:

Chris, 

Here is your answer for Bavaria, I believe (which I think is what you actually were looking for).

On a quick reading, in essence, as of 1873, Achselbänder (which included the Generalsgeflecht denoting rank) only existed for officers of general rank, Achselschnure for adjutants of any rank (with colors denoting differences in rank and station).  

With the abolishment of the general's parade dress in 1910, Achselbänder, although not abolished, practicallyally became redundant (as a practical matter, the Generalsgeflecht could not be worn with epualettes) as generals switched to wearing Achselschnüre.

As an aside I noted that adjutant cords should have closed crown tips, Flügeladjutanten and princely adjutants open crowned tips.

Hope this helps, 

Sandro

What is the book these are from?

GdC26: those are beautiful photos! The uniform is yours?

Does anyone have better photos of the complete shoulder cord/aiguillette of the Prussian generals' parade tunic?

The tentative conclusion is that this combination was not worn by the 'big shots' who held active field commands in WW1, for example, prominent field marshals or colonel generals. Pity, as it's an attractive medal (FJ order).

I used to belong to OMSA but no longer, and my long-time contact there, John Roysten, I believe has sadly passed away. So, I don't think I'll be able to access this trove. Thank you anyway, Wild Card. If anyone can supply a bit of this ribbon, please let me know.  I'd be happy to buy some.