Auseklis

My first thought was actor in costume.

That fits into my "something similar" class

My first thought was "Afghan Prince"... (or something similar)

Hi Dante,

I would read that as both classes of the Silesian Eagle.

Yes, it's a fake. M9/86 (Adam Donner, Wuppertal-Elberfeld) did not make any police tags.

Just to mention that... There is a German line of Clan Hay since the 1600s.

From the picture, it looks like the long service is missing it's device? It also looks like the EK ribbon might have had a device also? Very difficult to tell from the picture. The KVK on the other hand does not seem to have had swords. Maybe a policeman?

I think it's from the Irish Army. But don't ask me what unit that is...

I can show this one. It's a card of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France. The Imperial Eagle is already blackened after the Kerensky government took over.

Does anyone know if that can be downloaded? Are there programs that will?

I just did so with a firefox plugin called Ant Video Downloader.

Ehrhard still has his insgnia with him... (sort of).

I pass no judgement on originality, my observation is simply that this example would be very easy and cheap to fake.

Hi Chris,

Obviously you are right on that, but on what scale? How many of this TWMs will you get, if you want a cheap price per piece?

You are assuming that this kind of pin is not commercially availible to badge makers up to this day.... :-)

Yes, I do (to make it clear, it's about the holder plate).

.... and you could have these made for USD5 or less.

Let me expalin my doubts in that.

If you want a pin holder plate, exactly like these with the 2x3 lines and in the same dimension like the original, you will need to sheet metal stamping tool. Than you would need to put out some volume of pin holder plates, to get your money back. I would guess (not realy my field of expertize) at least several hundred. Has anybody seen any of them?

So I would follow Demir in his assumption that the pin is original.

But on the other hand... You could not start a production of fake stars with the vague hope to obtain enough original pins at a reasonable price (many of these pins are afixed to tinnies that are by far more valuable than a TWM of this quality).

If not more examples of this type pop out of the ground within the next few years, I would follow ottomanmedal. I then would assume that this an interwar produced piece, that is so ugly that it was not accepted by the fast majority of buyers and did survive only in very small numbers.

Pf you order the pins wholesale...

As Demir pointed out, the pin seems to be original.

Dies and pigments used to make ink and paint can be examined to see if all the trace elements and compounds to make specific inks/colors, etc, are correct for the period, or more recent.

Les

No ink involved here... If Alan realy wants to spend lots of money for verifying this item, there might be a cheaper way than C14 (about 900.- Euro that would be). I think a forensic analysis of the printing by microscopic analysis of the toner should cost about half that money.

I think it is ELFRIEDE shortly after beeing tilted back on its tracks.

Yes. right. Maybe nobody else will ever ask what his fate was, if not you.

I'm pretty convinced, that the 305. Inf.Div. was the primary unit in the vincinity.

Good Morning,

Same source as above:

A planned exchange with the 90th Panzer Grenadier Division did not materialize, and on 21 February Kesselring ordered that exhausted formation into army group reserve at Frosinone,

Now I have found at least an answer to your initial question:

By the end of February the 305th Division, supplemented by the 334th Engineer Battalion next to the sea, manned the entire front opposite the Canadian Corps

That is from:

Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War
Volume II
THE CANADIANS IN ITALY 1943-1945

While "Cork" (I found that online and did already read it before) seems to be a real coded name, Gasa Vezzario just seems to be misspelled. It is obvilously Casa instead of Gasa but I can't find anything like Vezzario.

That will take a while to check through my library, so I'll get me something to eat first

It has to be in this area, I think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Italy1943Sango%2BMoroCampaigns.svg

Hello Cliff

I was trying to look into the problem. But first of all, this Gasa Vezzario is only mentioned in this report. That means, the designation of the place is wrong. That will make any search somewhat difficult.

Cheers

A.

Why do you think my judgement was fast?

I can ashure you: This is printed with a computer printer withing the last 20 years. The text is completly in past not present, as it should be with a contemorary item. There would be no need for such an display contemporary. Especialy not at a taylors shop, since a taylor would not offer that much choice to his customers. Customers contemporary would not care, since the did not see the metal on the finished product.

Please be so polite to accept that my command of my nativ language might be somewhat better than yours.

The text reads:

Die Dicke der Bleche war offiziell vorgeschrieben, wonach man sich aber nicht immer gerichtet hat. Es wurden z.B. im Mitteilungsblatt der
RZM vom 15.2.1941 lediglich nummerierte Bleche ohne Angabe genauer Maße genannt. Für die große Ordensdekoration die Bleche Nr.
3973, 10302, 10168, für kleine Ordensschnallen ohne Orden (Feldspange): Bleche Nr 4039, 12672, 9848, 10567 und 12013.
Handwerklich fachgerecht hergestellte und andere zeitgenössische auch sehr einfach selbstgefertigte Spangen gelten in jedem Fall als
Originale. Die Perforationen in den Blechen für die Splinte der Bänderauflagen wurden in diesen Fällen fast immer nur nach Bedarf zur
jeweiligen Auszeichnung gebohrt, teilweise grob eingeschlagen.
Augfgelötete Halteösen für die Nadeln sowie Scharniere existieren hierbei in verschiedenen Arten. Rückseitig waren die Bänder meist
vernäht aber oft nur verklebt wie es auch an den Aufsteckelementen der Fall ist. Die vernähten Bänder an den gewölbten Spangen wurden
meist mit einem Filzstreifen abgedeckt und nochmals vernäht.
Es wurden auch 15 bis 18 mm breite Ordensbänder sowie Litze, Lederstreifen, Flanel, Seidenstreifen, Baumwolle, Leinen und Samtstreifen
bis hin zu gemusterten Textilien etc. benutzt. Gelegentlich wurde auch dieser Streifen aufgeklebt.

I'm sorry to say that the online translator failed in getting the necessary level of detail. This is, without any doubt, a display for some sort of exibition. Maybe even from a small museum. But not older than 20 years!

Hi Alan

Speedytop is right.

Looks like made by a collector for display.

Cheers

A

During the occupation of France it was home of a military police training unit.