kingsman64

Hi Just spotted this post, Well done for spending the time and effort to "Restore" such items. Many people frown on restorations, this shows that it can be with great care and resolve. Does it matter that the ribbons are replaced? no imho, these may well have been worn and the "Original" ribbons replaced several times previously, an attractive set

Alex K

Cheers Alex

My restoration was very gentle!

The silver medals had a very gentle soap and water wash to remove dust and debris but not polished at all and patted dry. The Victory Medal had some very bad staining so was dipped as was the Star. Three ribbons were missing and two in tatters all except the TFEM had original period cotton/silk ribbons fitted and a contemporary brass slotted 1920's bar used for mounting.

I am really happy with the result

Wow... that Chindit badge was a nice "liitle" bonus!!!!!!!!

I know Chris I felt such an idiot! I had shook it and it weighed nothing then my mate puts his finger inside a slides the shoulder title out he looked at my expression and said OMG you had completely missed that hadn't you?

Er well actually hmmm if the truth be known fancy a beer?

Dear Forum

Just thought I would share some pictures of a father and son lot both in the Queens regiment Father France and Flanders WW1 the Son in Burma a member of Wingates Chindits. As you will see a fascinating lot including a rare pick up souvenir a 1898 Dutch Cutlass modified by the Japanese to form a HeiHo Klewang and then picked up as a trophy of war.

another one of those off theme impulse buys split into two lots at auction but I couldn't let them go

I was rewarded with some additional extras I wasn't aware of when purchased one of which I did not find until 6 months later

Here is the total grouping



WW1 Pair to Private George Bayley 42478 Queens Regiment with uniform photograph.The lot sadly includes George's Death certifcate and funeral expenses statement he died in 1943 while his son was serving in his old regiment in Burma. I have to say the Victory medal is probably the nicest condition I have ever seen full gilding totally unmarked mint condition. Both medals clearly have never been mounted or worn.

The sons grouping to 5729733 Private Willam Bayley Queens Royal West Surrey, William served from 18/4/40 to 19/1/45 a total of 4 years 165 days. His Small book shows Burma Service 16/2/42 -16/5/44 and his discharge as NLFS 19/01/45. Although his medals are mint and have never been worn I wish his cap badge could talk it looks like it has been to hell and back! Now there is a Burma vet's badge if ever I saw one.

Some nice original documents and a signature?





A small hand written note only discovered by me when I got the lot home simply says:

"The hospital was visited by Ike he signed my pay book" then in the same hand a later annotation in the same hand "He is now the president of the United States"!

Then over six months later I was showing a badge collecting friend the lot and he asked me about the little silk pouch for the first time I actually inspected it as there was no weight I assumed it was empty



Out pops a very nice theatre made Chindits cloth shoulder title.

Finally not my thing at all but the short sword souvenir has turned out to be absolutely fascinating from a history point of view.





This weapon was originally a much longer basket hilted cutlass made at Hembrug for the Dutch East Indies Company @1898

When captured by the Japanese they shortened it and removed the basket guard and we end up with a rare variation known as the Heiho Klewang. It has a plethora of arsenal unit and maker marks.





So made in 1898 for one purpose, captured and modified 1940 for another purpose, then picked up as a trophy in 1943! To the victor the spoils!

A fascinating complete lot with more research to do

Regards

Paul


_________________
Best regards
Paul
KINGSMAN 64

Next summer, I will show my (then 7 year old) son the fields of the Somme with the poppys abloom. I hope he will never forget what they stand for. If you stand somewere near Thiepval and look over the fields and try to understand that the huge amount of poppys that you see, is not enough to mark any spot a soldier has fallen, it is just devastating.

As long as there are people like you and me my friend and members of this forum then they wont be forgotten.

Denken Sie daran, all die Gefallenen.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Paul

Dear Forum

I was asked today what is the fake flower for? The question came from a young, well a lot younger than me, a German colleague.

I have been asked this question several times over the last few years as I travel frequently to Cologne with my job and if it is late October early November I am always wearing a poppy. I explain that the poppy is a symbol of rememberance of service personnel who lost their lives initially in WW1 then WW2 and now embracing all conflicts since, I say it is similar to Volkstrauertag and that usually suffices.

But this evening at home I am researching a humble WW1 pair to a survivor.........well not really. Which got me thinking, wondering about those who made it home the impact on their lives and their deaths and how we should remember all who served and continue to serve to protect our freedom.

A young man who was every inch a victim of the "war to end all wars", as any man whose name appears on the Menin Gate or who is commemorated on one of the thousands of CWGC headstones scattered around the world. Charles Benjamin Gaucheron Sear came home from his war this is his story.



Charles was born in November 1898 in Islington London the son of William and Jane Annie Sear his fathers occupation is given as a coachman/groom. By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved to 68 Marlborough Road Holloway and the 12 year old Charles is shown as a scholar one of 10 surviving sear children 13 having been born. His father William has clearly embraced new technology and is now a Motor Van Driver

Our next sight of Charles is on his 1916 Attestation document when he enlists just 10 days before his 18th Birthday. He becomes private Sear of the 51st Graduated Training Reserve Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment a period of home service commences and then fate played her cards. On the 1st of January 1918 Charles is transferred to the 7th Battlion Royal West Kent Regiment and is shipped to France on the 29th of January. His record states "joined Battalion in the field 3rd February".

The 7th (Service) Battalion, The Royal West Kent Regiment was raised at Maidstone on the 5th of September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. after initial training near home, they moved to Colchester in April 1915 and then to Salisbury Plain in May for final training. They proceeded to France on the 27th of July 1915 landing at Le Havre the Division concentrating near Flesselles. In 1916 they were in action on The Somme in The Battle of Albert capturing their objectives near Montauban, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge including the capture of Trones Wood, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Thiepval Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights playing a part in the capture of the Schwaben Redoubt and Regina Trench and The Battle of the Ancre.

In 1917 they took part in the Operations on the Ancre including Miraumont and the capture of Irles, the fought during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and in The Third Battle of the Scarpe before moving to Flanders. They were in action in The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of Langemarck and The First and Second Battle of Passchendaele.

In February 1918 they transferred to 53rd Brigade still with 18th (Eastern) Division. They saw action during The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of the Avre, The actions of Villers-Brettoneux, The Battle of Amiens and The Battle of Albert where the Division captured the Tara and Usna hills near La Boisselle and once again captured Trones Wood. They fought in The Second Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Epehy, The Battle of the St Quentin Canal, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of the Sambre. At the Armistice the Division was in XIII Corps Reserve near Le Cateau and demobilisation began on the 10th of December 1918.

Charles next entry in his service record records him as missing in action 21/03/1918 he had been in france just 8 weeks when he and his battalion faced the onslaught known as the Michael Offensive launched on the 21st March 1918

The 18th Division held the line between a point just north of Travecy and north of Moÿ de l'Aisne (which is about 10.5km, or 6.5 miles, southeast of St-Quentin). For the most part the Division's front followed the road and railway between Vendeuil and Moÿ, with the the Canal de la Sambre et l'Oise just in front of it . There were no major defensible features of ground until the Crozat Canal some way behind the Division's "Battle Zone".

The Division was faced by German Eighteenth Army's 13th Landwehr and 223rd Divisions. Major-General Lee had deployed 55th and 53rd Brigades into the Forward and Battle Zones. The very front of the 4.5 mile line held by the Division was occupied only by three battalions: the 7th Buffs, 7th Royal West Kents and 8th Royal Berkshires. The front line posts were held by the 2/2nd London Regiment, with the 2/4th London Regiment behind them in the "Battle Zone".

•7.15am: Germans capture canal lock north of Travecy, but a party of 7th Buffs nearby hold on until 5.30pm. A platoon west of the lock fights on despite being completely encircled, only being overcome by close-range artillery at 8pm on 22 March.
•9am: enemy enters north side of Vendeuil and begins to push through village. A British garrison in the old French fort west of the village also holds out until evening of 22 March.
•9am: German infantry is cut down as it attempted to enter Moÿ de l'Aisne, having failed to see barbed wire defences. But they pressed on and by 10.30pm were across the La Fère/St Quentin road, a mile to the west. The British troops in the forward defences in this area are mainly overwhelmed and killed or captured.
•9am: enemy has broken through gaps on 8th Royal Berkshires front and posts are being taken from rear, although a strongpoint at a farm south east of Cérizy holds out until about 4.30pm.
•Much of the division's field artillery is over-run and captured as the enemy advances: 82 Brigade RFA loses 9 guns, while 83 Brigade RFA loses all but two (and they fire a total of 1900 rounds on this day alone).
•4.30pm: 7th Royal West Kents battalion HQ is captured.
By day's end the Division had been ordered to withdraw to hold the line of the Crozat Canal at Liez, Mennesis and Jussy. The villages of Ly-Fontaine, Gibercourt and Remigny have fallen into enemy hands.



Charles was captured on day one of the offensive but his POW status is not confirmed until the Red Cross issue list 579 in November 1918 which contains his name. Repatriated in January 1919 Charles is discharged in October 1919, his war is over or maybe not. He married one Dorothy M Berry in 1928 but theirs was not to be a long marriage as Charles died in 1930 he was just 31 years old. Indeed his service record contains a letter from his young widow asking if a pension is availabe due to his life being cut short by the effects of his service.

So for Charles Benjamin Gaucheron Sear no last post, no memorial, no CWGC headstone and no plaque and scroll just a humble pair of medals and a printed letter with a facsimilie signature welcoming him home from captivity.



So while we remember the fallen in the next few weeks spare a thought for those who returned whose lives be they short or long also paid a heavy price.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Best regards

Paul

KINGSMAN64

Dear Forum

Just thought I would share a recent acquisition a lovely group that came up at a local auction house split into three lots!

(1) Q.S.A. 4 clasps SA.01, Transvaal, Orange Free State and Cape Colony
(2) 14-15 Trio
(3) T.E.M. Badges and postcards

A polite phone call was made to the auction house only to be told:

"sorry Sir our duty is to maximise the sale potential for our client we reserve the right to split lots at our discretion, after all some people just collect Victorian medals and some collect just WW1 medals"

I couldn't let it happen so after a battle for the QSA another for the Trio then complete lack of interest in the TEM

The group was mine!

It had been neglected for many years so a gentle clean (no polishing as the silver awards are almost black) Ribbons had to be replaced as three were missing and the others were only threadbare fragments. So I replaced them with suitable vintage silk and mounted them up myself.

Both postcards are annotated to the rear to my Darling Wife and babies love from Dadda DJP

While I know there are many members of the forum who would have done the same to keep such a nice group together, these are completely off my collecting theme. (8th Foot, Kings Regiment and Northamptonshire Regiment).

Then having arrived home and failed to look solvent She who must be obeyed asked something she has never asked in 23 years "Okay is this on theme? Or completely off theme with an excuse for buying it"? Woops, but even she agreed it would have been a sin to see them split up, so with that knowing, "this will cost you" look she left me alone to research the group.

The medals are named as follows

QSA 26374 Pte D J Parkes 6th COY Imperial Yeomanry (This was the Staffordshire company).
Trio 197 Gunner D J Parkes RFA
TEM 197 W-CPL D J Parkes 3/N.MID B RFA

David Jesse Parkes was born July 1878 in Rowley Regis Staffordshire the son of John and Mary An Parkes, he was 22 when he enlisted in the imperial yeomanry, the medal roll confirms the clasps and is also annotated:

"Discharged January 02 no longer fit for service".

The 1911 Census finds David now married to Elizabeth Parkes and living withh their 5 Children at 8 Poplar Avenue West Bromwich. His occupation is given as factory carpenter.

The imperial service badge shown indicates David was a pre-war Territorial who committed to overseas service he eventually arrived in France on the 5/3/1915.

Sadly he passed away aged just 58 in 1937 his death recorded in Somerset.

Ancestry and a family member provided one last bonus meet David Jesse Parkes 6th Imperial Yeomary and 3rd North Midlands RFA.

The purchaser of such a fine wedding gift has now been identified!

Blarney Boys' National School has stood in its present site for more than a hundred years. In 1898 Sir George Colthurst the 6th Baronet, a wealthy benefactor, donated the site to the then Blarney village school. The school was founded under the patronage of the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne and built originally to accommodate 450 boys and girls from the village. Many changes have occurred since the school's ambitious opening. The school's first Head Master was a Mr. Eugene Cotter, and with two assistant teachers, was responsible for 135 boys and 180 girls.

It appears the school from which Mr Cotter sent that gift lives on today as "Scoil Chroí Íosa an Bhlárna".

http://www.scins.ie/?option=com_cont...=77&Itemid=149

Many thanks to John Mulcahy for this additional information.

Dear Forum

it doesn't happen very often, but we have all done it I am sure. you are at a sale or auction and you come across a must have, something you are magically drawn to and do not want to go home without it.

I was so out of my comfort zone not a medal or a badge I had never purchased anything like it before.

The lot was described as: "A solid silver cigar case with dedication and a tortoise shell victorian purse".

The inscription blew me away, Superb quality engraving and if a man who was married in 1911 was called Richard St. J. J. Colthurst and he wasn't an army officer in WW1 then I am Horatio Nelson!

The small victorian purse bears an escutcheon engraved C C C, so having established the weight at 115 grammes and a scrap value of £47 I sat down to bid. Having very quickly reached just below scrap value, I put my first bid in over the scrap value and bingo mine!

Having got my prize home I began my investigations and............... well lets just say I am never going to ignore my gut feelings ever again!

Richard St.John Jefferyes Colthurst was indeed a Captain in the London Regiment in WW1 he did not serve overseas, however his family history is more than fascinating:

Sir Richard St. John Jefferyes Colthurst, 8th Baronet of Ardrum suceeded his father in 1951 and became the owner of the family castle which houses the famous "Blarney Stone"!.

He was born on 19 July 1887. He was the son of Sir George St. John Colthurst, 6th Bt. and Edith Jane Thomasina Morris. He married, firstly, Cecily Charlotte Cholmondeley, daughter of Brig.-Gen. Hugh Cecil Cholmondeley and Mary Stewart Payne-Townshend, on 2 August 1911.He and Cecily Charlotte Cholmondeley were divorced in 1927. He married, secondly, Denys Maida Hanmer West, daughter of Augustus William West and Fanny Madeline Jane Hanmer, on 3 February 1927. He died on 18 February 1955 at age 67.

He was educated at Harrow School, Harrow on the Hill, London, England. He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, with a Master of Arts (M.A.). He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the London Regiment. He held the office of High Sheriff of County Dublin between 1920 and 1921.He succeeded to the title of 8th Baronet Colthurst, of Ardum, co. Cork [i., 1744] on 28 February 1951.

He is also for good measure a direct descendent of William the Conqueror!

The small tortoise shell purse monogrammed C C C must have belonged to his first wife Cecily Charlotte Cholmondeley and she was the niece of none other than George Bernard Shaw the Colthurst family regulary spent time with GBS.

Captain Colthurst on a visit to George Bernard Shaw (the famous author took this photograph).

An amazing find I am sure you will agree!

Hoyden

thank you so much for adding all this information the census returns are fantastic!

I don't think the draft card is my man, wrong DOB and no middle initial?

Once again thank you so much for adding to the story.

Best regards

Paul

This grouping looks as if it were just awarded last week. I have not seen a WW1 grouping in such pristine condition.

Cheers Paul I am thrilled with it and honoured to be the temporary cusodian.

Hoyden R.

Previously provided this information:

George Robert Dwyer was buried on 28 March 1960

His Grave is located in Garden West, Lawn B

Lot 283, Space 1 Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park

2853 Sunset Point Road

Clearwater, FL 33759

Going to give them a ring and beg for a piccie for a donation to the Legion or Red Cross.

Then planning to frame up the entire collection and get it up on the wall in my study.

Got to look after and treasure the only USA medal group I will ever own.

Dear Forum

I have mentioned this group in another thread however having restored George's photograph from its original sorry state I would now like to share some images of the whole group.

I must mention I have collected British Military Medals for over 35 years my theme has always been my hometown medal winners Liverpool England (home of the Beatles and great soccer!) and medals to my family name "Dwyer".

I have never been the custodian of a USA group but when this group turned up in a local provincial auction house I knew I hust had to have them! The group is a real keeper especially with the twist that my research has turned up!

Pictures first

George Robert Dwyer was a native of Hartford Connecticut and enlisted in July 1917 he was honourably discharged due to wounds in May 1919 having reached the rank of Corporal in "F" Company 102nd Infantry Regiment 26th "Yankee" Division. Awarded a retrospective Purple Heart in 1932 No 45183 his PH is confirmed on the record card for his veterans headstone.

Amazingly having been drawn to the group I have discovered that George's father was born in Co Clare Ireland in the same village that my family of Dwyer's originate from!

So I called the Cemetery at 727-796-1992 and spoke to Karen, who was most helpful. She looked up his grave information and called me back with the following:

George Robert Dwyer was buried on 28 March 1960
His Grave is located in Garden West, Lawn B
Lot 283, Space 1

Now you need to find someone local to Clearwater, FL to go take a picture of the grave for you.

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to do this I really appreciate your efforts and with the information you have provided at least I can direct somebody right to the plot perfect!

BINGO!

Now have full name George Robert Dwyer, confirmation of service number and his wife's name lots more avenues to explore I am a very happy bunny!

Just need an excuse to visit Florida so I can get a picture of his headstone

Rick

could this be my man? Only one I can find enlisting in Hartford Connecticut.

102 Inf Rgt was in 26th "Yankee" Division. Company F members Sgt. Eric S. Olsen and Cpl. Earl H. Sanderson earned Distinguished Service Crosses. Officers only listed the regiment so no idea if any of them were in Co F.

Dwyer was entitled to the Victory Medal with 5 clasps (usually worn first to last top to bottom)

Champagne-Marne (July 15-18,1918)

Aisne-Marne (July 18-25,1918)

St. Mihiel (September 12-16,1918)

Meuse Argonne (October 18, 1918 until his wound), and

Defensive Sector (all line divisions received this generic bar)

Per regulations that would make a silver star on a ribbon bar (1 to 4 clasps = bronze stars), but I have seen 5 jammed on because a silver star was used until creation of the Silver Star decoration to indicate a citation--not all of which were upgraded to Silver Stars later.

Wow Rick that is fantastic thank you so much I will take a picture of his Purple Heart group and post it later.

Any ideas where I could pick up a silver star ribbon device? I would like to make up a ribbon bar to frame with his decorations.

Also was there a generic Infantry cap badge worn in WW1 by American infantry or did the 102nd have a unit specific cap badge?

Sorry for all the questions I have been collecting British medals for 36 years but couldnt resist a group named to my family name so now have my first USA group

(I can hear the wife screaming in the background not another theme!)

Rick

could you please do look up for George R. Dwyer Hartford Connecticut believed to have served in the 102nd infantry and wounded October 1918 near Verdun. Received a retrospective Purple Heart in 1932.

Does anybody know if it is possible to obtain the blue/white/red ribbon shown in the pictures above?

thanks

Paul

Work in progress thought I had found him in an old flight magazine as missing in action, wrong Flight Lieutenant G R Wood as it turns out! My man was in the RAF till late 1940's before resigning his commission. Boxed group suggests Air crew so will keep digging!

Your right though nice when everything is kept together came with his NCO (Sgt) Chevrons sleeve eagles OR cap badge F/Lt dress shoulder boards and an Officers Cap badge.

Regards

Paul

Gents

thought I would share a picture of this recent acquisition a fairly standard WW2 Group to F/LT G R Wood 39-45 Star, Atlantic, Defence and War Medal. However the sporting award blew me away.

A very attractive Barrington Kennett Medal awarded to apprentices at RAF Halton, the medal a beautiful design is in hallmarked silver and the award bars are also silver. While not very rare I belive they are uncommon with this many bars clearly G R Wood was an all round fit chap!

Hi Mervyn

The first one was manufactured in Birmingam in 1898 by Charles Harrold & Co, 2 and 3 St. Paul's Square it has the lion passant date letter q and the Birmingham Anchor mark.

The Artillery one says 925S and I believe it was Indian made as it came with a MBE/WW1 Pairto an Officer in the Bengal Volunteer Artillery.

I will have a think about posting on the Classified section thanks.

Paul.

Her indoors is going to hang me!

I have been trading in medals since I was thirteen when Granddad entrusted me with his hard earned campain group and before you ask no they were not traded! In fact they still have pride of place 35 years later in my dining room I then started buying cap badges to put the correct one with any group of medals I was moving on, somehow it always looks better to me medals and the correct cap badge.

I have always resisted, not because of any moral standpoint more because of (a) Lack of space (b) £ needed for medals and © 4 little uns crawling round at various stages, I have managed to avoid picking up weapons edged or firearms......until now!

I have just acquired a Father and Son medal group, both to the same regiment Queens Royal West Surrey regiment Father's WW1 and sons WW2 a confirmed Chindit with the 2nd Battalion his documents and a nice worn Chindit Div patch.The lot also came with what I originally though was some sort of Japanese short sword souvenir pick up. I was partly right but the history I uncovered behind my first ever edged weapon has been fascinating to say the least.

Apparently my short sword started life as a M1898 Dutch Naval Cutlass or Klewang! It is stamped HEMBRUG at the Ricasso and has arsenal marks on the other side. There are a proliferation of othe rmarkings including a brass plate with unit identification, scabbard stampings and a crude scratched in personal number to the scabbard it is in very good condition considering its history.

Issued and used extensively throughout the Dutch colonial empire a quantity were captured by the Japanese who did not like the length or the basket hand guard and so the naval cutlasses were cut down to around 18" and given a distinctive japanese look, they became a quasi machette short self defense weapon. The Japanese then used them as machetes and provided them to native sympathizers (called "Heihos") as weapons. These "Heiho" Klewangs were later re-captured by US Forces and used by them for the remainder of the war. After the war ended the Dutch sent their colonial troops back to the Netherland East Indies and took the remaining modified Klewangs from the native population due to colonial unrest.

Quite how my Chindit got hold of one I will never no but I feel another colecting theme coming on! Which side arm belongs with this group of medals

Picking my repaired camera up later so will post some pictures to go with this post later this evening. Does anybody else on here own a cut down 1898 Klewang? Are they scarce?

Regards

Nice thread here is my contribution these two are going on to our favourite internet auction site shortly!

Really nice and early 17th foot leicestershire regiment Hallmarked for Birmingham 1898 pre-boer war nice early battle honours

Again a nice Victorian Marcasite and Sterling Silver Volunteer Artillery sweetheart, I can say volunteer because it is all silver, a regular Army one would have been gilded. The big clue was it came with the medals and effects of an officer in the Bengal Volunteer Artillery :lol:

Hi Gents

just thought I would put a face to the name here is my man Carl Felix Solmitz on enlistment in the Australian Army

Regards

Paul

Dear Members

apologies for hijacking Chris' superb research thread but I have recently acquired my first S.A. 1914-15 Star trio to:

Pte A W Miles 5th Mounted Rifles on the star Cpl. SASC on the pair, he then must have returned to the UK as his final medals are a GV police special constable LSGC and a ww2 Defence medal.

I have established from the Special Constable medal his name is Archie W Miles would anybody be able to have a stab at the value of this group please?

Are ILH medals a desirable unit to South African collectors?

What is the best way of trying to obtain service papers?

Many thanks and best regards.

Paul

Gents

While browsing a recent auction catalogue I came a cross a 1939-45 war medal to an Australian recipient (or so I thought ) and knowing my way around the Australian records web pages I thought I would take a quick look to see if he was of any interest. One word wow.

The medal was listed as engraved V501245 C F Somers

Entering the number into the nominal roll I nearly fell of my chair when this popped up

Somlitz Felix Carl Service Australian Army Service Number V501245 Date of Birth 21 Aug 1899 Place of Birth HAMBURG, GERMANY Date of Enlistment 31 Aug 1942 Locality on Enlistment Unknown Place of Enlistment CAULFIELD, VIC Next of Kin SOLMITZ, OLGA Date of Discharge 8 Sep 1945 Rank Private Posting at Discharge 8 EMPLOYMENT COMPANY

Carl Felix Somlitz was born in Hamburg in 1899 and was a member of a small but thriving Jewish Community at 18 years old he was called up for military service and served in the trenches for just over a year.

He was a Banker in Hamburg after the war but fled Germany with his sister Olga Solmitz after the infamous kristallnacht of the 9th-10th November 1938, Carl settled in Highgate London, Olga decided her new life would be in New York.

Carl was arrested and interned as a "Enemy Alien" in London in June 1940 and subsequently transported to Australia with no possesions.

I am assuming he was a model internee as he was allowed to enlist in the Australian Army in Agust 1942.

Carl married in 1946

Carl Felix Solmitz Karlsruhe, Hamburgand Eva Solmitz (Knee Frieslaender) Baden

M a r r i e d, Jan. 1946

397 Toorak Rd , South Yaiia

Melbourne, Vic., Australia

I await the arrival of his service record to fill some more gaps, I am assuming as his medal was auctioned in Germany then he must have returned at some stage. I have learned a very valuable lesson this week dont overlook the common everyday items you never know what an amazing story you may stumble on!

May I ask the Australian Forum Members is this unusual to find medals to German internees or was there a period of time were good behaviour allowed the prisoner to volunteer for the Australian Armed Forces?

Thanks and best regards

Paul