Paul L Murphy

And finally gets discharged ...... http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2008/post-1487-1221506685.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2008/post-1487-1221506700.jpg

Despite all this he starts to make himself useful to the new powers that be ...... http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2008/post-1487-1221506609.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2008/post-1487-1221506621.jpg

Another late war doc., June 1945

Finally the biggie for 3rd Reich collectors, in May 1945 he gets the German Cross in Silver.

In September 1942 he gets the War Merit Cross with swords 2nd Class. Unfortunately the signature on the document (and his subsequent 1st class award) appear to be stamped rather than hand signed. By now he is a Major. The 1st class award follows ......

In June 1940 he gets the bar to the Iron Cross 2nd Class.

In December 1939 he is getting the West Wall Medal so he was obviously one of the early recipients of this.

In 1939 he got his 25 Year Faithful Service Medal for working in the postal services and we have documents regarding that.

In 1935 he got promoted up to Captain in the reserve.

This next doc has some useful details about him. Next we have his certificate for his Combatants Cross.

Next up is a nice Weimer era document from 1924. The eagle stamp is very impressive in reality.

At last a photo, looking rather stern.

Some more docs in no particular order. http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2008/post-1487-1221505600.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2008/post-1487-1221505614.jpg

A rather faded post war document.

Hi certificate for the Iron Cross 1st Class awarded in 1917 when he was an artillery lieutenant.

Next up a handwritten letter to him/about him ?? Don't worry, it gets easier after this

Another document from November 1915

Any help on understanding the content would be appreciated.

If you thought that was bad get a load of this. It is dated November 1915 and I cannot for the life of me say what it is !

This is a certificate dated 20 May 1914. As you can see, some of the printed script has started to fade and it is all in that terribly difficult German scribbly stuff that only Rick seems to be able to read these days !

And now we get into the interesting bits, the documents His Soldbuch has the usual entries and when I get around to it I will scan all the pages. He was from Stuttgart.

Next up is the final medal he got, many years later, the 1st Class Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

This is one of my recent purchases which came from the family of the recipient. I had difficulty working out which section to post this in since he covers all periods of German history ! Up first are the medals I was able to get, they have promised me the rest of the medals if they find them. I know the first medal is not Imperial German but it is the biggy of the group. A German Cross in Silver. Zimmermann manufacture and one of their lightweight pieces.

Yes it is.

It is still awarded but now you get a "certificate" which is in metal on a wooden background. It is actually a very nice thing to hang on the wall. The only actual medal which the Japanese Red Cross now awards is the gold version of the Merit Cross.