landsknechte

I've wondered for years if there was some connection to that one, but without any actual evidence, I can't really go that far. The closest I've found is an example of a medal that uses the same ribbon as a different grade of the Alfons badge. It wasn't on a bar though. The fact is that there are at least two people that did whatever this is...

Visions of that ribbon continue to taunt me...

I can't find the picture at the moment, but I did see one bar with a dark purple brocade backing. Not sure what branch that points to...

Here's my one lone example. I've seen one other paired with a Baltic Cross, but I forget where...

Thanks for the help guys!!

Out of curiosity, does anyone know the specific regulation(s) that banned the wearing of most Freikorps and the other "vet awards" when the Hindenburg Cross came out? Thanks, --Chris

...and lastly, on the scabbard, a little bit of evidence that it's "been there".

#3

#2

Just picked this bayonet up this weekend, and I'm rather pleased. I've always had an attraction towards the red bakelite, and I finally nabbed one. Good shape other than having been sharpened. Blade is marked WKC, and there is a Waffenamt (WaA 253) on the base of the guard that apparently corresponds to that company from 1937-1940. Curious, in and of itself, as that seems too early for this type of handle from what I understand.

...and the hospital page. Any guesses what the handwritten (non-numeric) injury/illnesses are?

It looks to me like it was crossed out with a date annotation on August 20th, ten days after Volksbund shows that he was dead. From that, could I draw the conclusion that this was some sort of record of his weapon being recovered by his unit?

...and the second page of units. Can anyone make sense of the last Marschbtl. entry, and what is written underneath it (the Sutterlin followed by the "VIII")? He returned from leave in late May 44 via that Marsch Btl. Trying to figure out where he spent May through August of that year prior to his death.

The first page of his unit history:

Can anyone make sense of the last entry on the page on the left? It almost looks like he was awarded the Ostmedaille twice.

I had a rather fortunate turn of luck today, and found a Soldbuch that belonged to the same soldier as a Postsparbuch I already had in my collection. From Volksbund.de: Nachname: Kottemann Vorname: Friedrich Dienstgrad: Unteroffizier Geburtsdatum: 20.03.1916 Geburtsort: Strang Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 10.08.1944 Todes-/Vermisstenort: Friedrich Kottemann ruht auf der Kriegsgr?berst?tte in Marigny (Frankreich) . Endgrablage: Block 2 Reihe 24 Grab 898

.....

...

I came across this curious knife at a militaria show, obviously a DIY job by a bored soldier or sailor somewhere in the PTO. I'm hoping that one of the experts in this forum might be able to date the Fuchi by the design or the construction.

Gotta love Osprey...

Just a small one...

I can't begin to explain it, but here it is just the same...

All is not lost! It took a couple months longer than expected, but the bar is now in my grubby little paws.

I'm trying to see what sort of materials, other than the standard bark-textured paper, were used for Heer Soldbuch covers. If someone has got some examples, I'd ideally like to see how they're constructed (i.e. the printing on the back cover, and whether or not they have the same "pocket" flaps on the back.) I'm trying to recreate some books for my reenacting group, but a reasonable facsimilie of the normal cover material is proving to be nearly impossible to come by. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, --Chris

...and a couple more photos: