landsknechte

...and now, at the dawn of 2008, this bar is winging it's way through the labyrinth of the postal system. No closer to having any idea what it is, but at least I now know that it wasn't a one-off ersatz fix for some other decoration.

Some of you with longer memories might remember my strange, and perhaps unhealthy, obsession with a little blue and white ribbon which seems to be eluding all attempts at identification. Been wrestling with it for more than two years now, ever since landing two identical ribbon bars with it tucked in there...

Given James' description of the criteria for that last ribbon, which to me implies that the owner was a Croatian, does the Polizei analysis still work?

? what device?

I misunderstood your saying that "I believe that is all there ever was to it" to mean that you believed that there had been nothing else attached to it.

Yup-- I believe that is all there ever was to it.

I don't know who would have gotten a "peacetime" Zvonimir, but my best guess would be that is a Polizei group and an 8 year medal-- occupation/anti-partisan duties in Yugoslavia.

There's no trace of any device ever being put through it.

I'd presume it couldn't truly be a peacetime decoration, as it only existed (I believe) from 1941-1945.

Last one is Croatian War Commemorative "Device"-- ONLY a ribbon in full size, if I remember correctly, worn from the second buttonhole of a tunic in full size.

3rd one LOKKS like Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, but that seems unlikely.

Aha... Croatian....

That would make #3 a Zvonimir on a civil ribbon. Croat SS volunteer perhaps?

Yep, that is a Ludwigs Order.

Quite an ODD combination though-- with ONLY the Baden War Effort Cross and the L?beck. IF the Baden rolls were around, and got done along with the L?beck project... it would be hard to imagine more than two with JUST this pair.

That's one that I never suspected would be that unique. Another one to add to my list of likely unique but eternally untraceable ribbon bars.

After a bit more research, I went ahead and bought the assault frame and pack from IMA. They both appear to be pretty good in person.

With some of my notes being lost to a hard drive crash, I don't remember what the two foreign ribbons at the end of this bar are:

...anyone know off hand?

A little while back, I had a hard drive crash, and lost some of the notes that I had on my collection that I hadn't already printed out. Apologies for the redundancy, but now I don't remember what the general consensus of the group was as to what the likely identity of the red ribbon in this lapel bow was:

Just an opinion based upon my observations as a cat owner.

I think it just means that you just came out of the litter box.

Is the crown superimposed over the swords represent Crown Order? I thought is was a variation for the HHOx

I can't really tell from the picture, but it seems like it would be largely irrelevant in this case. To have two 1914 EK-type ribbons on a bar, both with gold crown and swords - what else could they be but one of each?

My one lone contribution is, I'd imagine, quite far from the realm of identifiability.

What are the second and third ribbons?

HHOX and Crown Order with swords?

I am picturing a sabre wielding Russian Billy the Kid.

Heck, I'm picturing the Kurgan from Highlander...

KVKx, Ost, Volkspfelge/DRK

Thanks! Any guess on what #4 is?

This is DRK-Schwesternhelferin Ilse Daub - thanks for posting Joe, and I'd be really grateful if you could e-mail me a copy of the page!

Could you post a better scan of the ribbon bar?

How about a screen sized closeup so it's visible?

I wish I had one to give. This is a pic that I found online somewhere, and have had on my hard drive for a while.

Any guesses as to what's on the ribbon bar?

Looks like a nice solid M-30 gas mask. I can't see anything that gives me cause for pause, and I too would buy it. (Still looking for a cannister for my M-38, in fact.)

You are DA MAN!!!!

When did it go obsolete? I'm fairly... obsolete myself and I don't recall ever seeing this.

Sometime after 1976, as this General who started in the guard around that time has one:

<a href="http://www.ngb.army.mil/ngbgomo/library/bio/1804.htm" target="_blank">http://www.ngb.army.mil/ngbgomo/library/bio/1804.htm</a>

Here's my one lone example of it, appearing on a fairly nonsensical German bar.

And the Unidentified Guys:

Huzzah to that. *sigh*