Martin W

Hi Dan,

as a collector of Hilfskreuzer items i recently picked up this nice early Steinhauer & Luck 57er.

There is an even earlier example of this S&L produced award that has a rivetted globe and one that i am looking for.

Now this badge does have a seperately attached globe but it is not rivetted but "adhered" to the badge.

It is a nice early example by S&L from what i am told.

Regards,Martin.

Reverse of lapel pin.

Great pictures Martin...I take it these tradition badges are near impossible to find.

If original,i think that they are near impossible to find Peter.

I have seen many Atlantis badges but i think most of them were produced postwar and they were handed out at their Kameradschaft meetings.

Here is a postwar lapel badge that i received with a grouping from an Atlantis Officer.

I have never seen an original Thor badge.

Regards,Martin.

Here is a very rare image that shows the "fist and hammer" traditions badge of the HK Thor in wear.

Regards,Martin.

These crew badges tend to be almost automatically associated with the U-Boats but the truth is that they were also widely used amongst the smaller surface units.

And the Hilfskreuzers too Gordon.

Many of the ships had a traditions badge that was worn by crewmen on their caps.

Here is a well published image of the Atlantis "shark and merchant ship" in wear.

Regards,Martin.

As to the badge offered by Thomas Huss, that looks good to me also. Bear in mind that although the "on board" made badges are always rather crude, the enamelled badges were usually contracted out to local badge makers and were almost always of very fine quality.

The badge on Thomas's site is quite fascinating,i have never seen anything like it.

It depicts a mine,a torpedo and the sawfish emblem of the Kleinkampfverbande?

Very intersting,if original.

Regards,Martin.

Some really nice material inside but also one or two real awful fakes.

Hi Gordon,

i managed to get a copy of this book and i agree that has some nice material inside.

I also noticed the fakes you reffered to.

One definately stands out on page 97.

Is the other fake you reffered to on page 96?

It is the only other one that i am uncertain about.

Cheers,Martin.

Thanks Joe,

unfortunately,there is no writing on the reverse,so no idea on what ship the HK recipient served on?

The photo did come in a typical folder with writing on the inside.

Regards,Martin.

Looks like the only way you can tell them apart is by the darker waves on the left brother's Minesweeper badge!

Best regards,

---Norm

Good eye Norm,

only you would notice that

I was looking at the differences in their neckware and wristware.

Here is another photo that just arrived.Three NCO's showing the HK,Destroyer and Gallipoli Star in wear.

Regards,Martin.

This one is a recent pick up.

Great photo,i think.

Twin brothers of the same rank,both radio operators and both with the Minesweeper awards.

Regards,Martin.

Both Schwerin and Juncker badges can be found in both blue and brown boxes and I strongly suspect that these were simple generic boxes which both firms probably bought from the same suppliers and the colour of box in which a badge is found is most likely just related to which batch the maker had bought from the makers.

I am leaning towards this line of thinking myself now Gordon.

I now recall an award from a Widder crewman,it was a Juncker in a blue box.

From the award documents i have seen for the Widder and signed by Von Ruckteschell they are dated October 1941.

Regards,Martin.

Detail of the photo shows the brown boxes in the the hand of Mohr.

Martin.

Martin and Gordon:

I've promised Martin that I'll scan my brown cardboard box, wrapping tissue and HSK badge for his review. Hopefully as a significant trade piece. I need to get off my butt and post the photos of the set to see if anyone with HSK documents/portraits is interested in trading.

Joe Slavick

You know i am interested Joe.

Norm,

i beleive that the award ceremony for the Atlantis crewmen was in December 1941.In the images below,from the Mohr book we can see that Mohr,who is standing behind Rogge carries a handful of the light brown cardboard boxes that contain the awards.

So,the possibility exists that the blue award boxes did come later?

Regards,Martin.

Fantastic collection of tiles Ben.

As Chris mentioned,where did you find them?

Were they produced as souvenirs for crewmen or decor?

Regards,Martin.

A very nice buckle Morten.

Great photo's of your father Norm.Thanks for showing.

Cheers,Martin.

Hi Guys,

is the book only available in the German lanuage?

Regards,Martin.

Thanks Gordon.

Regards,Martin.

I have never seen this book Erich.

Do you know where a copy is available?

Regards,Martin.

I am about 50-60 miles south of San Fransisco in Santa Cruz,There was extensive damage in the harbour.Boats sunk,ripped from their moorings,etc.There was quite a tidal surge.

Nothing compared to what happened in Japan but considering how many thousands of miles we are away from the epicenter this was significant news here locally.

I do hope that all of our members from Japan are OK.

Regards,Martin.

Great looking Cigarette case Erik.I know you have a good eye for these items.

I hope all is well with you "down south".

Regards,Martin.

is this 'Kameradschaft' still active?

Hi Mark,

The last Komet Kameradschaft letter i have in the file is dated 10-4-99.

So,hard to say how many former Komet crewmen are still alive and if the "HK Komet Kameradschaft" is still active?

Regards,Martin.

It looks like the scans do not do this one credit Gordon.

I bet this badge just "glows".

Regards,Martin.

A gem indeed Gordon.

As we can see the guilding has faded,but it is all there.The reverse view looks oustanding.Probably the finest looking RS&S zincer i have seen.

Great looking images you have provided here,BTW.

Regards,Martin.

Beautiful badge Gordon,as you say they do not come much better.The finish on the globe is outstanding,and the "blackened" mainpin looks untouched.

Thank you for showing this example.

I wonder if this "blue box" award was a retail piece?

I say this because as far as i know all "officialy" awarded examples came in a light brown cardboard box,at least to the crewmembers of the ATLANTIS.

Regards,Martin.

Great grouping from a Komet crewman and i really like that postwar plaque,excellent.It not only includes the names of the other HK's but also the names of the ships that the Komet sank or captured.

After going through the many files i have on the Komet,including the ships log and "tons" of postwar Kameradschaft documents,i noticed that Theodor Eisenhuth's name came up quite often.

One document mentions that he was born in 1920 and i found this 1998 Kameradschaft document that shows his age as 78.

it is nice to be able to put a face behind the name of the crewman,i think.

I wonder if he is still alive?

Regards,Martin.