Farkas

Yes, that’s exactly the mark Graham... Thanks for looking Graf, I couldn’t find a name for it, the few examples i found were ‘unidentified’ and i wanted to make sure those sources were upto date, so thanks 👍👍 So Gents, i think i may have cracked it 🤞 But what do think of this suggestion?👇 Gottlieb Wellner A German silversmiths which operated until 1946 from, some sources say, 1850. (but certainly existed by 1900) The usual mark attributed to them is GOWE At times a different GW mark (also seen above) was used 👇 by them. I don’t believe that 2 different coexisting firms would ever use the same letters for their marks. So.,. I dont think attributing these medals and this GW mark to Gottlieb Wellner is too much of a stretch, especially as no other matches for the initials GW are apparent. What do you think? All thoughts and opinions welcomed as always 👍 cheers tony 🍻

When’s your birthday? 😊

Hi Gents, i’ve got a couple of Karl Truppen Kreuz with a GW makers mark and as far as i know the maker is unidentified. Has anyone got a GW mark or maybe even know who it is? cheers tony

My pleasure K.A. 😊 tony 🍻 PS, one last thought… the French for phoenix is ‘phoenix’ & for order it is ‘ordre’ I’d say whoever wrote that translation was ‘thinking’ in Greek not French & (likely) The recorded translation was provided during the 1927 visit, by a Greek who knew French. ((During the early 20th century French was the only compulsory language in Greek schools.)) (That’s all now I promise 😁) t 🍻

Very much official… That was unexpected! 👉 A German record, in French, for a non existent Greek ‘Commander superior of the palm battalion’… I said several times I felt the entry must have been informal/flippant. But clearly not. I enjoyed looking for clues about this the other night. I (of course) enjoyed finding the Phoenix link. So I thought I’d have another go armed with this different new viewpoint. If “battaillon de palmier” is used in the officially recorded title, there must be a explanation other than as ‘a joke’? I had already looked but I looked again… & found it. 👉 “Modern Greek military ranks are based on Ancient Greek and Byzantine terminology. In the army and Air Force, these names are often based on the unit or post that a holder of each rank usual commands. For example, a tagmatarchis is in charge of a tagma, which is derived from an Ancient Greek word translatable as "command", "order", or "class", and in modern Greek is a unit equivalent to a battalion in other armies; “ So, by my reckoning, we’ve got Superior Commander = Grand Commander Bataillon = Order Palmier = Phoenix Thats 3 for 3 now matched 👍👍 tony 🍻

Hi Gents, I’ve picked this up along the way. It’s a commemorative piece, a paperweight I would guess, presented by the Uruguay Naval Academy/school. It a nice chunky thing, 20 mm thick. With the face measuring 12cm x 8cm. A heavy stone, marble I think, with a cloth backing. The inscription roughly translates as… ‘To/For British Naval Attaché Captain Gerard D Van Someren To remember your visit.’ XII 1969 I so like random things like this. I like this because it’s a personal item, regardless of its origin or significance. To think, it’s survived for 50+ years, then it’s unwanted… but a sentimental little hoarder like me comes along, pays £5 and now it’s safe again, it’s in the sun again (on my window sill) and both it and the name of Captain Gerard D Van Someren are recorded ‘forever’ here on the GMIC. Whats not to like about that 🍻

The details are much sharper than on mine, I’m glad I had Elmars evaluation before I saw it… 😊 A reminder of the differences amongst the ‘same’ piece and the need for friends to help assess such things. 👍 tony 🍻

Well… I thought it is P M and surname starting Kir with one or maybe two more letters P.M. Kir… does not exist. The first letter looks like a P should but it also looks like a G could so I’m gonna stick my neck out and say… G.M. Kirn he does/did exist tony 🍻 zzz

Hi Gents a couple of things I have. This first one is a hanger for pictures… and a smaller piece , a pin badge that looks similar to some shown earlier.., tony 🍻

Just checked and turns out they are actually awarded at 10, 20 & 30 years. The honour clasp was then awarded to women to mark 35 years and awarded to men at 40 years. tony 🍻

A well made & good looking bar.., is it common practice to have the single plastic pieces covering each bar or is it just a personal thing? Either way it has certainly kept these ribbons in top shape. tony 🍻

Hi Cazack, I’m tempted to say ‘Eastern Command’ or as I believe was sometimes the case, perhaps it identifies where he is from. I didn’t find another example or mention. tony 🍻 Ps what does the AS stand for?

A proper character behind these, the story of a tough old fella, congrats 👍👍 tony 🍻

Very nice indeed! tony 🍻

Hi Chris, you may already know this but just in case… Maker mark on the reverse is the anchor mark of H. Skarnik & F. Fiszbein, Warsaw, and letters B.M. which stand for 'biały metal' (English: white metal). congrats tony 🍻

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I was almost expecting silence! So I’m glad you see something in it. There aren’t many to chose from in the first place and certainly nothing using battalion. I did wonder if legion might have translated as battalion but there is no Order of the ‘legion of palms’ either. & yes I also would take it to the Grand Commander class. Can you tell me the context of the record? Is the source document written in his own hand or a third party? Is it a later official record? If it was his to write as he pleased, then perhaps he was simply not impressed? Then I can imagine him getting this ‘Micky Mouse’ award and as he throws it in a drawer, he dismisses his title as… or just a joke. but as to why in French, yes that’s still odd. Though I have one explanation that is possible. Would a German Naval Captain have spoken with the Greek politicians using French as the common language? Perhaps then, palm battalion was a private joke arising from that, though the likelihood of recording it as such would depend on who wrote your source document and when. tony 🍻

I got distracted! I do have a possibility though. I may be crazy but I think it’s this one… Also. The Ancient Greek word for palm tree is phoinix. 1 of the 2 native Greek palm trees is called a phoenix. 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ I reckon a piss take not a weird translation. t

Was my suggestion of the Finnish one an obvious non starter Gents? tony 🍻

Gents, I have a lead methinks, I’m not on Reddit so I couldn’t check the picture but 👇 The panathinaikon stadium is in Athens, Greece. The photo of the Hamburg is dated 6th Feb 1927. 👍 Although Greece isn’t listed on the ‘farewell’ tour it seems they stopped there, likely after Spain I guess. So perhaps the award was the Captains reward 😁 tony 🍻 zzz

Hi Greg, not sure what you need exactly but there is some nice information here 👇 https://www.worldmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/315670-ddr-army-officer-dagger/ cheers tony 🍻

A fine selection mate… you’ve had me looking at a few myself this last week 😉 tony 🍻

Hi paddywhack, I share your struggle, I almost never find the names I look for. I still find it odd and wonder how can it be that an officer receives his commission and later promotion, I’ve got his name and unit, yet nothing jumps out on Google. 🤷‍♂️. They ‘deserve’ to be found. I’ve a number of named officer tunics mostly from the 50’s & 60’s post war period, when there were still private purchases, they were more frequently retained and have survived. Anyway, to your jacket/tunic… First, my initial opinion, the design looks fine. 👍 Some jackets have buttoned lower pockets, some don’t. With officers still privately purchasing items, variety was nothing new. Having 4 fastener buttons and just the 2 top pocket buttoned 👍 having scalloped edge top pockets & straight edge lower pockets 👍 & top pockets with no pleats… All perfectly good. Here are a couple 👇 The first thing worth questioning that stood out for me was on the label. That tailor already existed in the 30’s, which is good, it isn’t that… 👉 The unusual thing for me is that a Captain needed a new jacket made at all. - Usually uniforms are made for & named to a 2nd lieutenant. Officers then kept the same SD through promotions just adding pips, with it worn at least until reaching Major and even until full Colonel. - In my seriously limited experience, it is when Officers transferred to a different regiment/unit or their reg/unit was merged, that a new uniform was warranted. Of course, loss or damage required one too. - In 1958, The East Yorkshire Regt merged with The West Yorkshire Regt to form The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire. There’s a possibility he was still serving then. The other issue is of course the buttons. If they are indeed new… that’s that. But then I’d be asking myself why? If someone repurposed the jacket, they would likely have cut off the epaulettes. If someone attached the buttons just to help sell it, why wouldn’t they just spend two quid on some ‘real’ buttons? So knowing 👇 is possibly helpful.,. - Are there buttons on the shoulders too? - Are there any makers marks / names on the reverse of the buttons? 🤞 Then my final input is, if they were to be original to this jacket… The 3rd/4th County Of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) wore plain buttons. As did the South Notts Hussars. & I think that’s all that did. Of course much of this is possibly answered if some lovely Gent can check the forces records for you 😊 Cheers tony 🍻

I find it interesting that the tin I have for a navy bicorn is painted with the same pattern as yours There is a different maker label in my hat so I guess it must have been a wider practice at the time… tony🍻

There might be something useful on here https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Austria_Military_Records Some information on what’s available and good links to early records… Worth a look regardless but if like me you can’t speak ze German… 😡 tony 🍻