Bob Lyons

The old cell blocks still survive, here is a wartime view.....

and a little bit of colour just for the occasion.....

and how it looked a few years back on one of my visits to the area.....

A bit closer, the plain Iron Cross emblem on top is a recent addition by local historians......

Now sitting alone out in the Australian bush...... (ATB Photo)

Wartime photo of the Kormoran memorial.....

The memorial built by the HK Kormoran survivors still exists....

and today....

A couple more photos from the magazine (ATB #144), with a nice then & now comparison....

And a photo from a recent 'After The Battle' magazine, showing the front gate of the POW camp (ATB Nr. 144), the article was written by David Mitchell-Hill Green.

The tag by itself....

Hi all,

I have a Luftwaffe Other Ranks Erkennungsmarke or dog tag, that was recently uncovered using a metal detector from the old Murchison POW camp (Camp 13) here in Victoria,

the camp is about a two hour drive out of Melbourne, and the remains of the camp are still scattered about the old site.

This particular tag is for a Luftwaffe soldier (probably an NCO, as officer's were kept nearby at Dhuringile), and the unit was II./StG 77, with the personal number of the individual

being #30.

I have been in contact with the German WASt., and all they could give me was that the man was still alive, was born in 1918, and had applied for a pension in 1980, I am still trying

to find out if the records held here in Australia will reveal his name and details, the POW archives are held here in Melbourne, and I have requested a search using the dogtag,

but so far nothing back, so I thought I would post it here, and any assistance on finding out the man's details would be greatly appreciated......

Photo of the tag, and a couple of POW camp tokens for the canteen, plus some recovered German military buttons, still retaining some of their wartime paint, along with an

Italian wartime tunic button as well.....

Bob

Many thanks Bob! And no problem re: the concur. I'm actually struggling with a cut on one of my fingers I got at work... hurts like all get out and is making typing a bit tough at the mo... and for me that's saying alot as I'm a speed typist from many years of working in the publishing industry... 135 wpm on my best days but not tonight. Having to be really careful not to make errors.

Dan

Hi Dan,

Small world, I was a Sigs operator in the army for 20 years, and one of my tasks was as a teleprinter/keyboard operator, and I was once fairly nimble on the ol' keyboard too, but

left the army about 21 years back, and have been involved in shipboard firefighting and light rescue since, so all typing skills I picked up with the army have just about all been

relegated to the memory banks these days. (the old 'how good I used to be syndrome'). As an aside, I was also once up around 28 WPM on Morse code too, all of that is now

also in the mostly forgotten part of the memory banks !

Best wishes from Australia,

Cheers

Bob

Very nice Shane !

Cheers

Bob

And please know I'm not trying to be harsh here... just instructional. I pray you don't have alot in these items. If you do I'm very sorry... but this is what we try to do here is educate others so they don't obtain such items unless it is purchased as a replica or fantasy item. And as with such items it's generally small details like this that trip them up and show what they truly are.

To be honest, if I saw that goblet for sale for say less then $40 or thereabouts and had the money burning a hole in my pocket it might be something I'd pick up to pop on a shelf for a display. But I'd know what it was, would make no bones about it and would use it to educate other collections. I do have copies in my collections and that's how I use them. It's neat, just like copies of WW1 or WW2 Steins, etc., but they are what they are... no more, no less and again as long as they are purchased with that in mind for a reasonable amount and not misrepresented then no problem... at least IMHOP. It's a shame such items are out there... because they are so misused, but they'll never go away as long as someone can make a buck with them. So best we can do is educate ourselves to try and prevent anyone from buying them under false pretenses and for a lot of money.

I think it's great you posted them, and that they can be used to educate others. That's always a good thing. Again I pray you don't have alot in them. But if you do, remember we've all been there, done that and lost money on copies, fantasy items, etc. It happens... but as with all mistakes you learn from them.

Dan

Spot on, by the way Dan, I meant to type 'Concur', finger fault local I'm afraid !!

Cheers

Bob

Paul, he can't have been in too long, only one long gong on his ribbon bar.......

Bob

I was trying to be 'diplomatic, but yes, I can cur with Dan !

Bob

Aaaah, Mr Harrier Sir, truly you are a gentleman !

Bob

Shane, have a look in the Luftwaffe Awards & Decorations page, and scroll down to: EHRENPOKAL DER LUFTWAFFE

You will see the markings on a very nice Luftwaffe Honour Goblet there.....

Best wishes

Bob<BR id=anonymous_element_9>

And I will close with a Flight/Armoured Recce pennant.....

Best wishes

Bob

....

Just a splash of colour... (and a few feathers).

Bob

The actual letter from the son of the Canadian soldier who won the vehicle pennant in a card game .......

Bob

With some friends......

Bob

Details of the chain stitched gilt eagle.....

Bob