Mike Dwyer

...and another of him wearing a miniature knight bachelor badge.

I could be mistaken, but I believe the current neck badge replaces the badge worn on the coat like a breast star. Here's a news photo of singer Tom Jones after he was awarded his knighthood.

He should have fired his tailor! His coat collar is much too big, it should fit much tighter, and more uncomfortably of course, on his neck without all that shirt collar showing.

Love that mustache!

Of course, as Rick likes to point out, the Prussian rank lists don't put first names or initials (unless two in the same regiment with same last name), but on the 1914 Rangliste there is a Rittmeister Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach in the 19th Dragoons. Maybe he's your CE.

I'm not at home so I don't have access to my 1900 army regulations, but I believe British infantry officers wore shoulder knots just like these.

Well, this is absolutely a guess on my part, but since Hersfeld is in Hesse, I would say he's a coachman for the Grand Duke of Hesse.

Don't the City of London police wear a cockscomb helmet?

Bob, Unless I've been operating under a misunderstanding here, you would be looking for a Leutnant der Reserve Wunderlich in Garde-Grenadier Regiment Nr. 3. I think Joe was just mentioning as an aside that there was also a pickelhaube manufacturer named Wunderlich.

Beautiful, absolutely stunning! :jumping:

Chip & Joe, In the 1914 Rangliste that I have, there is a section that runs from pages 627-816 that lists reserve officers of every Prussian unit. after that there's a section from page 847-1150 that lists Landwehr officers. Whether those are complete listings or not, I don't know. I have to apologize, I think I had a senior moment. I had said that there were no Wunderlich's in the rangliste, but somehow I missed them. There are quite a few listed, but none for that regiment. There's one major, one hauptmann, one oberleutnant, and seven leutnants. Most of them are Landwehr officers.

Uh, Doc, do you mean the cross beside his EK 1? If so, it's the Wilhelm Ernst War Cross of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

Yes, isn't one of the eagles facing the wrong way?

Rick, I find it interesting that he wears his EK1 above his breast star of the Black Eagle. Usually you see the breast stars worn on top. Personal preference? Perhaps he tought the EK1 "said" a lot more than his Black Eagle. :rolleyes:

At the risk of being terribly politically incorrect, I have to say, Mervyn, that sometimes I wonder, with all of the corruption, murders, dictatorships, etc. that have occured in many of the former British colonies, perhaps the British were as right as right can be! The Empire may not have been perfect, but there was a sense of law and order to it. God save Victoria, the Queen-Empress.....oops, a bit late for that isn't it!

See, there's always someone around with a better set of eyes! I honestly hadn't noticed that the neck cross was the RAO, I thought it was the Black Eagle, but now I see that it isn't. :speechless:

I think you're absolutely right! Not only the fabric....I don't think there's enough room to put them. I may be off, but I believe he's got around 45 orders that have breast stars, even if he put them on both sides of his tunic, he couldn't possibly fit them all on there.

Well, since I had the day off today, instead of doing something useful around the house I just spent the last several hours trying to read the 1914 Rangliste and made a listing of his awards. I've probably made some mistakes, but here's what I came up with: Prussia: Schwartzer=Adler=Orden mit Kette und Brillanten Kronen=Orden 1.Klasse K?niglicher Haus=Orden von Hohenzollern Gro?komturkreuz Johanniterorden Rechtsritter Landwehrdienstauszeichnung 1.Klasse Anhalt: Albrecht des B?ren Orden Gro?kreuz Baden: Haus=Orden der Treue Orden vom Z?hringer L?wen Gro?kreuz mit Eichenlaub Bavaria: Haus=Ritterorden von Heiligen Hubertus Verdienstorden der Bayerischen Krone Gro?kreuz Brunswick: Heinrich des L?wen Orden Gro?kreuz Hesse: Ludewigs=Orden Gro?kreuz Verdienstorden Phillip des Grossm?tigen Gro?kreuz Lippe: Lippischerhaus=Orden Ehrenkreuz 1.Klasse Mecklenburg: Orden der Wendischen Krone Gro?kreuz mit der krone in Gold Greifenorden Gro?kreuz Mecklenburg-Strelitzisches Verdienstkreuz fur Auszeichnung im Kriege Oldenburg: Haus=und Verdienstorden des Herzogs Peter Friedrich Ludwig Ehrengro?kreuz mit Kette und Gold Krone Saxony: Orden der Rautenkrone Albrechts=Orden Gro?kreuz mit goldenem Stern Saxon Duchies: Sachsen=Ernestinischer Haus=Orden Gro?kreuz Schaumburg-Lippe: Schaumburg=Lippischer=Haus=Orden Ehrenkreuz 1.Klasse W?rttemberg: Orden der W?rttenbergischen Krone Gro?kreuz Friedrichs=Orden Gro?kreuz mit Krone Ethiopia: Stern von ?thiopien Gro?kreuz Belgium: Leopold=Orden Gro?kreuz Bulgaria: St. Alexander-Orden Gro?kreuz mit Brillanten China: Orden vom doppelten Drachen 1.Klasse (not sure about the class on this one) Denmark: Elefantenorden France: Ehrenlegion Komtur Greece: Erl?serorden Gro?kreuz Britain: Viktoria=Orden Gro?kreuz Japan: Paullomnia=Orden Italy: Annunziaten Orden St. Mauritus=und=Lazarus=Orden Gro?kreuz Orden der Italienischer Krone Ritterkreuz Monaco: Orden des heiligen Karl Gro?kreuz Montenegro: Tschernagorischer Unabh?ngigkeitsorden Gro?kreuz Netherlands: L?wenorden Gro?kreuz Austria-Hungary: Ungarischer St. Stephan=Orden Gro?kreuz Leopold-Orden Gro?kreuz Orden der Eisernen Krone 3.Klasse Persia: L?wen=und=Sonnenorden, Orden der heiligkeit: Guds=Orden L?wen=und=Sonnenorden, Gro?kreuz Portugal: Turm und Schwertorden Gro?kreuz mit Kette Rumania: Orden Karl I Gro?kreuz mit Kette Stern von Rumanien Gro?kreuz Orden der Rumanischen Krone Gro?kreuz Russia: St. Andreas=Orden mit Brillanten Sweden: Seraphim=Orden Serbia: Wei?er=Adler=Orden Gro?kreuz Siam: Wei?er=Elefants=Orden Gro?kreuz Spain: Goldenes Vlies Karl III. Orden Gro?kreuz Orden Isabella der Katholischen Komturkreuz mit Stern Tuscany: St. Josephs=Orden Gro?kreuz mit Brillanten Ottoman Empire: Goldene Imtiaz=Medaille Silberne Imtiaz=Medaille Nischan=i=Imtiaz Osmanie=Orden 1.Klasse mit Brillanten Tunisia: Istikhar Gro?offizier

Yeah! Wouldn't you like to have that cross and breast star in your collection!!!! According to the 1914 Rangliste what we can see here isn't even half of what he had!!!

Heiko, The photo is stamped 1906. I looked in the 1914 Rangliste and he is listed as being in Husaren-Regiment K?nig Wilhelm I (1. Rheinisches) Nr.7, which was stationed in Bonn, so I just now figured out that must be the Bonner K?nigshusaren you are referring to! :speechless:

I'm afraid I know nothing about German swords, but I will say the engraving is very nice. I have a Prussian officer's sword that is completely plain, no engraving of any kind, so I think yours looks so much better! :jumping:

Very, very nice, Micha. I like those nice, vibrant, colors. :jumping:

Sorry, Megan, but I think that's horrible! It looks like some type of modern art made out of beer cans.

What a hero! I saw this article on another site. Edward Kenna, VC Ted Kenna, who died on July 8 aged 90, was the last surviving Australian Victoria Cross recipient of the Second World War. The citation for his VC was gazetted on 6 September 1945, and read: War Office, 6th September, 1945. The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS to:- No. VX. 102142 Private Edward KENNA, 2/4 Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Military Forces. In the South West Pacific at Wewak on 15th May, 1945, during the attack on the Wirui Mission features, Private Kenna's company had the task of capturing certain enemy positions. The only position from which observation for supporting fire could be obtained was continuously swept by enemy heavy machine gun fire and it was not possible to bring Artillery or Mortars into action. Private Kenna's platoon was ordered forward to deal with the enemy machine gun post, so that the company operation could proceed. His section moved as close as possible to the bunker in order to harass any enemy seen, so that the remainder of the platoon could attack from the flank. When the attacking sections came into view of the enemy they were immediately engaged at very close range by heavy automatic fire from a position not previously disclosed. Casualties were suffered and the attackers could not move further forward. Private Kenna endeavoured to put his Bren gun into a position where he could engage the bunker, but was unable to do so because of the nature of the ground. On his own initiative and without orders Private Kenna immediately stood up in full view of the enemy less than fifty yards away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from the hip. The enemy machine gun immediately returned Private Kenna's fire and with such accuracy that bullets actually passed between his arms and his body. Undeterred, he remained completely exposed and continued to fire at the enemy until his magazine was exhausted. Still making a target of himself, Private Kenna discarded his Bren gun and called for a rifle. Despite the intense machine gun fire, he seized the rifle and, with amazing coolness, killed the gunner with his first round. A second automatic opened fire on Private Kenna from a different position and another of the enemy immediately tried to move into position behind the first machine gun, but Private Kenna remained standing and killed him with his next round. The result of Private Kenna's magnificent bravery in the face of concentrated fire, was that the bunker was captured without further loss, and the company attack proceeded to a successful conclusion, many enemy being killed and numerous automatic weapons captured. There is no doubt that the success of the company attack would have been seriously endangered and many casualties sustained but for Private Kenna's magnificent courage and complete disregard for his own safety. His action was an outstanding example of the highest degree of bravery.

So, I wasn't as wrong as I thought I was! :rolleyes: