Mike Dwyer

These are fairly cheap readily available pins here in the USA. I have one exactly like it except the bottom piece states "Life Member" on it. I have another that has "25 Year Member" on the bottom piece. I also have another that doesn't have the bottom piece at all which is given to every new Scottish Rite Mason in my home Consistory. I doubt the diamonds are real because I believe they sell for around $5.00. As for how the USA does the Scottish Rite, I can only speak from personal experience here in the Southern Jurisdiction. When my father and I joined the SR in Georgia back in 1977 it took two weekends to go from the 4th through the 32nd degree. Not all of the degrees were acted out, some were only read to us. Each weekend consisted of Friday evening and all day on Saturday. There was a large group of candidates and one would be selected to be the representative candidate for each degree while the others watched. I recently attended a degree weekend where I live now in Florida and it was all done on one Saturday.

I know absolutely nothing about these uniforms, so I'm sure I'm waaayyy off base, but since you mentioned the possibility of a Saxon award, the 15th Bavarian infantry regiment was Kgl. Bayer. 15. Infanterie-Regiment K?nig Friedrich August von Sachsen. I know that doesn't explain the black piping or the green collar, but I thought it was an odd coincidence to have the Saxon ribbon, a 15 on the epaulettes, and the 15th infantry regiment being named for the king of Saxony.

Thanks, Kev! I have several more of him, but they're not in color! Perhaps this is silly, but he has always looked to me like exactly what I think an Imperial German field marshal should look like!

...and von Mackensen in the mode of dress most of us think of when we think of him..........

One of my favorite personalities of WWI, Field Marshal August von Mackensen.

I believe the minis were strictly private purchase.

Very nice! It's great that you have a wonderful piece of your family's history.

Paul, I know the bar is no longer in your sights, but I thought I'd try to answer this part of your questions. According to the info I have, the regiments belonging to the two Mecklenburg grand duchies in 1914 were: 1. Gro?herzoglich Mecklenburgisches Grenadier-Regiment Nr.89 1. Gro?herzoglich Mecklenburgisches F?silier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm Nr.90 Gro?herzoglich Mecklenburgisches J?ger-Bataillon Nr.14 1. Gro?herzoglich Mecklenburgisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr.17 2. Gro?herzoglich Mecklenburgisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr.18 Gro?herzoglich-Mecklenburgisches Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr.60

Dave, What a great photo! That is one of the very few I've ever seen where the person actually seemed happy! He seems to be a very dashing fellow.

Brian, By chance do you mean there's another PLM winner standing behind your grandfather?

Chip, Just to serve as a backup, I think you're correct about the shoulder strap cypher.

Hi, Torsten, Welcome to the Gentleman's Military Interest Club. You and I have corresponded a few times on WAF. It's good to see you here.

According to everything I've ever read it was the Anglo-Zanzibar War which was fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. With a duration of only 45 minutes, it holds the record of being the shortest war in recorded history. If I recall correctly the British navy did an artillery barrage of the capital and then the sultan surrendered after only 45 minutes.

Stunning! That is truly incredible.

Claudio, Very, very nice. I always find the spange with supporting documents interesting. Now if you could just find a photo of him wearing his medals!!!!

Well, as long as we're celebrating Waldeck.............how about we all sing the Waldeck anthem together! Turn your volume up and come to attention! http://www.liedertafel.business.t-online.d...decker_Lied.htm

EuRob, Congratulations! A very, very nice medal! I had the honor and distinct pleasure of enjoying a performance by the Royal Marine band several years ago. When I was in the army and stationed in the Washington, DC area (1985-1990) there was a big show nearby at a local sports arena that featured the Royal Marine band and a Highland band (it may have been The Black Watch, I don't remember). My wife and I attended. I love British military bands! I was not an army musician, but I was in marching band in high school and university and have always enjoyed military music. Again, congratulations.

David, If I may jump in........yes, ulans wore their medals on the right side of the chest because back in the full dress days they wore a belt that went across from their left shoulder to their right side and the tassels from their tschapka lanyard hung on the left side of their chest and they would have covered up the medals. Here let me use this old guy I have a photo of .......

Chip, I was using the shoulder strap plate on Kaiser's Bunker for reference and it skips the 111th, it goes from 110 to 114. I was looking for that distinctive crown, but didn't see it anywhere. Sorry, Eduardo, for almost leading you down the wrong path!

Chip, It's kind of hard to see at that angle, but since the Landwehrman is from a Baden unit, do you think the cyphered shoulderstrap is from 2. Badisches Grenadier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm I. Nr.110?

Rick, The seller (one who I've bought from many times before) had the complete description and the message in German on the eBay sale page. That's what attracted my attention and caused me to violate my usual purchase plan and buy this one! I know it's proper, but it looks funny to me to see the card addressed to Mrs. Grand Duchess of Baden!

....and the best part...................

Normally I only purchase portrait style postcards of imperial German royalty, nobility and generals. I tend to shun cards that show public scenes because they're not so "close up and personal." I just recently purchased a card though that violates my usual rule. The card is of a street scene in Weilburg, Germany showing Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden (1857-1928) with his wife, Hilda Princess of Luxemburg (1864-1952), and his mother-in-law, Grand Duchess Adelheid of Luxembourg, n?e Pss of Anhalt (1833-1916), with her four oldest granddaughters, the Princesses Marie Adelheid, Charlotte, Hilda and Antonia of Luxembourg, arriving at Weilburg/Lahn where they attended the unveiling of a statue of Grand Duke Adolph of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau (1817-1905, (Grand Duke Friedrich?s father-in-law) on August 21, 1907. The details are very small and hard to see. Grand Duke Friedrich, in military uniform, is sitting in the carriage with his back to the camera. I didn't purchase this card for the photograph on the front, but more for the message on the back. Four days after the events shown in the photograph Grand Duke Friedrich sent this postcard to his mother (Grand Duchess Luise of Baden). The card says: "K?nigstein, 25.VIII.07. Herzensdank f?r lieben Brief gestern und heutiges Telegramm. Hier ein Bild der Begr??ung an der Lahnbr?cke in Weilburg. Schwiegermama, Hilda und ich begr??ten gestern Eitel Fritzens in Homburg, wo es sehr nett war. Gr??en herzlichst, F." A rough translation is: K?nigstein, 25.VIII.07. Heartfelt thanks for the lovely letter yesterday and today's telegram. Here is a picture of our welcome at the Lahn bridge in Weilburg. Mother-in-law, Hilda and I welcomed Eitel Fritzens yesterday in Homburg, where it was very nice. Cordial greetings, F." (Eitel Fritzens is Prinz Eitel Friedrich of Prussia, one of Kaiser Wilhelm II's sons.)

Rick and GlennJ, I apologize for not responding sooner, somehow I missed your replies to this thread! I appreciate, very much, your explainting charakterisiert to me.

Joe, A very, very interesting article. I've heard about the student societies all my life, but I never knew much about them. Thanks for posting this.