JensF.

His demobilisation in may 1919:

His medal bar and ribbons. After the war he became a policemen, so I think the blue ribbon is the police long service award from the 3. Reich. He didn't used any devices like swords on his ribbons.

His awards and promotions:

-Promoted to Gefreiter on august 20, 1918

-Promoted to Unteroffizier on november 30, 1918

-Bavarian Military Merit Cross 3. Class with Swords: December 24, 1917 (nice christmas gift)

-Iron Cross 2. Class: July 1, 1918

The battles he took part. I think he was quite lucky that he didn't joined the regiment in 1916. There the K. B. 4. FAR took part in the heavy fightings for Fleury and Thiaumont near Verdun including the first attack with green cross gas on june 23, 1916.

His special training included the Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7,7 cm) and the leichte Feldhaubitze 98/09 (10,5 cm). A "Mauserpistole" is mentioned too. I think they mean the Mauser C96. There is also some kind of Minier-Ausbildung (mining operations) if I read it correctly.

His Milit?rpa?. He was member of the K?niglich Bayerisches 4. Feldartillerie-Regiment "K?nig".

My latest purchase. At first sight a quite common group to a bavarian soldier of WW1.

Here his Musterungsausweis (physical examination for military duty) from 1915:

I have some problems with the first two crosses posted here. Their pinback looks like these seen on the well known new fakes.

Sorry, I don't have a pic of the ceiling, but I will make one the next time. I am quite often in this area...

Jens,

Thank you for posting this, it reminded me of when I visited in 1991. I have always been impressed with the care taken of the American cemetaries in Europe. I will never forget the imposing view from the ruined abbey and the bunkers in the area made from the stones of the abbey. Do you have a photo of the painting in the ceiling of the chapel, that you could post? My photos are put away somewhere.

Dan Murphy

Yes, and I fear the most of them haven't been older than 20 years. They were children and thought it could be a nice adventure but they ended up here, far away from home.

Build in 1930.

The left window. It also shows the crest of the 33. Inf Div. (third row from above, #1). The "Lost Bataillon" was part of it.

Here one of the two colored windows of the chapel. It shows the crests of all divisions who fought in this area.

The hall of the large building at the cemetary. It is open each day for 24 h and can be visited whenever you want.

If I see things like this, I ask myself about the sense of the sentence "They died for their country".

This guy died one day before the end of the war...

Another view of a small part of it:

Hi gentlemen,

I just returned from another trip to Verdun and I also visited parts of the Argonnen-Forest including the huge American Cemetary of Romagne sous Montfacon. 14246 US soldiers who died in WWI in this sector are buried here. The most of them died in the offensive in fall 1918 just before the end of the war. Here are some pictures made today in the morning:

Back:

A little contribution from me. Marked "900":

Very detailed back:

WOW! I love the Bavarian Bravery Medals! Strange, that someone got the Silber BM but no EK.

I only have this "Spangenst?ck" of a Golden Bravery Medal (bronze, gold plated):

Thanks Joe. Can someone tell me more about the requirements for the ZL Merit Cross? Used to fill a gap between the Silver Merit Medal and the Karl-Friedrich Medal or more like the W?rttemberg Merit Cross with swords for "give him this one instead of nothing"?

I wonder that this guy hasn't got a Long Service award or more.

I just got this great one! Merit Cross of the Order of the Z?hringer Lion with Military-Karl-Friedrich Medal ribbon. It was awarded from 1915 on to senior NCOs like Feldwebelleutnant. Award numbers from 1915-1918 are just 556.