Obergefreiter

The leather tab is usually found on the service belt. It's purpose was to better secure the left side ammo pouch. It is on the tab that one normally finds the manufacturer's mark and date of manufacture. Usually, but not always, those buckles without the leather tab were worn with the dress uniform. Those buckles are usually two piece buckles, with the roundel being affixed by four small tabs. Hope this helps.

The tabs were discontinued after 1942. If you see a belt with a tab and the leather is stamped 1943: it's a reproduction.

Cheers!

Rob

Thanks, Rob. I appreciate it.

Could someone please tell me the purpose of the leather tab on German beltbuckles?

Stripped & slightly sanded..

Next time try Dupont Autobody Paint Remover instead of sandpaper. Shhhhh. Don't tell anyone.

I know that there are people out there who specialize in U.S. National Guard awards. Does anyone own, or has anyone ever seen, a Distinguished Service Medal awarded by the South Dakota National Guard?

VERY nice indeed, Pierce. Is this where the money went from the items you sold to me? :cheers:

Has anyone in the States ever done any business with a German business called CDS Ehrenreich.de? They sell spare parts for German weapons.

Here is my contribution to the topic. This is a copy of a map that one of my uncles brought back from Omaha Beach. As you can see, it is a map of the area around WN-62.

Thank you for your imput, gentlemen. I'll take it to heart, and research it in depth.

I've exchanged the pictures and .......well,I have to dig in my files!

micha

Thank you , Micha

I showed this off on WWF, and I thought I might as well post photos of it here. This is the last piece in my collection that will ever have a price tag on it.

Well said. And nothing more I could add.

Only that, considering the number of these that will actually be awarded, they could have made them out of .900 gold, and it wouldn't have broke the bank. And never mind making one that actually looked good in the process.

It's simply a tawdry, cheap, embarassingly bad LOOKING "decoration." I've seen better quality coming out of Cuba lately. My sainted ma got better from her pistol club championships back in the 1970s.

Who approves one of these, sample in hand, and nods sagely thinking "this is GOOD?" YECH!!!!!!!

What he said. I got a merit award from the South Dakota National Guard that looked better. But on the other hand, even a tawdry, cheap, embarassingly bad looking decoration acknowledging valor is better than nothing.

tax refund

TAX REFUND

tax refund

This came in the mail yesterday. I've been looking for one of these for awhile.

I seem to recall these being mentioned several years ago on Axis History Forum or WAF. As I recall the general consensus was that they were Dreck.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"

But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;

An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;

An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool--you bet that Tommy sees!

Amen.

A nice set.

For what it's worth, the colour of the case is normally referred to as Burgundy (red AND brown!!). Is the material hinge intact or split, as on most other cases of this type these days?

Regards

Mike

I wouldn't argue with you, Mike. My Bride says I'm colorblind, and she may well be right. And no, the hinge is intact. :cheers:

Nice cross with one of the more uncommon Red cases

Actually the case is brown.

Looks like a WS with nice patina.

That's exactlywhat it is. :cheers:

Here are some shots of my newest EK I. Thanks to Chris for the help.

I've got one just like this one, except that on mine the silver hallmark is at the bottom of the cross instead of the right arm. I'm guessing that this is one that made it past Quality Control. By the way: Does anyone know who made these?

Chris, how do you prevent it from rusting under the frame? Blow dry it after your treatment?

That's an interesting piece. I think it was popular for women to convert their husband's decorations after the war like this. I have an Iron Halfmoon which is similar.

Interesting is right, but I'm wondering why a lady would go for a full-sized cross, when a prinzen-gross would have been more "feminine".

Hi Eric

I really like the detail on these crowns and the mounting system for the pin and hinge, it's like a reinforced version. Any idea about the hole that's in the frame?

I think this is an unknown mark.

Chris, I"ve got an 1870 medal bar, & the EK is stablized by some thread that's passed through two small holes that were drilled through the frame. I'm thinking that the hole on this EK1 was probably for the same reason.