Stijn David

Hello, A good dead for sure Terry Cordial greetings,

Hello, Put me down for one of each (it is a tremendous work you guys are doing + books are always of interest !!!) Cordial greetings, ps: Ricky or Daniel , i can give a hint on a good printer in Austria / very good price (real low) - quality (read high) (feel free to PM me about it)

Hi Jos, ABsolutely correct, i also did encounter differences when i do compare the badge as i have with for example badges on offer by dealers. Howcome? I do not know. However when clearely thinking it does not make sense that for a rather hard to find piece there are encountered differences => that is indeed the normal logica. But some things are very unlogic as there where 2 types within this strange bird: 1) rivited examples 2) soldered examples Why?, i do not know at this point. Fact is that these badges do first appear on pictures from about mid 1942, always in relation towards a glider pilot who did service in the VK(S) 4 and who did visit the training ground at Posen (todays Poznan). A badge is known as said with a maker mark => and that does also points out in the direction Posen, and certainly not berlin (as C.E.juncker) or Vienna (as BSW). The shown badge by me is obtained by its original wearer at Posen when he was recovered from his wounds as received at Cholm. After his recovery he was transferred towards the VK(S) 4 and made the actual stop in Posen. Some veterans do say that these could be obtained at the there (read - Posen) located Cantine, others do not know how and when they obtained that piece (they did not care - they where already happy that they had it on their uniform). Quite a few things are unclear and will remain it i think, for example howmuch where produced?, why rivitted and non rivitted examples etc ... ? it is also certain that for persons who do not mean it so well with this hobby that this is a very interesting field to jump on, large profit for a crude piece and most collectors are unaware for sure. Here is a never shown picture with the badge as shown by me in wear. Cordial greetings,

Hi Jos, Indeed, the picture is far from the best for sure. Im going to let i photgraphed by a profesional photgrapher, he can do a much better job. Anyway, iff you ever are in Belgium etc ... i would happily show it towards you in real life. There is only 1 producer from these badges, that is certain. And it is not one of the well known ones as far as always tought untill now. Cordial greetings,

Hi John, Thank you for the kind words => the search for these things sometimes drives me nearly => but then again, a little madness is needed in this hobby Iff you have questions on this very issue (large eagle glider) then please feel free to post them, it is quite often so that the more persons do post questions, that certain details, etc ... .are been recovered and brought into the focus again. Without discussion there is nothing !!! And be sure => a few more unexpected things will be shown in the book for sure !!,a bit the "expect the unexpected". I almost did forget => there are large eagle's with a maker mark !!! => so it is just a mater of time before the former producer is known I wil certainly put you down on the list for the booklets Cordial greetings,

Hello, Offcoarse more pictural proof does exist, the fun thing to know is that all shown pictures are from different soldiers. So it was not 1 or 2 guys who had such a thing on their uniform. It was a private purchase piece but distibuted and bought on a larger scale then one would expect. This badge is to see in direct relation towards the glider units, and more specifyed their training + the later activity in Russia. The glue between all the individual's is the following unit: V.K.(S) 4 = Verbindungskommando 4. All wearers as encountered at this point where within this unit at some point, but much more research is needed Iff you have such pictures with this badge in wear etc ... => feel free to post them. Cordial greetings,

Hello, And a last one for now, here is a rather abnormal clear shot of this badge. Cordial greetings,

Hello, And a close up => you can even see the loops on his uniform where the pin of the large eagle went through Cordial greetings,

Hello, And here is one from a groupshot, look at that nice large eagle glider badge on his uniform (this picture is to date arround mid 1943) Cordial greetings,

Hello, And some pictures with such a monster in wear Cordial greetings,

Ask and they shall receive ..... Here is the requested close up from the Pommel => looking forward what your findings are about that !! Cordial greetings,

Hello, Here is a badge that can be considered a monster , it is a nowadays ultra-rare piece but i want to share it with you guys for general interest. This badge was aquired by me from the glider pilot veteran in Germany, the badge is heavely tarnished and is made out of so called Buntmetal wich is heavely silvered. These badges can be found with either the eagle rivited or soldered towards the wreath. This is a soldered wreath type. At his point it is still not known who did produce these pieces but within a a year that will be common knowledge (wait fr my book ). Also there are much legends arround these and even quite a few authors do even say that these did never exist, well then that is because the author's have not looked correctly (pictures are in existance with it in wear, badges have surfaced, etc ...) . And here it is, the one and only known at this point wich has still provenance. Cordial greetings,

The reverse

Hello, And the clasp offcoarse Cordial greetings

Hello, A bronze (tombak) clasp and its case Cordial greetings,

Hello, OK, then i must hold my promise. The reason why this shield is so shiny is because it is indeed not the official awarded type (Iron - 3 prongs). This is the shieldtype with 2 prongs (Buntmetal with heavy plating) that is normally used for Photoalbums and is found in a few legacy's. This is also the shield that this soldier did wear, so he was offically entitled to wear the Cholmschield but did prefer to wear on his full dress a unofficial shield (read not award piece). Be aware that this picture (or serie) is the only real pictural proof at this point that such shields where also worn. Cordial greetings,

Hi John, A good remark but not correct as far as the Cholmshield concerns. The remark on the Lw. ground assault badge is correct, but this is a badge that can be often encountered with Glider related personel. This Soldier was involved in teh Cholm battle as the shield depicts. So most of these guys where involved a multiple ground combat days or the few that did not earn enough days did often get it while they where wounded in that battle. A Glider crew that was in Cholm and did not earn the ground assualt badge was very late (lets say during the last few days of the battle - 2,3, 4 or 5 may 1942) in flying in - and it is proven at this point that gliders did land in Cholm untill 10 may 1942 !!! (iff you want to read the proof : the check the booklet "Verleihungsurkunden zum Cholmschild .... http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9942 " as number of combat days was not sufficient, but then there where multiple other actionfields where he could gather the needed points iff he did survive long enough. So lets get one more opinion and i will reveal the real reason of the shiny shield !!! Thank you for making this a fun thread (at least for me)

Hehehe ... Another good theory => however thats also not the real reason. Well as to keep it fun, i will wait one more day and will share the real reason for the shiny shield with you guys when lets say 2 more plausible explanations are given Cordial greetings,

Hello, Good theory Jos, but not a correct answer So it must be something else Cordial greetings,

Hello, It is indeed absolutely corretc that the shield is pinned directly toward sthe sleeve of his uniform, but aren't you guys wondering why it is so shiny? Please explain me why you think is so. It is a very important reason and this picture (ther eis a serie ) is part of the proof, common => lets get those brains working Cordial greetings,

Hello, Oh well => correct as far as the Glider pilots badge is concerned, this is indeed a Large eagle one in wear. There is more and it is indeed a Cholmschield on its arm, but waht more can be said about that one Cordial greetings, ps: here is a larger scan from the Glider badge, etc ... (not the sharpest but it serves its purpose )

Hello, Here is a pictrue from the personal archive, as Francois is posting some real nice things i thought it is my turn again. Pictured are 2 brotehrs, the real fun thing in this picture is that 2 oddity's can be vieuwed who are not the norm, name them and lets learn and share knowledge. Cordial greetings,

Hi Francois, Is there something you don't have , I like that picture very much because of the fact that it looks like that the otehr officer is really interested in that particular award (Anti-Partisans badge) , he is even touching it as it seems !! Once a older German collector did tell me, never say never => this is once again such a strange combination that it is real fun and im sure iff the documents of this officer would appear quite a few would all to easely say = Fake !!! Cordial greetings,

Hello, Interesting picture Francois, thank you for showing that one. As you might know Luftwaffe units where during 1944 (for example: Luftlande related) quite often used in fighting what where called Partisans, for example in Serbia personel of Luftlande units where involved in bombing missions, etc ..... => a kind of fire police at the spot. However in this case we will probably never know how he did qualify Cordial greetings,