IrishGunner

Tim, just so you don't feel alone... another city medal - Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Your comment regarding the usual poor condition of the ribbon for the New Hampshire medal is spot on. Most I see are extremely poor or missing altogether. I really like the NH design though and picked up this one without its ribbon for the price of a beer.

The medal posted by the OP in the Turkey forum is without a ribbon. But wasn't the blue ribbon simply for a peacetime award? With swords it would be a wartime award, wouldn't it? Were wartime awards to foreigners on a blue ribbon instead of the usual black/white ribbon? Answered my own question with a quick search: Thanks GMIC!

While it is possible the Crown Order 3rd Class with Swords was awarded to a Turkish field grade officer, there is no way to tell if this particular piece was actually awarded to a Turk. We could speculate all day about possible ways how this particular specimen ended up in Turkey.

Your favorite? 'Cause with no Bavarian... must be because of the note on the box

Trooper... I think that is General Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck; German commander in the German East Africa campaign.

A member posted this question over in the Turkey forum and hasn't had a reply. Any German ODM experts able to lend an opinion?

Chuck, the short answer is "yes" - the Prussian Order of the Crown could be awarded to foreign officers, including Turks. For example, Kemal Atatürk was awarded the 1st Class order. That's about all I can say since I am not an expert in the Order. You may not have caught the eye of the German ODM experts since this is in the Turkey forum. I will put a link in the German sub-forum and hopefully it will catch an expert's eye and opinion. Regards

I feel ya brother. But be careful... That's why I have boxes of Polish and Soviet stuff that I really don't need! And just before I took a break, I was buying up US artillery regiment crests from the pre-1960s - because...Why not?

Interesting item. After reading over what I've missed the past few months, it seems to me that you've been collecting items further from your EK and infantry core. Yea, this one is Bavarian, but I've seen artillery and Italian medals popping up with your name... Just curious; anything changed in your focus or is the document supply simply drying up?

So, after only two days back to GMIC after several months of self-imposed exile, I have already learned something new... Andy, when I made that post with the helmet cover "863" way back in 2013, I was "sure" because I was uneducated. I took a look again at the reverse of the RPPC and there is nothing to suggest a munitions column. I simply assumed Mun.Kol. because of the high number. Now, based upon Joe's October 1916 AKO in Post #104 and recalling from Cron that the "neuer Art" Munitions Kolonne with high numbers were not set up until 1917, this helmet cover "863" must surely be Feldartillerie-Battarie Nr.863 as you suggest. I suggested to Chip a long time ago that I needed to write an article on identifying artillery uniforms - based upon general uniform regulations etc - and I still need to do that...

Not to crack nuts, but Andy's organization of SB 5 stated that the Geschütz Batterie was armed with 10,5cm Haubitze - an artillery piece - vice the 7,5cm Infanterie Geschütz - an infantry weapon - normally of the Infanterie Geschütz Batterie. That to me was the significant data point and the genesis of my question. An organic artillery unit to a SB is quite interesting...vice an attached or a "habitual relationship" Infanterie Geschütz Batterie. Cracking nuts to be sure...but a significant splinter in my opinion. Especially when trying to paint a complete picture of German artillery in WWI.

Thanks, that will make my life easier!

Andy, I haven't been on GMIC since some time in April, so I missed your post of 20 June. And I have no excuse for your post of 2013! Let me go back and look over this question and give you an answer.

Manonviller needs a good article. One day...

Sturm Bataillon had an artillery battery?! Is this true for all Sturm Bataillon? If so, I may just have developed an new interest in the units...

It's hard to believe I still don't have a wound badge in my collection. Still one of the most poignant awards in my opinion.

Not only great news, but that's a damn great bar! I love these old pieces - more than the fanciest PLM or Godet EK. Knowing that it is from your family makes it priceless IMHO. Now start convincing your kids to hold onto it...

For you EK experts, the cardboard box may be old hat, but I've not seen one of those before...or if I have, it didn't make an impression at the time...but those have to be scarce. Thanks for showing.

A very interesting read after months in self-imposed exile. Unfortunately, I can't add anything of substance to this topic. So, I suppose I should just read and keep quiet. But here is a photo from a 1914 NY Times compilation of photographs. A little context if nothing else...

While the smaller units and specialized units are more difficult to research, I think that's what makes them a more interesting challenge. And a more rewarding result when you do find something tangible. I mean researching the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment has to be boring. But a Bavarian Pionier, Jäger or Fussartillerie unit is so much better ... because it is so much harder.

A son of Pennsylvania myself, this is a nice tribute. Especially like the 10th Mountain group since I served in that Division as well.

See, this is why it's good to take a break and come back... I missed this thread when it was originally posted in 2011. Nice items.

As always Chris, paper has that historical interest regardless of the artwork or lack thereof. Von Below and Festung Königgrätz priceless.

Brian, did you ever get the medal mount for displaying the photo and Zentenarmedaille together?

Very nice bar and restore effort. A bar like this gives me the itch...