IrishGunner

Pure speculation; however, the man on the left looks way too young to have so many decorations! Especially, given the likely time period of the photo - it looks old enough to be during a time period when US military decorations were few and far in between. My guess is that these young gentlemen are from some type of private educational military academy.

Only guessing - looks like a squadron or unit insignia. Other than that, I got nothing.

Very nice. You are correct; highest numbered crosses (ca. 48,500 - 49,999) were never awarded, but were sold by the exiled Polish Government to dealers. And even more sadly, it is extremely difficult to determine the names of your recipients since no master list of awards was kept by the 2nd Polish Corps. I have seen some partial lists, but am not sure how accurate those may be. It is reasonably certain that your crosses were issued to soldiers in the following units: 2709 and 11364 = 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division 35750 = 2nd Corps Artillery

Now I'm impressed... :D

Actually, none of the ones I had received are as nice as Mike's... Unfortunately - for posting - I have given most of mine away since this isn't something I really collect. I think I still have the General Staff medallion in my office though; will take a look and try to post. But again, not nearly as ornamental as this one. And I think the case is simply a plastic box.

Dan's Polish translation and description of the front of this commemorative medal are excellent! The translation of the reverse is similar: Cel osiągnięty = "Goal achieved" Sztandor PSP wraca do wolnej Polski = "Standard of the Polish Air Force returns to a free Poland" Of course, Poland gained "freedom" in 1989 after Lech Walesa's Solidarity caused the collapse of the Polish communist state. The return of the flag happened in 1992 - when Poland was again free. After Poland was defeated by the Germans and the Soviets in 1939, Poland's remaining pilots fled the country, first to Romania, then to France, finally ending up in Britain. Polish fighter squadrons fighting as part of the RAF were hugely instrumental in the success of the Battle of Britain. These Polish units (including Army units) fought as part of British forces, but had a unique Polish identity and had there own regimental standards. This medal commemorates the return of the Polish Air Force Standard to a free Poland from the UK, where it had been all during the communist period. Of course, there was a communist PSP flag, but the Polish Air Force honors reverently the squadrons that fought against Germany with the British. Thus, the return of this particular flag had special meaning. What you see on the reverse of the medal, in the center, is the PSP Standard itself; it is surrounded by the unit insignia of each Polish Air Force squadron. The location of the event - Dęblin, Poland - is the home of the Polish Air Force Academy. The building on the front is the Academy. Warsaw (Warszawa) is listed on the medal because part of the Congress probably took place in the capital, where Air Force headquarters is located. These type commemorative medals are popular with the Polish military; I have received a few of them by attending events - most recently the 20th anniversary of the Polish General Staff.

Thanks for sharing! I just went through the 1910-20 photos; something for everyone from medals to weapons to red cross. Even a lion! I have just recently become more interested in photographs to go along with the medals I collect. This is a great photographic study all in one place. Very useful since Bulgarian photos are hard to come by on the internet.

Naxos - thanks for this info. I guess my question wasn't so crazy after all since I was pretty much off base. Thanks again, this helps a lot with some research.

I have always assumed that German minenwerfer units were "infantry" - however, I have seen a photo caption that calls the soldiers "artillerymen". Of course, today there is no question that mortars are infantry weapons and I am pretty sure they were in WWI as well; just a sanity check. (See "crazy" in Topic Title). A search of the GMIC also shows that Minenwerfer Abteilungen were armed with artillery lugers; the photo to which I am referring also shows the soldiers with the shortened KAR98 - also associated with artillery units. A coincidence of infantry and artillery units equipped with similar type weapons since their primary weapon was either a mortar or artillery piece.

Grazie! My Italian is very weak, have learned some mostly to travel in Italy; but with the help of an online translator I understood the gist. Such a bar seemed like an unusual concept.

Really interesting microsopic pics.

Went to the flea market to see if I could get away with the 2nd Class with swords, but no luck. Even with a rainy drizzle, the guy wasn't even willing to bargain. In fact, his starting price went up about $5 bucks from when I asked him a couple weeks ago. I hoped the rain would give me an edge, but no luck. Also, saw a couple RP 1st Class with swords that were most certainly fake due to the extremely cheap (almost plastic like) material from which the swords were made. Oh, and another PRL 2nd Class with a makers-mark - "AB"

I came to the same conclusion. Not a single reference to be found.

Came across this post while looking through "things Polish" in the forum. Living in Warsaw, I see a lot of these Merit Crosses at the local flea market - in all three classes. Interestingly, of the dozens I have picked up (including both RP and PRL issues), I have only found two PRL issues with makers-marks on the reverse. Of course, I immediately chose those PRL examples for my collection. The 1st Class (Gold) is marked AZ (exactly like Rick's 2nd Class). My 2nd Class (Silver) is marked S. These both appear strongly stamped into the medal; more or less in the center, but not oriented north/south. (Sorry, no way to scan.) I have never seen here at the Warsaw flea market a 3rd Class (Bronze) with a mark. My feeling is that the marked ones are older than non-marked ones. But that is just a feeling based upon the fact that I have not seen more than my two at the flea market with marks. I am very pleased to find Rick's with the same mark (AZ) as one of mine; helps reinforce genuineness. Last week I saw an RP 2nd Class with swords; issued by the WWII Govt in Exile. It was not marked. Might go tomorrow and see if I can get the price where I would like. :P

I am aware of the bars for the Italian 1915-18 War Commemorative Medal; laurel leaves with year dates (and one for Albania). Is anyone aware of a bar "Legionario" for this medal; reportedly for the Czech Legion in Italy? (I have done a search and have come up with some wonderful photos of Italian WWI medals - including this one with the year bars; but nothing related to the Czech Legion.) Thanks!

Graham and leigh - thanks for the additional info; like pieces of a puzzle - bit by bit. I actually haven't looked at Gunner Marsh in some time; good opportunity to stoke the research fires.

Thanks, Rick. I guess an informal internet research project is in order just for curiosity's sake of seeing which order might be in the majority.

Ed, thanks for the SAGongs info - nice bits to help further research. Appreciate anything you can dig out of Gaylor.

Picked up a British WWI Victory Medal today to a Sepoy of the 40th Pathans. Internet search only brings a basic history of the regiment: origins in the Great Mutiny; service in Tibet; in Hong Kong at the beginning of WWI; joined Lahore Division in France in April 1915; battle credit for East Africa (apparently arriving there in early 1916). I found on GWIC a thread that lists 199 40th Pathans on CWGC. Anyone have information on this regiment or can recommend some detailed sources, particularly regarding the East Africa campaign?

I have been looking at the Hanseatic Cross series (Hamburg, Bremen, Lubeck) and have found on the internet (including some scans here on GMIC) that the ribbon for the Lubeck cross appears two ways. 1) Red on the left / white on the right 2) White on the left / red on the right Anyone have an idea as to the regulation?

Beautiful Bavarians posted in this thread; thanks for sharing. Makes me miss mine. Cannot post my Bavarian (which is actually my only medal bar) because it is in a safe deposit box back in the United States: Use your imaginaton... Iron cross, Bavaria Merit Cross 2. Cl w/swords, Hindenburg Cross w/swords, Bavaria 9y Service

If he is indeed a gefreiter of the Fussartillerie Rgt Nr. 18, it is amazing how one small piece of "history" like this photo of an unknown wedding pair can generate interesting connections. I just did a google earth search of Niederzwehren; I was an exchange student living in Kassel in 1978 and most certainly passed through the neighborhood of Niederzwehren during my teenage "adventures." Also, found another Great War connection with the British Commonwealth War Cemetary at Niederzwehren; found the following on a website: "The cemetery was begun by the Germans in 1915 for the burial of prisoners of war who died at the local camp. During the war almost 3,000 Allied soldiers and civilians, including French, Russian and Commonwealth, were buried there In 1922-23 it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died all over Germany should be brought together into four permanent cemeteries. Niederzwehren was one of those chosen and in the following four years, more than 1,500 graves were brought into the cemetery from 190 burial grounds in Baden, Bavaria, Hanover, Hesse and Saxony. There are now 1,796 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated in the Commonwealth plot at Niederzwehren." Not to mention what I've now learned about German artillery uniforms thanks to the GMIC crew. (I thought he was a Saxon artilleryman when I bought the item due to the city of the photo studio on the card.) Of course, I'll never know his name or how he won the EK2, but so far not a bad evening of "research." This comment is probably .... but I also discovered they make a special dark beer in Eibau where the photo studio was located. Maybe still a good reason for a road trip to Saxony. :cheers:

Rick - on the original, I can clearly see that his collar is one solid dark color (no lace that I can see - I did read about the collar lace for NCOs). The square of material to the rear of the sleeve cuff - behind the buttons - is a similar dark color as the collar. So, with the 3-button clue - my regiment guess is definately wrong. Back to the unit search. Fu?artillerie regiment ... Th?ringisches Fu?artillerie-Regiment Nr. 18; garrison in Kassel - making that trip home to Saxony for love and marriage just a bit further; but he is a gunner! :cheers:

Recent CDV acquisition; unfortunately, I do not have scanning capability so quality is poor. My first real attempt at trying to determine clues from a photo; so, lots of guessing in my "analysis." I can at least identify this as a Prussian artilleryman based upon his pickelhaube (front eagle and ball top). Rank: I am not an expert on this, but based also on the pickelhaube front eagle (under magnifying glass) I am reasonably sure he is not an officer - my guess an NCO - but what grade? Regiment: On his shoulder boards I seem to make out the number "18" - and no other marks (again using that magnifying glass). So, my guess is "Feldartillerie Regiment General Feldzeugmesiter Nr. 18 (2. Brandenburgisches)" - but again, I am no expert. Circumstantial evidence: Photo studio is on card as "Emil Roitsch - Eibau in. S" - determined to be a known photo studio in Eibau, Saxony. My basic internet "research" has the 18th Regiment being based in Frankfurt/Oder. Now those two cities are not all that far from one another; so plausible that this fellow went home to Saxony to marry his sweetheart. Other hints: He's wearing for sure an EK2. May not be able to confirm my guesses, but does anyone have evidence to at least blow my guesses out of the water?

Great Bavarian - this is what I hope to find. The one with the Hindenburg Cross is nice, but I would really like to get my hands on a State pure one like this Bavarian. Thanks for sharing the photo.