IrishGunner

You always come up with some great ribbon bars!

Wow, I'd be happy with just one 1870 :love:

I didn't realize this decoration existed. It's a very appropriate change to the criteria. Well done, Your Majesty.

Now that's a nice VM - great history.

Looks like the medal for the veterans organization; Kyffhäuserbund Medal

http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1760

Agree with Bernhard - the cord is a fouragere. And it looks like he has a citation star on his Croix de Guerre. The other medal appears to be the Verdun medal. Definitely a "hard eyed fighter".

Hi,

silly question, but that is unusual.... how do the BWM and VM have different ranks? I thought those two were always exactly the same? I cannot remember ever having seen different ranks on them.

Best

Chris

You know, this crossed my mind for a second as well; but I passed it off as my being not fully informed. Looking forward to expert answers.

A Google search turned up several references to a Colonel Harold Gibson as the MI6 Chief in Istanbul in the early '40s. Could be your man.

Nice group; a lot more history is most certainly behind this man's story. Thanks for sharing.

So, what is the spouse tax on a collection like that? A new Porsche every year? ;)

I'm no expert - but my first reaction was Orthodox rather than Catholic. Of course, that would make him Russian rather than German. And those fellows in the back look German. Certainly, he's from a monastic order with that frock.

Beer stock is inadequate. :whistle:

Ed, thanks for the offer. My US "wants" are few and quite minor. Usually just pick something up at an antique market just so I don't go home empty handed. ;)

Jeff, yes, I have seen this one. I believe it's the WWI version of the 1911 1870/71 unofficial medal. It's ribbon is a variation of the Medaille Militaire (yellow with green edge stripes) and was available for private purchase by volunteers to the Army during WWI.

Later once the official WWI commemorative medal was issued, volunteers were authorized to wear the Engage Voluntaire bar on that medal.

What's the medal at top right?? Never seen that before...

Frank, it's the Pennsylvania WWI Victory Medal for the 28th Div vets. A large number of unissued medals were discovered a few years; so, there are dozens of these around still in the original boxes/paper. That's what this one is ... rather than an issued piece. It cost $12 at the gun show. Crazy e-site has these for insanity prices in the $100s sometimes! :whistle:

Nothing overly special in this lot; picked up last weekend at an antiques market on Saturday and a gun show on Sunday. Fills some minor holes in my US wants.

Edging back in the game.

Hey guys, I've been on a collecting pause and am on vacation right now. In an antique shop I've come across a WWI German bayonet marked "Gebr Weyersberg Solingen" on one side and on the other has "2B.718" and another mark on the guard - "47889".

I wasn't allowed to take a photo, but from a quick internet search I'm sure it's a 1871 bayonet. I found a site that said Weyersberg only made 1871s. So, I'm rather sure.

It has no scabbard, asking price is under $100. I think that's a great deal, but since I don't know much about bayonets, wanted to see if I could get any confirmation regarding 1871 bayonets.

Thanks!

Got a mortar huh? Still want to have a big gun, don't ya? :whistle:

I have no clue, just wanted to say that I am so envious of your ribbon bar finds - how do you do it?

Very, very nice. I'm envious. :cheers:

Nice research, Timo - matches exactly what I had surmised.

Pretty price for a beauty piece.

Pages 26/27 describing the events surrounding his death:

http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream

close up of the photo and caption; it states that he died Aug. 20 as a result of wounds received Aug. 18

http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/

Ken - thanks! Great info.

Hello!

In he book ""Mein Kriegstagebuch" (Goes/Cron), is recorded, that the II.Bataillon/Res.Fußart.Rgt.3 fought in the winter-battle of the Champagne (feb. 21st-march 20th 1915) under command A.O.K.3

I don´t think, the batterie was transfered to the east. I assume, it stayed in that area in the "trench-battles of the Champagne, march 21st-sept. 21st.

The 5th batterie belonged to the II. bataillon

The active 5th batterie had 10cm M14, and the bavarians had mortars.

So you´re right with the Res.Fußart.Rgt.3

Hmmm... muddies the water a bit. Thanks for the additional info.

Thanks Prussian - I just bought the book several weeks ago. :P