IrishGunner

Good article.  But wouldn't Nahkämpfer with Granatenwerfer be more an offensive role vice defense?  Sending fellows to a course seems more than just a "contingency" measure should there be a breakthrough like described in the article.  Machine guns make sense in that case, but not grenade launchers, at least in my view.

3 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Maybe they felt tired of being so far away from the front? Like when a teenager who has done nothing but play "call of duty" for years decides to join the army and go infantry? :-)

Or the division commander got tired of infantrymen pretending to be gunners and always missing their targets with those grenades. :-)

But seriously, it does offer up an interesting research tangent, wouldn't you say?

29 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Wasup!

nahkampfmittel course for the guys of the ersatz battalion Fuss Arty Regt 6

Nice to see you back! :-)

Thanks!  Although, it didn't take long to realize how much I've already forgotten.  Fussartillerie you say?  That would make this a really great pick-up.  Now that I look closer, it does look like an artillery bomb on the shoulder strap of the guy just to the right of the Granatenwerfer.

But, the question now is...  Why on earth would Fussartillerie attend a Nahkampfmittel course?!

So, I've been away from GMIC for almost 2 years and haven't bought anything since 2015.  But the boat is in dry-dock for repairs; so, I have time on my hands in between getting caught up on gardening/landscaping that's also been ignored for way too long.  So, off I go to see what's new in online auctions and artillery for old time's sake.  And I did snag a couple artillery RPPCs.  But this one also caught my eye.  I don't have an image of the Granatenwerfer 16 in my collection; yes, I know it's not artillery - but it is indirect fire and worth a spot.  This RPPC also caught my eye because of the Nahkampf remarks on the reverse.

My ability to read German handwriting has severely atrophied; so, any help in deciphering the attached note would be appreciated.

Indeed, nice photo of gunners

My guess would be Mobilisierungskreuz 1912/13 (Mobilization Cross 1912/13)

8 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

'tis a noble gesture to donate items, but very often they are better off in loving collectors hands :-)

Very much agreed. (Especially, an artillery doc! )

Almost 8 years later and you don't even know if they received the document or if it was lost in transit or they stuck it in a drawer or even sold it themselves?

To be honest, I'm not sure I would have donated it without some firm assurances in writing that it indeed would be in its "rightful place."  Foi est Tout, but verify.  Even then it would have taken some really smooth talking on their part.

Sorry, Ed, way outside my lane and my usual Google tricks are coming up empty.

That eight-pointed star is the primary clue then...  And Hugh could be right, a merchant or shipping line insignia.

You know, now that I look at it again, it seems odd that the eight-pointed star is silverish in color and appears to be "pinned" onto the cap vice an integral part of the insignia.  Even the anchor looks metallic and more "pinned" onto the cap than an integral part of the insignia.  Only the wreath appears braided.  I guess all that is possible, but shouldn't the cap insignia be all one integral piece rather than appearing put together?

We may never find an answer on this one...

If it's the sense of his life and not specifics about his service and unit histories, there is a lot of general, albeit broad, information about the RGA in WWI on the internet.  Simply use Google and a few standard phrases like "Battery life Royal Garrison Artillery WWI".  You will start to get a multitude of links that often lead you to more detailed information.  You can spend hours with this and is often how I start researching, even when my goal is much more specific information.  You never know where a search result may lead.  For example, you will find there are several books written by RGA gunners about the experience of their units; some examples: "A History of 154 Siege Battery," "With a Siege Battery in France: 303 Siege Battery RGA," and "History of the 135 Siege Battery RGA."  Of course, these won't be specific to your man, but could give you a sense for what his life may have been like in a RGA Battery.  Maybe you'll get lucky and find that someone wrote about his unit.

Well, as I am sure you know, Navy service cap.  But from which country is the question.  The eight-pointed star at the top reminds me of the Star of Ishtar; so, I'm guessing a Muslim country.  I've eliminated Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey; at least as far a a quick Google search allowed.

Paul, you have to really like the Kondraciuk group with the Liberation of Warsaw medal!

Nick, the round stamp with the eagle is from the "Wojska Polska" - Polish Army - at the top of the stamp.  I can't read the print around the bottom of the stamp, but I'm guessing possibly a unit designation.  The stamp underneath the red signature reads "Wojskowa Komenda Uzupełnień" - this means a provincial military reserve administration.  "Korman" is a usual Polish family name, but I don't know the abbreviation "Bol."   Along with the Capture of Berlin medal, Kondraciuk must have been part of Polish First Army or "Pierwsza Armia Wojska Polskiego" formed by the Soviets in 1944.  Possibly a very research worthy group.

Thanks for sharing!

Very interesting.  Thanks for sharing.  If I had a bucket list, it would be to go back to Europe and see all the things like this that I never took the time to visit when I lived there... 

I agree these are kinda nice.  How can you not love those crossed cannons!

First I've seen this certificate.  Very interesting.

On 03/11/2017 at 10:30, Claudius said:

 There were many little veteran's organizations that sprang up after the doughboys returned home.  These ex-service members that all served together in the same unit would have their meetings and reunions and issue little badges and medals to commemorate these gatherings.

These medals likely are not from veteran's organizations; they usually were issued by local communities - towns/cities/counties - to their citizens who served in the Great War.  As you note, it's a generic design; so, some smaller communities might have saved money by buying the generic stock medals.  Many locales, however, had their own unique designs made with their town's name.

On 16/11/2017 at 00:06, Stormrider59 said:

Terribly out of place thread bump, the two leftward medals on both rows are American Legion medals, I will ask my buddy who is in the Legion what they are for (if he knows). He is/was a big WWI collector. 

The two medals with green ribbons on the left are American Legion annual convention commemorative medals.  I can only read the top medal's city - Miami; the Legion's convention has been held in Miami several different times, so the medal probably has a year on it.

The medal to the immediate left of the Victory Medal is a local "victory" medal awarded by towns/cities/counties; several locales used similar designs, but based on the NY State Victory Medal, this one is likely from a NY community; it may have a town name on it.

The medal lower right with the 1st Division patch is not a shooting medal; rather it is a WWI 1st Division AEF Veterans Medal.  This one looks a little too "pristine" for my taste to be original.  The battle clasps on the Victory Medal also match to the 1st Division (Montdidier-Noyon is only to the 1st Division and/or attached units).

The two Maltese crosses in the upper right are Masonic Knights Templar Maltese Crosses.

The medal with the yellow/blue striped ribbon is a modern Armed Forces Reserve Medal and seems very out of place with this group.

Another interesting China-related WWI commemorative:

An interesting piece - certainly agree that it's an unofficial "commemorative."  First time I've seen anything like it... 

On 27/07/2017 at 07:55, Chris Boonzaier said:

I have read the book this week and had the same thoughts! :-)

They would have supported the Leib Regt when Schörners 12th Company took Höhe 1114!!!

Made that trip yet to Capparetto?

KIA first day of the Battle of Messines.  Nice pick-up.

Yea, Chris, this really is the first US medal that I thought was totally unnecessary and completely "cheap" looking.  Of course, this is the artist concept, actual medals haven't been produced yet.  But I thought the GWOT Expeditionary Medal, which was already authorized for this campaign, was sufficient.

Let the debate begin.  I think it looks like a commemorative medal vice a campaign medal.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/708442/department-of-defense-publishes-inherent-resolve-campaign-medal-guidance