hucks216

Hello Bob and welcome to GMIC. I can't say I know much about the NSV being more a collector of military related paperwork. Care to shed any light on what they were responsible for? The images seem to be a bit too small - any chance of seeing an enlarged version of the second image?

Well the way I was proposing was that the database is compiled of known signatures, so for instance I have a citation signed by General X and I know it is General X so the image of his signature (along with either the whole document or at least with the unit stamp and date) is posted with a little amplifying information along the lines of 'General X - RK 19/12/1942 - Commanding Officer 123 Div Jan to Feb 1943 / Commanding Officer AG Mitte Feb to Mar 1943 etc - KIA 01/01/1945' or something like that. So the search of the database is kept simple and done by name. Including the unit in the amplifying information in the post will also help people search if they locate another citation to that unit and within that timeframe and wish to compare what they have to what is in the database. If it is possible then there is always an option of also having a thread for people that have a signature but can't decipher it to post it asking for help. If it is deciphered by a member and it isn't already in the database then it can be added (with the owners permission of course). In the last few days since my first post the viewing figure for the signature database on the World War Militaria forum has increased from 10,470 to 10,813 - an increase of 343 which is some going considering that it isn't a well known forum. Viewing figures for the signature thread on AHF is currently at 49,139 so the very few signature databases out there do seem to be a well used resource.

You might wish to post your question on the 12 O'Clock High forum as there are members there that have databases of LW officers - providing that Theo Weber was an officer obviously.

I'd be happy to help in any way I can but when it comes to Allied or Imperial German signatures I wouldn't know what is a forged signature and what isn't, but I'd certainly be happy to write an introduction - and if a similar section is set up in the TR Document section then links to the other signature section(s) could be added in the introductory posts. I agree that a 'cross boundaries' section/thread would be a great idea but how many British collectors visit the TR Doc section and likewise for the TR collectors visiting the British section hence a signature section in each relevant Document section with a link to the other, unless such a signature database was set up in an all encompassing section of GMIC - GMIC Projects for example with seperate threads within that 'Signature Database' Project to cover each of the British, Allied, TR German etc arenas. Just a thought.

Irish Gunner - that is the beauty of such a database. Whether you have 1 or 100 contributions to make you could have signatures that other collectors might also have on a document but have drawn a blank trying to identify, Recently I saw a Totenkopf soldbuch that has a signature of a Kompanie Cdr called Franz Fillerbock. Now in terms of awards won he didn't win anything major that I can find out but he was KIA in 1944 and no doubt his signature appears in other soldbucher which other collectors might own but might not of been able to identify for one reason or another, and Wehrpasse & Soldbucher are great places to find the signatures of DKiG & RK winners. Mervyn - I was unsure whether to post this question in a blog or in the actual forum but seeing as I hadn't started a blog before I thought I'd stick it here so to speak. As you say it could be an idea to start such signature databases in each relevant area, i.e. British Documents, Imperial German Documents, but as my area of collecting interest is Third Reich paperwork it isn't really my place to suggest something for someone elses area as I wouldn't want to tread on someone elses toes. But if that were to happen then it could be a great way to make GMIC the 'one stop shop' for signature databases in the world of forums. Again, if others have a view of such databases in other sections then please add your views - but again, when it comes to non-TR signature databases I don't wish to step on anyones toes as it would be others regulating them.

Being a paperwork collector one of the reasons I collect the citations is for the signatures on them and as such have to trawl through books, websites and personally compiled files to find examples to provide a comparison. From what I know there are currently 3 dedicated threads/sections to signatures on the web, those being the one on Axis History, one on Dokumentenforum and the third on World War Militaria. Unfortunately the last one is a quiet forum and as such has a very limited number of people adding their examples (but has still been viewed over 10,000 times) while the one on AHF does have a tendency to stagnate and as good as it is it isn't all encompassing. With such things in mind what are the views of members here to setting up a Pinned thread in the German Third Reich Document Section for the posting of recognised German signatures to build up and provide a database of such like for current and future collectors and not just restricted to Divisional Commanders or Luftwaffe Aces, or just military for that matter? The signatures could be members of all the various paramilitary & civil organisations, members of the 'Valkyrie' plot, as well as officers down to the Kompanie level - basically an all encompassing thread. We have all types of collectors here: TN, Polizei, Feldgendarmerie, OT, HV etc so the potential for building up a great database covering all such signatures is there. Signatures could be from award citations, soldbucher, wehrpasse, ausweis, war time letters etc although I would shy away from post-war letters and photos due to the change of signatures due to age and the difficulty in corroborating them - but that is just a personal opinion and if the majority view it differently then so be it. All I would stipulate are threefold: 1) the person posting the signature must be the owner of the item and definitely no scans from books. 2) the signature should be shown in context (i.e. an image of the whole document is shown or at least partially shown to enable a date, location &/or authorising unit to be seen, with the owner's watermark on it somewhere obviously) 3) items published are NOT up for discussion in the thread - the idea is to build up a database rather then a discussion. If members have doubts about any that are posted then a PM to the Moderator with their views can be passed and regulated that way (or maybe an entry via this blog). Basically if you have a signature on some paperwork and know who it belongs to then post it with some amplifying information on the signer, however basic, to build up a comprehensive database. So with that in mind, please let me have your views and opinions.

I am sure that there will be plenty of information on SMS Derfflinger on the web and in books as she was a well known ship for her raids on the British coast in the years prior to Jutland. As for the others if you try a Google search (using SMS before the ships name) then you will obtain at least some basic details of them (Charlotte was a support vessel for SMS König Wilhelm). Wiki has some information on at least König Wilhelm, Von der Tann & Victoria Louise.

Hildebrand & Lohmann Vol III does not list any 'Friese' with the forename of Hermann. The closest match is a Heinz Friese who was born on 24th June 1902 in Wilhelmshaven and he was an engineer. He held various posts in WW2 to do with construction and repair including two in Marinegruppenkdo West with his final posting being Techn. Beschaffungsamt der KM from August 1944 to wars end.

You could try the WASt but if you are not a relative the chances are they will not give you any information. There is no Theo Weber listed in the Ordenstrager so he didn't win any high awards such as the RK, DKiG or Ehrenpokal and what information you have is very basic (no rank, units, place of birth etc) so it will be hard to track down any information on him. He isn't listed in the Volksbund KIA/MIA database either.

If it is someone from 'Immelman' and he won it while with them then maybe he is listed on this site. Just expand the search, select Luftwaffe and in the box labelled Einheit put Immelman - unfortunately they don't all have pictures... http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de

I think it is just two 13's and a 36. Code 13 is for VD!

Nice wehrpass Gordon. It is a pity that the SB was split from this but at least you have the scans that allow you to see why he was busted.

I'm no good at identifying people but if the IAB lapel pin is a staffel badge then it would indicate that he is a ground attack pilot. I know that some aircraft of SchG 2 used that insignia on their Hs-129 aircraft in mid-1942 and their are pleny of photos of Hs-123 aircraft from earlier in the war also showing that insignia.

Have you tried to see if his personnel file is kept in any of the archives (NARA etc)? Depending on how complete it is (or how available it is) it could have the report of his actions for the recommendation of his award. As for 98 ID, there are 2 books covering the units history. Both are in German... Martin Gareis - Kampf und Ende der fränkisch sudetendeutschen 98. Infanterie Division W. Schulz - Der Weg der 98. Infanterie Division 1939-1945

I'm afraid that is one of the ones that sat in my 'to do' pile and which I never got round to doing before I had a little spring clean and shifted 10 or so of my Wehrpasse/Soldbucher.

I used to own that soldbuch until either last year or earlier this year! Funny how every now and then the same ones crop up.

You wil need to register to use the AH Forum but it is worth it and totally free.

The OOB for 9 Armee is listed here... http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=6477 If you scroll down to Heeresgruppe Mitte, and then scroll down a little more then you will find all the units allocated to 9 Armee, including 258 Inf.Div + Grp 'Manteuffel' (9, 10, 11 Jag.Btls). Axis History Forum is definitely a forum you should be signed up for when it comes to researching units and numerous other subject matter.

The map images are taken from Kursk 1943 A Statistical Analysis by Niklas Zetterling & Anders Frankson and show the advance of 9 Armee on the 5-6th July 1943. By the 12th July they were further south and past Gnilets. The entry for 9th July 1943 states for the Northern Front: During this day no new attacks were performed by the Germans. Rather, they spent most of the day preparing for attacks to be conducted the following day. Soviet forces mounted counterattacks trying to push the Germans back to the starting line. These attacks failed to achieve any gains. So maybe he was killed fending off these counterattacks in the area of Gnilets? Gnilets looks to be on the boundary between 31 ID (which was XXXXVI Pz.Korps) and 20 PD (which was XXXVIII Pz.Korps)

If he died 300km SE of Kursk then he wasn't involved in that battle as that is much too far away. Belgorod was at the southern neck of the bulge and that is approx 130 km SE of Kursk. However Jager Btl 9 was part of Gruppe von Manteuffel (XXXXVI Pz Korps) of 9 Armee for the Kursk Offensive so is there another place by that name as 9 Armee was on the northern side of the bulge and the FpNr does match Jager Btl 9? One of the places in the path of XXXXVI Pz.Korps right on the front line was a place called Gnilets - could this be it?

Your best bet for research is the Navy Lists... www.navylistresearch.co.uk ...plus The National Archives... www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/royal-navy-officer-service.htm Very nice dirk by the way. I don't collect anything of the sort but can certainly appreciate them.

Very nice photo. That is the first time I have ever seen a real Fg Waffenrock as opposed to the Recruiters one that is usually 'talked up' to be Fg by dealers despite no arm eagle/cuff band.

You can read the location better then I can as I can't make it out! Have you tried to see if he is in the on-line Volksbund database that might (maybe a big might) give a modern day alternative of where he died or is buried? Unfortunately alot of the places in Russia from the war years are now called something entirely different or might be small enough (i.e. a village in the middle of nowhere) that they don't warrant any recorded listings, at least on the net. Jager Bataillone's were independant Heer units and generally stronger equipped then ones that were part of Gebirgsjager/Jager Divisions. The only additional information I have been able to find is on Feldgrau Forum... www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=6749&start=0

Heinrici???

The espionage thing is quite a common thing to see in Wehrpasse as it just means that the person has had a briefing on, basically. security measures. Here is such an entry in a WP from my collection to someone badly wounded at El-Alamein and discharged from the Wehrmacht.