hucks216

I have to be honest and say I don't know, but considering medics (not those operating in field hospitals, but actually ones with the fighting troops) & engineers were usually not too far from the scene of action and could of been caught up in the fighting (especially assault pioneers) it could be a possibility. I would think also that 'days in combat' would run along the lines of the Close Combat Clasp in that someone higher up would determine if a day in contact actually counted towards the total or not.

I don't think so, no. The criteria was for operational sorties in support of anti-partisan operations whereas a ground crew would not of been on any operational sorties and could of been many miles from the area of operations. I have no idea how many APB's were awarded in total but I don't think it was a huge number, certainly not when compared to other combat awards, due to the late introduction of the award.

For Luftwaffe flight personnel they had to accumulate 30, 75 & 150 operational flights connected with an anti-partisan operation to be eligible for the award, so it wasn't just restricted to ground combat troops.

I expect in a lot of cases the 'days in combat' would be from the start of a units participation in an anti-partisan operation (Operation Kormoran, Operation Sturmwind I & II to name just 3 of hundreds of various anti-partisan ops) to the date it was withdrawn or the operation came to an end.

I know. it doesn't appear to start with an E, but the second letter does look like a b and the last three letters do appear to be ing and that could be a d prior to those so I would still say Eberding.

The time frame for the signature does match Eberding.

V1 belonged to Transportstaffel VIII. Fliegerkorps, so your thinking of a supply unit was on the right lines.

Final Pic...

Pic 5...

Pic 4...Units Pt 2

Pic 3...Units Pt 1

Pic 2...

Hello, Just thought that I would share one of the latest additions to my collection - a Heer Sonderfuhrer soldbuch. This example is easily the most filled in soldbuch that I have in my collection (with the possible exception of a GJ soldier who served from day 1 to the last day of the war). How rare are Sonderfuhrer soldbuchs? This is the only one I have seen but there must be more out there (valuation doesn't interest me as it is going nowhere )

Karl Lorenz was a regimental & divisional commander of the Grossdeutschland Division, and it may be my eyesight but it does seem as if some of the men are showing a band around the right cuff which would indicate GD. And, yes it is a Goliath.

I can't make out what the writing says under the picture but this very picture appears in a newspaper clipping in Antonio J. Munoz's book Forgotten Legions - Obscure Combat Formations Of The Waffen SS (ISBN0-7394-0817-8) on Page 85 with the headline (translated) 50 Paratroopers Against 36 Soviet Tanks Near Schwedt. Part one of the book focuses on the SS-FJG Btl 500/600.

Is this the one you mean? I am afraid the picture quality isn't all that great for such a close-up. (If you need any more close-ups just right click on the relevant image and Save Image and then you will be able to zoom in on your own PC. I am going to be away for around 6 weeks from tomorrow so I won't be able to edit any other shots. The problem is that the quality of the original photo has to be reduced somewhat so as to be able to attach it to these posts).

Makes you (well, me at least) wonder just what awards of his are sitting in various attics in the US. There is a militaria shop in Plymouth (located in a side street) that has one of his uniforms, complete with his epaulettes, which was a place I didn't expect to see one.

Has there ever been a definitive list of all his awards? Am I right in thinking that he used to have a huge cabinet at his residence for all his awards? I'd imagine what with the sheer amount of both German & foreign awards he received throughout his life there must be quite a bit of confusion about just exactly what did he have (or not have).

And here is a close-up of the photo on the bottom left of the display...

And here are the awards on display at RAF Hendon, London.

Theses are supposed to be his actual awards. If I can reduce the photo down to 70KB I will post all the ones that are on display. It is from a well known collection. At RAF Hendon this display also has a Goering mannequin wearing some awards but the ones he wears in the display are just replicas to indicate some of his other awards while the ones I will attach are supposed to be genuine. EDIT: Here is the sign that is on display with the awards.

And the second has the signature of Artur Phleps...

Here are two SS related EK Urkunde from my collection. The first is to a member of Wiking and has the desirable signature of Felix Steiner...

Pic 2...

I have this type of Soldbuch cover in my collection. It has the leathery/vinyl feel of the sort you get on modern day wallets.