Jef

The backing is for FOUR medals, each individually mounted award of which is on a plate whose TWO TABS EACH bend out on back in the shape of: CD. One award has been removed and the remaining ones spread out in an attempt to conceal that.

Thank you Rick. You might be right. Although I don't have any doubts about the authenticity of the medals itself, there are two holes unused. So this bar-base is definitely meant for 4 medals. When i look with a strong magnifying-glass ( a type to look at jewels), I see something happened there. The two tabs of the EK are brass, the other medals have ( rusty) iron tabs with a little damage. But I cannot find any scratch or colour difference around the non-used holes. There is a mark under the catch: DRP. What does this mean?

thank you for your advice,

Jef

Hallo Jef,

the "Ehemalige J?ger u. Sch?tzen Bundestag" would translate roughly to: Former Hunters and Contactors Celebration day " I am not sure if it has a military connection, Shooting-Club?? But its commemorative piece, so its not an official issued medal as such.

With regards the ribbon it seems to be the mini ribbon for the Prussian Kriegs-Hilfe-Kreuz of 1916 - 1924 often awarded to medical personel and the Red Cross and civilians for their help with the War wounded of WW1.

Kevin in Deva

Thank you again, Kev. It seems you always are the first to answer...

At least it's not a tourist medal like my previous question.

with kind regards from Flanders,

Jef

Yup, mine came off a bottle of Liebfraumilch, or something.

Hello Tom Y and Vtwin Vince,

Actually I never saw this medal before. And do you keep, display the medal together with your other awards, or do you wear the medal when you are going to a carnaval party? It seems I'm fooled That will be the reason why it was a cheap one. ...Silly me, I was thinking I was doing a bargain.

Anyway,thank you so much for your answer.

Kind regards,

Jef

Mad King Ludwig "Medal for Tourists" who visit any of the Bavarian Royal family castles in Bavaria, I see them being offered all the time on Ebay, they are not official, the dates pertain to his Birth and Death.

Made in steel and have a real crappy suspension system.

Kevin in Deva.

Thank you again, Kev. So it's a bit of rubbish with no historical value?

Jef

Hello Gents,

Was wondering if one of the Gentlemen ever saw this medal being worn. Maybe someone saw pic's of the medal, or someone has a medalbar where this medal is mounted....

Or is it just a patriotic remember of that "Ehemalige J?ger u. Sch?tzen Bundestag" in Hannover. The medal is made of aluminium.

kind regards,

jef

Hello,

Was wondering if one of the gents could tell me more about this medal. Ludwig II was that mysterious king who built Neuswanstein. Think this medal commemorates one or another event...?

Kind regards,

Jef

Hallo Jeff,

I believe the spacing of the medals is because of the style of ribbons chosen by the owner, the "scallop-shell" look,

it also depends on how good the maker of the ribbon bar was.

It is just possible if the ribbons were presented "flat" that you could have got 4 overlapping medals on a bar this size

Kevin in Deva.

Thank you Kev. When I bought the bar it didn't attract my attention, but when I got home and put it into my display beside my other bar, it strokes me.

Jef

Dear Gents,

It seems to me this bar is too large for only 3 medals, or is this normal?

I have the impression there is a lot of space between the medals.

grateful for any advice,

Jef

Thank you John, Burgerhaus and Kevin for your answers, confirmation and futher information.

Kev, uptill now I must admit I didn't know of the existence of a I. klasse Ehrenzeichen. thank you again.

Best regards,

Jef

Here is one of the award documents (this one dated 1936) which I have that were awarded to the same man over a period of years from WW1 & WW2, as a member of the DRKB. I would like to know what this award looks like, as I am trying to complete the missing awards that match the appropriate documents. Can anyone help-out by posting a picture of this particular award, please?

Thanks,

John

Hello John,

I think this is the award, but I'm not sure. Don't worry if I'm wrong, specialists will correct me. If I'm wrong, my apologizes.

Kind regards,

Jef

Hello again,

Long time ago I heard some stories from civilian eye witnesses that German MG gunners were tied up to their MG's. This happened during a retread to another line. Fastened to their MG's, the machinegunners were not able to draw back or to flee.

I'm afraid I can't believe this, so I was looking for a meaningful explanation. A MG is a heavy thing. So one person is carrying the sledge over his shoulders, the gunner carries the gun by means of trageriemen.

In order to move the MG fast, would it be possible to shoot with the trageriemen attached to the MG?

This would give a wrong view, an interpretation the gunner was fastened to his MG, and... an aswer to my question.

Would be grateful for your advice.

With kind regards as always,

Jef

And the second post.

Both the images were published in WWI German Army by Stephen Bull

In a third post I have a question which kept me busy for years. I would be grateful for your opinion, please.

Jef

Dear Chris,

Found several pics in historical reference works. The first one came from "World War One German Army" written by Stephen Bull. The second one is the cover of "German army Handbook April 1918"

More in a second post.

Jef

The Theme is machineguns... Cmon guys, we all think they are cool, are Tony and I the only ones with MG pics??

Don't panic, Chris.

Posed photograph taken in Kruishoutem, Flanders. Sorry, no date.

Kind regards,

Jef

Hi everybody,

I want to start a new thread to show the small items used by German men during the war.

Regards

Christoph

Thank you Christophe for this thread. I really enjoyed the pics, but I have a question. Would you mind to show the tail of the spoon.... It might be a WWII one???? The tail of a WWI spoon has a return. WWII ones were flat..... or am I wrong???

Have several flat ones, this is my WWI one. Hope you will see it on this scan.

with kind regards,

Jef

I recently got these two pretty medals. I believe both to be British, but do not have much information about them. Please help!

Thanks,

Lukasz

1) Sphinx medal

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2007/post-2066-1170672647.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2007/post-2066-1170672670.jpg

Hello Lukasz,

This medal also was given in Belgium. Attached photo was taken on 11/11/1983.

with kind regards,

Jef

Hello all,

Thank you Guy for the clearing answers.

Lukasz, thank you for the list of fourrag?res linked to an order or medal. I will print the list out and put it to my files.

Hendrik, sorry if I upset you with my attempt to create new fourrag?res. It is a mix of existing fourrag?res, and I could not imagine the website of the Museum of the Belgian Army would publish "probably fantasy" or official "non-existing" fourrag?res amongst the official ones.

But I learned a lot about this topic, thank you all.

with kind regards,

Jef

Hello Jef & all,

When would those mixed ones have been created (date of decree) ? I fear they are fantasy ones but would love to be proven wrong !

On the other hand, in March 1953, the regulations on the Order of Leopold fourrag?re were changed considerably by creating three classes (and basically retroactive to WW2) :

1st class : three gilt thread stripes woven into the fourrag?re, ferret is gilt (for units with 16 citations minimum)

2nd class : three silver thread stripes woven into the fourrag?re, ferret is silvered (for units with 8 citations minimum)

3rd class : no interwoven stripes, ferret is bronze (for units with 4 citations minimum)

Cheers,

Hendrik

Hello Hendrik,

Thank you for meddle this lanyarddiscussion and for the info about the Order of Leopold fourrag?re. While looking for info on the internet I saw this:

http://www.klm-mra.be/engels/collecties/OM...e/vuurkoord.htm

kind regards,

Jef

I think the difference lies in the name itself. A cord which originates from a decoration for a unit and which has a metal ferret (pencil) at the end is called a fourragere, while the one which is not associated with an order or decoration, and does not have a pencil is referred to as a lanyard. Lanyards do not have to be awarded for meritorious service - sometimes they are simply part of the uniform, denoting unit affiliation or qualification.

For example a few Polish units during WWII authorized lanyards (not fourrageres!) of different colors to wear, but I have been able to determine only two that were awarded for recognition of gallantry: soldiers of the 1st Independent Brigade of Podhale Rifles received a lanyard in Norwegian national colors from King Haakon for participation in defense of Norwayin 1940 and members of the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade for gallantry at Arnhem, during Operation Market Garden in 1944 received the Dutch Orange Lanyard from the Queen. Some other Polish units were authorized to wear French and Belgian fourrageres as well.

I have an idea: let's make a list all fourrageres/lanyards awarded for gallantry or meritorious service. My proposals are as follows:

France - fourrageres to:

1. Legion d'Honneur

2. Medaille militaire

3. Croix de Guerre WWI

4. Croix de Guerre TOE

5. Croix de Guerre WWII

Belgium - fourrageres to:

1. Order of Leopold

2. Croix de Guerre (did the fourrageres for WWI and WWII have different patterns?)

I wonder if the Order of the Crown had a fourragere as well.

The Netherlands:

1. Orange Lanyard

2. Red Lanyard

Norway:

1. Norwegian Lanyard

Romania - fourrageres to:

1. Order of Michael the Brave

2. Military Virtue Medal

3. Order for Aeronautical Virtue

4. Order of the Star of Romania

(Credit to Carol I)

Poland - a fourragere to:

1. Order of the Military Cross - a very fresh one

I wonder what other countries use(d) fourrageres/lanyards. I am curious about Portugal for example. The country had a War Cross, modeled on the French CdG. Any Portugese specialists here?

Cheers,

Lukasz

That's a great idea Lukasz.

For Belgium I have to add a fourrag?re for The Order of the African Star, a mixed one African star/ War Cross, and another mixed one Order of Leopold/African star

Thank you again, Lukasz and Erik

Jef

Thank you for your help, guys.

So, Erik, you think it's a Dutch lanyard? Was wondering if we have to make difference between lanyards ( fourrag?res) which have an Order or medal as origin and lanyards which are marks of recognition. I have been looking on the internet, and was unable to find info.

Attached is a lanyard which I got from a Belgian veteran who got his training in Ireland begin 1945. Although he never saw action, his batallion ( Bataljon Rumbeke) wore this lanyard. So I can say, it almost has a function of a badge?!?

So the first group ( which has an award as origin) has the characteristic brass end. The second group which I name the recognition mark lanyard has no brass end at all. I'm afraid this is my logical conclusion. What do you think?

With kind regards,

Jef

It's the Belgian Fouragere for the Order of Leopold I.

Dear Eric, Riley and Christophe,

Thank you for any help. I have put three lanyards side by side on my scanner in order to show the colours much better. From left to right War Cross/croix de guerre ( First or Second War, I don't know, who tells me?)- Order of Leopold- the red lanyard.

The color of the red lanyard has a bit fainted, when I look to a part which goes into the brass end, it's bright red.

Eric, very nice mini lanyards.

kind regards,

Jef

Hello,

Lanyards are quite decorative to display with medals. I believe, so far there are no threats about lanyards in this forum, if I'm wrong, please tell me. They have the same colour as the ribbon of a medal or order. I think about the Belgian Order of Leopold and the Belgian War cross. Attached is a red lanyard. I cannot find any Belgian medal with a red ribbon. My next thoughts are going to the French L?gion d' Honneur. Is there anyone who has an idea?

With kind regards,

Jef

Hello Longobardo,

Saw a lot of different kind of Belgian equipment, but I never saw a pouchesbelt you are showing. Sorry.

Kind regards,

Jef

Here another (Austrian) item. Had to make two scans. The Band was to large to suit my scanner. I noticed the other items are named VIVAT. This one is VIVANT. What's the difference?

with kind regards,

Jef

Lovely medallion you are showing, Tony. I agree with Kevin and Christophe.

I remember as a kid, lot of veterans wore medallions on the chain of their pocket-watch. Attached are two French medallions, but I have a lot of Belgian similar ones as well. It seems every town or veteranassociation made such souvenir medallions.

The difference with your medal is, it doesn't have an eyelet.

kind regards,

Jef

Reverse:the first one is plain, the second one: commandant en chef des arm?es alli?es operant en France 14 avril 1918.