Jef

Dear Gents, Would like to have any information on this uniform please. The man was a POW in Flanders end 1917 and 1918. Have been looking in books and on the net and I think the man wears a "Fatiche di Guerra) ribbon without a single star. This means one year front service.(?) Does anyone knows the insignia worn under the ribbon? Could it be a POW number????It is also difficult to recognize the collar patches, as it depends on the colour. I would be grateful for any help. With kind regards from Flanders, Jef

Wonderful Vincent. Have here some additional info from the Somerset County Gazette. The book written by M Claridge , Glastonbury's other legacy ( I travel once a year to G'bury) gives detailed information about names of Belgian families etc... Again you have a nice medal, although not official, but with history in your collection. Jef Forgot to mention. The newspaper is a commemorative edition 1914-2014 of the Somerset County Gazette , available in the Taunton museum. Jef

Hello Vincent, Sorry, don't have an answer on your question. The only thing I know is, Taunton has a wonderful museum. Two years ago I visited the military museum of the Somerset light infantry etc.... If you don't find an answer here, you might try https://museumofsomerset.org.uk/somerset-military-museum-3/? Lots of succes, Jef

jef

A great goup, medals and uniform, all in one. jef

Wonderful. Have a question. I see 3 foreign (not Belgian) medals in the middle of the group and not at the end. Is this correct? Just want to learn. Jef

Jef

I'm looking forward to it. Jef

Wonderful Guy, you must have collected a lot in 45 years time. I bet we only saw a tip of the Iceberg. Jef

Hello Stijn, You can find the Regimental Geschichte of IR 360 in Leipzig: Send a mail, they will help you Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Deutscher Platz 1 D-04103 Leipzig Telefon: +49-341-2271-453 Telefax: +49-341-2271-470 mailto:info-l@dnb.de http://www.dnb.de Hello again Stijn, Sent a PM Jef

Kris, you don't have to appologize. Those lapelbadges are non official and it's always difficult to know what it really is. Jef

Hey Kris, The second is a Belgian WWII POW buttonhole badge. kind regards, Jef

The horizontal part made of a grenade driving band? or do I see wrong.... a kind of sweetheart? kind regards, Jef

Hello Stijn, I'm afraid don't have the 51st divisional history but if I can help you with scans from the relevant pages of "The Third Ypres, Passchendaele. The day by day account."( Written byC. Mc Carthy.) send me a PM. If you really want to dig deep, you can order War Diaries in National Archives. Kind regards, Jef

Hello Gents, Wondering if anyone has a spare lion for sale. Would like to restore this beauty kind regards, Jef

Another Liban medal with service ribbon. Kind regards and happy 2016

Hello Gents, Can someone read this german please. I'n also interested in the name of the Leutnant & Ortskommandant in the second pic. Documents are here in our local village archive of the "Gemeinde Vichte" With kind regards & thanks, jef

Hello Andy, Thank you for your kind wishes. Do you know if there was a Lt Strohbusch in Bay FAR 12. That man with his ordonance stayed in the house of that lady. There were 40 horses in the factory. That's the only information she gives... It's a pity I don't have any dates. I found out there was a RFAR 12 in the area ( Kortrijk-Courtrai) on 7 august 1917 . Kind regards, Jef

Hello Andy, Thank you for the link. Sometimes the lady was quite detailed with Regiment and dates, names of officers . On other occasions she only gives numbers. And yes, it could be other units, IR, RIR, Bay IR &RIR, FAR, RFAR, Füss AR..............sometimes it's a needle in a haystack. In this way I'm using the books "Altes Rumeshalle" and "251 Divisions" in order to know which unit was in the area. For the moment I have time to do this, broke my knee and I cannot do many things. So books, internet and this wonderful forum are a great help and relief. I write down every possible regiment and will go later to Ypres archives to find the books. Again, thank you so much for your help. Jef

Hello, I'm afraid I have no exact dates and it is not a diary in the really sense of a diary. That lady wrote down names of officers and the regiment, sometimes exact dates. Sometimes other things. Some Rgts only were mentioned by number. On some occasions I have to look where some regiments were posted. In some occasions that's the difficulty. I'm afraid only the Regimentsgeschichte of Bay FAR 12 can give the answer. By the way, the Vichte brewry was very close to the railwaystation but Germans already took away the cupper brew kettles With kind regards from Flanders, Jef

Thank you, Andy. That make sense. kind regards, Jef

Irish gunner, Andy, Thank you for your answer. I have the book about 251 divisions too.....I 'll have to look for the Regimentsgeschichte I guess. The lady of that factory wrote down every Regiment which was on leave in her factory. As far as I'm concerned a dangerous activity . Vichte was in the Etappengebied. With kind regards, Jef

Hello Gents, According to a local diary, Bay. FAR 12 stayed at rest in my village Vichte. Flanders about June-July 1917. Does anyone has their Regimentsgeschichte please. I would be very grateful if someone tells me what it says about my village. with kind regards, Jef

Hello Again, Attached is the doc of the silver medal. kind regards, Jef

Hello Frank, It's a non official medal from "Nationale federatie der agenten van de luchtbescherming" translated National federation agents of the air defense. Exist in Bronze for six months service, silver for 2 years of service and Gold for 4 years of service. Many years ater the same organisation also had a cross of merit for all the volunteers, no matter how long their service was. Somewhere I have a document about a medal, I will look for it. Jef