Odulf

I had in my collection a Naval group of medals to the same guiy for the Great War, which included a DSM (for Jutland) and the Russian Silver Medal of the Order of St.George...

Assuming that the information about the date is not correct, i.g. it is not the launching but the commissioning of Prinz Eugen (on 1-8-40), it could be KzS (Ing.) Hans Voss (1894-1973). Voss served o/b SMS Breslau (1917/18). He was promoted KzS (Ing.) on 01-01-40 and K.Adm.(Ing.) on 01-01-44 and as a high ranking engineer he was also involved in the ship building programme (OKM, Seekriegsleitung), his c/o was Vice-Admiral Otto Schniewind [a likely candidate for the first picture]. Also, I think that it is likely that the 3 photos were not taken at the same occation, because the KzS wears a clearly visible EK ribbon in his button hole, which is not visible on the other photos.

There were different types of German POW-Camps. Most of these camps (such as Stalag, Offlag) were stationary and at a long distance from the front. However the Front-Stalag were rather mobile units, only to gather and collect POWs who were captured in the surrounding areas. In the Front-Stalag these men were searched, interrogated by the GFP (Secret Field Police), registered and kept for a shorter period of time, to be sent out to a Stalag or Offlag. Therefore a numbered Front-Stalag (like 121) may be found in several places, but in general not far away from the fighting zone or front area. There was not much of a "camp" in a classical sense, sometimes only an old building large enough to hold a number of POWs, or a field with some tents or wooden barrracks, a mobile kitchen, sanitary and medical facilities, and accomodation for the camp staff.

Thank you very much Nick and Dave I have this postcard from the 1960s of Luckner, with more gongs....

Very interesting, I've always been intreagued by this man. Forgive me my ignorance, but what does "KO4RM" and "UKDM" stand for? Is it possible to have a scanned image from the Rangliste, with his entitlement?

Füsilier-Regt. General-Feldm. Prinz Albrecht von Preussen, Nr.73

Another interesting photo with three RAD Generals, which I received this week. The men are wearing the 1938 Reichsparteitag Tinnie. Some square collar patches are visible, and some faces we do not see very often such as Generalarbeitsführer Rolf von Gönner (2nd from left) and Generalarbeitsführer Dr. Wilhelm Decker (1st from right), and the Reichsarbeitsführer himself (the generalarbeitsführer behind the centre figure is not clearly visible).. Can any one please identify the jovial chap in the centre, with his Blood-Order?

Most of these rations were never issued..., according to my dear old friend Norman (1st Bn, KRRC), who went overseas for 5 years. I took him to a show of WW2 collectibles, and he did not have a clue that there was so much about for the servings of the common soldier/rifleman. The lot of these stocks were not issued until after the war, and while the war was on, there was sweet f/a for the troops... So, to all re-enactors, don't invest in canned stuff, it is more realistic to show an empty haversack with a pair of worn out socks.

I am not exited, nor putting forward to buy such a special item; not only for lack of space, but also because I like the genuine basics as they come, without modern paint etc. But I am sure that there will be a market for such 'souvenir like' types of artefacts. However, if a genuine piece is used for this artists galore, i still feel a bit of sorry, no matter how many of these original whitnesses of time are around still.... because they're days are numbered. We are few, and hopefully many are to come, and share our love for military history, and I welcome their share to genuine artifacts, un-tampered and ready to enjoy again, as we did.

The tally "Linienschiff Hessen", shortly before the ship was finally decomissioned (photo dated 11.4.1933). The (Weimar) oval eagle cockarde has been replaced by the black-white-red cockarde, but the national emblem eagle appeared a year later.

Some more pre 1930 tallies

men from the 6. Komp. II. SDO [schiffs-Division der Ostsee], Stralsund 1922/23, Komp. Chef Oblt.z.S. Rothe-Roth

The Kaiserliche Marine [Emperor's Navy] became Reichsmarine [imperial Navy] in 1919. The most significant change of the cap tallies was the omission of the prefix S.M.S. (Seiner Majestäts Schiff = His Majesty's Ship) from January 1920; the Latin script in capitals remained, but this was changed in October 1929 to Gothic script. This photo, from the first period (before 1929) shows a group of sailors from the torpedoboat branch of the Navy, wearing some different tallies worn by 4 men: 1. HALBFLOTTILLE. 1. worn by 9 men: ?. TORPEDOBOOTS-HALBFLOTTILLE. ? worn by 1 man: I. FLOTTILLE. I. worn by 2 men: ?. TORPEDOBOOTS-FLOTTILLE. ? worn by 2 men: 1. TORPEDOBOOTSFLOTTILLE. 1. Interesting to note that these tallies were all worn at the same time.

German Red Cross membership card (18 x 10.5 cm)

German Red Cross identity card (17 x 12 cm) [note the NSDAP membership pin on her blouse]

I suppose so, because after 1933 the Nazis crated such a complex structure, with the NSDAP in control, that nearly everbody had to be a member of at least one or two organisations.

A certificate of the Deutsches-Frauenwerk, Department of Motherhood. This was evidence that a mother to be, had attended a training for baby care

Temporary membership card of a female member of the National Socialist Welfare organisation, a sub-division of the NSDAP

Provisional membership card of the German Women's League. The printed signature is of the Reichsfrauenführerin, Mrs. Gertrud Scholz-Klink (see enclosed photos), she was a hard boiled Nazi and the official representative of all the women in the Third Reich.

Membership card of the Female Groups in the Support Association of the German-Austrians

Not quite a pass of a female uniformed organisation, but still issued to a woman. It is the membershipbook of the Reichs-Kulturkammer / Reichskammer der bildende Kunste / Fachverband Deutscher Mahler und Graphiker e.V. All German artists had to be connected to the Reich Chamber of Culture, the organisation to guard the Aryan character of all German arts and performances. The female artist (a paintress) belonged to the sub-division Reich Chamber of Fine Arts, artisans group of German Painters and Graphics; the signature is of it's leader Eugen Hönig. Size: 10.5 x 15.3 cm

Some photos with French Great War medals from my collection

It is a badge of the Deutscher Turnverband in der Tsjechoslowakei [Note: Heering-Hüsken "Katalog der Abzeichen deutscher Organisationen 1871-1945"; No.F7, page 226/227] I am not a collector of these tinnies, so I don't have a clue about the value.

It is a tinnie, for a local gymnastics competition (Bezirks Turnfest), on 31 July 1927.

The complement of German Merchant Navy ships would be regarded as civilians, in the early stage of the war perhaps with some reservists amongst them who served earlier as conscripts in the 1930s. Senior officers, carpenters, cooks and artisans were usually older and more experienced men. When a gun was fitted, to keep submarines at bay, a hand full of Naval Gunners could be added to the crew. In 1941, when the Allied Navies tightened the grips on the North Sea, the Germans instituted the badge for Blockade Runners (Blokadebrecherabzeichen). It might be interesting to research into MN ships' crews who received the EK2... It could be for fighting off successfully an enemy submarine, or for running the gauntlet several times, or for supporting a risky or important (Naval) mission. I dare say that there were not a great many MN men who would have earned the EK2. Enclosed a MN Ship's Captain of the H.A.P.A.G., with the EK1 (1914) and NSDAP membership badge,