Hauptmann

That's it for now. Dan

Matches:

Imperial pipe:

This one is definitely Imperial: Sadly missing the main part on top but looks as if a new one could be screwed right in. Finding one would be the trick though.

Hi all, Here's a few bits I thought I'd add to the pile. Not sure if this lighter is WWI or WWII... no markings but the old girl still works and is in great shape:

Full Reverse: Reverse closeup: Seems the reverse at least had a nice blued finish although that doesn't show up well in the scans. Just in person in good light. Not sure if this is silver or steel or what. Kinda hefty when you hold it and definitely hot enamel. A great piece. Size wise the main medallion is a bit bigger than a U.S. nickel. Would it hurt to clean this one up a bit? I don't do such on a whim but I'm very tempted with this one. Especially on the back as it has a very uneven and unappealing tarnish or patina "if" that's what it is. Anyhow I'd deeply appreciate any help with translation, identification (if possible) or any other info on this little jewel. Again hoping we did good with this one. Thanks, Dan

Hi all, Okay... the eagle has landed! Just got this in today as I'd hoped. Thank God for Priority Mail!!!! Just ran down and did some scans which I hope show alot more detail and will help in getting this translated and perhaps identified. Hoping I did okay on this one. Well, without further ado... the scans: Full Obverse: Appears that much of the obverse was originally gold plated but it has either worn off or possibly been absorbed over time... if the same happens on some Soviet awards as with some TR German awards. But the hanger has survived in like new condition. Banner:

Dan, it's made from a hard wood but I don't know which sort, I did see one on ebay.fr a while back though, it was being sold as a sweet's container but was missing the badge. You can just imagine it on the bar at Cafe Rene, being used to hold cheese ready for when Madam Edith does her cabaret. You'll understand what I mean if you've ever seen Allo Allo. Get digging and take some pics of your trench art. Tony Hi Tony, Sadly I've never been able to get hold of any Allo, Allo or Dad's Army, both of which I'm dying to see. Hoping to get the DVD sets before too terribly long if the $$ situation improves as I'm hoping. Whoever made it did a fantastic job in staining the wood. The color is just fantastic! It's definitely a stand out piece and I don't blame you one bit for hanging onto it. I know if I had it I'd hold on for dear life! Simply beautiful! And amen... guys, get the lead out and dig out some good pieces to post! This threads been too quiet for far too long. I have a few bits & pieces including a pen knfe cartridge the same as the one in the photo with the M15. I'll try to dig them out. Hi Leigh... sounds great! Can't wait to see your collection. Again this threads been far too quiet. Need to get some action in here. Many apologies gents as I'd thought I would have time to post my lighter yesterday... will give it another shot today. Found out the Judge is in rather unexpectedly and has taken over my office which he does when he's here... only a couple times a month on average so not a biggie. But I've got an unexpected three day weekend. To anyone else that would be great but I love this job and hate leaving stuff over the weekend... plus I'll probably be hit with the great deluge on Monday as a consequence. Got a few things to take care of round the house and then will try to get to it later today. Dan

Ya know... this might explain some of those dirty, ratty, worn out looking ribbons we see on occassion... they're just thirsty for vodka. Gi' em' a drink and they'll be right as rain! Dan

Hi Amos, You're very welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll continue to keep my eye out for more goodies. Lucked onto this one... was searching for military archaeology finds and went through nearly 70 listings before that one popped up at nearly the end of the search. But the good stuffs worth waiting for. Some beautiful armor he's got sitting there and looks as if he and his shop have done a spectacular job in restoring them. Definitely a collection I'd love to see in person someday. Dan

Hi all, Just came upon this one. All I can say is WOW! It's gotta be great to have those kinda bucks! http://www.mishalov.net/military-vehicles/...y-vehicles.html Hope ya'll enjoy this as much as I have. Dan

Hi all, Here's another one I just came across. Happened a while back but one I'd not heard about. Hope it's of interest. http://www.hellfire-corner.demon.co.uk/tank.htm Dan

Hi Tony, That's still a great collection in my eyes. I LOVE the M15. That turtle shell look and coloration is just beautiful!!!! Is it wood or metal? Looks like we need to get some more folks involved in this end of the hobby. I've had a few pieces in the past but then sold them, with the exception of a German light made from a buckle. I'll do up some scans and include them when I get home. Don't know why I didn't think of it before. Sadly it's missing some parts but still looks neat. Would love some letter openers, pocket knives, etc., someday as I'm a blade collector as well so would go nicely in either collection. There's a few other items I've seen over the years that have caught my eye but was always too focused on other things. I think so many folks get hooked up with the official issue items but to me the trench art is one of the most personal of military collectibles. Sad that most don't have more of their histories still attached. Dan

"BTW who is Brian " Order of Victory Hi Vic, "Brian" was the original poster of the badge in question. I think Richie mistakenly thought you were Brian when he asked you for the scan of the book. What book is it by the way? Haven't seen that one. I know I need to get at least one on badges at some point. Hoping also something turns up that covers things like awards for the arts and such as I just got that one I'd posted in the Soviet theater and Performing Arts thread and I'm lost on that. Arrrrgh! Times like that make you realize just how much more one needs in their reference library. Dan

Hi all, No ideas on this one at all? None of my Soviet refs cover this sort of thing and I've searched the web till I'm blue in the face. Totally in the dark. How bout on the inscriptions? I'm hoping blown up (at least on the reverse) someone can make it out. But I promise as soon as it arrives (hopefully tomorrow or Saturday) I'll do better scans. Thanks, Dan

Congrats Gerd! Know you'll do a terrific job! Dan

Hi all, Just ran across this and thought it might be of some interest. A fairly rare example. Hope they can do a bit more on the restoration. http://www.aaftankmuseum.com/Tank_Ordnance.htm Amazing what one can find if you dig deep enough. Dan

Hi all, Just found a terrific site on trench art and thought perhaps it would be of interest. Lots of pics and categories: http://www.trenchart.org/ Dan

Hi all, Just found another good site re: WWI veterans left and remains that are still being recovered: http://glennhyatt.com/gonewest/index.htm Truly amazing how things like cloth can last that long under certain conditions when buried. Dan

Hi all, Just found this while surfing and thought it might be of interest. Here's the original link followed by the article in case it's ever taken off: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/11-5-2005-80685.asp It was only by chance that Georgy Ponomarev found out he was dead. There had been rumours. Talk of his name on a war memorial on a faraway hilltop. But it was not until the 81-year-old's friend was awarded a 60th anniversary medal this year - for liberating Ukraine from Nazi occupation during the Second World War - that the truth came out. Georgy, a former Red Army infantryman from the southern Russian city of Stavropol, fancied a medal too for his part in pushing the 'Hitlerovtsi' out. Yet when he called the Ukrainian military commissariat, the official said: 'You can't have it. You died in 1943.' Only now has Georgy been able to get a court decision proving he is very much alive. Next week he will get his medal. Behind the mix-up is a tale of survival that has turned Georgy into a minor celebrity. It was winter 1943 when the teenage sergeant led his platoon of nine in a desperate attack on a German bunker near the Ukrainian village of Sofievka. They crept up with their grenades but came under fire, and a shell exploded next to Georgy as he and his men retreated, the shock wave catapulting him into the air. When he regained consciousness hours later, all was dark and a great weight pressed down on his body. Fighting for breath, Georgy realised the full horror of the situation: he was underground. 'My right hand was hit by shrapnel and didn't work, but I could move my left and I began to claw the earth away,' he recalls. Luckily, the soil was dry and crumbly. 'I wanted to live; the instinct was strong. I was about a metre deep. Finally, I made a hole and got my head out, then my torso.' Deafened and lost, he stumbled into enemy territory and a German patrol found him. Only at the end of the war did he find out what had happened. Georgy had imagined he was covered by debris from the shell. By chance, he ran into an old comrade from his platoon, Aleksei Chuykov. 'Don't you recognise me?' Georgy remembers asking him. Chuykov went white: 'My God, I buried you myself.' It transpired that, under fire, Georgy's comrades had presumed him dead and buried him with several comrades, in the crater where he fell. As the senior soldier of the group, he was laid on top of the pile of corpses. Escape from an early grave was not the final horror of Georgy's war. After capture he was sent to Germany by train. En route he escaped, but was recaptured and sent to Auschwitz. There his weight dropped to 35kg and he only survived because a friend in the kitchens slipped him extra portions of turnip soup. Back home after the war, his amazed family showed him the letter that stated he was dead. Georgy later married, had children and worked as an engineer. Only this year did things come to a head. When Georgy applied for the veterans' medal promised by the Ukrainian president, Viktor Yushchenko, the bureaucrats replied: 'If you're alive, prove it.' Now bed-ridden, Georgy requested a court hearing at his home to confirm his identity. 'All his documents and witness statements allowed us to confirm he was the same man who "died" there,' said Stanislav Saneev, the judge at the hearing. Georgy has invited court officials to attend a dinner where he will wash his medal in vodka, according to tradition. He reserves the greatest thanks for the man who buried him alive. 'Stalin had given an order to remove warm clothes from all corpses. But Chuykov left me in my padded jacket and my hat. Without them I would have frozen to death.' By Guardian Unlimited ? Copyright Guardian Newspapers 2006 Published: 11/5/2005 This is the second time today and the only times by the way that I've seen a reference to a tradition whereby the recipient of an Order or medal would drop it into a glass of vodka, drink down the liquid until left holding the award in his or her teeth. Has anyone else ever heard of this re: Russian or Soviet awardees? Dan

And one can only hope more such discoveries will be made over time. Mysteries will be solved and new ones created... but that's one of the beauties of history. Dan

Hi all, Been surfing today and have found several fascinating sites I felt might be of interest... this being one of them: http://www.redkitebooks.co.uk/aa/ Some great work has and is being done in recovery aircraft as well as remains of their crews. Some very moving stories and in particular on one of the recoveries a German FW 190 was brought out of the sea in surprisingly good condition. http://www.redkitebooks.co.uk/AA/ex06_FW190_Norway.html Dan

Hi all, Been taking a bit of time surfing today and came on this one that I thought might be of interest. Fascinating article. Just wish they had pics. Perhaps they'll end up making another documentary down the road. http://www.vilnius.lt/new/en/vadovybe.php?...=149&id=110 Old Nappy's men certainly paid a high price for his invading Russia. Dan