Kev in Deva

Hallo Gentlemen while moving some stuff in my garage I came across a Russian rucksack full of German Field equipment that I had picked up at Fleamarkets while living in Kempten, in the Allg?u, Bavaria, you know the usual field-gear, which when tipped out onto the floor amounted to something like 10 waterbottles, 2 Affe field-packs, gasmask containers, 1 Rucksack 6 breadbags, all from differeant years and makes. Among the mess-tins is the following item: WW2 GERMAN FIELD EQUIPMENT: PRISONER OF WAR (P.O.W.) MESS TIN, ART WORK. This item is in my collection, it is outside my main collecting area of medals but nevertheless an interesting item, whereas thousands of items passed through the hands of the men and women in the Armed Forces on all sides during the WW2 conflict, what makes this piece unique is that it has been personalized by its owner. The item started life as an ordinary Wehrmacht two-part Mess tin, its original colour being a dark green, with some of the original paint remains, on the handle of the lid, with an overspray of brown and black in camo. The rest of the mess-tin?s paint has been sanded down to the bare aluminum. Starting with the lid, the words have been hammered with the point of a sharp object ?Heilbronn? 13. 5. 45 Arthur Sommer ?Voves? (Frankr.) 28. 6. 45. [Frankreich, German for France.] Around the kidney shaped top of the tin is marked an intricate design of stylized ?s? and small semi-circles. The Green-Brown-Black handle has the stamp H R E 42. on the outside, and the letter ?A? [for Arthur] scratched on the inside near the hinge. The main body of the container as you look at it from the front has the word ?ULLR? in capital letters and a depiction of a bearded man on skis with a tree branch over the right shoulder, in the background are Christmas trees and mountains. This "ULLER" character turns up regularly with conection to Gebergsjager items, & 1930 Skiing competions. In the center (covered by the handle of the mess-kit top) the inter-twined initials of A S. To the right side ?Heimat der Berge? beneath this a Edelweiss flower, And in a scroll the words ?Berg Heil.? And under that the word ?Allg?u? (which is an area of Bavaria along the South-western border with Austria, leading down and around the German side of Lake Constance. On the right side of the base is engraved the number 1264921 either a POW number or his military service number. I dont know if it is possible to track his history by using the nimber maybe some of the Gentlemen could suggest something. MORE PHOTOS WILL BE ADDED IN REPLY'S. Over the next few days I would like to post some of the field-equipment I have, including a couple of objects totaly altered from their original design, one of which that was used for something else in postwar Bavaria. If any of the Gentlemen have any similar personalised items of German or Axis field-gear please feel free to add them here, If you have any Allied items please start a seperate post, as to prevent confusion. Kevin in Deva.

AND ANOTHER PLM ON GERMAN EBAY....... http://cgi.ebay.de/ORIGINALER-Pour-le-Meri...1QQcmdZViewItem PLM'S BREEDING LIKE RABBITS. . . . USA EBAY. http://cgi.ebay.com/Pour-le-Merite-konvolu...1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/Pour-Le-Merite-Blue-Ma...1QQcmdZViewItem KEVIN IN DEVA

Hallo Gentlemen, please see my post on: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=6752 with regards this Alfons of Bavaria, medal bar, the information was obtained from the Herman Historika Catalog of 21 / 22 of April 2005. Seems like the catalog had a good few items of Alfons of Bavaria, being sold of by a relative living in or returned to Bavaria from Spain. Kevin Deva.

Hallo Mick You know what they say the first 30 years are the hardest, then its down-hill all the way from there Thanks for all the info though Kevin in Deva

Hallo Rick, with regards the medals awarded to "female" frontline non-combatant, just how close to the fighting would they have actually been? or were they like Florence Nightingale and her staff, in medical positions to the immediate rear of the fighting?? Kevin in Deva

ONE OF THE ABOVE NOW TRADING AS: Seller: michael34810 ( 210) Feedback: 94.5% Positive Member: since 28-Aug-05 in United Kingdom MICHAEL'S EMPORIUM Item location: Nuneaton, United Kingdom. Same system of code numbers for poor quality items and bad copies. On his shop page under Military Items he lists two objects, yet under other items he has 676 poor quality, repro, fake, junk items Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gentlemen I hope you all had a pleasent weekend, good weather, good food, fine wine, tasty beer While waiting for the effects of a nice lazy hot sunday afternoon's lunch to pass, and avoiding doing the dishes, I spotted these for sale on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GENUINE-German-Pruss...1QQcmdZViewItem The seller has an interesting sales method combining medals with picture, all the items appear to be original, but I feel some of the prices are on the highside Please feel free to take a look and post comments. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Ralph A, The bloke on the left puts me in mind of a Frenchman the other a Turk Nice Find Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Peter, greetings from the wilds of Transylvania. the two Items are from the Irish Defence Forces: (Possibly collar-dogs depending on size). Item 1 with the chariot is: SUPPLY & TRANSPORT SERVICE Circa 1937. Item 2 with intertwined P A : Military Police Corps "Poilini an Airm." If they are outside your collecting area let me know, as over 21 year veteran of the Irish Army they are of intrest to me Kevin in Deva.

Here is some basic information with regards the Battles / Campaigns the bars are named after: 1, ARDEAL : -refers to the initial offensive of the Romanian troops across the Carpathian Mountains into Transylvania and the subsequent defeat -it lasted for almost 40 days, from the beginning of the war (for Romania) on 28 August 1916 to 8 October 1916 2. TURTUCAIA : -the destruction of the Romanian 17th Infantry Division in the fortress south of the Danube by the Bulgarian 3rd Army, which had an important impact on the state of mind of the Romanian society and General Staff, - it lasted between 2-6 September 1916. 3. CARPATI : -it refers to the defence on the Carpathian Mountains, following the defeat in Transylvania. -it was made up of several different battles fought in several different sectors of the mountains and lasted roughly between 10 October and 15 November. 4. CERNA : -it refers to the sporadic fighting in a secondary sector of the front, which lasted between 28 August to 4 October 1916. 5. DOBROGEA / DOBROGIA -it is Dobruja, the region between the Danube and the Black sea, there were just two different spellings from the clasps. -the fighting there lasted between 1 September and the end of November 1916, when the Romanian troops were retreated to Moldavia, leaving just the river fleet and the Russian troops on that front. 6. JIU : -it refers to the battles on the Jiu Valley and at Targul Jiu, which lasted between 23 October and 17 November 1916. 7. DUNAREA : -it probably refers to the fighting between 23-27 November 1916 with Marshal von Mackensen's Danube Army. 8. BUCURESTI : -it refers to the battle of Bucharest or the Battle of Neajlov-Arges as it is also known. - It took place between 29 November and 3 December 1916. BATTLE OF MARASESTI : (August-September 1917) - The new offensive was going to be launched west of the Siret River, on the Focsani ? Marasesti ? Adjud direction, with the German 9th Army (general Johannes von Eben) and on the Oituz Valley with the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army (Archduke Joseph). The objective was to encircle and destroy the 2nd Army. For much help in the obtaining the following information my thanks must go to: Author Victor Nitu and "Carol I " of: http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?act=idx I will post more as its uncovered Kev in Deva.

For Ed: Thanks for all the time to supply the information, would you care to give a value, last question I promise Kev in Dev

WOW Ed that was super quick reply! Can you give me a bit more info on what it was awarded for, number awarded,and time of issue?? Kev in Deva ...and also in the dark about Russian awards

One for our Russian Experts http://cgi.ebay.com/BRONZE-WITH-ENAMEL-RUS...1QQcmdZViewItem Kevin in Deva.

YUMMY JUST LUV OLD BERTIE BASSETS & RUM Keep it away from the kids though. Kev in Dev.

Hallo Learned Gentlemen of the Jury, Care to post your opinions on this piece, http://cgi.ebay.com/Prussia-Germany-Pour-l...1QQcmdZViewItem Can't be to careful before parting with one's dosh, mullah, spondulacks, odds, Greenbacks, Cabbage, etc...etc... Kev in Deva.

Hallo Guys and Gals take a look nice start price:?14,500.00 (Reserve Not met)!!! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WALL-MURAL-BY-A-U-S-...1QQcmdZViewItem What next? the air Hitler breathed, fresh from the Bunker Wonder what the airmail postage is to Transylvania?? Kev in Deva.

Hallo Don , nice looking selection of badges, any significance to the coloured border on some? i.e area or region?? Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Rick, thanks for pointing out the problem with bar 1647 my only reference book with Bulgarian awards is in Bulgarian, so while the pictures look great deciphering the text is difficult for a non-kyrilite The enameled medals are in good condition though Kev in Deva.

Hallo Gentlemen I agree with Michael also why is there a Bulgarian Civil Award IIII Class in the middle as well?? With regards 1646 this is possible to a German, but I am not sure what the last award / insignia is supposed to be. Must have a quick search through my reference books. 1647 to could be possible as Luftwaffe personel got a lot of awards form the Romanians, for service with them in combat and as instructors to the Romanian Airforce, the last two decorations being Bulgarian. No comment on the 1644 as yet Kev in Deva.

Hallo Guys, just like to make a comment with regards the German WW2 Masks, the filters I believe contained Asbestos make sure the kids are not playing with them even better for re-enactors is the modern Bundswehr filter, it fits the WW2 mask perfectly and looks similar to the original. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Chris, the following bars with minitures are in my collection, the first is Belgian, and was obtained here in Romania last year, It has the following medals: 1 Belgium Inter-Allied Victory Medal- 2 Belgium commemorative War medal. 3 Military Decoration for Long Service. 4 The Commemorative Medal of the 100th Anniversary of National Independence. 5 The Civil Decoration for Bravery, Devotion and Philanthropy?? 6 Order of the Palms. Bar Number 2 is French: 1 Medal of Merit. 2 Cross of war 1939 with bronze, silver star and palm devices. 3 Cross sof War, Outside European Theatre with bronze and silver stars. 4 Resistance Medal. 5 British Distinguished Service Order. 6 Colonial Medal & Extreme Orient bar. 7 Combatant Cross 8 Liberation Medal with Liberation & Germany bars. 9 Wound Medal with two stars. Now unless this guy was some super-hero-action-man, this bar must have just been slung together because it seems to cover every WW2 theatre of war !! The bar is designed to hold 8 minis but 9 have been squeezed on it. But as it ony cost me 45 dollars I think its quite ok Kev in Deva

Hallo Gentlemen, just spotted this cased 1914 EK2 on Ebay UK, but its got the French or Belgium style double pin mounting??? and is that another ribbon piece behind the EK ribbon?? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...mMakeTrack=true Kev in Deva.

Hallo Heiko with regards the question I posted on the Kyffh?user medal and 8 bars it sold for 129 British Pounds Thanks for the info on the bars very helpfull Kev in Deva.

Hallo Ulsterman the ribbon was original blue with two white stripes, (and looks like a typical dye run,) and this was for the Croce Di Guerra/ Cross of War. Established by King Vittorio Emmanuele, with Royal decree number 204 0f 19 January, 1918. This was designated a decoration to be granted at state exspence, to those who had conducted themselves " in a manner worthy of public recognition." All awards were made in the name of the king by senior officers. . It was also issued by the Italian Republic in pre Ww2 for service in Italy's African colonys and WW2. (please see attached photos of the two types in my collection, if you look at the IR version you can see the ghost of the III under the IR). Kev in Deva.