Kev in Deva

Typical finish on these 1915 Bravery Crosses, as mentioned by Rick, again the Silver appears to be in real silver and the other is lighter base metal in gold-gilt. A nice thank you for putting your neck on the line for your country Also can be found on German WW1 era bars as well. Kevin in Deva

Hi Rick, my observation was that the metal bar could support 4 medals mounted on flat ribbon, but, possibly because the scallop-shape was used the maker decided to only use the bar to mount three. 4 mounted scallop-shape while quite possible would be a tight squeeze. Kevin in Deva

Hallo Jeff, VtwinVince & Tom Y must confess I never saw them issued with a bottle of PLONK! mine is kept in the deepest part of the dungeons of Castle Ryan, in a box in a box in a box, with a big chain around them to prevent it getting out and into my medal collection cabinet and causing real embaresment by it pretending to be a real medal Kevin in Deva

Great Topic Gents, With regards the Ist and II Class medals of the Kyfferh?user Bund Association, is it possible that stocks of Association medals already exsisted and no plans were made to change them to a new design until old stocks were depleated? Possibly because cash was scarce in the early 30s to pay for a new mint with a swastika Kevin in Deva.

The Rear of Mine: Detail of ribbon ring mount: Kevin in Deva

Hallo Rick, Very nice here is my silver for comparison. Not sure about my ribbon though but thats what came with it. Appears to be in real silver, but no marks that I can make out. Kevin in Deva

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

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.

Hi Peter what happened was the Hindenberg Crosses were implimented to wear as the only official German WW1 Commemoration medal, the regulation's stated that all previous unofficial Medals such as the following: Kyffh?use Bund Medal, The German Legion of Honour, The Marine Korps Kreuz, The Argonnen Cross 1914-1918, Champagne 1914-1918, Somme 1914-1918, Verdun 1914-1918, Deutsche (Hamburg) Feld-Ehren-Zeichen And many other unofficial veteran orientated Crosses and Medals, And some of the unofficial Freikorp era items as well. Were to be removed from any medal bars of serving Officers and men in the German military, German Civil Service etc.. they had to replace them with the relavant Hindenberg Cross, & or Austrian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Official Commemoration Medals, dating from about 1933 onwards. Veterans who no longer had a connection to any official Civil Service group or military group could and did continue to sport many of the older styles and forms of medals. I am sure Rick would have the details as with regards the official stance and regulations. Kevin in Deva,

Our own Club member "hunyadi" has posted some info & pictures of originals in his collection on this very website Kevin in Deva.

An interesting point Chris, but, remember the Hindenberg Crosses carried no swastikas either. Kevin in Deva.

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.

Hallo John, if my memory serves me correct (and please feel free to post a correction, if I am mistaken) the Kyffhauser Bund were originaly a quasi-military shooting Club, set up to promote the skill of musketry amongst Prussia and the German States in the 1870s, (I believe it still exsists in some form even today.) Members were allowed to join circa 16 years of age, and nearly every village, town and Cities had clubs set up. During WW1 this might also explain the better than avarage skill at musketry found amongst the German Forces compared to the average British, French, Belgian Troops etc...etc... Your small pin probably denotes memebership to the Kyffhauser Bund Association. As I understand it with regards the two medals pictured above, these are I believe for Association membership, and not for military service. The medal pictured under was given / bought by returned veterans of the Kyffhauser Bund to denote their Service and was one of the many unofficial medals that was available seeing there was no official medal in Germany for service in WW1 until the Hindenberg Crosses were issued under application in 1934. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Jacky both of you can be correct as the series of Bayern Milit?r Verdienst Kreuz are at the lower end of the Bayern Milit?r Verdienst Orden awards. In other words they share the same history and follow a line in their creation history. Kevin in Deva.

This link will take you to a picture of the monument depicted on the badge: http://www.old-picture.com/europe/Kyffhaus...ent-Germany.htm there is more information available on line. Kevin in Deva

. Hallo Jeff, That is the II Class award, this is what the Ist Class looked like: Kevin in Deva.

Hi Leigh, some great looking items and an interesting depiction in this card showing the Germans using the steel shields in the front of the trenches to good effect, a small but interesting detail which no doubt will interest Chris Kevin in Deva

The penned inscription on the rear of the card, with Maker Mark: Satrap on card. Maker Motif?? Kevin in Deva

The card in full. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Carol I, thanks for your comments, not knowing to much about Romanian uniforms are they all conscripts or any instructors amongst them?? The three in front seem to have nice white shirts or scarves, They are all very smartly turned out in the picture. Kevin in Deva

Very Nice Tom, just love the Bavarian Blue & white makes any bar Kevin in Deva

Hallo Chris, I picked up this picture in Brasov, Centeral Romania last week, its dated Cluj 1 IV 1927, (Cluj-Napoca) it shows a group of Romanian Soldiers with what I believe to be a Maxim, can you id it for sure?? If it is a Maxim its probably a WW1, captured stock from either the Germans, Austrians or Bulgarians. Interestingly none of the soldiers sport any ribbons for WW1 service. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gents Here is a list of the Czechoslovakian Inter Allied Victory Medals of WW1. Official Type 1 was without the name of the designer on the obverse, but carried a "L.A" hallmark of Alexander Leisek in the field between Victorys hand and helmet and below the branch on the obverse and to the right of the "1919" on the reverse. Diameter 35mm- Cylindrical Suspension. Official Type 2, Has the name of the designer, "O. Spaniel", in incised letters on the obverse,Struck by the Kremnince Mint. Diameter 36mm, Cylindrical or Barrel Suspension. Reissue Type 1. Without the name of the designer on the obverse, Struck by the Kremnice Mint after WW2. Diameter 36mm Cylindrical Suspension. Reissue Type 2, Same as Reissue Type 1, but with a gold gilt or brassy finish, Struck by the Prague Firm of Karnet & Kysely between 1945 and 1948. Diameter 36mm Cylindrical Suspension. Unofficial Type 1. Same as the Belgian Unofficial Type 1. Diameter 36mm+ Narrow Ball suspension. Unofficial Type 2. Same as the Belgian Unofficial Type 2. Diameter 37mm+ Ball suspension. Unofficial Type 3. Same as the Italian Unofficial Type 1. 34mm Staffa suspension. REPRO: Type 1. Official Czech design but without the name of the designer on the obverse, has Chobillion (A.C in triangle) hallmark and "BRONZE" impressed on the edge (on some pieces the edge is NOT marked!) A softer striking with thicker leters, numbers and wider Linden leaves on the reverse than on the official types. Also the Lion rampant is more massive. Diameter 36mm+ Ball suspension. REPRO Type 2. Silver-finished, poor quality zinc and aluminum cast copy. The designer name is barely present, and the planchet is thinner at the seven o'clock postion. Probably contemporary French manufacture. Diameter 35mm with Cylndrical suspension. REPRO Type 3. A cast version of the Repro Type 1. There has been in the last 3 years a futher REPRO, being sold out of Birmingham, England, usually on Ebay UK, the seller declares it for what it is a REPRO, its manufactured in a chocolate brown colour and hangs on British Repro Victory Medal Ribbon. Kevin in Deva.

Hallo PZULBA can you give any details of the RAF missions to Warsaw, I was under the impession that due to the Soviets not allowing the planes permission to land and refuel in Russian territory they plan was cancelled Kevin in Deva.

Hallo Gents, trying to scrape together some info on this, its your normal run of the mill patriotika EK II from the front, the rear carries 2 "W" upper and lower of the laurel branches, Possible Maker Mark?? Kevin in Deva.