little Baden NCO group

[Naxos]

NCO of 5. Kompagnie, II. Bataillon, Infanterie Regiment 169, 52. Division

[Naxos]

[Naxos]

Details of the picture (note the Unit on the bike and the 169 on the shoulder boards)

Edited May 29, 2007 by Naxos

[Paul R]

Another great grouping, Harvey! To think that this grouping belonged to one of the men in the photo!!

[Guest Rick Research]

I can't see any images after the third scan in post #2. That's the problem with remote image hosting rather than just POSTING them HERE.

But that is the most amazingly PERFECT late war alloy Merit Medal I have ever seen!

Aha! My reply has tricked the Image Hosting Gods and NOW I can see the photos!

I've got several cyclist photos, but have never seen a LICENSE PLATE, either. "5.K. 169 Nr. 5"

[Dave Danner]

Rick said what I was going to say - that this is the crispest strike of a wartime Verdienstmedaillen that I've seen.

[Naxos]

Thanks guys,

here is a close-up

Regards, Hardy

[Jacky]

Very very nice,

it appears that there aren't even scratches from tinkling the EK against the verdienstmedal!!

Might be a sign that this bar was hardly worn, as this construct makes the medals tinkling against each other, often orders have damaged enamel where the medals hit each other.

But this is indeed nice and crispy, perhaps even juicy with the pictures

Sounds like dinner, although it's breakfast for me now

Very very very nice group, surely together with the pictures

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Hardy.

thats a real Gem of a Baden Medal

I attach a couple of pictures showing a couple of Baden's from my collection,

the first shows the perculier style Baden ribbon Ose has been detached from the medal, a very common occurance.

Kevin in Deva.

[Kev in Deva]

The Rear.

Kevin in Deva

[Kev in Deva]

And here is one that has either lost the ribon Ose and then adapted to hang from a spange,

or was purposely altered to hang from the Spange hooks in line with the other awards.

Kevin in Deva

Edited May 30, 2007 by Kev in Deva

[Kev in Deva]

The rear showing how the thin bronze (?) Copper back plate, has deformed by the heat where the

small ring has been attached to the rim.

Close up of the attachment

Kevin in Deva

[Kev in Deva]

Interestingly the inner core is of Iron / steel, sandwiched to a Bronze / Copper front and rear plate

Kevin in Deva.

[Dave Danner]

While reading the history of FAR 14, I came across an interesting little factoid. On 22 December 1917, it was announced that the Grand Duke had awarded the Silver Merit Medal on the Ribbon of the MKFVO to all Baden soldiers (Mannschaften in the book, so I don't know if it applied to NCOs as well) who had served in the field since the beginning of the war. Apparently, the Grand Duke deemed surviving over three years in the trenches to be a meritorious feat on its own.

[saschaw]

Naxos' Merit Medal is presumably not in zinc but in iron. They are often in such a fresh condition ...

[Naxos]

Thanks everybody for your responses

Sascha, I checked with a strong magnet, there was no attraction.

Hardy