What is the exact type of ' Order of the Wurttemberg Crown' awarded to the Earl of Athlone ?

[lilo]

Hello All,

I?m studing the awards given to a member of the British Royal Family (that was also a High Ranking Officer being He a Field Marshal). The person whose awards I'm studying is :

Brigadier-General Sir Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George Cambridge (1874-1957), Viscount Trematon in the county of Cambridge and Earl of Athlone.

(He was the younger brother of Queen Mary, wife of UK King George V)

Among the Orders He received I found that He was a recipient of the :

Wurttemburg, Order of the Wurttemberg Crown, Grand Cross (awarded on 10.2.1904)

I admit my great ignorance about German Imperial awards and tried to search this Order by google finding that exist various Types of the Order in question (see : <a href="http://home.att.net/~david.danner/militaria/wuerttemberg.htm" target="_blank">http://home.att.net/~david.danner/militaria/wuerttemberg.htm</a>)

The questions (I hope that they are easy to answer) I would like that you answer about the 'Order of the Wurttemberg Crown' received by the Earl of Athlone are below listed (please excuse me again for my ignorance and what that can appear stupid questions !):

1) I read that the 'swords' were (introduced on September 19, 1870) 'for merit before the enemy', and as I don't think that He received this Order for facts related to war but simply as a member of the UK Royal Family (that had close connection with the various members of the Royalty of the Old Imperial Germany), can you confirm that He received this Order without 'SWORDS' ?

2) Can You confirm that He received the type of this Order suspended by a 'Crown' ?

3) Can you confirm that He received the type with the 'LIONS' between the arms of the Cross ?

4) Last, I have attached a photo of the Order I think the Earl of Athlone really received (witouht 'SWORDS' but with 'CROWN' and 'LIONS'). Can You Confirm that I'm rigth ?

To avoid to waste time You can answer putting a simple 'yes' or 'not' near each question.

Thanking you in advance and awaiting to hear from you

Best Regards

Lilo

Edited December 6, 2007 by lilo

[speedytop]

Hi Lilo,

where is your problem?

It is a Gro?kreuz = Grand Cross

Awarded 1904 to a foreigner.

The Grand Cross must have the lions and the crown.

In 1904 a foreigner with miltary merit for W?rttemberg? No! No swords.

That's it.

Where is the Star?

Regards

Uwe

[Paul C]

Hey Speedytop your reply is rather rude. The guy is just asking a simple question. Why get hostile?

[lilo]

Hello Speedytop / Paul

thanks to have posting on this thread.

Speedytop

I posted a photo of the Order that isn't the real one awarded to Earl of Athlone : it was just an example!

However, from your words, I understood that the 'Grand Cross' always has the 'lions' and the 'crown'.

Are you also sure that He didn't received the 'swords' ?

Paul

Thanks for your defense but please don't mind about it.

WE are here to enjoy the medal world !

Thanks again

Lilo

Edited December 6, 2007 by lilo

[saschaw]

Uwe is right, a grand cross had a crown and lions, and a grand cross to a foreign nobleman in peace time came without swords, so the example on the picture (from A. Thies?!) matches. Those grand crosses came always with a breast star, that's why Uwe asked for the star.

[Ed_Haynes]

What's the concern? Do you have his medals? He'd only have been able to wear this doo-dad (which he probably never did anyway as I suspect he never got unrestricted wearing permission) for another ten years.

There is probably a file in the National Archives (PRO) regarding his award and whether he was ever given permission to wear this continental trinket, but this will require doing real research.

[speedytop]

Hi Paul,

sorry, I don't think, that I'm rude. I'm short and precise.

And if I'm hostile, that looks completely different

Hi Lilo,

sorry, I want to help you, but I have no answer for these specialiced part of your question.

But, when he was a recipient of this decoration in 1904, in peacetime, why should there be a decoration with swords in peace time? I can not follow your considerations. The swords are only for merits in a war.

"Schwerter f?r Kriegsverdienst".

The Grand Cross with swords and the Star with swords that I hold in my hands for cataloging, together with several other decorations, come from a high ranked German general with extraordinary war merits in WW I.

Kind regards

Uwe

[lilo]

Hi All

that are the what I was looking for to have confirmed !

I'll do a couple of questions - in separate threads about 2 others Imperial German awards received by the Earl of Atholne.

Regards

Lilo

Edited December 7, 2007 by lilo