Chris Boonzaier Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 How easy, difficult is it/was it for a "Other Rank" in WW1 to win 8 citations in the infantry?Does anyone have a rough idea?ThanksChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul L Murphy Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Pretty bloody difficult ! The chances of you surviving that amount of combat were probably pretty slim. If you assume a couple at the bronze star level for being wounded in action you must still have five or six citations for bravery. I have a WWII C de G with 5 palms, 1 silver star and 2 bronze stars to a Legionnaire who was with the 6 REI and then switched sides to the 13 DBLE (the 6 REI went Vichy) and his was the result of five years of almost constant combat. In WWI it would have been no different so your recipient would have had to spend most of his four years in the trenches while not keeping his head down all the time ! Have you got a bunch of documents or just the medal ?Cheers,Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 Pretty bloody difficult ! The chances of you surviving that amount of combat were probably pretty slim. If you assume a couple at the bronze star level for being wounded in action you must still have five or six citations for bravery. I have a WWII C de G with 5 palms, 1 silver star and 2 bronze stars to a Legionnaire who was with the 6 REI and then switched sides to the 13 DBLE (the 6 REI went Vichy) and his was the result of five years of almost constant combat. In WWI it would have been no different so your recipient would have had to spend most of his four years in the trenches while not keeping his head down all the time ! Have you got a bunch of documents or just the medal ?Cheers,PaulDocuments and medals on the way.He was on the Yser, at Verdun and in the Champagne as a messenger it seems.I just HAD to have the group :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veteran Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Hello ChrisA very unusual amount of citations to any infantryman. Not only was it necessary for you to be lucky and plucky, but you also had to keep the same captain long anough for him to get a chance to single you out when "medal-time" came after the battle..... and captains were frequent casualties.The fact that he was a messenger may account for the number of citations, since he would have been employed close to head-quaters, where his repeated acts of bravery could be observed an appreciated by the officers who write-up citations His service-papers will no doubt tell a good part of the story. Certainly a good piece. CongratulationsVeteran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul L Murphy Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Documents and medals on the way.He was on the Yser, at Verdun and in the Champagne as a messenger it seems.I just HAD to have the group :-) Photos pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 17, 2007 Author Share Posted December 17, 2007 Usually I dont even mention items until they arrive... i believe it is a jinx and they will get lost in the mail...I will have to wait with pics till they arrive.bestChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccj Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Usually I dont even mention items until they arrive... i believe it is a jinx and they will get lost in the mail...I will have to wait with pics till they arrive.bestChrisHas it come it yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted March 18, 2008 Author Share Posted March 18, 2008 Has it come it yet?Yup, some links to the man and his medals...http://www.kaiserscross.com/60401/141501.htmlhttp://www.kaiserscross.com/60401/134143.htmlhttp://www.kaiserscross.com/40056/139001.htmlMore to come :-)BestChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Krause Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Hi,interesting thread!Here my small contribution with 6 devices:from the Med. Militaire I?m sure it is as well an NCO.Best regardsDaniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted March 19, 2008 Author Share Posted March 19, 2008 That is nice!!! If you consider the CdG TOE and the Valeur Militaire to be more or less the same thing, he has 8 citations as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted March 23, 2008 Author Share Posted March 23, 2008 Another write up about our 8 star man....http://www.kaiserscross.com/40056/146301.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now