Chris Boonzaier Posted December 22, 2007 Posted December 22, 2007 Part of a group I just got.....First some of the pics....Command post at Verdun
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 22, 2007 Author Posted December 22, 2007 In his prewar parade uniform...
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 22, 2007 Author Posted December 22, 2007 Bringing orders to the front
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 22, 2007 Author Posted December 22, 2007 Extreme right with the first six of eight citations on his cdg.
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 22, 2007 Author Posted December 22, 2007 The best of the citations IMHO :-)Muuuuch more in the group, but still need time to go through it....In a few days after this event the Alpenkorps attacked the area... that can be found here....http://www.kaiserscross.com/40047/129401.html
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 22, 2007 Author Posted December 22, 2007 He was in the 4th Zouaves in the elite 38 ID, one of the main French assault divisions.
Ed_Haynes Posted December 22, 2007 Posted December 22, 2007 (edited) Lovely set, powerful history. Thanks for taking the time to post, Chris! Edited December 22, 2007 by Ed_Haynes
Veteran Posted December 22, 2007 Posted December 22, 2007 (edited) ChristopherThese are quite rare pictures of men in the Zouave Regiments. A wonderful group of decorations to a true warrior. And the pictures are extremely evocative.Zouaves were considered to be, along with the Foreign Legion, the crack colonial infantry regiments in the French forces. Although they were stationed in North Africa, they were practically all European descent soldiers.I cannot resist the temptation to add this picture of my own father, who was commissioned into the 3e R?giment de Zouaves as as second lieutenant in August 1915. This picture was taken a few days after he received the single gold stripe showing his rank and proudly wearing the red "chechia", the distinctive head-dress of the African troups. On his collar, the Regimental number "3".!By the time AIME received his croix de guerre, my father had been a casualty. Having transfered to the 2nd Tirailleurs, in the African division, he had lost an arm in February 1916 rallying men whose officers had all been killed and bringing them back to stop the German onslaught, a couple of miles north of Verdun. On the day the Fort of Douaumont was lost, hardly a mile fron where the were fighting.They were successful and he received an immediate Legion of honor with a palm on his croix de guerre. The Germans never made it to Verdun.I never knew my father with the left arm and hand shown here scratching that pup's neck.As most members of their generation, what those men went through cannot be described in words that mean anything to-day...Congratulations. Merry Xmass Veteran Edited December 22, 2007 by Veteran
PKeating Posted December 22, 2007 Posted December 22, 2007 A wonderful group. But the photo of your father is very touching. There is a family resemblance! Best wishes to you for Christmas and 2008. Il faut qu'on d?jeune ensemble l'ann?e prochaine. Prosper
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 23, 2007 Author Posted December 23, 2007 Hi,Aime was wounded once with shrapnel in the arm in 1915 then gassed in 1918.The citation above was in the Chapitre-Wald area at Verdun when the Germans launched a last effort to take Souville.I am preparing a writeup on it.Nice pic of your dad! He does look proud of the stripe (or the dog) (or both!)Did he manage to keep his awards through the years?all the bestChris
Veteran Posted December 23, 2007 Posted December 23, 2007 (edited) Hello Prosper, thanks for your message. Yes we must... Let's arrange that by p.m.Yes, Chris, I have all his awards. He was later advanced to become an Officier, and then a Commandeur in the Legion d'honneur for his work in favour of wounded war veterans at national and international levels.Merry Xmass to both of you.Veteran Edited December 23, 2007 by Veteran
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 3, 2008 Author Posted January 3, 2008 Here you go... the first write up for the group, including the bayonet attack......http://www.kaiserscross.com/60401/134143.html
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 18, 2008 Author Posted January 18, 2008 Here is the CDG from the pic above. Aime obviously had 2 sets. This group from I assume the 1920s or so, and his award pieces to wear on parades. Lots of the vets also had a framed set like above. On the framed sets the stars were ofen glued on ones, which in this case had been lost over the years... so here is the CdG seem above with a new period ribbon and new stars.
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