Bringing History to life...

[Alex K]

Hi all, thanks for the comments, been away on vacation, just got back, so to answer a few questions, the time taken depends on the complexity and number of gongs, etc, in terms of work -hours, Oskar Schindler, head and shoulders (Quite like that one!) 2 hours, I don't always work in one sitting as I'm not financial/time constrained, so on the more intricate one's I may do an hour, leave it and come back to it later, sometimes days/weeks later and do another bit rather than one sitting, I suit myself basically. Paul (R) thanks for the input, I appreciate if mistakes are pointed out as I prefer to get things as correct as possible, a simple tweek will alter the stars, thanks

This one took a little longer due to the quantity of scrambled egg spread over his uniform!  (Don't think I've posted it before)

Continuing, I've started to look at the story behind some of the colourisations to add a little history where I can, one I came across deserves to be remembered, so a little narrative to go with it, I collate the information from various sources and credits are indicated

 

"

Flying Officer Robert Fitzgerald Conroy
429 (Bison) Bomber Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force,
6 Bomber Group, RAF Bomber Command
Killed in Action over Germany on March 24, 1944

 

“Robert Fitzgerald Conroy was born in a small rural Nova Scotia community and developed an affinity for the country way of life at an early age. After graduating from a one-room, multi-grade school, he began his adult years working for a forestry company and then enlisted in the Canadian Forestry Corps with his friends. He was anxious to be a pilot and was transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force after barely a year with the Forestry Corps. Following extensive training in Canada, he proceeded overseas to continue to continue his bomber pilot education and training.  In June of 1943, as a member of 429 (Bison) Bomber Squadron, he was shot down on a bombing raid to Dusseldorf, Germany; all his crew was killed.

 

However, he survived, evaded capture and made his way to Spain and eventual repatriation to England. After leave in Canada, he returned to his squadron as pilot of a Halifax bomber. While part of Bomber Command’s last big raid of the war on Berlin, he was shot down and killed –this time all his crew survived.

 

“Get Out, Get Out Now”, were the last words spoken by Flying Officer Gerald Conroy as he piloted his flaming and wrecked Halifax bomber to the ground over Southeastern Germany near midnight on 24 March 1944. He was on his second operational tour of duty and was participating in what was the last major Allied raid on Berlin, also known as “the night of the strong winds.””

 

He is buried in the Commonwealth war grave cemetery, Berlin

 

Narrative extracts credits

Robertconroy.com

Grave image findagrave

[Alex K]

Kaiser Wilhelm II always seems to make interesting colourisations, three of a number, hunting at Balmoral in Scotland (I think), 2 others with all the work clothes but without a job, at Doorn.

[paul wood]

Alex

Albert Victor was duke of Clarence and Avondale not Connaught, that was Edward VII's younger brother Arthur (1850-1942).

Paul, nice picture though

[Alex K]

HI Paul, Have I goofed? (I do but normally manage to catch them early before they get out), I'll check my info database

 

regards

 

Alex

 

Got him mixed up with this dude I think, looks  quite similar, (Or am I fooling myself and they are both the same person!!?) I have the as the Duke of Connaught

Edited September 23, 2016 by Alex K
additional info

[paul wood]

That's Connaught aged around 40

Paul

[Alex K]

I should have known really, I did this of him many moons ago, they do look similar though (To me)

 

 

[paul wood]

Same blood coursing in their veins, Connaught was Edward VII's younger brother and Clarence was Edward VII Eldest son. Hence the similarity in fact most of Queen Victoria's sons had many similar features and Alfred Duke of Edinburgh(later Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) looked very similar to Edward VII in later years.

Paul

[Alex K]

all that inter-marrying

[Alex K]

Hi all another interesting one (For me), Gustav Mannerheim (are those 2 flatscreen TV's in the background)

Edited September 30, 2016 by Alex K

[paul wood]

Fascinating, does anyone know what the sword insignia above his Mannerheim Cross signifies?

Paul

[pieter1012]

Paul,

Hieronymussen in his book on European orders writes that the Swedish order of the Sword also had special ranks that were only awarded in war time. One of them was Knight of the Grandcross of the Sword First Class, which wears a neckbadge of the size as the Grandcross badge and a single upright silver sword on the left breast. I guess Mannerheim was awarded this rank, but our Swedish forum members may have more information.

Pieter

[paul wood]

Pieter,

Thank you for that information. I had assumed that the sword decoration was only awarded in the 18th or early 19th century

Paul

[pieter1012]

Paul,

I checked a bit more and indeed Mannerheim received the Knight of the Grandcross First Class of the Order of the Sword in 1942. He must have been one of the very few who got this in the 20th century.

Pieter

[paul wood]

Pieter.

Thank you so much for the information. Here is an example I handled in June last year Paul

[Alex K]

Hi Pieter/Paul, my thanks also for the info you supplied, I was also unaware of the swords significance but assumed it would be gold/silver, however I have a copy of Paul Hieronymussen's book "Order, Medals and Decorations of Btritain and Europe" 2nd edition 1970 and it states

 

"Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword Ist Class, which wears a Knight's Cross of the same size as the Grand Cross on a necklet and an upright silver sword on the left side of the chest", no picture unfortunately, this sounds the same as your info, maybe I should check the information I have sitting under my nose Ist!!

 

regards

 

Alex

Edited September 30, 2016 by Alex K

[pieter1012]

Paul,

thanks for the beautiful picture, this must be an early 19th century example of this rare class of the Sword order. I wonder if Mannerheim's order is present in the Mannerheim museum in Helsinki. Would be nice to see a photo of it.

By the way Alex, I have nothing against women, but I liked your avatar of king Kalakaua better; looked more impressive

Pieter

[Alex K]

Hi Pieter, I can always put it back, I have many, many more colourisations than I post, so I like to rotate occasionally, I'm sure King David will make a re-appearance, how about another King, posted before but different uniform

 

regards

 

Alex

May be of interest

http://mannerheim.weebly.com/mannerheims-decorations.html#.V-6bZnn2ZhE

 

[pieter1012]

Alex,

thank you very much for the link to the Mannerheim collection. Under nr. 82 is a picture of his rare Swedish Sword order, really beautiful.

I realize you can choose among many royalty for your avatar, but I have some good memories about king Kalakaua. I visited his Iolani palace in Hawaii many years ago and liked it very much (actually enjoyed my whole stay in Hawaii). I then bought a book about his life which has a nice painting of him on the cover in tropical uniform. Regards,

Pieter

[Alex K]

Hi Pieter, I'm sure your stay and visit was an extremely enjoyable experience, does the palace have any personal artifacts such as uniforms, decorations etc of King Kalakaua on display, if so would be interesting to see.

 

BTW I actually like the colourisation I did of him so with regards to my avatar, I given him a reprieve for the time being

 

regards

 

Just for future info, from the Mannerheim museum

 

Edited October 1, 2016 by Alex K
additional information

[pieter1012]

Alex,

many thanks for the nice picture of Mannerheim's Sword order.

I don't remember King Kalakaua's uniforms being shown at Ioliani palace, but in the Throne room a number of his orders and perhaps also some of Queen Kapiolani's orders were displayed. Unfortunately it was not allowed to take any pictures. However, in the museum shop I bought a postcard of the ultra rare collar of the order of Kamehameha, which was displayed in the palace (copy enclosed)

regards, Pieter

 

Edited October 2, 2016 by pieter1012

[Alex K]

extremely nice, great postcard also, thanks for posting

 

Alex

[paul wood]

Remember that collar well it was sold by Sotheby's Geneva in 1991 and bought by the palace..

Paul

[pieter1012]

Paul,

the backside of the postcard indeed says; acquired by the Friends of the Iolani Palace in 1991. As you mention Sotheby's, do you think this is the collar which was given by the king to French President Grevy in 1881? The other known ones were to Tsar Alexander III, Emperor Meiji and Queen Victoria (hers is shown in the book Royal Insignia, and I presume the other two are in the Hermitage and the Imperial Japanese Household).

I always thought that it was the king's collar and acquired from the former Royal family of Hawaii.  It means then that the collar of king Kalakaua would still be missing. 

Pieter

[paul wood]

I had assumed that it was likely to be Grevy's

Paul

[paul wood]

Grevy is unique in being the only person to have received the collar of Kalakaua as well as a live zebra from the Emperor Johannes of Ethiopia of the type which was to be known as Grevy's Zebra.

Paul