Old Colonial........

[Robin Lumsden]

...............with a nice medal bar.

[Robin Lumsden]

Better look at the gongs..................

[Chris Boonzaier]

Would be curious to know if he served in GSWA or GEA for WW1, or if he was a pre war colonial...

[Guest Rick Research]

Despite the fact that he must have been 105 years old in 1938 or so... his awards are pure Bavarian army with nothing colonial at all--

1) Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914

2) Bavarian Military Merit ORDER 4th Class X with Crown

3) Hindenburg Cross X

4) Bavarian Army Luitpold Jubilee Medal for the army (either 1905 or 1911)

5) Bavarian "Christmas 1918" medal handed out to royalists in the 1920s

6) Bavarian XXIV Years Service Cross

If he'd completed his service in the Schutztruppen he'd have had a "Prussian" long service award not the Bavarian one. :cheers:

Edited February 6, 2009 by Rick Research

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

Am I correct in thinking that someone living in GSWA and being in the reserves (at least attending the odd bear session) could also dress up as the great white hunter in the 1930s after having never really served actively in Africa?

there must have been folks living there in the quiet periods who qualified as "Colonial soldiers" by being angemeldet as reservists .... but never touched a rifle?

[Ulsterman]

wow-that is a photo!!

:Cat-Scratch:

[Guest Rick Research]

Anybody in any kind of uniform in SWA 1914-15 was eligible to BUY the 1920s only paperwork issued/private purchase "Elephantenorden" Kolonialabzeichen which Methuselah isn't wearing.

Lots of people must have passed through in quiet times but then-- aside from the hat-- why would an Old Boy who went out as a ? Major aD** dress up as an ordinary colonial trooper? Bigger frog in smaller pond?

** I just realized he's wearing blue enamelled BMV4 not silver BMVK2 so he's an old career officer.

[Colin Davie]

The still looks like it's in Berlin? Maybe if you knew what was going on it might clarify who he was.

Just thinking out loud, but then it's not loud because I'm typing it, hmmm ..Having a thought storm

C

[Eric Stahlhut]

what sort of insignia is he wearing directly opposite the bar on the right side of his chest?

[Guest Rick Research]

I'm thinking Munich so they're probably all Bavarian... looks like rows of the NS Kriegerbund in FULL uniform (unusual) background which is why I'd guess circa 1938.

Right pocket is the big overly tall NSKB (another reason I'd say circa 1938) pin on metal breast eagle-- crossed swords through the body and a black enamel EK on the tummy feathers. Looks odd because he hasn't bent it to fit his portly physique.

[Robin Lumsden]

Photo was taken on the Koenigsplatz in Munich.

[Robin Lumsden]

Photo was taken on the Koenigsplatz in Munich. The Propylaen is in the background.

[Robin Lumsden]

Here are the other two a bit closer.....................best I can do.

[Bernhard H.Holst]

A point to ponder:

The three Schutztruppen had distinct color identification whereas German-East Africa Schutztruppe had white, German Southwest Africa blue (kornblumenblau) and Cameroon red (ponceaurot). The colors can be discerned on the photo as white and possibly blue hat borders.

Schutztruppen personnel, officers and enlisted were recruited from all the different states, dukedoms, principalties etc making up the German Empire as were the Seebataillone and the Gendamerie units serving in the Reichslaender ( Alsace and Lorraine).

Bernhard H. Holst

[922F]

Absolutely Fantastic!!!!

[Alex K]

Don't normally use image hostings site but due to limited size available on the forum

attached

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/5348/colonialme0.jpg