Robin Lumsden Posted May 30, 2011 Author Posted May 30, 2011 I think the German kingdoms had a lot more interaction between their armies than was previously thought, particularly when it came to elite, specialist units. :cheers:
Robin Lumsden Posted May 30, 2011 Author Posted May 30, 2011 (edited) Could these be related ................ ?????? Black skulls ................ Red and black ............... Wuerttemberg cockade ........ Wuerttemberg 'XIII' ......... :whistle: Edited May 30, 2011 by Robin Lumsden
Robin Lumsden Posted May 31, 2011 Author Posted May 31, 2011 Better comparison of the construction technique .............
Gilles Posted May 31, 2011 Posted May 31, 2011 (edited) "Speaking of the "St." abbreviation" I know that the concept of Stammkompanie was used by the Germans during WWII. I am away from my books to check the use of the term during WWI. However, you'd be surprised to see a skull being worn on a cap of a Stamm unit. What we don't know, is if the moment whe the skull was added to the cap. Freikorps could then be a possibility. It's a rather uncommon skull pattern. Regards Gilles Edited May 31, 2011 by Gilles
Chip Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 "Speaking of the "St." abbreviation" I know that the concept of Stammkompanie was used by the Germans during WWII. I am away from my books to check the use of the term during WWI. However, you'd be surprised to see a skull being worn on a cap of a Stamm unit. What we don't know, is if the moment whe the skull was added to the cap. Freikorps could then be a possibility. It's a rather uncommon skull pattern. Regards Gilles Gilles, I make no claims that this is a Sturm Bataillon cap. I'm not sure what the markings mean. It's all just speculation. I'm putting it out there for comment and hopefully some information with arise. As you say, there is no telling when the skull was added. It could just as well be a Freikorps thing too. Chip
Sergeant 08 Posted June 1, 2011 Posted June 1, 2011 but everything comes to he who waits! Yes, sometimes you have to wait. And sometimes you have to wait for a second chance. I gave this badge to another collector in past. I have never seen another one. Now he decided to sell his collection and I got it back! :D
Robin Lumsden Posted June 2, 2011 Author Posted June 2, 2011 Yes, sometimes you have to wait ......... I got it back! Well done! Meanwhile, I also managed to find one of these ................. :cheers:
Sergeant 08 Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Well done! Meanwhile, I also managed to find one of these ................. Only two appeared, now I know where the other one is! :beer:
Sergeant 08 Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) What comes next? ;) Edited June 2, 2011 by Sergeant 08
Robin Lumsden Posted June 2, 2011 Author Posted June 2, 2011 What comes next? Well, last week I found this. A Meissen plate (to go with the Meissen Wehrwolf medallion). :cheers:
Robin Lumsden Posted June 2, 2011 Author Posted June 2, 2011 Not to be confused with the fakes around. The one on the right here is a copy.
Sergeant 08 Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Items from this town have always a good quality and are worth the money! Congratulations! :love:
Robin Lumsden Posted June 2, 2011 Author Posted June 2, 2011 Items from this town have always a good quality and are worth the money! My Meissen Eulenspiegel .......... from 1941.
Thomas W Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Another variation of the flamethrower Totenkopf sleeve badge. The badge on the left has no lower jaw. Compare it to the inset photo of the standard sleeve badge. I can't enlarge the jawless badge any more, because it loses definition. The photo depicts a platoon of flamethrower pioneers that includes at least three members of Sturmbataillon No. 5 (Rohr), so this jawless variation may have been an early Rohr badge that was later discontinued.
Thomas W Posted June 2, 2011 Posted June 2, 2011 Here's a slightly bigger scan of the badge, together with the two standard badges Robin posted before. You can see that there's no "chin" below the white line of teeth at the bottom of the skull on the left. Too bad the quality of the photo isn't better.
Robin Lumsden Posted June 3, 2011 Author Posted June 3, 2011 Interesting variations, Thomas. The standard FW type (with lower 'jaw') reminds me of the Leibhusaren pennon type ............
Robin Lumsden Posted June 3, 2011 Author Posted June 3, 2011 ......... while the 'jawless' variation reminds me of the busby skull. Of course, none of the Prussian TKs had a jaw. The top row of 'teeth' was meant to represent the cavities into which the actual teeth fitted.
Thomas W Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 ......... while the 'jawless' variation reminds me of the busby skull. I think so, too.
Robin Lumsden Posted June 3, 2011 Author Posted June 3, 2011 Flamethrower in action at 8.46 here ............... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFjt0qmoNSA
Thomas W Posted June 3, 2011 Posted June 3, 2011 Flamethrower in action at 8.46 here ............... I have a pen-pal who's a recently retired major in the Russian army. He worked in the chemical-warfare branch, so he's very knowledgeable about Russian flamethrowers. I contacted him through his Web site when I was researching my last book. He's a great guy, but when the topic turns to Germany, he becomes one of the scariest, most extremist people on the planet. His approach is "Nuke them all and let God sort them out." His father and father-in-law both fought in the Great Patriotic War. The memories of what the Nazis did to Russia are still very fresh.
Robin Lumsden Posted June 3, 2011 Author Posted June 3, 2011 ........ but when the topic turns to Germany, he becomes one of the scariest, most extremist people on the planet. His approach is "Nuke them all and let God sort them out." His father and father-in-law both fought in the Great Patriotic War. The memories of what the Nazis did to Russia are still very fresh. Not surprising. I think that movie is probably pretty realistic as regards the activities of the Einsatzgruppen. Most of them pi$$ed out of their skulls and totally merciless.
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